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

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

They’re one of the top tourist attractions in Victoria and a popular stop for snapping that classic harbor shot.

They were designed by architect Francis Rattenbury (who was only 25 at the time!) and 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) Step into the spotlight at Hatley Castle

If you’ve watched X-Men, Deadpool, Descendants, Poltergeist: The Legacy, The Killing or Smallville, you’ve already seen Hatley Castle on screen. This historic estate has starred in countless films and shows, thanks to its dramatic good looks.

Built in 1908 by James Dunsmuir (whose father built Craigdarroch Castle, #8 above), it was designed for lavish entertaining. It later became a military college mess hall and is now leased by Royal Roads University.

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 who kept 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.

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 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!

14) Duck into a café

Get ready to add “drinking some awesome coffee” to your checklist of fun things to do in Victoria!

Our city 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 adventurous, Victoria-style

Victoria’s adorable “happy boats” – small water taxis seating up to 12 passengers – are a fun way to cruise the Inner Harbour. Run by Victoria Harbour Ferry, they zigzag around the water like bumper boats on a mission.

When we have out-of-town visitors, we like to take them on this 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” shares local lore and colorful tales.

The first time we did it, our cheerful silver-haired skipper regaled us with childhood stories of diving off bridges into the Gorge and hitching rides on log booms to get home.

You can also go on a pub crawl pickle boat tour – with stops at beloved breweries and pubs (appies included). It’s a blast, and yes, you might get pickled.

18) 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.

Park at the Rocky Point Road parking lot (the 30 Km marker) to offload your bikes.

You’ll pedal along an easy, wide well-maintained trail through the forest, getting glimpses of Matheson Lake.

Coming to Roche Cove, the trail winds along seaside coves and headlands – drink in the spectacular ocean views.

Then cross Sooke Road. Ride first to Charters Trestle, then Todd Trestle. Both are towering iron-and-wooden trestle bridges that cross the rushing Sooke River waaaay down below.

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.)

20) Spy whales!

Yes, Victoria has whales – it’s one of the best spots for whale watching on Canada’s west coast!

Join a whale watching tour from the Inner Harbour to spot orcas, humpbacks, minkes or gray whales gliding through the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Peak season? May to October – with a 95% chance of sightings.

Most tours are led by marine biologists, and you can choose from several different types of whale watching vessels.

High-speed Zodiac adventure

Prefer a gentler (and warmer) way to watch whales?

Spacious catamaran experience

21) 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, #19) 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, hikes and walking tours

22) 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.

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.

Tip: It’s even more scenic to hike up one of the forested trails, like the Irvine Trail. Hiking up this trail and walking back down the road takes about an hour and 15 minutes, including time to drink in the sweeping views at the very top.

24) Get spooked on a ghost walk

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, and check out the Chinese restaurants.

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

Named after the Chinese gambling game of Fan-Tan, the alley was once a popular gambling district with betting parlors and opium dens.

Today, it’s lined with more than a dozen cute shops selling matcha teas, locally made jewelry and homemade ice-cream.

26) Meander around Swan Lake and up Christmas Hill

27) Check out the “wee” libraries

One of the cutest things to see in Victoria, BC, when wondering the residential streets? The little free libraries you’ll spot tucked in front yards and along sidewalks.

Each one is hand-built – some shaped like fairy-tale cottages, others like miniature schoolhouses – and stocked with anywhere from five to 20 books.

We love seeing how creative people get with their designs, and George (our resident book lover) never passes one by without peeking inside.

You’ll find dozens scattered around the city. There’s even an online map to help you hunt them down!

Shop, browse art and catch a festival

28) 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.

Some stand-outs?

Weird and wonderful shoes

John Fluevog Shoes is the place to go for unique artistic shoes and boots. Outrageously high platforms with thick heels are a signature design.

One of our favorite stores in Victoria, this place is eye candy for shoe-aholics!

Flowers and more

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.

29) 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.

30) Attend a festival

Into art, sailing, music? Victoria hosts several events and festivals 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.

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

31) Ride in a horse-drawn carriage

Whoever you choose to go with, a carriage ride is a romantic slow-paced way to soak up Victoria’s history and beauty.

32) Hop on, explore, hop off

Where to stay

Getting to Victoria

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

From Vancouver

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, seven days a week, 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 $15.00 CAD plus tax (about $11.00 USD) per adult.

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), Butchart Gardens and communities like Langford, Metchosin and Sooke.

Taxis

Taxis are more expensive than taking the public bus, but they’re also a more convenient way for getting around the city – 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 friends and family say it works fine. Just expect a bit of a wait, maybe 10 to 15 minutes, as pickups aren’t quite as fast as in bigger cities like Calgary (where there are lots of Uber drivers).

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 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.

---

---

---