Victoria Harbour

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153 Reviews | Add review

Address: British Columbia, 100km (62mi) south of Vancouver
Hours: Open daily
Admission: Free

ATTRACTION Keywords:
Good Place to Eat, Good Place to Relax, Pier / Waterfront / Port

7:00 PM Sunday, May 19
Scattered clouds. Cool.
7 day forecast

Victoria Harbour is perhaps best known as a picturesque port frequented by more than a two hundred cruise ships each year, pouring a quarter of a million passengers, charmed I'm sure, onto shore. Their first view of the pretty city is dominated by the Olympic mountain range in the distance, and 1908 Fairmont Empress Hotel in the foreground, overlooking the magnificent yachts moored in the marina. Reflected in the crashing Pacific, this romantically lit Victorian masterpiece is famed for its afternoon high tea.

Though it's hard to top the bay's natural beauty, the dramatic coastline is aptly framed with more delightful Victorian homes, watched over by winsome Craigdarroch Castle, completed in 1890 by a Scottish coal billionaire with a taste for luxury. There's plenty of culture (and even more tourist claptrap, including a wax museum, aquarium, IMAX theater…you get the idea) to keep you busy. Consider strolling vividly landscaped Buchart Gardens, or taking a whale watching (April through October) cruise, then finishing your day with a meal in Victoria's vibrant Chinatown.

Latest Reviews

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All Victoria Harbour Reviews

Review by Robin R, April 2013
Doing what: High-Speed Passenger Ferry From Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington

Great service, well organized , Great way to get to Seattle if you don't want a vechicle

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Review by Johanna V, April 2013
Doing what: High-Speed Passenger Ferry Service From Seattle, Washington to Victoria, British Columbia

We had a great trip to Victoria. The ferry was comfortable and the staff friendly and most helpful.

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Review by Popkjen S, February 2013
Doing what: High-Speed Passenger Ferry From Victoria, British Columbia to Seattle, Washington

It was our first trip it was great staff very friendly

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Practical Info

Enormous Vancouver Island (about the size of the Netherlands) is an impossibly scenic spot and the gateway to its spectacular snow-capped fjords and pristine beaches is the city of Victoria. You'll probably arrive here on the southern tip of the island by sea: a cruise ship, private vessel, or public ferry (two lines cross the Straight of Georgia to Vancouver; five serve Washington State in the USA.

Though the Pacific Northwest is notably rainy, Victoria is generally sunny and dry, in summer at least. It gets chilly and wet in winter, but temperatures rarely drop below freezing.

There's a useful tourist bureau InfoCentre with maps and brochures galore on the inner harbor; you can download a free phone app with maps and information at their official website.

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