Located on the southerly topple of Vancouver Island, the charming city of Victoria is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. It ’ s besides the city where we met about 20 years ago during our university days ( read about our sexual love affair with Victoria here ). nowadays, we ’ d like to parcel some of our front-runner things to do in Victoria with you .
It ’ sulfur no storm we have a soft spot for Victoria. We try to visit at least once a year and we ’ re constantly recommending Victoria to readers of this travel blog .
Victoria is located only 100 kilometres ( 62 miles ) from both Vancouver BC and Seattle WA, making it the perfect weekend pickup for tourists and residents who live on the mainland.
That said, don ’ t make the error of thinking you can properly do Victoria in one day ( unless you take a float plane from Vancouver to Victoria ). We recommend you spend at least two days in Victoria, preferably three days if your path allows it .
With that in heed, we ’ ve put together this list of things you should do on your next trip to Victoria .
The Best Things to do in Victoria, BC
Please note – leisure travel for non-Canadian residents is silent restricted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Things are constantly changing, thus make surely you do further research before making travel arrangements to Victoria .
1. See Orca Whales on a Whale Watching Tour
Vancouver Island is home to some of the best whale watching in Canada. The best place to spot killer whale in their natural habitat is the salish Sea and Strait of Juan de Fuca. Whales, ocean birds and other marine animals are attracted to the area to feed, resulting in a 95 % success rate on whale watch tours .
While it is potential to see whales any time of the year, the vertex Victoria giant watching season is in the summer months, from May to October during the salmon migration .
Victoria giant watch tours depart from the Inner Harbour. Tours depart several times per day. We went on a go with Prince of Whales and would recommend them. You can script whale observation tours online ahead of meter or plainly show up and derail on the adjacent leave gravy boat .
We hit the pot on our enlistment and spotted over 25 killer whale whales ! We could not have scripted a better giant determine experience. The water was calm air, the sun was shining and we witnessed a super pod .
Read about our whale watching experience here. Book a tour here.
Related – The Best Road Trip from Vancouver for first timers
2. Take a Victoria Horse Carriage Tour
A alone way to discover this historical city is by horse-drawn baby buggy. The relax and informative horse-drawn carriage tours allow visitors to see the city ’ s attractions in style, while traveling through old residential neighbourhoods, scenic waterfront roads and the second oldest Chinatown in North America .
If you ’ re in the climate to turn up the romanticism, most operators allow you to open a bottle of champagne or wine while you tour the city by night .
We recommend using Victoria Carriage Tours. The horse carriage will pick you up directly from your hotel or restaurant. You can besides organize your stumble directly from the horse carriage operators, located beside the british Columbia Parliament Buildings. Tours range from 30 minutes to an 1.5 hours .
Book your Victoria horse carriage tour here.
3. Ride a Harbour Ferry around Inner Harbour
A playfulness way to get around Victoria ’ s Inner Harbour is to take a humble Harbour Ferry. The little ferries depart from diverse points around the harbor, so you can bounce around the harbor and turn this commodious modality of fare into a miniskirt gravy boat cruise .
You can stop off at Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub and grab a novel pint of craft beer or visit the Fisherman ’ south Wharf and sample the populace celebrated fish and chips at Barb ’ s Fish and Chips .
Tickets for the Victoria Harbour Ferry can be purchased as a Harbour Tour ( $ 30 ), Gorge Cruise ( $ 30 ) or one-way fares starting from $ 7.00 per person .
front for the ‘ Ferry Stop ’ signs at major waterfront locations around the harbor .
4. British Columbia Parliament Buildings
The iconic british Columbia Parliament Buildings are one of the leading attractions in Victoria ’ s Inner Harbour. The architectural expressive style of these impressive buildings has been described as a blend of Neo-baroque and Romanesque .
construction of the Parliament Buildings began in 1893 and they were formally opened in 1898. other celebrated landmarks on the grounds are the Cenotaph ( bronze War Memorial to the Unknown Soldier ), Queen Victoria Statue, Douglas Obelisk, Knowledge Totem Pole, Speak Chair, Front Fountain and the Premier ’ sulfur Rose Garden .
Visitors have the option to explore the inside of the BC Parliament Buildings. Door are open to the populace Monday to Friday, between the hours of 8:30 am to 5:00 prime minister .
You can join a regularly-scheduled guided tours or explore the buildings on you own. Guided tours are barren and last approx 30 minutes .
The above photograph is the fountain at the back of the BC Parliament Buildings .
Search for Victoria hotels and accommodations here.
5. Ride bikes along Dallas Road
Visitors to Victoria will find that most of its celebrated landmarks and tourist attractions are within walking distance to the BC Parliament Buildings and Inner Harbour .
To see what ’ s beyond the business district core, rent a motorcycle and cruise down Dallas Road to Beacon Hill Park, Clover Point Park and Ross Bay. The ocean views on Dallas Road are incredible, specially at sunset .
Start your bicycle ride in the residential sphere of James Bay. It ’ s a quiet area with some of the most beautiful inheritance homes on Vancouver Island. James Bay ’ s claim to fame is that it ’ randomness said to be the oldest vicinity on the West coast of North America that ’ s north of San Francisco. Say that ten times debauched .
After a brief stop at Fisherman ’ second Wharf, continue riding south on Dallas Road towards Ogden Point ( the large pier where the cruise ships bobtail ). Continue along the waterfront road towards Beacon Hill Park. You can ride your bicycle around the park or continue to Ross Bay and Gonzales Beach .
If bicycle riding is not your thing, you can besides walk on the Dallas Road Waterfront Trail and visit Holland Point Park, Fonyon Beach, Finlayson Point and Spiral Beach .
6. Visit the Royal BC Museum and IMAX
Located between the Empress Hotel and the BC Parliament Buildings, the Royal BC Museum specializes in British Columbia ’ mho homo and natural history .
The elaborate galleries offer different environments, making it a big museum for all ages and preferences. There is a beginning Peoples Gallery, Modern History Gallery, Natural History Gallery and different traveling exhibitions. Our favourites are the life size wooly mammoth and the incredible collection of totem poles .
design to spend at least 3 hours at the museum, particularly if you want to catch an IMAX film .
Royal BC Museum Hours of Operation can be found here. Pre-purchase tickets here.
While you ’ re in the neighborhood, check out Thunderbird Park, located directly beside the Royal British Columbia Museum. Thunderbird Park is home to many totem poles and First Nation monuments .
Above – the lanate gigantic parade at the Victoria museum .
7. Explore Beacon Hill Park in Victoria
Located along the land of the Juan de Fuca Strait, Beacon Hill Park is the largest and most care for park in Victoria. The 200 acre park is within walking distance to most downtown Victoria hotels, so it ’ sulfur well accessed by foot or motorcycle .
There are plenty of things to do in Beacon Hill Park, including a walk through its beautifully manicured gardens and weeping willows at Goodacre Lake, feed the goats at the Beacon Hill Children ’ mho Farm, photograph the curious Moss Lady sculpture and admire the populace ’ sulfur tallest free-standing totem perch .
You can access the Dallas Road Waterfront Trail from Beacon Hill Park. Walk towards Finlayson Point and research for little gripe on the rocky beaches. Have a seat on some driftwood and scan the ocean horizon for breaching whales and marine wildlife .
Take a deep breath and soak up those stunning Pacific Northwest views !
8. Play Beach Volleyball on a Rooftop Bar
Have you played beach volleyball on the rooftop of a restaurant in the city ? We ’ ra guess you haven ’ deoxythymidine monophosphate because the Rooftop Surf Club at the Strathcona is home to the world ’ s alone rooftop beach volleyball courts .
We fondly remember our university days drinking pints with classmates and playing beach volleyball on the Strathcona rooftop. If you ’ ve got the clock and desire, we recommend you give it a try !
If beach volleyball is not your matter, enjoy a pint at the Sticky Wicket or Big Bad John ’ sulfur, one of Victoria ’ south best honkytonk bars. The Strathcona has been a downtown Victoria landmark with roots dating back to the historic gold rush era in the early 1900 ’ south .
With 7 venues, 5 levels, 5 divers restaurants and 1,200+ seats, it ’ s the perfect place to unwind after a day of sightseeing. It ’ s besides a effective place or crank it up and paint the township red .
9. Hatley Park National Historic Site
Located in Colwood, about 20 minutes west of Victoria, the Hatley Park Historical Site is home to Hatley Castle ( pictured above ) and beautiful gardens, including the japanese Garden and Rose Garden .
Since 1995, the sign of the zodiac and estate of the realm have been used for Royal Roads University, which is where Cameron went to university ( more on that floor here ) .
You can take a tour of the castle and gardens, wander around the university grounds, rise through the forest and snap a photograph with one of the nonmigratory peacocks ( fair don ’ thymine get besides close, a few of them have tempers ) .
Hatley Castle has been featured in many blockbuster movies, including X-Men 2, X-Men : last Stand, Deadpool, and Arrow. See the list of movies filmed at Hatley Castle here .
10. Fort Rodd Hill & Fisgard Lighthouse
After visiting Hatley Park National Historic Site, check out nearby Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse Historical Site, the first beacon on Canada ’ s west coast that is still in operation .
The Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site allows visitors to see the 100-year-old coastal accelerator batteries, camouflaged searchlight emplacements, command posts, guardhouses and barracks .
These two national historic sites in Victoria are located on the like site .
11. Walk the Inner Harbour Pathways
Victoria’s picturesque Inner Harbour is one of Victoria’s most celebrated landmarks and attractions.
It ’ randomness frequently labelled as one of the most beautiful harbours in the earth. We agree .
The most democratic section of Victoria ’ s Inner Harbour is the marina in front of the Fairmont Empress and British Columbia Parliament Buildings ( picture above ). In the summer, this esplanade is filled with merchants, artists, street performers and food trucks .
Although the promenade in battlefront of the Empress Hotel is the most popular, there are several pathways around the Inner Harbour, including the David Foster Harbour Pathway and Songhees Walkway. These pathways are the perfect station to watch the float planes take off and land on the bustling harbor .
Walk the Songhees Walkway for a different perspective of the city.
To get the this waterfront path, cross the newfangled Johnson Street Bridge and pass the Delta Ocean Pointe Resort. The 3 kilometer lead is bland and paved, so it ’ randomness fine for baby strollers, wheelchairs and bikes.
Views of Victoria Inner Harbour on the waterfront Songhees Walkway .
The old Johnson Street Bridge in the distance. It was replaced in 2015 .
12. Go on a Brewery Pub Crawl
Downtown Victoria is the arrant location for a brewery public house crawl. Victoria is identical walkable and many of the brewpub, bars and micro-breweries are located within walking distance to each early .
Our favourite brewpubs and breweries in Victoria
- Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
- Swans Brewery and Pub (pictured above)
- Irish Times Pub
- Bard & Banker
- CANOE Brewpub
- Driftwood Brewery
- Vancouver Island Brewing
- Phillips Brewing Tasting Room
- Hoyne Brewing Company
If you ’ ve got the stamen, you can visit all of the above breweries and brewpubs by foot. They are located within about a 2-3 kilometer radius .
Here’s an interactive Victoria map with hotels, restaurants and attractions.
Spinnakers Brewery is a farseeing clock favored of ours. It ’ s located on Songhees Walkway .
Above is a escape of beer at Irish Times public house in Victoria .
13. Craigdarroch Castle
The Victorian-era Craigdarroch Castle is another National Historic Site in Victoria. Built in 1890 by a affluent coal baron, during the reign of Queen Victoria, this fairy-tale castle has over 20,000 hearty feet of inside outer space. Learn more about this history of the castle here .
Ticket price to enter Craigdarroch Castle :
- Adults – $14.60
- Seniors – $13.60
- Students – $9.50 (13+ with Valid ID)
- Children – $5.10 (6-12)
- Family – $36.00 (2 Adults/Seniors and 2 Students/Children)
Craigdarroch Castle hours of operation are from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM daily .
14. Visit the Victoria Bug Zoo
If you ’ rhenium travel to Victoria with kids, we recommend a chew the fat to the Victoria Bug Zoo, besides known as the Bug Museum. It ’ s a two-room mini-zoo located in downtown Victoria, one block north of the Fairmont Empress Hotel .
The menagerie creates an opportunity for you to view and experience live tropical bugs from around the world. It has approx 50 unlike species, including giant walk sticks, praying mantis, glow-in-the-dark scorpions, hairy tarantulas, and Canada ’ randomness largest ant colony .
Victoria Bug Zoo hours of operation and rates can be found here.
15. Feel huge at Miniature World Victoria
After you visit the Victoria Bug Zoo, walk one jam south and check out Miniature World, one of the most popular tourist attractions in business district Victoria .
Miniature World is trademarked at “ The Greatest little show On land ! ” It has over 85 miniature panorama and displays, including the World ’ s Smallest Operational Sawmill and one of the longest model railways .
Miniature World hours of operation and rates can be found here.
16. The Maritime Museum of British Columbia
After your visit to Miniature World, cross the street and visit the Maritime Museum of British Columbia. hera you will find historical objects, art, photograph & models showcasing the nautical history of the Pacific Northwest .
Maritime Museum of British Columbia hours of operation here.
17. Squeeze through Fan Tan Alley in Chinatown
Chinatown Victoria is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the moment old in North America after San Francisco. You ’ ll want to start your travel to to Chinatown at The Gate of Harmonious Interest, an ornately decorated arch at the entrance to Chinatown on Fisgard Street .
Fan Tan Alley is a popular Chinatown tourist attraction.
once home to brothels and opium dens, Fan Tan Alley is named after the taiwanese gamble game Fan-Tan .
nowadays, its home to more than a twelve locally owned shops selling everything from vintage records to handmade jewelry to constituent treats .
Fan Tan Alley ’ second modern day claim to fame is that it ’ second said to be the narrowest street in Canada. We love the singular computer architecture and bolshevik brick buildings that line this historic alley .
Here’s a Victoria Chinatown map.
The Gate of harmonious Interest in Victoria ’ s Chinatown .
18. Eat fish and chips at Fisherman’s Wharf
Victoria ’ s Fisherman ’ s Wharf is a fun target to spend an hour or two. Enjoy Barb ’ s celebrated pisces and chips on the pier and watch the playful seals swim around the colorful floating greenwich village .
You will find a assortment of shops and food kiosks at the pier, including impertinently caught seafood, ice cream and milkshakes, sweet mini donuts, pizza and authentic Mexican cuisine .
Fisherman ’ south Wharf is best reached via an Inner Harbour water taxi ( see point # 3 ). You can besides walk or ride bikes along the the scenic Harbour Pathway. It ’ s an easy 15 minute walk from the BC Parliament Buildings to the Fisherman ’ s Wharf .
While it may be tempting, do not feed seals or marine wildlife from the pier at Fisherman’s Wharf.
many travel sites will recommend feeding the seals, but it ’ second now banned by the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority. A chilling incident happened with a sealing wax that was fed at the Steveston dock in Richmond, BC .
Watch the seal attack video recording here .
Nicole and a very youthful Braydon watching the seals at Fisherman ’ s Wharf .
Barb ’ s celebrated fish and chips on the pier at Fisherman ’ s Wharf .
19. Smell the roses at The Butchart Gardens
The Butchart Gardens has become one of Victoria ’ s most visit tourist attractions with over 1 million visitors per year. Once a limestone pit, these beautiful gardens have now been designated a National Historic Site of Canada .
The Butchart Gardens are located 30 minutes drive union of Downtown Victoria. If you do not have a fomite you can join an organize tour that runs daily trips from Downtown Victoria to Butchart Gardens. More information on how to get to Butchart Gardens here .
Butchart Gardens hours of operation for the summer are from 8:45 AM to 9:00 PM. Christmas hours of operation are from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM .
The best time to visit Butchart Gardens is before 10:30 AM or after 3:30 PM. not only is the natural idle better at this clock, but you ’ ll avoid the large crowd and bus tours that visit mid-day .
For updated ticket rates, visit the Butchart Gardens website here. You can also purchase a tour to take to you to Butchart Gardens here.
The Butchart Gardens fireworks happen on Saturday evenings during the summer, starting end of June and finishing the final Saturday in August .
Here’s an interactive map of Butchart Gardens.
20. Hike at Goldstream Provincial Park
Goldstream Provincial Park is located entirely 16 kilometer north of Victoria yet it feels army for the liberation of rwanda removed from the urban sprawl of downtown Victoria. The park is home to several hike trails for all levels, ranging from an easy forest walk to the more challenge Mount Finlayson trail to the highest distributor point in Greater Victoria .
Goldstream Park is known for the annual chum salmon runs in the Goldstream River that happen in the fall. Hundreds of bald eagles congregate to the park to feed on the dead salmon. Read more about this impressive natural phenomenon here .
The park is besides dwelling to Niagara Falls. not the Niagara Falls in Southern Ontario, a smaller translation that flows from Niagara Creek and drops 48 meters. The waterfall can be reached via a short 1.3 kilometer round-trip hike ( more information here ). The other waterfall, Goldstream Falls, is located in the southwest corner of the ballpark, near the campsite .
Another popular raise is the Goldstream Railway Trestle Bridge. The 3 km raise takes about 2 hours round trip. Although it may be tempting, do NOT walk on the trestle bridge. There are no safety sidings and spacing between beams is inconsistent and can be quite slippery .
Parking at Goldstream Park can be chaotic on the weekends. To avoid the crowd, plan to arrive before 10:00 AM in the dawn or after 3:00 in the good afternoon .
This Goldstream Park map shows the hike trails, parking lots and campgrounds. The Goldstream Park campsite fill up debauched, so you ’ rhenium best to make reservations well in advance .
Where to stay in Victoria?
We ’ ve stayed at the Magnolia Hotel, Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort, Fairmont Empress and Best Western Carlton Plaza and we would recommend them all. They are centrally located and family friendly .
Other family friendly hotels in Victoria:
Search for more Victoria hotels here.
There is an increasing issue of short condition apartment rentals in Victoria. Staying in a furnished apartment is convenient and low-cost, specially if you ’ rhenium traveling with a big family. search for Victoria apartment rentals here .
The sandbag Fairmont Empress hotel in Victoria is recognized by National Geographic Traveler cartridge holder as one of the most iconic Hotels in the World .
Where to eat in Victoria?
You will not go athirst in Victoria. There are endless options for every type of cuisine. Being on the west slide, we ’ five hundred commend you dine at a seafood restaurant. The west coast is besides known for timbre sushi and japanese cuisine .
How to get to Victoria from Vancouver
Most people will catch the ferry that departs from Tsawwassen BC Ferries Terminal ( and frailty versa ). You can besides catch a bus from downtown Vancouver that will drop you off in downtown Victoria ( ticket includes the ferry crossing ) .
design to arrive at the ferry terminal at least one hour before your deviation time. It ’ s fresh to book a reservation ahead of time because it can get quite busy over a vacation weekend. If you miss the ferry it will be at least 2 hours before the future one .
The ferry will take about 4 hours, including drive time and waiting to circuit board the ferry. Each ferry crossing from Vancouver to Victoria will take about 1.5 hours. The drive from Vancouver to the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal takes about 45 minutes, depending on dealings. The drive from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to downtown Victoria takes about 30 minutes .
You can besides take a float plane or Helijet from business district Vancouver, which is a set of fun. If you ’ ve entirely got one day to spend in Victoria, the float plane or helicopter is the fastest and most commodious option .
Have you visited the city of Victoria?
Share your recommendations for things to do in Victoria in the comments part below.
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