Traveling to Victoria
(You really can get here from there)
Prepared by Ed Hickcox
Coming to Victoria for the Values Conference is a bit different from most other locations in that it is located on Vancouver Island which, although it has a population of 700,000, is still an island, not connected to the mainland by a bridge and a highway as Prince Edward Island is. Still the options are far more than those involved in getting to Barbados, for example, or Hawaii. Here is a brief synopsis of various modes by which you can reach this Canadian paradise.
Air
The Victoria Airport provides several alternatives, and it has several airlines and limited international connections. There are direct flights to Seattle (Alaska Airlines) and even a helicopter service to Seattle.
Direct Long Distance Flights. Both Air Canada and West Jet provide direct flights to Victoria airport from Toronto, Edmonton, and Calgary. These do not involve changing planes in Vancouver.
Connector Flights to and from Vancouver. Air Canada Jazz runs at least a dozen flights a day to and from Vancouver (about a twenty minute flight), and Horizon Air runs some flights also. If you are coming into Vancouver from overseas or from major points in North America, be sure to arrange for the connector flights to Victoria. Do not assume that booking into Vancouver will automatically get you to Victoria.
There are two basic ways to get from the Victoria Airport to the conference hotel. There is a shuttle bus that meets all flights and goes to downtown hotels, about 30 km away. The cost is probably $15 per person. And there is taxi service, of course, with the usual overpriced fares.
From Seattle.
Horizon Air and Alaska Air (they are really the same company) run regular flights from the Seattle Airport. In addition there is Helicopter Service to Victoria from both the airport and from downtown Seattle.
Float Planes and Helicopters. A fun way to get from either the Vancouver Airport or from the downtown Vancouver Harbour to Victoria is to take either a float plane or helicopter. These land in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, and the scenery is pretty spectacular. The cost varies with the time of year but I’m guessing it will be about $100 (Cdn). The landing point is within walking distance to the hotel for those who like a brisk walk, or it is a short taxi ride.
Ferries
Several ferries run between the mainland and Vancouver Island.
Tswassen, B.C. to Swartz Bay. This is the main means of transport between Vancouver and Victoria. You can get a Pacific Coast bus from either the downtown Vancouver bus terminal or from the airport to the ferry and then to downtown Victoria. The buses from the bus terminal run frequently, about every hour, and a bit less frequently from the airport. It takes about 40 minutes to get to the ferry, one hour and thirty-five minutes on the ferry and another half hour to downtown Victoria. The ferry approaches Vancouver Island through the Gulf Islands, a truly spectacular experience. The views are wonderful, and you may see whales and seals enroute. The cost including the buses and the ferry itself is about $40. If you are driving, then the ferry cost is about $50 per car plus about $10 per passenger. The ferries are large, carrying 500 cars.
Seattle Fast Ferry. This is about a ninety minute voyage from downtown Seattle to Victoria’s inner harbour. I haven’t taken this, but I’ve heard it is quite a thrilling experience. The ferry dock is within easy walking distance of the conference hotel. This is a passenger ferry only.
Port Angeles Ferry. This runs from Washington State to the inner harbour, about a ninety minutes trip on the Coho Ferry, also known as Old Rust Bucket. You would have to drive to Port Angeles through the Olympic Mountains in Washington.
Other ferries. There are other more roundabout routes through the Gulf Islands, or to the northern sections of Vancouver Island. These are for those on a more extended holiday.
Other
You could consider swimming (it has been done), and there is the annual bathtub race from Horseshoe Bay on the mainland to Nanaimo.
If you have questions, don’t hesitate to e-mail: e.hickcox@shaw.ca