29 Wonderful Things to Do in Victoria, BC (by Locals!)

29 Best things to do in Victoria, BC

Started in 1904 by Jennie Butchart (wife of a wealthy quarry owner) and expanded over the years, this botanical wonderland is now a National Historic Site and one of Victoria’s most beloved attractions.

Expect dazzling displays of colorful blooms in the sunken garden (which wow us every time!), a tranquil Japanese garden, a glorious Italian garden bursting with tulips in spring, and a prize-winning rose garden that truly smells as good as it looks.

Beacon Hill Park is Victoria’s largest green escape, right in the heart of downtown.

We’ve spent countless hours here – watching ducks paddle in the ponds, admiring flowers in all their technicolor glory and keeping an eye out for the peacocks that roam freely about.

Footpaths wind through 200 leafy acres, past fountains, Garry Oak meadows, flower gardens, playgrounds and sprawling lawns perfect for lounging.

One of the park’s quirkiest features? The Moss Lady – a 36-foot-long (11-meter-long) sleeping sculpture draped in moss, nestled near Douglas Street.

3) Admire the totem poles in Thunderbird Park

Right next to the Royal British Columbia Museum (#6 below), Thunderbird Park is a small park with big cultural significance. It’s home to a collection of striking First Nations totems and a traditional long house.

All the poles were carved onsite as replicas of ancient ones that had started to decay. The originals are now preserved in storage – but their spirit lives on here in full view.

4) Chill on a beach

Visiting in summer and feeling the heat? Cool off at one of Victoria’s beaches or lakes!

There’s also a cute tea room at Willows Beach, run by the Kiwanis Club, that’s open in late spring and summer.

5) See salmon spawn in Goldstream Provincial Park

The park in autumn

Just 10 miles (16 km) from downtown Victoria, Goldstream Provincial Park puts on a jaw-dropping natural show each fall.

From mid-October to late December, thousands of Pacific salmon fight their way up Goldstream River to spawn. Chum salmon are the most common, but you may also see Coho and Chinook species.

Find a perch along the riverbank and watch as the salmon muscle their way upstream against the current – it’s an incredible sight!

You’ll see females digging nests (called “redds”) to lay their eggs (“roe”), while the males, now sporting hooked jaws and reddish bodies, battle rivals for spawning rights.

After spawning, the salmon die. So toward the end of the season (December or so), you’ll see lots of bald eagles flying in to feed on the salmon carcasses.

Spring and summer in the park

While the salmon run is the unique event in fall, you’ll find peaceful forest trails for hiking in spring and summer.

Explore cultural and historic attractions

6) Visit the Royal BC Museum

Climb aboard a replica of the stern of the ship HMS Discovery – the ship on which Royal Navy officer Captain George Vancouver first arrived in British Columbia in 1792.

It’s just one of many immersive exhibits at the Royal British Columbia Museum.

You can also see extensive displays of First Nations artifacts, a traditional “big house” and ancient totems.

Established in 1886, the museum – which showcases BC’s 9,000 years of human history – has a whopping collection of 7 million objects.

7) Gawk at the British Columbia Parliament Buildings

Overlooking Victoria’s picture-perfect Inner Harbor, the British Columbia Parliament Buildings are pretty hard to miss.

They’re one of Victoria’s top tourist sights and a popular stop for snapping that classic harbor shot.

Designed by architect Francis Rattenbury (who was only 25 at the time!), they were finished in 1897. The exterior combines a Baroque façade with a mix of Romanesque details.

Out front, a statue of Queen Victoria stands tall on the lawn, which locals and visitors alike love to sprawl out on during sunny days.

Look up, and you’ll spot Captain George Vancouver in gold, perched on top of the central dome, keeping watch over the city.

Free tours

You can wander inside on your own. But we recommend that you join a free, regularly scheduled guided tour to make the most of your visit.

Parliamentary Dining Room

Pssst! You can eat breakfast or lunch inside the Parliamentary Dining Room – the same elegant spot where our provincially elected officials eat.

8) Uncover scandals at Craigdarroch Castle

If you love castles, history and a good dose of intrigue, this is a must-see in Victoria for you!

Inside, you can gawk at 39 lavishly furnished rooms spread over 20,000 square feet (almost 1,900 square meters) – with beautiful stained-glass windows, tile floors, ornately carved woodwork and pink granite columns.

As lawyers in our past lives, we were thoroughly entertained by the juicy family inheritance battles after Robert’s death. His wife even sued their son James – who was the premier of British Columbia at the time!

9) Tour Hatley Castle

Hatley Castle was built in 1908 by coal magnate, James Dunsmuir.

In 1940, the Department of Defence bought the estate and until 1995, the castle was the mess hall for cadets and officers at Royal Roads Military College.

Today, the castle and surrounding gardens (leased by Royal Roads University) is a national historic site known as Hatley Park National Historic Site.

The castle, museum, gardens and gift shop are open to the public.

10) Explore Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse

To dig into Victoria’s military past and maritime history, head to Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse – a National Historic Site a 20-minute drive from downtown.

Built in the late 1800s, Fort Rodd was designed to defend Canada’s Pacific naval base. You can roam through 19th-century bunkers and guardhouses, once manned by soldiers keeping watch over Esquimalt Harbor.

A 10-minute walk from the fort gates brings you to Fisgard Lighthouse. Dating back to 1860 and still operational (though automated), it’s the oldest lighthouse on Canada’s west coast.

Inside the former keeper’s home, exhibits recount over 200 nearby shipwrecks that earned the area the nickname “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Climb to the top for sweeping views of the Pacific and the Olympic Mountains.

11) Reflect at Ross Bay Cemetery

Ross Bay Cemetery is beautiful for a quiet stroll along its tree-lined paths.

With angel statues and grand tombstones, it almost feels like a walk through a sculpture garden.

Quite a few famous Canadians and Americans are buried here.

They include Sir James Douglas (BC’s first governor), world-renowned artist Emily Carr and Nellie Cashman (a nurse and gold prospector who saved 77 trapped gold miners and was later featured on a U.S. postage stamp).

Savor Victoria’s food scene

You might have guessed by now that Victoria, named after Queen Victoria, has retained a “little bit of Olde England.”

One of those lovely British traditions still going strong after more than a century is the high tea at the Fairmont Empress, one of the most luxurious hotels in Victoria.

Afternoon tea in its lobby lounge is an elegant affair. We remember when ladies would dress to the nines in flowery dresses and hats!

After a $60 million makeover, the Empress is more smart-modern now – but still sophisticated in royal purple colors.

While you sip and nibble, listen to live classical music played on a baby grand piano. Pinkies up!

There’s an urban myth still floating around that Victoria has the second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America.

Probably not true.

But we can tell you that there are many excellent restaurants in Victoria.

If you’re a foodie, you’ll definitely enjoy Victoria’s sophisticated restaurant scene.

14) Duck into a café

Victoria is catnip for coffee lovers.

The coffee scene here rivals that in Vancouver and Seattle.

Of course, you can find some great Starbucks cafés. But we also have many independent home-grown coffee shops, with baristas who are masters of latte art.

Get ready to add “drinking some awesome coffee” to your checklist of Victoria activities!

Get adventurous, Victoria-style

Victoria has a collection of pickle-shaped boats (carrying a maximum of 12 passengers) that traverse the inner waterways.

Dubbed “happy boats,” they’re run by Victoria Harbour Ferry.

Hop on one for a mini sightseeing cruise.

When we have out-of-town visitors, we like to take them on the one-hour narrated tour of the historic four-mile Gorge Waterway.

As you pass historic homes, working shipyards and kayakers on the water, your “captain” explains the history of the area.

The first time we did this tour, our cheerful silver-haired captain entertained us with tales of diving from the bridges into the Gorge as a child and hitching rides on log booms to get home.

You can also go on a pub crawl pickle boat tour and get pickled :-).

17) Kayak Tod Inlet

Rent a kayak (or SUP board) at Brentwood Bay and go for a calm safe paddle to Tod Inlet.

As you paddle out from Brentwood Bay, you’ll pass Butchart Gardens on your left (#1).

Both Pacifica Paddle Sports and the Brentwood Bay Marina rent out single and double kayaks (as well as SUP boards).

Once a railway line, the Galloping Goose Trail is now a fabulous 35-mile (55-km) trail for hikers, bicyclists (and horses on one section), stretching from Victoria to Sooke.

There are parking lots and washrooms at different points along the way, so you can load your bicycle on your car and start at a particular point.

The trail is flat most of the way, with the occasional short uphill.

Best section of the Galloping goose Trail

Our favorite section is the 11-mile (18-km stretch) between Matheson Lake and the Todd Trestle Bridge at Sooke Potholes Provincial Park.

To get back to your car, turn around at the 48 Km marker and retrace your ride.

(You’ll be surprised at how different the scenery looks on the return.)

19) Spy whales!

The types of whales found in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and waters surrounding Victoria include orcas (killer whales), humpback whales, gray whales and minke whales.

If you’re lucky, you may see a whale breach (jump out of the water) right up close.

Then again, you may just see a whale tail in the distance.

The peak whale watching season is from May to October, when there’s a 95% chance you’ll spot whales in Victoria.

You’re also likely to get close-up views of seals, porpoises, eagles, sea lions and other local marine life on your Victoria whale watching tour.

Most tours leave from Victoria’s Inner Harbour. And most are staffed by a marine biologist.

You can choose from several different types of whale watching vessels.

Whale watching by Zodiac

Or maybe you’d prefer going out on a small, covered coastal cruiser?

Five Star Whale Watching offers a highly-rated, 3-hour whale watching tour on a small high-speed vessel with indoor and outdoor viewing. The inside cabin is heated, and complimentary coffee and hot chocolate are offered.

As the group size is limited to 12, the whale watching experience is fairly intimate and there’s lots of room on the boat to see the whales.

Committed to responsible whale viewing, Five Star is a founding member of the Pacific Whale Watch Association.

Larger whale watching catamaran

20) Bicycle the Lochside Trail

The oh-so-scenic Lochside Trail stretches 18 miles (29 kms) between Victoria and Sidney (see trail map).

It’s an easy, mostly flat ride (like the Galloping Goose, #18) that winds past the Gorge Waterway, country lanes, leafy backyards, farms and bird sanctuaries. While it’s open to walkers and joggers, it’s mostly used by cyclists.

This one’s where I (Janice) love to ride my e-bike. Much of the trail is paved, so I don’t have to worry about rock chips messing up the frame. (Plus, I can get a little speed on!)

Enjoy scenic strolls and hikes

21) Walk the Victoria Inner Harbor

Central Inner Harbour

Start at the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel in the heart of downtown Victoria, overlooking the harbor.

Turn left as you’re facing the water to pass the Royal BC Museum (#6) and BC’s provincial Parliament building (#7).

At this point, you can turn around and retrace your steps along the harbor back to the Fairmont Empress.

Up for more walking?

• Back at the Empress, continue walking along Wharf Street and across the Johnson Street Bridge to the neighborhood of Vic West – to walk the Songhees Walk along the harbor (covered next).
• Or catch a water taxi (one of the little Victoria Harbour ferries mentioned in #16) over to Vic West.

We particularly love this walk on sunny autumn, winter and spring days when we’re craving warmth and full-on sunshine.

Wondering where to go in Victoria for awesome views?

Get yourself to Mount Douglas Park.

Many of the trails are named after early settlers and farms in the area, and they’re rated (color-coded) according to difficulty – Green (easy), Blue (moderate) and Black (difficult).

The key attraction is the spectacular 360-degree view of Victoria and the water that you get from the top of Mount Doug.

You can actually reach the top of the 738-ft (224-m) mountain (er, hill?) by car on Churchill Road.

Some fresh air, some exercise and a great reward at the top – that’s Mount Doug!

Victoria’s Chinatown is Canada’s oldest Chinatown – and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco.

See the ornate Gate of Harmonious Interest, flanked by two huge stone lion sculptures.

Check out the Chinese restaurants too.

And duck into Fan Tan Alley. At three to six feet wide (less than two meters wide), it’s the narrowest street in the country.

24) Meander around Swan Lake and up Christmas Hill

The Swan Lake and Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary is one of the best places to go in Victoria, BC, for nature lovers.

There are two parts to the 116-acre nature sanctuary, located on the edge of the city.

Swan Lake consists of marshland, frequented by finches, wrens, great blue herons, nesting ducks and other birds. A walking trail winds around the lake, passing over a series of wooden and floating metal bridges.

Christmas Hill is a rocky hill, 358 feet (109 meters) high, with meadows of wildflowers and stately Garry Oak trees. From the top, you get spectacular views of Victoria.

Shop, browse art and catch a festival

25) Shop Lower Johnson Street

You could shop on Government Street. You’ll find great shops there.

But get off the tourist trail slightly and wander along lower Johnson Street (nicknamed “LoJo”), between Government Street and Store Street.

Here, you find colorful, early 19th-century buildings from the gold-rush era lining both sides of LoJo. They house a variety of eclectic shops and boutiques selling everything from locally designed fashions to jewelry to home décor.

LoJo is, in fact, one of the best places to visit in Victoria, BC, for boutique shops.

Some stand-outs?

We also love Zingaro Floral Perfumery.

You’ll find old-fashioned stationery, hand-crafted beeswax candles, pretty vases, scented soaps and body oils, and of course, perfume.

Zingaro is a lovely shop to pick up a gift for a special female person in your life.

And for a pretty little succulent, bouquet of flowers or pot plant to give as a hostess gift (or to keep for yourself), browse Rook & Rose.

26) Visit the Victoria Art Gallery

Nestled in the historic Rockland neighborhood, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria houses some 20,000 works of art – the largest public collection in British Columbia.

The gallery consists of an 1889 mansion connected to a low-rise concrete building, housing seven state-of-the-art galleries.

Be sure to see the permanent display of works by BC’s beloved artist Emily Carr, who painted BC landscapes and scenes of the lives of First Nations people.

The Asian collection – including a grand Chinese bell from the Ming Dynasty along with exquisite amber and ivory carvings – is sure to catch your eye too.

In the Asian garden, you can see the only authentic Japanese Shinto shrine in North America. For this reason, it’s probably the most unique Victoria attraction.

27) Attend a festival

Into art, sailing, music? Victoria hosts several events and festivals that are worth catching.

Symphony Splash

If visiting Victoria, BC, over the first weekend of August, you’ll catch the city’s marquee summer event – Victoria Symphony Splash.

The Victoria Symphony puts on a free evening classical concert from a barge in the Inner Harbor. Crowds gather all around onshore. Fireworks finish off the spectacle.

Moss Street Paint In

One day a year in summer, Moss Street is closed to traffic, and over 100 artists set up shop to paint and sell their work.

There’s also plenty of food, drink and music at the Moss Street Paint In.

If it’s sunny, expect more than 30,000 art lovers to be out and about!

Music on the Lawn

A free series of evening rock n’ roll and blues concerts is held on the lawn at the BC Government House in summer. Bring a blanket or your own chair.

Swiftsure

Sightsee Victoria on guided tours

28) Ride in a horse-drawn carriage

This is a really classic way to see a bit of the city. You can engage in a spot of sightseeing in Victoria, BC, from a horse-drawn carriage.

We’re aware of two companies which show you the city’s historic and natural beauty as you clip-clop along, guided by a uniformed driver guide.

Victoria Carriage Tours also offers horse-and-carriage rides.

Whoever you choose to go with, a carriage ride is one of those classic Victoria experiences that adds a bit of historical romance to your sightseeing.

29) Ride the hop-on hop-off bus

For a scenic overview of most of Victoria’ best attractions, enjoy a ride on the hop-on hop-off bus (operated by Gray Line).

These bright red double-decker buses stop at all the key sights, like BC’s Parliament Buildings, Craigdarroch Castle and Chinatown.

Sit upstairs on the open-air top deck for breezy views and great photo opps! Your pass is good for 24 hours.

Where to stay

Before moving to Victoria, we used to visit the city for long weekends – we even spent a few days here on our honeymoon!

We’ve actually bedded down in quite a few of Victoria’s lovely hotels and B&Bs.

Then before moving here, we stayed in several Airbnbs to figure out which area of the city we wanted to lived in.

For hotels and B&Bs, see our post with (updated) reviews of the best hotels in Victoria.

For more homey accommodations with a kitchen, see our post on some of Victoria’s great Airbnbs and Vrbo vacation rentals.

Airbnbs and Vrbo accommodations with kitchens make for great home-away-from-home bases for discovering all those fun things in Victoria we just spoke about!

Getting to Victoria

There are several ways to get to Victoria from Vancouver or Seattle.

Getting around in the city

Walking

Victoria is a very walkable city.

If you’re staying in downtown Victoria, you can easily explore the Inner Harbor and the downtown core – including the Royal BC Museum, the Parliament Buildings, Government Street, Johnson Street and Chinatown – on foot.

In fact, walking is the best way to see and get around the downtown area.

Victoria Harbour Ferry

Little passenger water taxis operated by Victoria Harbour Ferry criss-cross the Inner Harbor.

They operate frequently and are an especially fun way to get between locations on the Inner Harbor and Gorge.

Prices vary, depending on the taxi ride (or tour), but regular Victoria Harbour Ferry rides from one dock to another cost $12.50 CAD (about $9.00 USD) per adult.

They operate seven days a week. See this live map of what the water taxis are up to at any given moment!

Public buses

The public bus system (run by BC Transit) is pretty good for getting around Victoria.

See Victoria Regional Transit System. It operates throughout Greater Victoria, serving the Victoria International Airport, all ferry terminals (including Swartz Bay) and communities like Langford, Metchosin and Sooke.

In the central Victoria area, you shouldn’t have to wait more than 15 minutes for a bus. (We’ve experienced slower service on Sundays though.)

Tickets are cheap at $2.50 CAD (less than $2 USD) for a single fare. Or you can buy a $5 CAD DayPASS directly from the bus driver for all-day access.

You can pay cash on the bus, but give the exact amount, as you won’t get change back.

Taxis

Taxis are more expensive than taking the public bus, but they’re also a more convenient way for getting around in Victoria, BC – and they’re reasonably affordable for short distances.

We’ve found Bluebird Cabs to be very reliable (unlike some taxi companies in some other Canadian cities). We pre-book our rides with them when going to the airport, and they’ve always shown up on time.

Renting a car

For day trips from Victoria, if not booking a guided tour, you’ll probably want to rent a car.

Most of the major car rental agencies like Hertz have locations at the Victoria airport.

We haven’t used Uber in Victoria ourselves yet (we have our own cars). But we’ve heard from visitors that it works well. So we’re excited it now exists!

Why we think you must visit Victoria!

We might be a little biased – we do live here, after all! – but we’re not the only ones head over heels for our hometown.

Victoria was just crowned the “world’s best small city” in the 2024 Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards – for the second year running! (In 2023, it even took the top spot as the “best city in the world.”)

So, if you’re still wondering “Is Victoria, BC, worth visiting?” let us help settle that.

It’s also one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest, with a rich history that adds character to every charming street and heritage building.

And despite its small size (just under 100,000 in the city proper), Victoria offers big-city perks without the big-city hassle. Think fresh seafood, vibrant theater, indie shops, beaches, bicycles – and no serious traffic headaches.

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