Your Guide to Visiting The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC

Having lived in Vancouver since 2010, I’ve been to Vancouver Island many times. But it wasn’t until our trip in summer 2026 that I finally visited the famous Butchart Gardens just outside of Victoria, BC. 

The Butchart Gardens began in 1912 when Jennie Butchart decided to turn an exhausted limestone quarry into a garden. She began with the Sunken Garden and the Japanese Garden, and other family members have added restaurants, concerts, fireworks and a carousel over the years.

Now spanning 55 acres and with over 900 varieties of plants, The Butchart Gardens attracts a million annual visitors and is still owned and operated by the Butchart family today.

These gardens are famous all around the world. In fact, when my husband, Colin, and I were visiting Hamilton Gardens in New Zealand, staff there asked us if we had been to Butchart Gardens, since it was so close to home. They were dismayed that we hadn’t been yet, so I’m glad we’re no longer disappointing them!

Colin, our daughter (Baby C), and I made our way to The Butchart Gardens during our time in Victoria for a morning of flowers, trees, ponds and greenery. We all really enjoyed ourselves, especially Baby C who loved walking along the trails all by herself.

Below I’ll answer all of your questions about The Butchart Gardens, share my Butchart Gardens review from our trip, and provide everything you need to plan your own trip to the Gardens! 

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase, I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. We were given complimentary admission to the gardens for our family; all opinions are my own. Thanks to you and the Butchart Gardens team for your support!

How much are Butchart Gardens tickets? 

Butchart Gardens ticket prices vary based on when you’re visiting. Generally, it’s more expensive to visit in the summer and in the winter when the they host events, as well as in the spring, when most flowers are in bloom.

Here are the current adult ticket rates (youth and child rates are discounted):

• Jun – Sep, 2026: $44.25 CAD ($32 USD)
• Oct 2026: $36.75 CAD ($26 USD)
• Nov 2026: $28.60 CAD ($20 USD)
• Dec 1 – Jan 6, 2027: $41 CAD ($29 USD)
• Jan 7 – 14, 2027: $25.20 ($18 USD)
• Jan 15 – Mar 31, 2027: $33.75 ($24 USD)
• Apr 2027: $42.25 ($30 USD)
• May 2027: $45.60 ($33 USD)

You can check out the most up to date Butchart Garden price and admission info here.

You can also book your Butchart Garden tickets as part of a day trip tour to Victoria. Everything can be booked in one place rather than having to figure out transportation and further Victoria sightseeing.

How do you get to Butchart Gardens from Vancouver?

From Vancouver, you’ll have to take a ferry, flight or seaplane to Victoria and then make your way to Butchart Gardens. Remember that Vancouver is on the mainland and the Gardens are on Vancouver Island.

If you’re taking the ferry, I highly recommend visiting The Butchart Gardens on your way to or from the ferry, as the gardens are between the ferry terminal and downtown Victoria.  

If you want to visit Butchart Gardens as a day trip from Vancouver, I suggest jumping on a day tour so you don’t have to figure out all of the logistics yourself. Let someone else handle reservations and transportation!

• From Vancouver via ferry: Victoria city tour & Butchart Gardens
• From Vancouver via seaplane: Butchart Gardens & free time in Victoria

It will be a long day trip, so if you have more time, why not spend a few nights in Victoria? You could even extend your Vancouver Island trip and visit Tigh Na Mara in Parksville, Ucluelet and Tofino.

How do you get to Butchart Gardens from Victoria?

From Victoria you can drive, hop on a day tour, take a shuttle bus or take a public transit bus to The Butchart Gardens. If you have a vehicle, I’d recommend driving, as it’ll be much faster (30 mins) compared to taking the public transit bus (50 mins). 

You can book an Express Shuttle Bus from Downtown Victoria direct to The Butchart Gardens. This is more expensive than the public transit bus but fast, simple and direct. It’s also cheaper than renting a car, paying for parking and worrying about driving yourself.

Or you can join this Butchart Gardens & city tour which includes transportation from Downtown Victoria, admission to the gardens and a tour of the city with a knowledgeable guide.

We decided to take a BC Transit bus from downtown Victoria, where we were staying, as we didn’t have a carseat for our daughter. From door to door it took over an hour, so it was quite a long journey (especially with a toddler!). 

The bus also doesn’t come frequently. On the way back, we waited 20 minutes for our bus, making the journey even longer. So I think next time, I’d book a shuttle/tour or drive! 

How long do you need at Butchart Gardens?

You could definitely spend an entire day at Butchart Gardens, especially if you included afternoon tea or lunch at one of the on-site restaurants. 

We were there for two hours and that felt like a good amount of time to see almost everything, plus browse through the gift shop.

We took our lunch to go from the Coffee Shop cafe, though would’ve liked to eat in at one of the restaurants if we didn’t have a long bus ride back to Victoria.

I’d say budgeting 2-3 hours would be good for most groups, including time for a quick cafe meal. Give yourself longer if you’re doing afternoon tea, a boat ride or staying for one of their events, like a concert or fireworks.

If you want to visit The Butchart Gardens but don’t have much time, I think you could see the highlights in just an hour. However, I felt one of the best parts of the gardens was just soaking in the natural beauty, so I wouldn’t recommend rushing. 

Is Butchart Gardens open year-round?

Yes, Butchart Gardens are open year-round except for an annual staff holiday (the next one is Jan 18-31, 2027) and on Christmas Day (Dec 25). So you can visit the gardens almost anytime of year!

However, Butchart Gardens’ hours vary quite a lot from season to season. Generally speaking, the gardens are open from 9:00 AM until 3:30-5:00 PM, depending on the time of year. They’re open later until 10:00 PM from Wed to Sun in the summer.

But the big change is at Christmastime. From Dec 1 to Jan 6, 2027, Butchart Gardens are only open after dark, from 3:00 – 9:00 PM. That’s because they’re hosting The Magic of Christmas at that time, which is all about light displays (so best viewed at night).

Note that the hours listed above are the admission gate times; the gardens are open for one hour after the admission gate closes. For example, if the posted opening hours are 9:00 – 5:00 PM, that means the gate closes at 5:00 PM but you don’t have to leave the gardens until 6:00 PM.

For the most up to date hours and closures, check Butchart Gardens’ page here.

When is the best time to visit Butchart Gardens? 

The best time to visit Butchart Gardens depends on what you want to see, how much you want to pay, and your tolerance for heat, cold and crowds.

Things are blooming in the gardens at all times of year, but you’ll see the brightest blooms in spring and summer. However, that’s also when you’ll see the largest crowds. In the winter, there are indoor spaces to discover, like the greenhouse.

Expect summer to be hot and sunny with heavier tourist crowds. There are fireworks on Saturday nights, live entertainment, boat tours and illuminated night paths to enjoy during extended summer hours.

While winter is usually not a great time to visit a garden, Butchart Gardens hosts The Magic of Christmas every Dec/Jan. The entire garden is lit up with Christmas lights and they have carol concerts, ice skating and hot chocolate on offer.

We visited in June 2026 on a weekday morning and I think it was a good blend of not too hot and not too crowded. Next time, I’d want to visit in the fall, for even cooler temperatures, or in winter for the magical Christmas lights. 

Is Butchart Gardens good for families?

Yes, I would highly recommend Butchart Gardens to the whole family – from babies to grandparents, and even dogs! Our toddler loved walking down the paths by herself, checking out the little ponds and munching on snacks from the Coffee Shop. 

There are lots of special events for families to enjoy, like the summer concert series and fireworks shows on Saturday nights. The Magic of Christmas event in Dec/Jan is also great for families.

The Rose Carousel, featuring hand-carved animals and chariots, is a big hit with all ages. Unfortunately, it was closed for maintenance when we visited, so we’ll have to go back and give it a try!

Butchart Gardens is also dog-friendly. Dogs on leashes are welcome at the gardens and they even have doggy bags and bowls of water along the walking paths. 

Note that dogs are not permitted inside food service venues, the gift shop, the carousel or on tour boats. Dogs are also only welcome to the gardens after 8:00 PM during the Magic of Christmas event.

And, The Butchart Gardens is fully accessible! So if you have a stroller, wheelchair or other mobility aid, you’ll still be able to enjoy the gardens with the rest of the family. 

Butchart Gardens review: Our experience at the Gardens 

The bus we took from downtown Victoria stopped right at Butchart Gardens, so it was a short walk to the entrance and ticket gate.

From there, we walked into the main open courtyard, Waterwheel Square, where you’ll find lots of tables and chairs, the Visitor Centre, a large gift and seed shop, and the Coffee Shop cafe. 

Then it was onto the gardens! 

We started towards the Sunken Garden. Along the way, we spotted a cougar and a squirrel (both made out of moss).

We were told to keep our eyes down until we reached the top of the trail, because nothing beats getting your first full view of the Sunken Garden. 

This area was the original limestone quarry that the Butchart family mined. You can actually still see a limestone building and one of the old smoke stacks. But everything is completely covered in greenery thanks to Mrs. Butchart. 

We took the accessible route down into the garden (there are also stairs), stopping to apply sunscreen and for a toddler snack break. 

After the Sunken Garden, we made our way to the Rose Garden. This part of Butchart Gardens was definitely the busiest and the paths seemed to be more narrow, so it felt crowded at times (especially with a stroller). 

But it was also one of my favourite parts and where I took most of our Butchart Gardens photos! I loved seeing all of the bright flowers in bloom, the arches and trellises overhead, and the fun names for the different roses. 

We then walked along to the Sturgeon Fountain and the Japanese Garden. The Japanese Garden is one of the most beloved areas in Butchart Gardens. 

Unlike the vibrant and busy Rose Garden, the Japanese Garden felt much more calm and serene. The colours were more muted – mostly greenery with a focus on landscaping and design.

Everything felt peaceful and quiet, and there was lots of shade to escape the hot sun. 

Out a side door from the Japanese Garden, we walked over to Butchart Cove where you can take a boat ride. Boats leave apx every 30 minutes from 11:00 – 5:00 PM and rides currently cost $27.50 CAD ($20 USD) per adult.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for a boat ride, but it was nice to look out over the water. There’s also a washroom and drinking fountain out by the cove.

We double-backed through the Rose Garden to see the Dragon Fountain (Baby C is born in the year of the dragon, so we had to) and then past the Star Fountain onto our last stop, the Italian Garden.

The Italian Garden is small but I loved the design of the fountain and pool with colourful flowers around it. This is also where you’ll find the Gelateria, Dining Room Restaurant, Blue Poppy Restaurant and Show Greenhouse.

Back in the main square, we popped into the Gift Store to pick up a souvenir magnet. The store was massive so you’d have no problem finding a plant-themed souvenir to bring home or seeds for your own garden.

Our last stop was the Coffee Shop where we picked up sandwiches and a scone to have for lunch on our bus ride back to Victoria.

I was hoping they’d have more hot lunch options, but I guess those are served in the Dining Room and Blue Poppy restaurants. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time for a sit-down meal, but hopefully next time! 

What else is there to do at the Gardens?

We had a really lovely 2+ hours at Butchart Gardens but there’s lots more to enjoy:

• Butchart Gardens Afternoon Tea: Served in the Butchart Gardens Dining Room from 11:00 – 3/4:00 PM and one of the best afternoon teas in Victoria, you can check out the menu and reserve a table here.
• Blue Poppy Restaurant: Casual dining in the former greenhouse – this place looked beautiful when I peered through the windows (it wasn’t open yet).
• Butchart Cove electric boat tour: A 45-minute tour around the gardens by water
• Rose Carousel: 30 hand-carved wooden animals and chariots at $2/ride
• Summer Fireworks Saturdays: You can attend Butchart Gardens’ epic firework show on Saturday nights in the summer – check here for times and FAQs.
• Summer Entertainment: Check out the evening concert series from Wed to Sun all summer long – full schedule here.
• The Magic of Christmas: Don’t miss the beauty of Butchart Gardens decked out for Christmas with light displays, carol concerts, ice skating and festive dining.
• Plus other parts of the gardens we missed, like the Bog Garden and Mediterranean Garden!

Wrapping up: Would I recommend visiting The Butchart Gardens in Victoria, BC? 

Overall, I really enjoyed our trip to The Butchart Gardens and I’m so glad we finally got to experience this beautiful place on Vancouver Island.

If you are a fan of gardens and greenery, visiting Butchart Gardens is a no-brainer. It should definitely be on your Vancouver Island itinerary! 

But even if you don’t have a green thumb, I still think you would enjoy a few hours in the gardens. There are lots of different areas to discover and it’s a stunning place to appreciate some natural beauty. 

That being said, the gardens can get busy and Butchart Gardens tickets can be expensive at certain times of year, so I can see why some people may choose to skip it.

But if you have the budget and a few hours to spare, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed by a walk through the charming trails of Butchart Gardens!