Victoria, named after Queen Victoria, is the capital city of British Columbia and is located on the southern east tip of Vancouver Island. It is known as the City of Gardens and with the most temperate climate in Canada, Victoria’s plant life is able to more than thrive. It also maintains its historical architecture from British influence and is a hub for food, art, and culture.
We visited Victoria, British Columbia for 5 days and I truly believe that we could have seen everything we needed to within 3 days. If you don’t plan to leave the central Victoria area as we did, even 2 days is enough. But to make your trip to Victoria really worth it, rent a car for a day and experience some of the beautiful nature on the Pacific coast.
When To Visit Victoria, British Columbia
The best times to visit Victoria are from March to early June and September to November because you can experience the more comfortable temperatures during those months. However, many tourists do visit between June and August. We had actually visited at the end of June, which was the next stop after our Canmore and Banff, Alberta trip, and the weather was pretty hot, although cool at night. And considering that a majority of the places there do not have air conditioning, the hotel rooms can get up to 30°C, at least ours did (thankfully we were provided with a fan but it was still pretty uncomfortable).
When To Book Your Trip To Victoria, British Columbia
To help you plan your trip more specifically to your preferences, use my free Pre-Trip Planner and Checklist as well as The Ultimate Guide To Planning Your Trip Abroad so you don’t forget anything and avoid a stressful vacation.
How To Get To Victoria, British Columbia
If you’re coming from outside of British Columba, you’ll need to fly into the Victoria International Airport (YYJ). From the airport, it takes about half an hour to get to Victoria and it cost us just under $70 CAD for a taxi ride to get to our hotel at the Craigmyle , which is just in front of the Craigdarroch Castle.
If you’re planning to drive in from Vancouver, you’ll need to take a ferry to be able to get into Victoria. When we went to Vancouver after visiting Victoria, we took the BC Ferries Connector from the Victoria Bus Depot which took us to the ferries, which then drove us right into Downtown, Vancouver.
How To Get Around In Victoria, British Columbia
The best way to explore Victoria, British Columbia is on foot especially if you stay in the Downtown area. You can also easily take a bus around town or even a horse-drawn carriage if you rather not walk, but there will be a lot to see in the area that you don’t want to miss.
As I was planning this trip, I also realized that there is no Uber or Lyft in Victoria as they are still in the process of getting approval from the government so there’s no time frame for when this will be available. If you want to go further, you’ll need to take a taxi. To explore places outside of the central Victoria area, we rented a car from Turo and it was another very convenient and easy experience. Plus, it was much cheaper than renting from a rental car company.
Where To Stay In Victoria, British Columbia
Considering that the best form of transportation is probably your feet, I’d recommend staying in Downtown Victoria. It would also have been much more convenient for us if we did! Since we stayed at the Craigmyle, it was about a 20 to 25-minute walk from Downtown, Victoria and although it’s not that long, we just don’t want to be walking that amount every night just to get food. It also didn’t feel very safe as the sun goes down which was surprising to us.
The majority of the time, I prefer booking with Hotels.com (and use Airbnb as a second option) since they have great prices (including secret prices if you’re a member) and the ability to redeem a free night’s stay after every 10 stays. I do advise always shopping around for the best prices and the type of accommodations with the amenities you prefer. Here are the Best Ways To Save Money On Hotels For Your Next Vacation.
Where To Eat In Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria has a variety of food to choose from and since they are right by the water, they have easy access to fresh seafood. They also have some of the best-tasting coffee around (Habit Coffee, Shatterbox, Little June, and Union Pacific Coffee) and a lot of unique bakeries and cafés. There were a couple of restaurants we tried that were a miss, but below are the restaurants we loved and/or wished we visited as they are some of the top-rated in Victoria.
Saveur Restaurant
Cuisine – French
Price Range – $$$$
Why They’re Good – This French-inspired contemporary cuisine by award-winning chef, Robert Cassels, offers tasting menus using local ingredients in an atmospheric location.
Cuisine – Japanese
Price Range – $$
Why They’re Good – First, the prices were much cheaper than I expected and every dish was absolutely delicious. The portions were very good and this was the high-quality Japanese izakaya-style food we expected from the Pacific Coast of Canada.
Cuisine – Canadian
Price Range – $$-$$$
Why They’re Good – Running for over 30 years, this Canadian venue offers comfort food with housemade bread and pies and offers a creative breakfast experience. It was also featured on the show “You Gotta Eat Here!”.
Cuisine – American
Price Range – $$-$$$
Why They’re Good – This all-day breakfast café has creative and hearty breakfast choices inspired by the South that lean more on the comfort food side. They also have homestyle recipes that have been passed down over generations on their menu. You can find Jam Café available in Vancouver too.
Red Fish Blue Fish
Cuisine – Seafood
Price Range – $$
Why They’re Good – Here you’ll get non-nonsense seafood dishes such as fish and chips, fish sandwiches, grilled seafood, seafood chowder, and more sustainable seafood choices, right on the dock!
10 Acres Bistro
Cuisine – Canadian
Price Range – $$-$$$
Why They’re Good – With a large farm-to-fork menu, 10 Acres Bistro has a romantic ambience to enjoy indoors or on the garden patio. Their dishes are inspired by the changing seasons that Canada gets and they have their own ingredients growing at their 10 Acres Farm. They also partner with local farmers for a wholesome menu.
Ferris’ Oyster Bar
Cuisine – Seafood
Price Range – $$
Why They’re Good – With an upscale menu, this cozy restaurant has seafood from local waters and premium steaks from Alberta as well as craft cocktails.
Little Jumbo Restaurant & Bar
Cuisine – Canadian
Price Range – $$
Why They’re Good – This speakeasy provides a relaxing atmosphere with a fresh local food menu and has a great wine and cocktail list for pairing. With a long and interesting history of how this restaurant started, their focus is on creating an exceptional customer and fine dining experience.
Cuisine – Chinese
Price Range – $-$$
Why They’re Good – They make authentic Chinese food and are known for their famous “Crossing the Bridge Rice Noodle”. This dish originated over 500 years ago from a moving love story and comes with boiling broth where you add small dishes to stir in and cook yourself. The traditional desserts are a must-try and are made to perfection!
3 Day Itinerary To Visit The Best Places In Victoria, British Columbia
If you happen to be visiting Victoria, British Columbia, you’ll see (or have done research ahead of time to know), that it is full of history, nature, wildlife, and great food given its unique location in Canada. Below are the must-visit places in Victoria that will give you a better look at what this city has to offer.
First Day In Victoria, British Columbia
1 – Victoria’s Chinatown
Time Spent – 1 to 2 hours
Interesting Facts – Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America. Because of the gold rush back in 1858, there was an influx of Chinese immigrants and their culture and traditions have lived on throughout the years. Today, it is full of authentic Chinese restaurants, unique shops and businesses, schools and historic locations.
2 – Fan Tan Alley
Time Spent – 20 minutes
Interesting Facts – Located in the Chinatown area, Fan Tan Alley is the narrowest street in Canada. It is named after a Chinese gambling game called Fan Tan which was originally a gambling district. Now it has settled into being a tourist destination of small businesses and apartments.
3 – Downtown, Victoria
Time Spent – 2 to 4 hours
Interesting Facts – Downtown is the city centre of Victoria. It is where all the action is and has the following places you don’t want to miss:
- Historical buildings like the Legislative Assembly Of British Columbia and Fairmont Express Hotel
- The Inner Harbour Centre, which is one of the most beautiful harbors in the world with the scenic backdrop
- Government Street is riddled with many tourist attractions including restaurants, shops, museums, hotels, and more.
- Bastion Square Public Market is a historic pedestrian mall and now many important events are held here.
- Royal British Columbia Museum was founded in 1886 and is a natural and human history museum as well as the British Columbia Provincial Archives. They have 3 permanent galleries including Natural History, Becoming BC, and the First Peoples Gallery.
Time Spent – 1.5 hours
Interesting Facts – This castle – or massive mansion – was built in 1887 by the industrial entrepreneur, Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant. You can see their immense fortune throughout the castle and intricate furnishings. Multiple movies have also been filmed at this castle.
Second Day In Victoria, British Columbia
On your second day, you would need to rent a car as you’ll be leaving the central Victoria area and venturing West along the coastline after your first stop. Start your day early so you can see as much as you can and make use of your car rental!
1 – The Butchart Gardens
Time Spent – 2.5 hours
Interesting Facts – Over a century old, the Butchart Gardens is on 55 acres of land and is a designated National Historic Site of Canada. It is still family-owned and there are seasonal and nightly events that happen often. There are over 900 bedding plant varieties and 26 greenhouses and visitors flock to see the beautiful blooms every year.
2 – Hatley Castle
Time Spent – 1 hour
Interesting Facts – A Classified Federal Heritage Building, it has been used as a university and a naval training facility. British Columbia’s Lieutenant Governor, Robert Dunsmuir, in 1906 purchased the property and commissioned an architect to build this 40-room mansion in the Scottish Baronial and Tudor revival style. They also have extensive gardens and trails to enjoy created by American garden designers from Boston. As you may know, many popular TV shows and movies have been filmed here including X-Men, Deadpool, and Smallville.
3 – Niagara Falls In Goldstream Provincial Park
Time Spent – 45 minutes to 1 hour
Interesting Facts – Although nothing like the Niagara Falls in Ontario, this short trail is only about 15 minutes one way and leads to a very satisfying and picturesque waterfall.
4 – East Sooke Regional Park (By Aylard Farm)
Time Spent – 2 hours
Interesting Facts – You’ll get a perfect view of the rugged BC coast here and can even have a chance of spotting whales or seals. The park does have bears, deer, and cougars so keep an eye out and make sure your dog is on a leash if you bring one! There are multiple beaches here and uneven trails with mountain views and right across the waters is the United States.
5 – Sandcut Beach
Time Spent – 30 to 45 minutes, or 2 hours if you plan to tan on the beach
Interesting Facts – This trail to the beach takes about half an hour round trip to complete. You walk through a bumpy trail which brings you to a set of stairs that leads you down to the beach. It also has 2 mini waterfalls and only takes about 10 minutes to get there from the beach.
6 – Mystic Beach
Time Spent – 2 to 2.5 hours
Interesting Facts – One of the most scenic beaches in the area, it is located on the Strait Of Juan De Fuca coastline. You’ll need to cross a suspension bridge to get to a cascading waterfall by the cliffs.
Need To Know – It is unmarked and you need to drive down a gravel path to get to the trailhead.
Third Day In Victoria, British Columbia
Time Spent – 1 to 3 hours
Interesting Facts – This marina has many seafood kiosks, whale watching tours, and little shops to enjoy. There are also residents who actually live on some of these float homes. If you can, I highly suggest taking a whale-watching tour. You’re literally in the best location for it!
2 – Beacon Hill Park
Time Spent – 1 hour
Interesting Facts – This 75-hectare park is the crowning jewel in Victoria’s park system and is most well-known for its Moss Lady which is 11 metres long. This park is protected through local, provincial, and federal law to preserve endangered species and ecosystems found within this area. It also has a strong sacred, cultural, and historical significance for the First Nations people for thousands of years. Their way of cultivating native plants for food over the years has largely shaped this park into what it is today.
3 – Dallas Road Staircase
Time Spent – 15 minutes
Interesting Facts – This scenic location of seawall stairs on Dallas Road brings you right to the waters with mural paintings. Depending on how high or low the water is on the stairs, you can walk pretty far down and get up close to the sea.
Time Spent – 15 minutes
Interesting Facts – This landmark starts with the 8,000-kilometre Trans-Canada Highway which spans across Canada. It is located right across the Beacon Hill Park and it also reminds me of the US 1 – Mile Marker 0 in Key West, Florida.
Things To Know About Visiting Victoria, British Columbia
Although the most important points are explained in detail in the blog post, I do still want to reiterate a couple of things.
1 – Stay in the Downtown, Victoria area otherwise you’ll have a lot of walking to do!
2 – Uber and Lyft are not available in Victoria as of yet and taxis are quite pricey.
3 – Watch your surroundings. I was very surprised when we visited, how bad the drug problem was there and I’ve never seen anything like it, not even in Miami. I hate to have to say this about a pretty city but it’s better to be prepared. As long as you’re not walking on the streets a lot, you’ll be fine. We literally walked everywhere we went and since we stayed at the Craigmyle and not in the Downtown area, we came across this much more often.
4 – Definitely rent a car for at least a day to venture out of the city and really see the wonderful nature Victoria and Vancouver Island has.
To continue your British Columbia trip, head to Vancouver with this 3-Day Itinerary and explore more of what this beautiful province has to offer!