Victoria and Vancouver: Glorious West Coast Gardens
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At a Glance
What You'll Learn
- Discover Vancouver’s Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, a classical Chinese Garden.
- Join a horticulturalist who will take you behind the scenes to the elegant Queen’s Gardens to experience Victoria’s colonial past.
- Explore the renowned Butchart Gardens where some 900 varieties give you uninterrupted bloom from March through October.
General Notes
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in begins at 4:00 pm.
Afternoon: Program registration begins at 4:00 pm. After you have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing the up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in.
Dinner: Enjoy a welcome dinner at 6:00 pm in the hotel.
Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Activity note: Getting on and off a motorcoach. Walking for approximately 1 mile (1.6 km)
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: We will start our day with a presentation from a local Indigenous Metis Herbalist. Learn about the wild, medicinal and edible plants that grow in the Vancouver area. Next, discover the VanDusen Botanical Garden with a local expert. This 55-acre garden features a Scottish shelter in the Heather garden, a hexagonal Korean Pavilion, and an Elizabethan Maze made of 3,000 pyramidal cedars.
Lunch: At a local restaurant
Afternoon: This afternoon we visit the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, named after the man considered the father of modern China. This garden is the first Chinese “scholar’s” garden built outside of China and is an authentic representation of the garden tradition that reached its peak in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). Next, we will join a local expert who will take us through the alleys and backstreets of the Vancouver Mural Festival. These stunning murals will tell the story of neighborhood changes, colonialism, immigration, gentrification, de-industrialization and the rise of the tech economy in Vancouver. Admire the many Indigenous artists, especially from the local Musqueum, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh Nations.
Dinner: At a local restaurant
Evening: Enjoy the evening at your leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 1 mile (1.6 km) on pavement and stone walkways, some periods of standing.
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: This morning we explore the stunning Queen Elizabeth Park with your group leader. This beautiful park is the highest point within the city, with incredible views and 130 acres covered with flowers, gardens and trees. Next, we explore the Nitobe Memorial Garden with an expert. The garden is designed as a traditional Japanese Garden and celebrates the memory of Dr. Inazo Nitobe (1862-1933), who strove to create an understanding of Japanese culture in the West. We then visit the UBC Botanical Gardens and learn about plants from all over the world, and wander through a variety of gardens including a woodland garden, food garden, and Carolinian forest garden.
Lunch: On your own.
Afternoon: Free Time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At your leisure.
Activity note: Getting on and off a motorcoach and ferry. The ferry to Victoria is 24 nautical miles and takes approximately 1.5 hours; participants will be responsible for boarding and disembarking the ferry with their luggage. Walking up to one mile (1.6 km) on paved paths and groomed trails. Some standing, and stairs with railings.
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: We'll transfer by coach and ferry from Vancouver to Victoria.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like on the ferry.
Afternoon: A local expert will join us on the coach to introduce us to the Butchart Gardens. Learn about the history of the gardens, and the garden’s namesake, Jennie Butchart. Explore the Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site with 55 acres of floral displays and expansive lawns. Wander through the Sunken Garden, see the Ross Fountain, and the Japanese, Rose, and Italian gardens. Maps and flower guides will be provided on arrival for independent exploration.
Dinner: Dinner in the dining room at Butchart Gardens.
Evening: At your leisure.
Activity note: Getting on and off a motorcoach. Walking 1.5 miles (2.4 km) on gravel paths, and mostly flat ground.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: This morning, learn about the historic city of Victoria with a local historian who will explain the social economic forces which shaped the city and gave it a sense of British charm. Then, explore Victoria’s Old Town and Inner Harbour on foot, and see the Victorian architecture on display on Wharf Street, the historic Empress Hotel, as well as the British Columbia Parliament buildings.
Lunch: At a sea side restaurant.
Afternoon: Free time. You might like to take a walk along historic Government Street, have tea at one of the numerous tea houses or the spectacular Empress Hotel, or explore Inner Harbour.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy local fare.
Evening: At leisure. You might like to continue exploring local sites, take a horse-drawn carriage ride or harbor ferry exploration, explore Beacon Hill park, walk along the seaside trail, just relax.
Activity note: Walking up to 3 miles (4.8 km) on pavement, packed gravel, and some uneven ground; standing during field trips.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Roam the gardens of Government House, home to the Lieutenant Governor, the Queen’s Representative in British Columbia, and marvel at the dozens of distinctive gardens, from an extensive rockery, to a formal tapestry planting of Mediterranean herbs. Next, embark on an exploration by coach of Victoria’s iconic landmarks and neighborhoods, including the Government House, Mile Zero, Beacon Hill Park, Oak Bay, the University of Victoria, Mount Tolmie and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Lunch: Taste local cuisine at a nearby restaurant.
Afternoon: This afternoon, we will explore Beacon Hill Park, a Victorian Park which includes bridges, lakes, ponds, and an alpine garden. A local expert will walk the grounds with us as we see the numerous species of ducks, birds, and peacocks which roam the grounds of Garry Oak, Arbutus, Douglas fir, Western Red Cedar, birch and maple trees. Then we will have an exclusive visit to a private garden in the James Bay neighbourhood.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At your leisure.
Activity note: Getting on and off a motorcoach. Walking up to 2 miles (3.2 km) on uneven terrain in public and private gardens, concrete and gravel paths; standing during field trips. Variable weather conditions.
Breakfast: At the hotel
Morning: Today we will visit the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific with a gardening expert. This non-profit gardener’s garden is devoted to conservation, research, and life-long learning. There are more than a dozen specialist and seasonal gardens cared for by staff, students and volunteers.
Lunch: Enjoy afternoon tea service, including fresh baking and delicate savouries at the Abkhazi Garden Tea House.
Afternoon: Explore with an expert the Abkhazi Gardens which features splendid rhododendron displays, and Japanese maples situated on glaciated rocky slopes surrounding a heritage house.
Dinner: Enjoy our farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Evening: Reminisce with your fellow Road Scholar travelers and share your favorite memories during our final evening together.
Activity note: Hotel check-out is at 11:00 am.
Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!