Victoria British Columbia -101+ Great Things To Do

This page contains an extensive list of things to do while visiting Victoria BC. It covers Greater Victoria and the southern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Greater Victoria offers something for just about everyone. These activities are listed in no particular order. Many of the directions and details descriptions of these items are listed in our publication Best Kept Secrets of Victoria.

If you live in Victoria or have visited and would like to share a place that warrants being on this list, please send us an E-mail .

4. Take a scenic tour around Victoria - a city with world famous gardens and ambiance.

6. Soak up the entertainment (buskers), artists, and tasty treats in the Inner Harbour.

10. Walk to the end of the Dallas Point Breakwater - then have a treat in the restaurant when you return to shore.

11. Stroll through Beacon Hill Park - take in the Petting Zoo, Goodacre Lake, the free putting green, the summit lookout, behind the zoo and in the spring, the heron nests on the west edge of Goodacre lake.

13. Drop by Beacon Drive-In Restaurant on Douglas just west of Beacon Hill Park- for the world's best soft ice cream cones

16. Cross the Blue Draw-Bridge and walk the Songhees to West Bay Marina. Stop for a local beer at Spinnakers Brew Pub along the way.

21. Bike on the incredible Galloping Goose Trail from downtown to near Sooke or all the way to the Ferry Terminal at Swartz Bay

22. Scenic view - try Mount Tolmie near the University of Victoria- excellent City Views

37. Hike the Juan de Fuca Trail-from China Beach to Botanical Beach at Port Refrew.

43. Visit summer fruit and vegetable stands throughout the Saanich Peninsula and particularly on Oldfield Road.

44. Take a long walk at Island View Beach and check out the food concession at the end

54. Play Bingo at the Bingo Emporium and support 73 local charities! Have fun and win! Great on a rainy day or in the evening until 11:30 pm daily. A non profit society, at 713 Johnson St. in the heart of Downtown Victoria.

55. Visit Miniature World at the Empress

56. Tour the Esquimalt Naval Base - learn about BCs naval history and see some of the oldest buildings in the city aswell as the oldest ship building yard on the west coast of north America

71. Sun tan on the beach at Willows Beach in Oak Bay & visit the Kiwanis Tea Room

76. Take in a free tour: The BC Provincial Legislature, the Victoria Estate Winery, and the Vancouver Island Brewery (2330 Government Street) all have free tours.

77. Visit the seals at Brethour Island near Sidney by the Sea, or go feed them at the Oak Bay Marina where 2-4 local seals mooch off unsuspecting tourists. Boy are they fat.

85. Check out Gyro Park in Cadboro Bay where children can play on the large structures like Cadborosaurus and then play on the sandy beaches.

90. Try minature golf at Matticks farm, or the Par 3 Ridge Course at Cordova Bay

91. Shop till you drop in Old Towne - Victoria - This area borders Government Street in downtown Victoria.

97. Take a day trip to see Malaspina Gallery on Gabriola Island- Check ahead it might be closed as it is decaying.

102. Go to Chapters Bookshop, read the new magazines and drink hot chocolate or a latte.

103. Go to the Oak Bay Village and have tea at the Blethering Place. While in the Village have a gelato at Ottavio's or a great sandwich.

104. Go to Munroe's Bookstore

105. Go to Goldstream Park during the fall and watch the salmon spawn and the thousands of eagles that come to feed on them.

106. Take your barbeque down to Esquimalt Lagoon and spend the day on this unique estuary and bird sanctuary.

107. Go to Victoria's Maritime Museum for a look at the long and interesting maritime history associated with Victoria and Vancouver Island.

108. Go have coffee in Cook Street Village, visit the interesting shops, and people-watch. Take a trip back to the 50's at Rosie's Diner.

109. In the spring, go to Beacon Hill Park and go to the west side of Goodacre Lake, just next to a small parking area off Douglas and Avalon. Look up into the trees and see about 30 heron nests. Watch these fantastic creatures land to feed their young.

110. Check to see if the Legislature is in session and then take in a debate. This is truly a unique experience. Tour the legislature while you are there. It is very interesting. Also,l find out where the cafeteria is a have lunch there.

111. Inner Harbour Walk. Follow the inner harbour from the Causeway north along the water. You can go past where all the yatchs tie up all the way to the whale wall just at the foot of Yates Street. A seal hangs out just to the south of the Victoria Regent Hotel. Watch the docks where they clean fish. Sea planes take off, the Coho comes in twice a day, whale watch tours leave our bustling harbour. Sunsets are great especially on warm summer nights.

112. Wine tasting and tours at 3 Saanich Peninsula wineries. It’s a lovely way for visitors to spend an afternoon in the area. The wineries are: Marley Farm Winery, Chalet Estate Winery and Victoria Estate Winery. I’ve included their website addresses below for verification purposes.

113. Visit the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific - a botanical garden and more.

114. Visit the aviation museum at the Airport. Park alongside the airport and watch the planes take off and land. Better yet go to the Spitfire Grill on the West side of the airport and have lunch or dinner and watch the planes from there. Try Mary's Blue Moon Cafe on the East side of the airport.

115. Visit Fort Rodd Hill a National Historical Site located in Colwood. It has lots of interesting things to visit with deer and rabbits in abundance throughout the site. It is a great place for a picnic and it is home of one of the oldest lighthouses on the West Coast. It was built to protect the Inner Harbour in times of war.

116. Take in a movie at one of the many movie theatres around Victoria.

117. Become a beach access explorer. If you take a road map of Esquimalt, Victoria, Oak Bay and Saanich and follow the shoreline you can explore many of the beach access locations. They produce some very unique and special places where you can get away from the crowds and spend time in some very beautiful places. Along the way you will see the city many people never see.

118. Visit historic Rogers' Chocolates. It is in a historic building and is famous for their cream centre chocolates. Check out the history of Rogers' Chocolates and Charles William Rogers (founder).

119. Visit a downtown institution, the Dutch Bakery. This is a great place to have lunch, tea, a coffee break, or when you really need a great treat. Locals and many tourists love this place. It is on Fort Street, just a few doors down from Douglas Street. Enjoy the Dutch Bakery.

120. Visit beautiful Thetis Lake Park where you can swim or take the approximately 1 hour hike around the lake. It is a beautiful hike with lots of views of the lake. Bring a canoe or kayak and you can paddle around the lake. There is an island in the middle of the lake frequented by "au naturel" sun bathers.

121. Try fishing in one of the nearby lakes around greater Victoria. At some lakes like those in Langford, you can fish from piers or from the shore. Try Langford Lake, Glen Lake or Elk/Beaver Lake in Saanich. These lakes are stocked and offer pretty good fishing.

122. Discover the Past Tours - Victoria's history is rich and exciting. Discover the Past Tours reveal fascinating stories about the city's archaeology, architecture, art, spiritual sites, haunted places, natural history, gardens, parks and a host of characters. Click on our website for the full description, calendar and rates of our scheduled tours that take place throughout the year. Or arrange your own custom tour for groups of any size. Scheduled tours include "Ghostly Walks" in July, August and October and "Neighbourhood Discovery Walks" from January to April. Tours are conducted by John Adams, well-known historian, author and guide who pioneered walking tours of Old Town in 1971.