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 absolute 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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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 delightful place to spend an afternoon or evening. (Or a peaceful morning.)

The famed Fairmont Empress Hotel (pictured at the top of this post) 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. Another block away you’ll find the iconic Neo-baroque style British Columbia Parliament Buildings. As stunning as they are in the daylight, they’re even better all lit up in the evenings.

Beacon Hill Park & Coastal Walk

From your downtown hotel, you can stroll through the paths in 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. We promise 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. In addition to whales, you’ll likely see 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 gardens cover 55 acres and include a sunken garden, Japanese, Italian, and Mediterranean gardens, and a show-stopping rose garden. We spent about 2.5 hours there and wished we’d had more time. Options if you don’t have a car include a bus, a private shuttle, or a taxi.

We had a fabulous experience with That Girl in Victoria who personalized a half-day tour for us and filled us 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. There are many 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 is filled with books, art, comfortable nooks & crannies, and friendly people. Their travel section is wonderful – and we all love to travel, don’t we?

Another impressive stop is the original Roger’s Chocolate shop 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!) Honestly, 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 impressive exterior totem pole display.