Victoria BC is my favorite Canadian city. It is the capital of British Columbia but manages to maintain a cute small city feel with amazing weather, great people and a ton to explore. Vancouver Island has a lot of amazing places to see, but your first stop should always be a couple days in Victoria.
These are my recommendations for the top things to do in Victoria Canada in the summer months.
Getting there
If you are coming from within Canada or outside the country most are going to fly into Victoria airport. However, there are other options to think about.
From Vancouver
There are a couple ways to get to Victoria from Vancouver. You can take the float plane, car ferry, or fly from the main Vancouver airport. The flight from the airport is a short 30 minute flight and a quick way to get there. From the ferry, this is outside the main city, but there are buses that can take you to the ferry terminal in Horseshoe Bay or you can take a car.
From Seattle
If you are coming from Seattle (which is where I live), you can get to Victoria a number of ways. You can head to the ferry terminal on Pier 69 and take the Clipper, a small but comfortable passenger ferry. It is pricey, especially in the summer, and if the weather is questionable through the Juan de Fuca strait, things can get a bit hairy. So, if you have issues with sea sickness, you may want to consider another way.
There is also a car ferry out of Port Angeles, on the Olympic Peninsula, outside of Seattle. So, if you want to have a car with you, this is the way to go.
Finally, you can take float planes from several places, in the US, that would be Kenmore Air, just outside Seattle, or you can take a float plane from Vancouver.
Getting around
The main parts of Victoria are incredibly walkable and I would recommend this. Instead of using a car, walk the main areas and when needed take the various bus options, from the hop on hop off buses to the public transit. The public transit has an app you can download to pay your fare and is straightforward to navigate.
If you take the Clipper ferry, you can purchase additional tickets, such as whale watching and tickets to Butchart Gardens. There is a bus that will take you directly from the ferry terminal to the gardens once you arrive and the signage is easy to follow.
Where to stay
There are several hotels within walking distance to downtown and within the main downtown Victoria area, including the famous Empress Hotel. AirB&B and VRBO are also options, but be aware that all of these options are rather pricey in the summer months during peak tourist season. You will have a challenge finding a place for under $200 CAD a night. I stayed at the Sandman hotel, which was a 30 minute walk into the main town area, but was a great hotel overall with a pool and hot tub and the best robes I have ever worn.
Where to eat
Milano
Address: 817 Government St, Victoria, BC V8W 1W8
If you are looking for a good little coffee shop right in the middle of things, Milano is my top choice. Free wifi and a couple of outdoor seats right on government street, its a great spot to grab a coffee and do some people watching.
Jam Cafe
Address: 542 Herald St, Victoria, BC V8W 1S5
This is an awesome breakfast spot. About a 15 minute walk from the main downtown area, but worth it. There was a line waiting for seating and they have an extensive menu from pancakes to eggs benedict.
End Dive
Address: 1802 Government St, Victoria, BC V8T 4N5
This was my absolute favorite place to eat. It is a bit more pricey than others, but it is totally worth it. There isn’t a ton of seating, so it can’t really accommodate huge groups, but you can sit at the bar and watch them make your food while you sip on a specialty cocktail that consists of 6-7 ingredients. The food is tapas style, small plates, with a Michelin star presentation. Pastas and breads are handmade in house and the ingredients are out of this world.
The Tapa Bar
Address: 620 Trounce Alley, Victoria, BC V8W 1K3
This was recommended by the crew on the whale watching tour I was on and it did not disappoint. They have a great happy hour from 3-5pm, where you can get a margharita pizza for $12 CAD and a 9 oz glass of wine for $11 CAD (there are other items too, this is just what I had). The atmosphere is great and it’s tucked into a side street just off government street.
Red Fish, Blue Fish
Address: 1006 Wharf St, Victoria, BC V8W 1N8
Food truck style fish and chips spot right on the harbor with railing seating overlooking the water, the fish and chips and all their food options are fresh and sustainably caught. I recommend the halibut fish and chips.
Top things to do in Victoria Canada
Butchart gardens
Address: 800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J8
This truly is one of the best things to do and one of my favorite things. Yes, it is a tourist hotspot, but for good reason. It is incredibly beautiful here and worth the trip. Tickets are around $40+ from the official website, but deals may be available when you purchase more than one activity together.
Victoria butterfly gardens
Address: 1461 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay, BC V8M 1J5
More than just butterflies (though that is great all on its own), you can check out beautiful gardens and some very cool animals, including reptiles. Adult admission is $20 and is very family friendly and located close to the Butchart gardens, so you could potentially do both in one day.
Royal BC museum
Address: 675 Belleville St., Victoria, BC V8W 9W2
The perfect way to spend a couple of hours, it is located next to the government building near the Empress hotel. There is always a rotating exhibit (during my visit it was the Beyond the Beat – Music of resistance and change, which was awesome. They have an IMAX and several long term exhibits about local indigenous peoples and natural history.
Tickets are around $30 for adults.
Beacon Hill Park
Address: 100 Cook St, Victoria, BC V8V 4Z8
Just a short walk from the empress, up Douglas street is Beacon Hill Park. This is a great place to find some quiet and enjoy nature with a mix of environments to explore. Finding the moss lady is one of the unique things to check out and there are benches around to just take in the quiet and beauty of the spot.
It’s free to all, 75 hectares of land that ends on the water, has washrooms available and is dog friendly. I really loved it here and I think you would really be missing out if you didn’t check it out.
Go whale watching
This is the best way to see Vancouver Island’s amazing marine life, including bald eagles, humpback whales, and orcas. Boats leave from the main harbor off Government Street. I took Eagle Wing Tours and they were fantastic. They strive to be eco-friendly and during my tour boasted an all female crew.
They keep a respectable distance from all wildlife and are in just as much awe of these animals as those on the tour. I was fortunate enough to see some of the Bigg’s killer whales, formerly consider transients, during my tour, and others also saw humpbacks that day.
Other wildlife you can see include seals, porpoises, guillemots, multiple species of gulls, oyster catchers, two species of cormorants, and more. Cost is around $180 CAD and the tour lasts around 4 hours.
Go on a kayaking tour
If big boats aren’t your thing, you can take a kayaking tour from the same area. Those are around $150 CAD and go for 2-3 hours. You can do a cheaper trip if you don’t want to go with a group but just want to paddle around on your own. However, I will say that those tour operators know where the best spots are and where you might see some cool wildlife.
Wander around downtown Victoria
This city is so cute and beautiful and a joy to walk around. Take in the parliament buildings, sit on the lawn for a bit and watch the boats come and go before heading to the Fairmont Empress hotel for afternoon tea and experience high tea for yourself.
The majority of the action is on government street and one of the best places for restaurants and shops. At one time there was also the Victoria public market, which has recently closed but you should check out Victoria Market Square (Address: 560 Johnson St #39, Victoria, BC V8W 3C6) which often has markets and small festivals that are worth checking out. An easy walk from the main downtown area.
Hatley Castle
Address: 2005 Sooke Rd, Victoria, BC V9B 5Y2
This is a really special place for its beautiful castle, surrounding gardens (Victoria really knows how to do gardens), and a nature preserve all in one area. You can wander around the rose garden and the Japanese garden before walking to the beach area or taking one of the trails into the woods to look for local birds.
It is definitely worth visiting, though you will either need to take a bus or a car to get there.
Craigdarroch castle
Address: 1050 Joan Crescent, Victoria, BC V8S 3L5
A National Historic Site, this castle was originally built by an oil Baron at the time of Queen Victoria. This mansion was built between 1887-1890 and was an impressive mansion that has been restored and is now open to the public. Visits cost around $25 per person and overlooks the city of Victoria. It is also one of the stops on the hop on hop off bus if you didn’t want to walk there.
Malahat skywalk
Address: 901 Trans-Canada Hwy, Malahat, BC V0R 2L0
The Pacific Northwest has some incredible forest and one incredibly unique way to see it is visiting the Malahat Skywalk. There is a free shuttle from downtown Victoria if you want to check out this incredible site. Tickets are around $45 per person and you can walk up the spiral tower at your own pace and take the spiral slide down as many times as you want.
Visit Chinatown
This area in downtown Victoria consists of about 3 blocks of stores and restaurants and is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America and a National Historic Site. It’s clean and beautiful and not overwhelming like some others I have visited and worth a walk through for some amazing Asian cuisine.
Couple of family friendly honorable mentions
Though I did not get the opportunity to visit these two spots, if you are visiting with small children two of the top places to check out are the Victoria bug zoo (Address: 631 Courtney St, Victoria, BC V8W 1B8; $18 per person) and Miniature world (Address: 649 Humboldt St, Victoria, BC V8W 1A7; $19 per person).
Concluding Thoughts
Western Canada is amazing in so many ways, from Whistler BC to hiking in Vancouver Island, there is so much to explore. Visiting Victoria is a great way to get some of the west coast feel and enjoy some amazing wildlife.
*This post contains affiliate links, if you click a link and make a purchase I receive a small commission
