Victoria’s Best Attractions

September 15, 2024 / by Lisa Werth / Leave a comment

Charming Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and is located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island (not to be confused with the City of Vancouver). The saying goes that “Victoria is more British than Britain itself”. While there are definitely flavors of Britain at nearly every turn, Victoria has also claimed an atmosphere and culture of its own and it is an absolute delight to visit. Guidebooks tend to list Victoria as a day trip from Vancouver, but don’t be fooled. That is just not enough time. It is easily worth 2-3 nights, and more if you wish to explore other areas of the island.

Unlike surrounding BC areas, Victoria is blessed with a remarkably mild costal climate, and boasts an average of 308 days of sunshine. But to experience the best of Victoria, try visiting between May and September.

There is surely a week full of activities in the Victoria area, but if you’re only here for a few days, some of them qualify as “can’t miss”:

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Where to Stay

There are dozens of hotels in Victoria, but as the saying goes, the most important thing is “location, location, location”. Staying near the inner harbor is important if you plan to see a lot of sites and attractions, and want to walk to most of them.

The most iconic (and possibly most expensive) hotel in Victoria is the Fairmont Empress, towering over the Inner Harbor and offering every possible amenity in high style. It is a sight to behold and in a class all its own. Famous guests include Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth II, as well as celebrities such as John Wayne, Shirley Temple, Katherine Hepburn, Bob Hope, and Harrison Ford. The sprawling 400+ room hotel is steeped in history and offers a spa, a fine dining restaurant, a large veranda overlooking the harbor serving lunch and dinner, and countless other services. The Empress is perfectly located within walking distance to nearly all Victoria has to offer.

As lovely as the Empress is, it’s hard to image a more better lodging choice than the chaming, quiet, gracious Magnolia Hotel. We spent two nights there and wished we’d had many more. The rooms are full of thoughtful creature comforts such as high-end toiletries, the softest, most comfortable robes we’ve ever worn, thick, fluffy towels, Dyson hair dryers, filtered water delivered daily, Nespresso machines, and turndown service with chocolates and a filled ice bucket.

The location is outstanding, just a block from the Inner Harbor and a short distance to all downtown attractions. Consider upgrading to a corner room with outstanding views of the Parliament Buildings.

No problem! There Well rated, well located, and less expensive options includint the Victoria Marriott Inner Harbor DoubleTree Victoria (a Hilton hotel), and the Best Western Plus Carlton Plaza. These are also great choices if you collect hotel or credit card points and are seeking to accumulate or redeem them.

Victoria’s Inner Harbor

The heart of Victoria is the picturesque inner harbor area, where you can be mesmerized by the constant flow of seaplanes, ferries, and other boats. Summer brings a host of festivals and markets as well as frequent live music. Follow the flower-filled pedestrian walkways through a series of historic and architecturally interesting buildings, shops, & restaurants. It is a captivating place to spend an afternoon or evening. Or a peaceful morning. Or better yet, both.

The famed Fairmont Empress Hotel (see “Where to Stay”, above), rises regally across the street from the harbor. Even if you don’t stay there, it’s fun to walk through its lavish indoor and outdoor spaces. If you’re ready for a splurge, consider dressing up and enjoying traditional afternoon tea. A block away you’ll find the iconic Neo-baroque style British Columbia Parliament Buildings. Free tours are available on weekdays, and on weekends as well in the summer. As stunning the buildings are in the daylight, they’re even better in the evenings, all lit up.

Beacon Hill Park & Coastal Walk

From your downtown hotel, you can stroll to the gorgeous Beacon Hill Park. You’ll encounter manicured gardens, ponds, bridges, unusual and interesting trees and plants, a petting zoo, and even free-roaming peacocks. End at the coast and enjoy the jaw-dropping views of crashing waves, cliffs, lovely beaches, and the magnificent Olympic Mountains in the background. Just hold up your camera in any direction and press the shutter button and you’re sure to get a great photo!

From there, walk along the coast back to the Inner Harbor and downtown, stopping at the colorful Fisherman’s Wharf along the way. For a real treat, go back to the coast at sunset and park yourself on a blanket or a bench with a beverage and a snack. You won’t regret it.

Multi colored homes on Fisherman’s Wharf

Whale Watching

Victoria is a perfect place to take a whale-watching tour, as it is located at the gateway of the Salish Sea, home to an incredible variety of sea life year-round. The water around Victoria is relatively calm, and some companies offer tours on small boats with as few as a dozen or so people, so you can get closer to the majestic mammals. In addition to whales, frequent sightings include otters, seals, sea lions, and a wide variety of marine birds including eagles and falcons. Most tours leave directly from Fisherman’s Wharf.

Butchart Gardens

Even if you’re only ever-so-mildly interested in horticulture, you’ll be blown away by Butchart Gardens, about 14 miles north of downtown Victoria. And if you’re a gardening enthusiast? Well, you’ll be in heaven! The dramatic gardens cover 55 acres and include a sunken garden, Japanese, Italian, and Mediterranean gardens, and a show-stopping rose garden. Butchart Gardens was founded in 1904 by Jennie Butchart, and remains in her family today. Though April – October is the best time to go for blooming flowers, the gardens remain open in the winter and are a whole different kind of beautiful. Because of the unique climate in the area, there are still blooming plants

We spent about 2.5 hours at the gardens and wished we’d had more time. Transportation options if you don’t have a car include a bus, a private shuttle, or a taxi.

In the alternative, That Girl in Victoria offers personalized half-day tours, filled with wonderful stories and historical context. Less expensive small group tours out of Victoria are also available.

Shopping

Victoria is an outstanding shopping town. Two major shopping streets are Government Street and Lower Johnson Street (LoJo) which accesses Market Square. While there are some chain stores on these streets, most of the places are local. The streets are filled with boutiques, galleries, antique stores, and souvenir shops. A favorite for us is Monro’s Books, included on many lists of best and/or most beautiful bookstores. The expansive and building houses books, art, comfortable nooks & crannies, and friendly people. Their travel section is wonderful – and we all love to travel, don’t we?

The original Roger’s Chocolate shop is located on Government Street. Step into this old world building, listed on the Canadian historic registry, and feel like you’re stepping back in time to the early 1900’s. You can sample their famed Victorian cream and lots of other homemade flavors. Rumor has it this shop is haunted by its founders, Charles and Leah Rogers. Reportedly Charles throws milk chocolates on the floor (because he didn’t like them) and Leah rearranges displays.

Wander a little off the beaten path into Chinatown Town and if you look carefully, you might stumble upon Fan Tan Alley, just off Government Street, which is the narrowest commercial street in North America – only 3’ wide in some places. What a fun discovery! The hidden alley has a chocolate shop, a home store, a jewelry store, clothing shops, gift shops, a metaphysical store, and even an umbrellatorium. (Pretty sure I’ve never typed “umbrellatorium” before!) It is worth a meander even if you’re there too early or late for business hours.

Royal British Columbia Museum

British Columbia’s history and culture is on full display at the Royal BC Museum. With a focus on indigenous and natural history and an adjacent IMAX theater, the museum has something for all ages. At the entry to the Natural History Gallery, meet Wooly, an enormous and realistic replica of a Wooly Mammoth. Other displays include the award-winning and compelling “Our Living Language” tracing the history and attempted government disruption of 34 distinct First Nation languages in the area. Visit Hunt House, a ceremonial house of the late Jonathan Hunt, a Kwakwaka’wakw Chief. Enjoy a spectacular totem pole exhibit inside, and then explore Thunderbird Park just outside the museum to admire the exterior totem pole display.