Victoria Travelers Recommend

Whales are perhaps the most fascinating creatures on earth, but unfortunately we don't have too many opportunities to get up close to these enormous aquatic animals. That is, unless you take a whale-watching cruise from Victoria, Vancouver Island! British Columbia’s whale-watching opportunities are legendary, as the waters off Vancouver Island are home to more pods of orcas than anywhere else on earth. You’ll also have the chance to spot humpback, gray and minke whales, seals, sea elephants and sea lions, plus the occasional bald eagle soaring overhead. Watching a frolicsome whale surface just meters from your boat is an awe-inspiring, once-in-a-lifetime experience. Eco-friendly whale-watching tours are led by professional naturalists who are experts in marine animal behaviour, and can help explain the meaning behind those playful dips, dives and splashes.

Elegant Victoria is the stately capital of British Columbia. This is a lovely city to stroll, especially beside the harbour and through the lush parks and gardens. Get to know the layout and character on a sightseeing tour passing through Chinatown, Antique Row, the residential districts Uplands and Oak Bay and the very English Rockland area. Make sure you put aside plenty of time for the world-famous Butchart Gardens, over 50 acres of floral plantings first laid out by Jennie Butchart in 1904. Put the icing on the cake by having traditional Afternoon Tea in the Butchart Home or Italian Garden. If you’re totally caught up in the whole royal fantasy by now, take a tour of the town in a horse drawn carriage or head out to Craigoarroch Castle, a Scottish baronial fantasy sitting at the highest point of the city. Despite its elegance and refinement, Victoria has another side. This is a coastal city, with spectacular seascapes and wildlife.