Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
My favorite time to visit is during
April
and
May.
Days are long and warm enough to
enjoy the outdoors, but crowds are at a minimum, and lodging rates are lower. The roses
at Butchart Gardens don't flower until July, but I can live without that.
Vancouver and Victoria can be visited
year-round,
with some outdoor activities pos-
sible in the dead of winter in Victoria, such as golfing, biking, and walking.
Winter
also
brings snow to the mountains, which means
skiing
and
snowboarding
at nearby resorts.
Before You Go
PASSPORTS AND VISAS
To enter Canada, a
passport, passport card,
or
NEXUS card
is required by citizens
and permanent residents of the United States. For further information, see the website
ht-
tp://travel.state.gov
.
For current entry requirements to Canada, check the Citizenship and
Immigration Canada website (
www.cic.gc.ca
)
.
All
other foreign visitors
must have a valid passport and may need a
visa
or visitors
permit depending on their country of residence and the vagaries of international politics.
Visas are not required for citizens of the United States, the British Commonwealth, or
Western Europe. The
entry permit
is for
six months.
You may be asked to show onward
tickets or proof of sufficient funds for your stay.
TRANSPORTATION
Visitors have the option of arriving by
road, rail, ferry,
or
air.
The main gateway city
for flights is Vancouver. Although Vancouver has an excellent
public transit system,
in-
cluding rail service linking the airport to downtown, driving is the best way to get around
Vancouver Island.
This itinerary includes all of the highlights, from urban pleasures in Vancouver and Vict-
oria to natural wonders on Vancouver Island, and even an optional excursion to Whistler.
Break out any section of the itinerary to tailor it to your interests and the amount of time
youwanttospend.Forexample,planalongweekendwiththreedaysineithercity;oradd
four days exploring the island to fill out a week. I assume you have your own vehicle or
will be reserving one for pickup at Vancouver International Airport.
