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This 154-acre park links Downtown Victoria to the waterfront. Its rambling lawns overlook the Pacific Ocean, the Olympic Mountains, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Kite-fliers, hang gliders, and dog walkers are numerous. Take your photo at the Mile 0 marker of the Trans-Canada Highway, at the foot of Douglas Street. Beacon Hill includes ponds where you can feed ducks, cycling, jogging and walking paths, flowers and gardens, a cricket pitch, and a petting zoo (closed in winter). There's live music in the bandshell on summer evenings, and on Saturday nights in August the Victoria Film Festival screens free movies.
Bordered by Douglas St., Southgate St., and Cook St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 3T2, Canada
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Rate Includes: Free
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Downtown
James Douglas, the former colonial governor for whom Douglas Street was named, chose this spot for the original Fort Victoria and Hudson's Bay Company trading post in 1843. In summer the square comes alive with street performers, and crafts vendors (Thursday–Saturday), and on Sunday a weekly farmers' market. The former courthouse, currently closed awaiting seismic upgrades, creates an historical backdrop to this people-gathering place.
Off Wharf St., Victoria, British Columbia, VB8W 1H9, Canada
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Downtown
One of Canada's most celebrated artists and a respected writer, Emily Carr (1871–1945) lived in this extremely proper, wooden Victorian house before she abandoned her middle-class life to live in the wilds of British Columbia. Carr's own descriptions, from her autobiography Book of Small, were used to restore the house. Art on display includes reproductions of Carr's work—visit the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria or the Vancouver Art Gallery to see the originals.
207 Government St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 2K8, Canada
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Rate Includes: C$5 (or by donation), Closed Sun.–Mon. May–Sept.; closed Oct.–Apr.
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Downtown
Opened in 1908 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, the Empress is one of the grand château-style railroad hotels that grace many Canadian cities. Designed by Francis Rattenbury, who also designed the Parliament Buildings across the way, the solid Edwardian grandeur of the Empress has made it a symbol of the city. The elements that made the hotel an attraction for travelers in the past—old-world architecture, ornate decor, and a commanding view of the Inner Harbour—are still here although they exude a fresh, contemporary air. Nonguests can reserve ahead for afternoon tea (the dress code is smart casual) in the chandelier-draped Tea Lobby, meet for Pimm's cocktails or enjoy superb Pacific Northwest cuisine at the Q Lounge and Restaurant, or enjoy a treatment at the hotel's Willow Stream spa. In summer, lunch, snacks, and cocktails are served on the veranda overlooking the Inner Harbour.
721 Government St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1W5, Canada
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Rate Includes: Free; afternoon tea C$89
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Mah-jongg, fan-tan, and dominoes were games of chance played on Fan Tan Alley, said to be the narrowest street in Canada. Once the gambling and opium center of Chinatown, it's now lined with offbeat shops (few of which sell authentic Chinese goods). The area's history is exceptionally well presented in the tiny Chinese Canadian Museum. Look for the alley on the south side of Fisgard Street between nos. 545½ and 549½.
South side of Fisgard St., Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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Recommended Fodor’s Video
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Downtown
This favorite nautical spot is only a 20-minute walk from Downtown, along a waterfront path just west of the Inner Harbour. Or you can get here by hopping aboard one of the many Victoria Harbour Ferries. You can watch fishers unload their catches and admire the various vessels, or picnic in the shoreside park. If you stroll the docks and walk among the colorful houseboats, you'll come across several floating shacks where you can buy ice cream, fish tacos, and live crabs, take kayak tours, or buy tickets for whale-watching cruises. Other booths sell fish to feed the harbor seals who often visit the quay (you can even watch them on the underwater "seal cam"). The busiest vendor is Barb's, an esteemed fish-and-chips spot that is open only in the summer, from May through October.
Corner of Dallas Rd. and Erie St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 1V4, Canada
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Downtown
Rotating exhibits from the University of Victoria's vast art collection, as well as contemporary installations, are displayed in this airy Downtown space. Shows in the 3,000-square-foot space focus on mostly Canadian works, including many by First Nations artists, but international painters are represented, too.
630 Yates St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1K9, Canada
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Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun.–Tues.
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Downtown
If you have any interest in the province's seafaring history then this museum is for you. Its current location is a temporary one while its home base in Victoria's original courthouse undergoes seismic upgrades. Although the smaller space means that many of its artifacts are in storage, and displays aren't as interactive as some museums, enthusiasts will still see a selection of model ships, weaponry, ships' wheels, and photographs that chronicle the province's seafaring history, from its early explorers to whale hunters to pirates.
634 Humboldt St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1A4, Canada
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Rate Includes: C$10, Closed Sun. and Mon. in summer; Sun.–Wed. in winter
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During the late 19th century, this three-level square provided everything a sailor, miner, or lumberjack could want. Restored to its original brick-and-beam architectural character, it's now a pedestrian-only hangout lined with cafés and boutiques. Shops sell gifts, jewelry, and local art while a microbrewery serves its local brews on tap. In the summer, watch for open-air art shows, a flea market, and street entertainers.
560 Johnson St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 3C6, Canada
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Rate Includes: Free
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Downtown
At this charmingly retro attraction, more than 85 miniature dioramas—including space, castle, and fairy-tale scenes, and one of the world's largest model railways—are housed in kid-height glass cases with recorded narration. The level of detail is impressive in the models, some of which date to the site's 1969 opening. Some of the models are animated, and you can start and stop trains and turn dollhouse lights on and off with push buttons. Most people walk through in 30 minutes, but dollhouse collectors, model-train builders, and preschoolers can be absorbed for hours.
649 Humboldt St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1A6, Canada
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Rate Includes: C$19
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Downtown
Officially the British Columbia Provincial Legislative Assembly Buildings, these massive stone structures are more popularly referred to as the Parliament Buildings. Designed by Francis Rattenbury (who also designed the Fairmont Empress hotel) when he was just 25 years old, and completed in 1897, they dominate the Inner Harbour. Atop the central dome is a gilded statue of Captain George Vancouver (1757–98), the first European to sail around Vancouver Island. A statue of Queen Victoria (1819–1901) reigns over the front of the complex which features 33 domes, one for each major jewel in the Imperial Crown. More than 3,300 lights outline the buildings at night. The interior is lavishly done with stained-glass windows, gilt moldings, and historic photographs, and in summer actors play historic figures from British Columbia's past. When the legislature is in session, you can sit in the public gallery and watch British Columbia's democracy at work (custom has the opposing parties sitting 2½ sword lengths apart). Free, informative, 30- to 45-minute tours run every 20 to 30 minutes in summer and several times a day in the off-season (less frequently if school groups or private tours are coming through). Tours are obligatory on summer weekends (mid-May until Labor Day) and optional the rest of the time. Self-guided booklets are available online.
501 Belleville St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 1X4, Canada
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Rate Includes: Free
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The O'Reilly family home, an 1861 Italianate cottage overlooking the Selkirk Waterway, has been restored to its original splendor, with the largest collection of Victorian furnishings in western Canada. You can take a half-hour audio tour of the house (presented from a servant's point of view) and stroll in the English country garden. Point Ellice House is only a few minutes' drive north of Downtown Victoria, but it's in an industrial area, so it's more fun to come by sea. Victoria Harbour Ferries leave from a dock in front of the Fairmont Empress; the trip lasts about 15 minutes and takes in the sights of the harbor. The house is open only on weekends from noon until 4 pm.
2616 Pleasant St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8T 4V3, Canada
Sight Details
Rate Includes: C$10, Closed weekdays
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Downtown
Currently undergoing extensive restoration, this excellent museum—one of Victoria's leading attractions—is a shadow of its former self. Original plans called for a C$789 million investment for both structural upgrades to the building as well as the preservation of the more than 7 million artifacts and 2.1 km of archival records. As might be expected, such hefty plans are controversial in light of housing affordability and other social issues. Still, hopes are high that a totally refurbished 23,000-square-meter facility will reopen in 2030. Until then, access is limited to some of its temporary exhibits; they are part of the traveling exhibits that are touring various community museums around the province.
The museum complex still offers several more interesting sights, beyond the expected gift shop and café. In front of the museum, at Government and Belleville streets, is the Netherlands Centennial Carillon. With 62 bells, it's the largest bell tower in Canada; the Westminster chimes ring out every hour, and free recitals are occasionally held on Sunday afternoon. The Native Plant Garden at the museum's entrance showcases 400 indigenous plant species. Behind the main building, bordering Douglas Street, are the grassy lawns of Thunderbird Park, home to 10 totem poles (carved replicas of originals that are preserved in the museum). One of the oldest houses in BC, Helmcken House (open late May–early Sept., daily noon–4) was built in 1852 for pioneer doctor and statesman John Sebastian Helmcken. Inside are displays of the family's belongings, including the doctor's medical tools. Behind it is St. Ann's School House, built in 1858. One of British Columbia's oldest schools, it is thought to be Victoria's oldest building still standing. Both buildings are part of the Royal British Columbia Museum.
675 Belleville St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1A1, Canada
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Rate Includes: C$5; IMAX theater C$11.95
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Downtown
This former convent and school, founded in 1858, played a central role in British Columbia's pioneer life. The academy's little chapel—the first Roman Catholic cathedral in Victoria—has been restored to look just as it did in the 1920s. The 6-acre grounds, with their fruit trees and herb and flower gardens, are free to visit. They have also been restored as historic landscapes, and are a delightful, quiet respite from the Downtown bustle.
835 Humboldt St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8V 4W8, Canada
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Rate Includes: By donation, Closed weekdays
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Downtown
Local kids clamor to visit this offbeat minizoo, home to the largest collection in North America of live tropical insects. You can even hold many of the 60 or so varieties, which include walking sticks, scorpions, millipedes, and a pharnacia—at 22 inches, the world's longest insect. The staff members know their bug lore and are happy to dispense scientific information and fun entomological anecdotes.
631 Courtney St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 1B8, Canada
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Rate Includes: C$16
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Planning a picnic? Stop here first. Bakers, green grocers, cheesemakers, and other artisanal producers from across Vancouver Island sell their wares in this century-old indoor space that was once a department store. In summer especially, ready-to-eat treats abound here, from homemade pies and fresh baked bread to tacos, sandwiches, and fish-and-chips. In winter, it's a much quieter place.
1701 Douglas St., Victoria, British Columbia, V8W 0C1, Canada
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Rate Includes: Free
