Exploring Victoria: The Charming Capital of British Columbia
On the western edge of Canada sits Vancouver Island, and tucked along its southern tip is Victoria, the charming capital of British Columbia. With its mild climate, beautiful waterfront, colorful gardens, and distinctly British feel, Victoria is often described as one of Canada’s most beautiful cities. It is easy to see why it has become such a popular destination for visitors—and for those lucky enough to call Vancouver Island home.
We arrived by ferry and left a few days later by float plane—and packed plenty in between. From Fisherman’s Wharf and Butchart Gardens to Beacon Hill Park, the Royal BC Museum, Thunderbird Park, the Empress Hotel, and the Inner Harbour, Victoria gave us plenty to explore.
Fisherman’s Wharf
One of the most popular stops in Victoria is Fisherman’s Wharf. It is filled with casual places to eat, cute shops, and plenty of activity along the docks. It’s a great first stop when visiting Victoria.
But what makes this Fisherman’s Wharf so unique are the tiny, colorful floating homes that line the water. Each one seems to have its own personality, with bright colors, fun details, and small patios overlooking the harbor.
You are allowed to wander through the floating “streets” and get up close to these adorable homes. Yes, people live here full time. No, you cannot rent them, but it’s a lot fun to imagine life on a houseboat in the harbor.
It is a fun place to wander, grab something to eat, and watch the boats come and go. You may even spot seals or other wildlife in the harbor. Note, it does get quite crowded on the warm summer afternoons, but it’s totally worth a stop.
A Great Start to a Stay In Victoria
Fisherman’s Wharf is not a huge area, so you do not need hours to explore it, but its quirky floating community and lively waterfront atmosphere make it a worthwhile stop while visiting Victoria.
There is parking, but Fisherman’s Wharf is very walkable from both the Inner Harbor and the cruise ship port.
The Butchart Gardens
Just outside of the city are the stunning Butchart Gardens. The gardens are open 365 days a year, changing their flowers seasonally. We visited in the summer, where we read the over 280,000 annuals are planted. They were gorgeous!
I could write an entire post about the spectacular Butchart Gardens. They are considered one of the gems of Victoria, and once you see them, it is easy to understand why.
But the story behind the gardens makes them even more remarkable. Robert and Jennie Butchart moved from Ontario to Vancouver Island in 1904, where Robert built a cement plant at Tod Inlet to take advantage of the area’s rich limestone deposits. There was no grand plan for a world-famous garden at the time. When the limestone quarry was eventually exhausted, it left behind a huge, rather unattractive pit. This became the “Sunken Garden” that you see below.
That is where Jennie’s vision came in. Beginning in the early 1900s, she set out to transform the former quarry into something beautiful. Tons of topsoil were brought in by horse and cart, and little by little, flowers, trees and shrubs replaced the barren rock. The result became the incredible Sunken Garden we were looking down on—a five-acre garden created from what was once an industrial limestone quarry.
Standing above it today, it is hard to imagine that this lush, colorful garden was once a giant hole in the ground. What a transformation—and what a vision Jennie Butchart had and the gardens are still family owned. We learned that the gardens hire up to 650 gardeners at peak season.
After exploring the Sunken Garden, we came upon the Ross Fountain, with jets of water that seem to dance across the water. The fountain was installed in 1964 by Ian Ross, the Butchart’s grandson, to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the gardens. I was just as struck by the enormous trees surrounding it, creating a beautiful, almost forest-like setting.
As we continued through the gardens, we came across two impressive totem poles, carved by local Indigenous artists to commemorate Butchart Gardens’ 100th anniversary. Surrounded by towering trees, the colorful poles are a beautiful tribute to the Indigenous culture and history of Vancouver Island.
Beyond the beautiful flowers, there are fountains and quiet seating areas inviting you to linger a little longer. One that caught our attention was the Dragon Fountain, a striking bronze dragon surrounded by colorful flowers and lush greenery.
And while you are there, don’t miss the Rose Garden (and find your name on a rose!), the Japanese garden and the most formal, the Italian Garden. We could go on but, hopefully you get the idea, the Butchart Garden is one-of-a-kind stop on a trip to Victoria, BC.
And there is no better way to end a morning spent in the gardens than with a gelato in the Italian Garden!
Butchart Gardens is so much more than beautiful flowers. It is a place to wander, explore, and slow down enough to take it all in. If your travels bring you to Victoria, put this one at the top of your list. It is a little pricey but well work the entrance fee.
How to get there? We booked a private tour through Viator that took us to other sites as well, since we did not have a car. Other options include driving yourself, taking a shuttle/tour from downtown Victoria, or using public transportation. If your time in Victoria is limited, we found the private tour to be a convenient way to fit the gardens into our day.
Beacon Hill Park
Another gem in the city of Victoria is Beacon Hill Park. This city park reminded us of Central Park in New York or El Retrio Park in Madrid. Unlike Butchart Gardens, it’s entirely free.
Before exploring Beacon Hill Park, we made a quick stop at Mile Zero, the western end of the Trans-Canada Highway. From here, the highway stretches nearly 5,000 miles across Canada to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Of course, we had to take the obligatory photo at the sign! It is a quick stop, but a fun landmark to check off while in Victoria.
From Mile Zero, we headed into the park and spent some time wandering its paved paths and dirt trails. We passed pretty ponds and open green spaces, going in and out of the shade beneath the huge trees. It was a warm day for Victoria, so those shady stretches felt especially good. It was a nice place to enjoy a walk away from the busier parts of the city.
Victoria is one of Canada’s sunniest and mildest cities which helps explain all the beautiful flowers and gardens throughout the city.
It’s hard to miss this site in Beacon Hill Park: the towering Story Pole. Standing more than 127 feet tall and carved from a single cedar tree. It was the tallest free-standing story pole in the world when it was raised in 1956. You really have to stand beneath it to appreciate just how massive it is.
Oddly, you will see these guys wandering all throughout the park, like they own the place. A fun addition to this interesting city park.
There are playgrounds, an outdoor amphitheater and even a petting zoo in the park. As we were walking out heading back into town we saw the giant watering can cooling kids off on a summer day. Beacon Hill is definitely worth a visit while visiting Victoria.
Royal British Columbia Museum
After spending time in a lot of gardens we were ready to see something different, so we opted for a morning visit to the Royal British Columbia Museum. Located right in the inner harbor, it’s easily accessible and is open daily
We were a little disappointed with the museum, as parts of it felt dated and several galleries were undergoing a long-term reimagining. The museum is actually in the midst of a major modernization, so hopefully there is much more to come. The exception for us was the Natural History Gallery, which did an excellent job connecting British Columbia’s geology, landscapes and wildlife to so much of what we had already experienced on our trip.
There was a great deal of detail throughout the Natural History Gallery.
The large, detailed dioramas do a great job of bringing British Columbia’s landscapes and wildlife to life. It was especially interesting after spending time exploring the region and seeing some of these environments for ourselves.
We also got a glimpse of what appears to be the museum’s new direction in a gallery designed as a gathering place representing the First Peoples of British Columbia. It felt like a thoughtful start toward giving a stronger voice to the Indigenous people whose history and culture are so deeply connected to this land. We would have loved to see more, but it left us encouraged about what is to come.
Just outside the museum is Thunderbird Park, where several of the totem poles were undergoing restoration during our visit. There was not a lot to see at the time, but it was good to see the work being done to preserve these important pieces of Indigenous history and culture.
The Fairmont Empress and the Inner Harbor
We could not leave Victoria without taking a peek inside the iconic Fairmont Empress Hotel. Opened in 1908, the Empress has been part of Victoria’s Inner Harbor for more than a century, welcoming everyone from travelers to royalty. (In fact, Prince Harry and Meghan were staying at the hotel for an event while we were there.)
The hotel was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway as one of its grand railway hotels, designed to accommodate travelers arriving in Victoria by steamship. The lobby, below, is stunning, just as is the rest of the hotel that we saw.
We wandered by to observe the famous Afternoon Tea tradition that dates back more than a century. (You need reservations in advance)
Instead of tea we opted, instead, for something more our speed, spritzes and local oysters on the patio of the Fairmont Empress. It was a beautiful day and our version of a bucket list afternoon stop.
It was time to head back to our hotel for a while so what did we do? We hopped aboard one of Victoria’s little water taxis to get around the Inner Harbor. These tiny boats are a fun way to get from place to place while enjoying a completely different view of the city.
Part of the Charm
In Victoria, even getting around can be part of the experience!
Summer evenings are long in Victoria, so after a delicious dinner, we found our way back to the Inner Harbour to enjoy the city at twilight. The British Columbia Parliament Buildings were especially beautiful as the daylight began to fade. More than 3,000 lights outline the buildings, turning them into one of the prettiest sights along the harbor after dark.
We did not have a chance to go inside the Parliament Buildings, but it is definitely an option if you have more time. Free guided tours are offered, or you can explore on your own. There is even a restaurant inside, making it easy to linger a little longer at one of Victoria’s most iconic landmarks.
As darkness settled in, the Inner Harbor came to life with the lights of the city reflecting across the water. It was a beautiful ending evening to our time exploring Victoria. The next morning, we would see this same harbor from a very different perspective—from the window of a float plane.
Getting Here and There
Victoria, after all, is on Vancouver Island. There are a number of ways to get on and off the island. The two we chose were unique to this special place a ferry ride over and a float plane off the island. From our hotel room in Victoria we watched all of the “traffic'“ from float planes, to ferries, to water taxis, to kayaking go by all week.
Coming from the US, Seattle is the most typical launching point to Victoria. The Victoria Clipper leaves right from Pier 69 in Settle, 7 days a week in the summer. Their website to book is: HERE.
We worked with fabulous travel professional who, for not a lot more, booked us in Premium Seating! We ended up in the 1st row on the top. Worth a small splurge, with a glass of prosecco (or sparkling cider) to start off our journey and the best views. We would definitely recommend the Victoria Clipper as a great way to get from Seattle to Victoria.
Speaking of splurge, by all means, taking a float plane from the inner harbor is a great thrill. Again, our travel professional booked us on the preferred tier and we got to board first. The pilot was great and even offered the co-pilot seat to one of us! We totally acted like tourists and took all the pictures. Why not?
Thus far on this trip, from Seattle to Whidbey Island to Victoria we’d had a fair amount of haze due to summer fires. On our assent out of Victoria, over the Salish Sea, we finally caught sight of Mt. Olympus off in the distance. It was totally worth it to take this flight as part of such a memorable trip!
A Beautiful Visit
I am so glad we finally made the trip together. With its beautiful gardens, waterfront setting, historic buildings, and touches of British charm, there were moments when it reminded me a little of England. It is a beautiful, walkable city with plenty to see. I would highly recommend adding Victoria to your travel plans.
Spring in Salt Lake City bring together blooming gardens, mountain views, and the wide-open landscapes for an easy outdoor escape.