Local Resources
Skål Canada - Victoria

City of Victoria

Welcome to Victoria! 

Double-decker buses, afternoon tea, homes that look like castles, and pubs with names like the Sticky Wicket and the Penny Farthing... Victoria has long traded on its British affiliations. But while the fish-and-chips remain first class and summer cricket games still enliven Beacon Hill Park, the days when Victoria was more British than Britain are long gone. In Victoria 2.0, the food culture embraces fusion, the beer leans toward craft brews and the abundance of bicycles seems to have more in common with Holland than England.

Tour the famous Butchart Gardens, discover beautiful Craigdarroch Castle, and feel the pulse of Canada’s oldest Chinatown—truly a hidden gem. Or escape to the water with world-class whale watching, kayaking, fishing and sailing. There’s no shortage of ways to make your Victoria visit truly unforgettable.

Compared to the glassy skyscrapers of Vancouver, Victoria is more laid back and low rise. On balmy summer days, a distinct holiday atmosphere takes over as people pile off the ferries to escape the mayhem of the mainland and forget work. Sure, Victoria might have become trendier and more sophisticated in recent years but, in pace and essence, it remains comfortingly old fashioned.

 

Greater Victoria has a diverse array of hotels, restaurants, attractions and activities – both indoors and outdoors on the wild West Coast – that will create memories lasting a lifetime. There are so many things to do in Greater Victoria. Whether it is your first visit or your 50th, each experience will leave you wanting more.

The compact, easy-to-walk downtown core contains landmark hotels, farm-to-table cuisine and famous attractions. You will feel relaxed and at ease. It is not just our downtown, though. Explore destinations outside of our downtown like the Cowichan Valley or Saanich Peninsula. Their beaches, forests, vineyards and vistas will be of interest to almost any traveller. Closer to home, visitors can frequent genteel Oak Bay, or climb Mt. Douglas in Saanich, or golf in Langford or View Royal.

Unlike other destinations in Canada, Greater Victoria is blessed with a temperate climate 12 months of the year. Was there an attraction or activity you missed on your previous visit? Not to worry – it’s easy to schedule your next visit for any time you desire. Your Greater Victoria adventure awaits!

Province of B.C.

Visitors to Canada's westernmost province should pack a long list of superlatives to deploy here; the words 'wow,' 'amazing' and 'spectacular' will only go so far. Luckily, it's not too hard to wax lyrical about the mighty mountains, deep forests and dramatic coastlines that instantly lower heart rates to tranquil levels.
There's much more to British Columbia (BC) than nature-hugging dioramas, though. Cosmopolitan Vancouver fuses cuisines and cultures from Asia and beyond, while mid-sized cities such as Victoria and Kelowna are increasingly creating their own vibrant scenes. It's also hard to beat the welcoming, sometimes quirky character of smaller communities – from Cumberland to Powell River and Salt Spring – that are the beating heart of BC.

Wherever you head, the great outdoors will always call. Don't just point your camera at it: BC is unbeatable for life-enhancing skiing, kayaking and hiking experiences that can make this the trip of a lifetime.