Location

This section is broken down into how to get to Vancouver Island by ferry, plane or helicopter, how to get to Victoria from various points on the island by various modes of transport, and how to get to Cottage Pirouette once you arrive in Victoria.

 

How to get to Vancouver Island

Ferries

From Mainland B.C. - There are two choices, and they generally travel every hour on the hour, during high season, or on the odd hour in low season, with travel time being approximately 90 minutes. One can catch a ferry from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, which is located south of Vancouver, to Swartz Bay Terminal, about a 30 minute drive north of Victoria, with crossing time being approximately 90 minutes.; or from the Horseshoe Bay Terminal, which is located in North Vancouver, to Duke Point Terminal, in Nanaimo, with crossing time being approximately 90 minutes. Check for schedules and travelling information here.

From Seattle - There is only the Victoria Clipper, which is a foot-passenger only ferry, leaving Pier 69 in Seattle, and arriving at the Clipper Terminal on Belleville Street in Victoria. More info is available here but you can expect crossing time to be 2 - 3 hours.

From Port Angeles - The Blackball Ferries will take cars, and is approximately a 90 minute crossing time.  It leaves 101 E. Railroad Avenue in Port Angeles, and arrives at 430 Belleville Street in Victoria.

From Anacortes - Washington State Ferries will take cars, leaving from Ferry Terminal Road in Anacortes, and arriving in approximately 2 - 3 hours to the terminal at Ocean Ave.in Sidney, B.C.  

So, a few choices for you ... but for further information, and a detailed map of choices, please check out the website for ferry travel in and around Vancouver Island, where you'll find handy info, like this map:

 

Map courtesy of http://www.ferrytravel.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Planes

From Vancouver, Nanaimo, the Gulf Islands, Richmond and Prince Rupert, Harbour Air is a float-plane service, and lands in Victoria's Inner Harbour, with a splash!

From Seattle - Kenmore Air offers float-plane service from Seattle's Lake Union to Victoria's Inner Harbour, and there is a convenient shuttle bus from the Seattle take-off point to Sea-Tac Airport.

From cities all over North America, Victoria's International Airport has excellent service from many different airlines. There is excellent city bus service from the airport, and there is also a handy shuttle bus service called Akal Airporter. As you step outside the airport building, you'll see an "Airporter" waiting, and you jump on, pay about $20, and ride around to the different hotels. Tell them that you're staying at Cottage Pirouette B & B, next door to the English Inn in Esquimalt, and you'll get to us in about an hour. Taxis are also waiting there, and it'll be about a $45 fee, but you'll make it to us in 30 minutes. Rent-a-car companies are also out at the airport.

 

Helicopter

Helijet flies from many points, and arrives at 79 Dallas Road in Victoria.