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British Columbia

Victorian Christmas at the Grand Empress

Program No. 18099RJ
Wondrous festive lights illuminate Victoria and the Inner Harbour! Celebrate at the Fairmont Empress, enjoy a festive light display at The Butchart Gardens and Tea at the Empress.

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Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Dec 23 - Dec 27, 2024
Starting at
2,399
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Dec 23 - Dec 27, 2024
Starting at
3,099

At a Glance

Revel in the spirit of the season amid the history and ambiance of charming Victoria and the opulent, turn-of-the-century Empress Hotel. Presentations and field trips mingle with horse-drawn trolley rides and traditional sing-alongs as you stroll the historic streets of Victoria and learn of Canadian holiday traditions. On Christmas morning, immerse yourself in holiday atmosphere as carolers wander the hotel halls.
Activity Level
Easy Going
Easy walking on relatively flat terrain; optional stairs.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Witness the magical holiday transformation of magnificent Butchart Gardens with a display of thousands of twinkling lights.
  • Be regaled with true accounts of how Christmas was celebrated during the days of Fort Victoria and the gold-rush era.
  • Take part in one of Victoria’s grandest traditions — Afternoon Tea at the Empress — and top off Christmas Day with a festive dinner.

General Notes

Christmas dinner dress code is semi-formal, with a jacket and tie requested for gentlemen. Max of 90 participants, divided into groups for activities.
Featured Expert
All Experts
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John Adams
John Adams is the author of “Old Square-Toes and His Lady: The Life of James and Amelia Douglas.” Part historian and part storyteller, John has turned a passion for the past into a long career in history. His family-owned business, Discover the Past, provides a variety of historical educational programs for the community. His natural, lively, humorous and clear style makes his presentations both informative and memorable.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of John Adams
John Adams View biography
John Adams is the author of “Old Square-Toes and His Lady: The Life of James and Amelia Douglas.” Part historian and part storyteller, John has turned a passion for the past into a long career in history. His family-owned business, Discover the Past, provides a variety of historical educational programs for the community. His natural, lively, humorous and clear style makes his presentations both informative and memorable.
Profile Image of Chris Adams
Chris Adams View biography
Chris was raised in Victoria and attended the University of Victoria where he received his BA in history. Chris spent many years of his early adult life in the UK and received a diploma in human ecology from Strathclyde University in Glasgow. He and his wife now live in Victoria with their two children. Chris is a historian, storyteller and interpretive leader. In his spare time, he is a hard-working urban farmer, tending flocks of chickens, ducks and quail, along with many hives of bees.
Profile Image of Isabelle Maheux
Isabelle Maheux View biography
Isabelle Maxeux has two decades of experience in the travel industry. Her skills and personality have given Isabelle the opportunity to lead participants around the world. Originally from Québec, she now calls Vancouver Island home. Fluent in French and English, she enjoys languages and is currently learning Spanish. When Isabelle is not traveling, she enjoys exploring the outdoors with her family and teaching them about local flora and fauna.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast
by Bill Richardson
Lake Woebegone goes British Columbian in this humorous slip of a novel about an unconventional Vancouver B&B, which features twin bookworm brothers, a talking parrot and a motley crew of hotel guests.
Canada, Images of the Land
by J. Kraulis
From the country's expansive prairies and forests to its magnificent coastline, the 200-plus images in this oversized photo book capture the sublime and staggeringly diverse landscape of Canada.
The Raven Steals the Light
by Robert Bringhurst, Bill Reid (Illustrator), Claude Levi-Strauss (Introduction)
A classic collection of 10 Haida myths and legends with accompanying black and white etchings by Vancouver artist Bill Reid. These stories capture the storytelling traditions of the Haida.
Eyewitness Top Ten Vancouver & Victoria
by Eyewitness Guides
A compact, illustrated guide in the popular series, featuring favorite attractions in Vancouver and Victoria.
Christmas Stories
by Diana Tesdell (Editor)
These choice selections, in an Everyman's pocket edition, celebrate Christmas with short fiction that includes Elizabeth Bowen's Green Holly, Dancing Dan's Christmas by Damon Runyon, A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote, Willa Cather's The Burglar's Choice, and works by Charles Dickens, Leo Tolstoy, John Updike, Alice Monroe, John Cheever, Grace Paley, and others.
Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest
by Katharine Berry Judson
Presented here with 52 photographs, these traditional stories, first collected in 1910, reveal myths and traditions of creation, alongside noted geographical features of the territory.
Victoria, A History in Photographs
by Peter Grant
The story of Victoria, British Columbia from its days as a mining colony to its development into a city. Nearly 150 archival photographs are organized together with a short text.
Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form
by Bill Holm
An in-depth analysis of the form, shape and texture of the art of the Northwest Coast Indians by an artist, teacher and expert in the field, illustrated throughout.
Tea Sommelier
by Gabriella Lombardi
A gorgeous, coffee-table introduction to the wide world of tea, its rituals, jargon, health benefits and varieties, brimming with gorgeous full- and double-page photographs and 20 tea-infused recipes.
A Traveller's History of Canada
by Robert Bothwell
A readable and admirably concise march through Canadian history from prehistory to today, including a timeline.
The West Beyond the West, A History of British Columbia
by Jean Barman
A fascinating history of the Canadian province from the 18th century to the mid-1990s. The author weaves portraits of major personalities and events into a readable overview of the cultural and social influences that have shaped the region.
Moon Vancouver and Victoria, Including Whistler and Vancouver Island
by Andrew Hempstead
A no-nonsense practical guide in the Moon series, jam-packed not only with travel necessities (hotels, restaurants, sights), but also with a good overview of history, flora and fauna and geology.





Important registration tip:
If you want to attend the live lecture, please do not wait until the last minute to enroll.
If you enroll after a lecture is complete, we’ll send you a recording of the event.