Victoria: Sidney Street Market

I was wondering how long it would take to get here from the cruise dock in Victoria?

Our cruise line has an excursion to bring you there for $40 a person, I believe it involves a highlights tours as you drive through Victoria.

If it's not too much more I wouldn't mind taking a taxi or car service to have as much time as I want at the market. Also any insight on must see or must try items at the market is appreciated. One more question, do vendors accept US Dollars?

TIA for any help or information. I searched the forums prior to posting so sorry if this is a re-post.

Since it's in Sidney, very close to the airport/ferry terminal, that's about an hour round-trip driving from Victoria cruise docks - plus traffic. While I'm not familiar with the market, their website claims up to 5000 visitors a night which means perhaps quite a lot of other traffic since Sidney only has a local population of about double that...

Cabs are metered in BC - ballpark cost would be $65 each way, plus tip, and of course more if you are delayed by traffic. If four of you split the cost you might save a little compared to taking a $40pp tour, but could easily end up spending the same or more.

Limos (any car service that isn't a metered cab) are supposed enforce a provincial statutory minimum fee of $75 an hour, minimum one hour, and this has been enforced lately in Vancouver to keep Uber out - whether someone in Victoria would negotiate for a rate under this I don't know, but my guess is you'd be looking at a 2 or 3 hour limo rental to allow for shopping time.

As to the US$ - fFor this type of street market, assume you will need local cash; some vendors may be set up for credit, but many won't, and you'll get a craptacular exchange rate for US cash even if it is accepted. I'd guess any vendor would happily take your US$ at par right now even if they don't normally accept them...

18 miles or 30 minutes from the terminal.... If you look at this link.... it's as far as Butchart Gardens...

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Victoria+Harbour+(Camel+Point)+Heliport,+Victoria,+BC,+Canada&daddr=sidney+street+market,+sidney,+bc&hl=en&ll=48.521607,-123.338013&spn=0.384753,0.764923&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=58.033539,97.910156&geocode=FZzM4gIdjUGl-CFVBxtaJIQS9ikbQKK5pHSPVDFVBxtaJIQS9g%3BFRdP5gIdEhGl-CHgYAO207HS7ikRAkrRKmaPVDHgYAO207HS7g&mra=ls&t=m&z=11

Budget at least 45 mins (each way) to get from the cruise port to Sidney, maybe more if you run into traffic.

The Sidney market really isn't anything special. If this is your first Victoria visit or you haven't done Butchart Gardens / walked around downtown, then those are far better options IMO.

Most shops and vendors will gladly accept US dollars but you may not get a very good exchange rate, and any change will be in CDN $.

PM me for more info (I have lived in Vic for the last 22 years). :-)

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OP, this thread was bumped; are you still planning to go to the market? Personally, I wouldn't. There are far more interesting things to do in Victoria for the same amount of time and less.

skipole0, sorry but there is no PM feature here.

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I have to agree with the other posters. With only one day in Victoria I'd give this a pass. I live 5 minutes from Butchart Gardens and my office is on Beacon Ave, where the market is located. I maybe go once every other year, downtown Victoria is so beautiful I personally would just go wander around or take the excursion to Butcharts. If you really have your heart set on the market I'd take the $40 excursion, you won't get a taxi for less.