Butchart Gardens is one of the most beautiful public gardens in the world. It’s also a best place to visit when in Victoria, especially if you love flowers.
(TIP: If you like flowers and you visit the Lower Mainland in the spring, be sure to check out the Abbotsford Tulip Festival and Harrison Tulip Festival. They are amazing and well worth the trip! If you’re in Victoria, the best place to see tulips is at Butcharts. In 2024 we expect them to be at their best between mid-April and around the first week or so of May.)
This article contains the following information about Butchart Gardens:
Where is Butchart Gardens? | Best Times to Visit | Admission | What You’ll Find | Video | Butchart in Summer | Christmas | Butchart Information | Other Information
World-Famous Butchart Gardens
Butchart Gardens is a world-famous tourist attraction in Victoria, the very English-influenced capital city of British Columbia on Vancouver Island. Designated a National Historic Site of Canada, the 55 acres of stunning gardens attract over a million visitors each year.
If you ever travel to Victoria, you’ll definitely want to visit Butchart. The place is highly recommended.
Where is Butchart Gardens?
The attraction is located at 800 Benvenuto Avenue in Brentwood Bay, which is about halfway between the Swartz Bay ferry terminal and downtown Victoria on Vancouver Island. It’s about a 30-minute drive in either direction. Another tourist attraction that’s nearby is Butterfly Gardens.
Best Times to Visit
The two best times to visit Butchart Gardens are (1) evenings in December when the place is lit up with millions of festive Christmas lights and (2) on Saturday evenings in July and August when Butchart hosts its famous fireworks displays.
TIP: If you decide to go during either of those times, go at least an hour before it starts to get dark. This allows you to enjoy the gardens during the daylight hours before then staying for the evening illuminations.
Other best times to visit Butchart Gardens include the following:
- Any time between late March and mid-November. (In the late fall and winter season there aren’t a lot of flowers, which is reflected in the lower admission rates.)
- From mid-April until mid-May, when the spring flowers are at their best.
- In July and August when the gardens offer outdoor evening concerts, most of which are free with general admission.
- When there’s a major summer concert, like in 2019 when Serena Ryder performed. The performance is included in your general admission for that day.
- In the evenings between June 15 and September 15 when the gardens are lit up at dusk.
- On sunny days – the place is especially spectacular when there is sunshine and bright blue skies, although that’s also when the largest crowds gather.
For more information on why the summer is such a great time to visit, check out Butchart Gardens in the Summer.
Admission at Butchart Gardens
Butchart Gardens isn’t cheap, but if you like flowers it’s definitely worth the cost. The City of Victoria is a world-class tourist destination and the gardens are the highlight for many visitors.
Prices range from $21.80 to $39.50 for adults depending on the time of year, with fall being the least expensive time (when there are few flowers and lots of trees without their leaves) and summer being the priciest. Youth aged 13 to 17 are from $10.90 to $19.75, and children aged 5 to 12 are from $2 to $3 (which is an amazing deal).
Below are the listed prices (taxes included). (Note: Rates and other details are subject to change.)
2023/2024 Christmas Season Prices
December 1st to January 6th
- Adults (18+) – $35.00
- Youth (13–17) – $17.50
- Children (5–12) – $3.00
Prices in Winter 2024
January 7th to January 14th
- Adults (18+) – $22.90
- Youth (13–17) – $11.45
- Children (5–12) – $3.00
January 15th to March 31st
- Adults (18+) – $30.70
- Youth (13–17) – $15.35
- Children (5–12) – $3.00
Prices in Spring 2024
April 1st to May 31st
- Adults (18+) – $38.35
- Youth (13–17) – $19.18
- Children (5–12) – $3.00
Prices in Summer 2024
June 1st to September 30th
- Adults (18+) – $41.50
- Youth (13–17) – $20.75
- Children (5–12) – $5.00
Prices in Fall 2024
October 1st to October 31st
- Adults (18+) – $34.35
- Youth (13–17) – $17.23
- Children (5–12) – $3.00
November 1st to November 30th
- Adults (18+) – $26.80
- Youth (13–17) – $13.40
- Children (5–12) – $3.00
Annual Passes
If you plan to visit Butchart Gardens more than a couple of times, then get an annual pass. They cost $74.50 for adults, $37.30 for youth and $6.75 for children, with kids under 5 being free.
Annual passes are good 365 days of the year, although fireworks nights and special events cost extra. For people who live in Victoria or plan to be there fairly frequently, the annual pass is without doubt the best deal in town!
Butchart’s Hours of Operation
The Gardens are open at 9:00 am daily for of the year. One exception is the holiday season when the gardens open at 3:00 pm in 2023 (and are closed entirely on Christmas Day). Closing times are 9:00 pm or 10:00 pm in the busy summer and Christmas seasons and between 3:30 pm and 5:00 pm in the spring, fall and winter.
What You’ll Find at Butchart Gardens
Butchart Gardens comprises 22 hectares of beautiful gardens, hundreds of thousands of colourful and fragrant flowers, attractive fountains, a selection of bronze statues, a first-class restaurant and unbelievable views. Even the gift shop is impressive! Butchart is a flower lover’s paradise and a photographer’s dream playground.
Botanical highlights include its Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden and, most especially, its world-famous Sunken Garden. Check out Butchart Gardens Highlights for details on each of these specific areas.
The gardens are lit up with spectacular Christmas lights in December. In the summer there are nightly concerts and Saturday evening fireworks. From late March until October there are millions of colourful blooming flowers. Also, there are spectacular autumn leaves in the fall.
Butchart Gardens Video
The video below showcases scenes from Butchart Gardens. Check it out for a better idea of what the attraction looks like. We filmed the footage when we visited in early October of 2023. The place was so colourful. It was beautiful!
Butchart Gardens in Summer
Summertime is an amazing time to visit Butchart Gardens, as the place gets lit up every night with spectacular illuminations. With outdoor evening concerts on offer and firework celebrations on about 10 different Saturdays, it’s a fantastic experience.
For more details on what makes July and August two of the best months to visit Butchart, check out Butchart Gardens in the Summer.
Butchart at Christmas
A spectacular time to visit the attraction is in the evening during the Christmas season. From early December until the beginning of January, Butchart Gardens celebrates its famous Magic of Christmas.
During this period there is typically outdoor ice skating, carolling and the most amazing Christmas light displays illuminating the property. If you really want to get into the holiday spirit, visit Magic of Christmas on an evening in December. The sights, sounds and smells will even make Scrooge and the Grinch feel merry and festive.
Dates for the 2023/2024 season are December 1st to January 6th.
Other Butchart Information
Below is additional information about smoking policies, dogs and accessibility at the venue.
No Smoking Garden
Butchart Gardens is a smoking and vape-free environment. There used to be a designated smoking area by the parking lot, but not any more.
Dogs Welcome (on Leash)
Dogs are welcome at Butchart Gardens, but must be kept on a short leash and cleaned up after. Note though that bringing your dog to the fireworks displays is not recommended. Pets are also not permitted between 3:00 pm and 8:00 pm between December 1st and January 6th.
Accessibility
The venue is wheelchair accessible. People in wheelchairs can’t get absolutely everywhere, but they can get to most places.
Other Information
To learn more about the attraction, check out the official Butchart Gardens website.
For more information on Butchart’s summertime activities, including its Saturday evening fireworks, nightly concerts and daily illuminations at night, click Butchart Gardens in Summer.
For photos and further information on the various different gardens at the attraction, check out Butchart Gardens Highlights. And for information about the attraction in December, check out Butchart Garden’s Magic of Christmas.
If you are ever in the City of Vancouver, a garden to check out that is similar to the Sunken Garden at Butcharts is at Queen Elizabeth Park. Quarry Gardens at the Vancouver park are free to explore and they are also on the site of a former quarry. Another famous place in Vancouver is VanDusen Gardens for which there is a charge for admission.