Vancouver, Canada in 4 Days on a Budget
Vancouver, Canada in 4 Days: Adding Victoria
Four days extends the 3-day Richmond, North Shore, and Squamish plan with a full day across the water in Victoria, reached by BC Ferries rather than flying or driving a longer loop. Going foot passenger instead of bringing a car is the single biggest money-saver in this whole itinerary. Need Whistler too? Step up to the 5-day version .
Book these before you go
- A downtown or Richmond-adjacent budget stay: check rates on Booking.com
- A Richmond dim sum food tour, an easy way to spend the arrival afternoon: browse options on GetYourGuide
- Sea to Sky Gondola tickets, cheaper booked ahead than at the gate: book on GetYourGuide
- A Victoria and Butchart Gardens day tour, if you’d rather skip the DIY ferry transfers: browse options on Viator
| Day | Focus | Distance / time from Vancouver | Cheapest cost (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Richmond and Steveston, the arrival day | Canada Line from YVR, transfer at Bridgeport, 25-30 min | 9.35 transit plus 15-25 dim sum |
| Day 2 | North Shore: Lynn Canyon (free) or Capilano | 20-40 min, SeaBus plus bus, or drive | 0-80 |
| Day 3 | Squamish and the Sea to Sky Gondola | About 60km, 45-60 min drive | 62-76 |
| Day 4 | Victoria and Butchart Gardens, BC Ferries | 95 min crossing, 8+ hours door to door | 21 foot passenger |
Does BC Ferries also run out of Vancouver, Washington?
No, and this is a common mix-up worth clearing up before booking. BC Ferries sails only from terminals near Vancouver, British Columbia, in Canada; Vancouver, Washington has no ferry terminal, no Victoria connection, and sits on the Columbia River near Portland, Oregon, roughly 400km south across the border.
Day 1: Richmond and Steveston, the arrival day
Canada Line from YVR runs about CAD 9.35 total, the CAD 2.85 zone fare plus the CAD 6.50 AddFare charged on any trip leaving YVR-Airport station. Richmond’s dim sum, cheaper and better rated than downtown Chinatown’s, runs roughly CAD 15-25 per person before GST (5%) and PST (7%) land at the till. Steveston’s harbour walk is free; head downtown for the evening.
Day 2: The North Shore, free if you pick right
SeaBus to Lonsdale Quay, then a bus to Lynn Canyon Park for its free suspension bridge and rainforest trails, or Capilano for roughly CAD 79.95 at the gate if the Treetops Adventure and Cliffwalk extras appeal; book through capbridge.com for close to 10% off online. Gastown’s evening walk is free, dinner off the main strip runs CAD 20-35 per person.
Day 3: Squamish and the Sea to Sky Gondola
About 60km, 45-60 minutes up Highway 99, no passenger rail on this corridor. The Sea to Sky Gondola runs CAD 62-76 online; Shannon Falls and the Stawamus Chief trailhead are free stops nearby.
Day 4: Victoria and Butchart Gardens, the foot-passenger way
Go foot passenger on BC Ferries : the Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay crossing runs about CAD 21 one-way per adult against CAD 89 for a standard vehicle, plus each passenger’s fare on top of that if a car comes along. Budget the whole day for this one: downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria runs 3.5-4 hours each way once the terminal transfer and the 95-minute crossing are both counted, 8-plus hours round trip before any time in Victoria itself. Pick one of Butchart Gardens or the Royal BC Museum rather than rushing both against the return sailing. Harbour Air’s floatplane covers the same route in about 35 minutes for roughly CAD 357 one-way, useful if a wider Canada trip afterward makes the extra hours costlier than the fare difference.
Should I bring a car onto the BC Ferries crossing?
Not for a day trip. A foot passenger rarely waits more than one sailing, while a vehicle reservation is effectively mandatory in summer and adds a separate fee on top of the CAD 89 fare. Skipping the car also skips Victoria’s own parking costs once you arrive.
Where to stay
Downtown or Gastown covers all four nights, an easy reach of the SeaBus, Highway 99, the Tsawwassen ferry connection, and the Canada Line to Richmond or the airport. Our guide to staying in Vancouver, Canada breaks neighbourhoods down by budget tier.
Four days, real numbers
Richmond dim sum, the free Lynn Canyon bridge, an online Sea to Sky Gondola ticket, and a foot-passenger ferry to Victoria keep this trip near CAD 300 per person outside lodging. Bring a car onto the ferry instead and the same four days can run past CAD 450. The 5-day version adds Whistler on the same logic.