British Columbia
Signature Cities Vancouver & Victoria
Program No. 20578RJ
Enjoy beautiful gardens, architectural walks, visits to museums and fascinating lectures as you immerse yourself in the unique story of Vancouver and Victoria.
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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jul 8 - Jul 15, 2024
Starting at
3,549Aug 12 - Aug 19, 2024
Starting at
3,549Sep 2 - Sep 9, 2024
Starting at
3,549DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Jul 8 - Jul 15, 2024
Starting at
4,589Aug 12 - Aug 19, 2024
Starting at
4,589Sep 2 - Sep 9, 2024
Starting at
4,589Not seeing the date you're looking for?
To be notified if dates of this program become available, click the button below.
8 days
7 nights
17 meals
7B 5L 5D
1
Check-In, Registration, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Vancouver, British Columbia
2
Vancouver Introduction, City Exploration, Mus. of Vancouver
Vancouver, British Columbia
3
Vancouver Mural Festival, Steveston Shipworks and Cannery
Vancouver, British Columbia
4
Granville Island Public Market, Free Time
Vancouver, British Columbia
5
Ferry to Victoria, Introduction, Inner Harbour Exploration
Victoria, British Columbia
6
Ocean Exploration, Free Afternoon
Victoria, British Columbia
7
Victoria's Diversity, Coach Exploration, Butchart Gardens
Victoria, British Columbia
8
Program Concludes, Departure
Victoria, British Columbia
At a Glance
Embark on an exploration of Vancouver and Victoria to learn about these world-class cities with British, European and Asian traditions. Discover the planning that has made Vancouver one of the world’s most livable cities and explore its fascinating neighborhoods, including Gastown and Chinatown. In Victoria, meet with a local expert and explore historic landmarks including Old Town, the Inner Harbor, the British Columbia legislature and the grand Empress Hotel.
Activity Level
Keep the Pace
Walking up to one mile a day over varied terrain; climbing a few flights of stairs.
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- Explore Granville Island with a local expert.
- Admire the beauty of nature while on a self-led exploration at Butchart Gardens
- Enjoy an expert-led whale watching cruise to learn about the ecosystem of the Salish Sea.
- Get a first-hand look at the city’s Victorian architecture and see the British Columbia Parliament Buildings and the historic Empress Hotel.
General Notes
You may enjoy our garden-focused program, "Victoria and Vancouver: Glorious West Coast Gardens" (#2679).
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Phil Foster
A lover of math and physics, Phil graduated from Exeter University in England with a teaching degree. His long career in education has spanned three continents; he spent time in small communities and cities throughout England, Australia and Canada teaching and learning about each country’s unique culture. Truly passionate about spreading knowledge to others and about travelling, Phil loves nothing more than taking people on educational walks through historic Victoria, showing them what makes his home special.
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
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.
Phil Foster
View biography
A lover of math and physics, Phil graduated from Exeter University in England with a teaching degree. His long career in education has spanned three continents; he spent time in small communities and cities throughout England, Australia and Canada teaching and learning about each country’s unique culture. Truly passionate about spreading knowledge to others and about travelling, Phil loves nothing more than taking people on educational walks through historic Victoria, showing them what makes his home special.
John Atkin
View biography
John Atkin is an author, historian and heritage advocate who has been fascinated with Vancouver since moving to the city over 30 years ago. He is the co-founder of the Heritage Vancouver Society, has contributed to a documentary on the city, and has appeared regularly on television and radio, including CBC Television and CTV’s Canada AM. John is the author of four books on Vancouver, including “Strathcona: Vancouver’s First Neighborhood,” and is an editor for the B.C. Historical Federation.
Routes Adventures Mobile Phone
View biography
Please call the toll free line at 1-866-745-1690 during regular business hours or for non-urgent matters (Mon - Fri 8:30 - 4:30 EST). The mobile phone #1-613-331-5777 is for after hours and weekends for emergency use only. The phone is carried by a staff member.
Joanna Kucy
View biography
Joanna Kucy graduated from Fashion College in Fort Lauderdale. She and her husband travelled extensively, moving from place to place, and realized they loved the dynamic of living among travelers. Puerto Vallarta, Whistler, and lastly Victoria led to many careers within the customer service and floral industries. While in Whistler, Joanna’s awe of all she saw and experienced led her to a life of Group Leading. When not traveling, she enjoys recreating her adventures in photo books, swimming, walking where ever the road leads.
Alasdair Butcher
View biography
Alasdair Butcher is a Vancouver-born and based local expert, community organizer, and educator. He has a B.A.H. in human geography from the University of British Columbia and a master's in urban studies from Simon Fraser University. In 2008, he founded Vancouver DeTours with the aim of reclaiming travel as an act of educational empowerment. Since then, he has taken more than 100,000 guests on explorations of Vancouver's social history, architecture, urban planning, public art, and contemporary topics through an approach he calls "pedestrian pedagogy."
Tom Filipovic
View biography
Tom Filipovic grew up near Niagara Falls in Ontario where he fostered a love for whales at a young age. Tom's dream of seeing killer whales in the wild was finally fulfilled on a trip to Vancouver Island in 2018 when he went on a boat cruise with Eagle Wing. Along with a passion for whales, Tom has a love for teaching and sharing knowledge with people. He holds a B.S. in geography and a B.Ed., and is a certified teacher.
Suggested Reading List
(14 books)
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.
Signature Cities Vancouver & Victoria
Program Number: 20578
The West Beyond the West, A History of British Columbia
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.
Exploring Vancouver, The Architectural Guide
In this highly accessible and authoritative guide to Vancouver's architecture, specialists Harold Kalman and Robin Ward take us on a tour of Vancouver's fourteen neighborhoods, exploring the city's rich architectural heritage in over 450 entries. Each entry includes historical, social and architectural commentary accompanied by striking, full-color photographs.
Vancouver Then and Now
This installment in the Then and Now series takes stock of Vancouver’s evolution by placing antique photographs side-by-side with contemporary ones. It peels back the years so that readers can see city fixtures as they once were.
Moon Vancouver and Victoria, Including Whistler and Vancouver Island
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.
Great Bear Wild
A colorful photographic journey through the Great Bear Rainforest that follows the coast from Vancouver Island to southern Alaska; McAllister captures the spectacular landscapes and wildlife, including wolves, whales and bears.
Art of the Northwest Coast
A survey of Pacific Northwest art and artistic traditions from Puget Sound to Alaska, featuring thought-provoking essays by art historian Jonaitis along with 152 illustrations, 89 in color.
Northwest Coast Indian Art: An Analysis of Form
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.
Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest
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.
Vancouver Birds: An Introduction to Familiar Species
This pocket-sized reference for the bird enthusiast includes illustrations of over 120 species and a map of local birdwatching hotspots.
Bachelor Brothers' Bed and Breakfast
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.
The Island Within
A beautifully written tribute to the Pacific Northwest. Drawn from the author's journals, this is an account of the natural and cultural history of an island in the waters of Haida Strait, with emphasis on the relationship between people and the land.
The Last Great Sea, A Voyage Through the Human and Natural History of the North Pacific Ocean
A wide-ranging conservation history of British Columbia and the North Pacific Ocean. Glavin lives in the Gulf Islands, where he writes frequently about fisheries and environmental issues facing the region.
Snow Falling on Cedars
A beautifully wrought, extremely evocative novel set on San Piedro Island in Puget Sound in the 1950s. Readers are rewarded not only with some fine storytelling and beautiful prose, but also with a vivid glimpse of island life.
The Raven Steals the Light
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.