We have travelled to Victoria, BC numerous times. We love the vibes of Victoria! There are lots of wonderful restaurants, cute shops, and old buildings. It’s fun to walk through the neighbourhoods and to the marina. The slogan may be “newly wed or nearly dead” (yes, really), but we liked the slower pace and the calm vibe.
Here’s what you’ll find in this guide (click to jump ahead):
- When to Visit
- How to Get Around
- Where to Stay
- Things to Do
- Outside of Victoria (2 recommendations)
- A map to help you plan your itinerary
- Other Things to Do (that we haven’t done)
When’s the best time to visit Victoria?
Victoria is wonderful pretty much any time of year due to its temperate climate. The best weather (ie. sun) will be late spring, summer, and early spring (think May – September), but this will also be the busiest in terms of tourists. The rest of the year (October – April), you’re likely to experience some rain, but the weather is still relatively mild. The spring and summer you’ll see many people out and about, walking and biking, and enjoying the city’s ample outdoor activities. In the fall, you’re likely to see some beautiful fall colours. In the winter, Victoria is lit up for the holiday season and is very festive. Fall and winter, you’ll want to bring waterproof shoes and a rain jacket in the event it rains (which is likely).
You can enjoy Victoria for just a day, but we feel like a weekend is the best option to do Victoria right and enjoy the city to the fullest. You could probably spend a week here, but you might run out of things to do if the weather isn’t great.
How to get around Victoria?
Victoria is a relatively small city. You can easily walk around without needing a car. If you’re hoping to leave the downtown area, you’ll need to either bus or drive to your chosen location. However, driving from downtown to other Victoria neighbourhoods won’t take long. We’ve always had a car when visiting, so I’m not too sure how well the transit system operates and how reliable it is. Victoria is also very bike-able, so you could also rent bikes and bike your way around the city.
Where should you stay?
Where should you stay? We say downtown is the best area if it’s your first time visiting. You can leave your car at the hotel and walk the downtown core, or not need a car at all. We love the Oak Bay and James Bay neighbourhoods and think these are good options if you’ve been to Victoria before. James Bay can still be walkable to the downtown area, but we wouldn’t stay in Oak Bay without having a car to get around. Click here to read Tourism Victoria’s recommended accommodations.
Here are our favourite hotels in Victoria:
Oak Bay Beach Hotel (luxury on the ocean):
This is a luxury stay in Victoria. It is a top-rated hotel in the city, in the Oak Bay neighbourhood. We like it because it is quiet and secluded, but this may not be the best if you are exploring Victoria for the first time. Oak Bay’s mineral pools are so relaxing and might be our favourite part (in addition to the view, pictured). There is an onsite spa and dining options, but we usually choose to eat elsewhere.
The Parkside Hotel & Spa (condo style):
Parkside is condo-style hotel on the edge of the downtown area. The rooms here are basically small apartments – they have full kitchens, separate bedrooms, and balconies. Parkside is an excellent option for families or longer stays, but rooms can come with a steep price tag. There is a coffee shop in the lobby, a very large indoor pool, and an exercise area. The on-site spa is wonderful and calming. We think Parkside is an excellent option.
Chateau Victoria Hotel & Suites (downtown, central location):
Located in the downtown core, this is a great central location for your stay in Victoria. This is one of the more affordable options in the downtown area that still has the necessary amenities you look for in a hotel. Parking is an extra fee but is 50% off if you book directly with the hotel. The hotel has a pool, hot tub, and gym amenities. We found Chateau Victoria met our needs and was a good deal given it’s central location.
THINGS TO SEE & DO in VICTORIA:
These are all things we have personally done while in Victoria and recommend. We do have two recommendations that are outside of the downtown area and require bussing or driving to. We also have a short list at the end of things we haven’t tried, but are on many “what to do in Victoria” lists.
While the downtown area is not very big, it’s fun to walk around the old buildings and cobblestone walkways. There are many pubs and restaurants, streets lined with flowers and lights, and cute boutiques. You can find some unique areas, such as Trounce Alley and Market Square (which is kind of tucked away and hard to find the entrance for). You can also see old historic warehouse buildings along the waterfront.
2. Chinatown
The oldest in Canada, Victoria’s Chinatown is a unique experience. There are small restaurants and shops worth exploring. The large entrance gate is stunning to see in person, and it’s an experience walking down Fan Tan Alley. Keep in mind the area gets busy around lunch and in the afternoon, so coming in the morning is best to avoid crowds.
3. BC Parliament and the Inner Harbour
Across from each other, you can see both in one go. You can enter parliament on weekdays, and even get a free guided tour if you like. We like to wander the area and just take in the sites. You can catch whale watching tours and floatplane tours from the harbour if you want, too!
A cute area to spend the afternoon, check out the colourful floating village. There are some food options here, like delicious fish and chips, and ice cream! It’s about a 20-minute walk from downtown, which you can take through the tree-lined streets of James Bay or along the water.
If you’re into history and old things, Craigdarroch Castle is worth an hour of your time. If you’ve been anywhere outside North America, you’ll probably laugh at the fact that this is called a “castle”. Really, it’s a big house. However, the museum inside has lots of history about Victoria and west-coast Canada. A good experience for a rainy day, but we wouldn’t recommend using a sunny day for this if you aren’t in Victoria for long.
A short walk from downtown Victoria, Beacon Hill Park is a serene place to spend an afternoon. It spans 200 acres, so be prepared to walk! You can check out turtles and ducks at Goodacre Lake, see totem poles, visit a petting zoo, and even play mini golf. Bring a picnic and grab a spot among the locals to enjoy the calm.
We love the Oak Bay area! Walking along the water past the marina and looking at all the massive houses we could never afford as millennials. Park along Oak Bay Ave, grab a coffee, and check out the small shops and boutiques. Notable is popping into Period Fine Bindings to see the old books and the leather rebinding process. Oak Bay is also a beautiful location to catch the sunset from.
OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN (but well worth it!)
There are many beautiful parks to visit in Victoria, but the Butchart Gardens is without a doubt at the top of the list. Located 20km from downtown, the gardens are 119 years old and designated as a National Historic Site of Canada. There are FIVE gardens, each impressive in their own regard. The Sunken Garden is especially impressive, and photos don’t really do it justice. Note that depending on what time of year you go, the gardens can be very different. The rose gardens are in full bloom in June and July. The gardens are lit up for the holiday season in December and January. We have been twice and it was spectacular both times (once in May and once in early July).
Almost ethereal, Hatley Castle is a National Historic Site located 25 minutes from downtown Victoria. You can either drive or bus, and guided walking tours of the park are available. If you’re a fan of X-Men or Deadpool, the castle should look familiar as it appeared in both sets of films. The gardens are free to access, and you can just walk onto the grounds. It’s a great opportunity to bring a picnic! If you want to go inside the castle, you’ll have to join a guided tour, as the building is now home to Royal Roads University.
MAP of Things to Do in Victoria, BC:
HOW TO USE THE MAP: Click on the Wanderlog logo in the bottom right corner to open the full-size map up in a new tab. There, you can choose to just look at type of activity at a time or see all of the activities on the map at once (click the 3 squares in the top right to choose). You can also export the map to Google Maps, share the map with others, or save the map.
Other Things to Do:
Here are some places to visit or things to do in Victoria that we haven’t personally checked out, but are on many “what to do in Victoria” lists:
- Butterfly Gardens
- Go whale watching
- Royal BC Museum
- Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
- Victoria Horse Carriage Tour
- High Tea at the Fairmont Empress
- Maritime Museum of BC