Victoria, B.C.

All Travel

Jul 6

Victoria is a beautiful city on Vancouver Island just a ferry ride away from Washington state. I started this solo trip at Tea at the Empress and it kept my pinkies out for the rest of my weekend vacation! The world-recognized Butchart Gardens, and the free Beacon Hill Park were other mystical parts of this trip. Tourism Victoria is a good website you can use on top of BMore Rosie to help guide your travels.

What to Do

Butchart Gardens

In 1904, the Butchart's moved to Vancouver Island to make a cement plant. After a few years, the limestone was used up and Jennie Butchart envisioned a garden to grow in the empty quarry. Soon thereafter, it opened to the public. It is now a world-renowned garden and a must-see when visiting Victoria. It is about a 20-minute drive from downtown Victoria. You can take a bus or drive yourself if you have a car.

Water Taxi to Fisherman's Wharf

As you may be doing a lot of walking, I suggest taking the Water Taxi to Fisherman's Wharf from the downtown harbor area. You can then walk around or rent a bike to explore. One such place is Victoria Bike Rentals which is near the Breakwater Lighthouse.

British Columbia Parliament Buildings

When you are in the Harbor, be sure to get a close-up look of the B.C. Parliament buildings. Free guided tours are offered daily. Visit the website (link above) to see if tickets are needed the day you are visiting. The buildings finished being constructed in 1897, and they were designed by 25-year-old architect Francis Mawson Rattenbury.

Ogden Point Sundial, Breakwater Lighthouse & Dallas Road Waterfront Trail

You can get a great view of the Olympic mountains when walking from the Ogden Point Sundial to the Ogden Point Breakwater Lighthouse. Here, I enjoyed a drink and appetizer at the Breakwater Bistro (see the Where to Eat section). Continue walking around this area to the Dallas Road Waterfront Trail. This walk took me back to Ireland with the wooden fences along the cliffside with gorgeous views.

Terry Fox Statue, World's Tallest Free Standing Totem Pole, & The Moss Lady in Beacon Hill Park

You can connect the Dallas Road Waterfront Trail to Beacon Hill Park which is home to one of four Terry Fox statues. This statue commemorates a young Canadian man’s efforts to raise awareness and funds for cancer research in 1980. Beacon Hill park is also home to the world's tallest free standing totem pole. It was carved in 1956 from a cedar tree and stands at 127 feet tall. The Moss Lady in Beacon Hill Park is a 35-foot long structure of a woman covered with clay-based soil. In front of the Lady are wooden chair sculptures you can sit on to soak in the scenery with a babbling brook nearby. This park was also just beautiful to walk around and had a concert going on as I walked by Cameron Bandshell. This park reminded me a lot of Butchart Gardens with the gorgeous landscaping, ponds, and bridges. I even saw a roaming peacock!

Shopping

There are many places to shop around Government Street in the downtown district of Victoria. Bastion Square was a fun side of town to visit with lots of food options too (see the Where to Eat section).

Other To Do's

When you head to Butchart Gardens there is a town called Sidney that is about a 20-minute drive away. It gives a magnificent view of the Haro Strait with Mt Baker in the background on its waterfront walkway. Another town that looked really cute but that I didn't get to was Sooke. I think heading there for sunset would have been a beautiful thing to do. Along the drive to these towns are the Victoria Butterfly Gardens and many different wineries.

Where to Eat

Tea at the Empress

This world-famous site for tea at the elegant Fairmont Hotel is situated directly in the heart of Victoria's waterfront. I recommend you make a reservation for this regal occasion. The staff will treat you like royalty as you eat a scrumptious scone, small savory sandwiches and melt-in-your-mouth miniature desserts. You will even be serenaded by a pianist that will take you back in time. There are many different teas to choose from but I of course indulged in Princess Diana's favorite, the Rose Congou Emperor tea. The Tea at the Empress was by far the highlight of my trip to Victoria. My favorite line that they say on their website: "We invite you to take the opportunity to dress for the occasion." I sure did!

Breakwater

Near the Ogden Point Sundial is a bistro called Breakwater that overlooks the Salish Sea and Washington's Olympic mountains. The homemade white sangria was very refreshing and satisfying on one of the hottest days of the summer here. I also thoroughly enjoyed their classic poutine side dish. On top of all of that, their '90s/2000's playlist was just what I needed for ultimate relaxation time by the water. I just happened upon this place and it ended up being one of my favorite spots in town!

The Local

This was a cool hangout spot just a short distance from the central harbor area. The outdoor patio has nice views of the city. Other spots that I wanted to try in this area are Lido’s, Darcy’s Pub, Tug Eatery, and Finn’s Seafood. A local recommended Tapa Bar for dessert.

The Surly Mermaid

When in Sidney, B.C., The Surly Mermaid restaurant is a popular restaurant right along the water in the harbor area. It has a really cute atmosphere on the inside and out, with delicious food and drinks.

Accommodations

I stayed in AirBNB's Loft Style Suite in Garden Character Home about a 10-15 minute drive from the downtown area. It was an affordable stay with free street parking and ample space inside a small apartment.

Tips & Other Info

Parking & Transportation

To get to Victoria, you will need to take the Black Ball Ferry from Port Angeles, WA, or the Clipper from Seattle. You can bring your car or leave it at the ferry parking lots. I chose to bring my car to have freedom over the weekend of things I wanted to do. There are Parkades for $2/hour to park cheaper. Here is information on parking in downtown Victoria. They recommend you download the ParkVictoria app but you can also use the ParkVictoria website if the app doesn’t download for you. Here are directions to the Broughton Street Parkade which is closest to the Tea at the Empress.

Length of Stay

You can do a day trip without your car and experience Tea at the Empress and Butchart Gardens all in one day. Or you can spend a weekend there to have a more relaxing time, and to do more things.

Important Tips

Don’t forget your passport! To get into Canada right now you also need to download the ArriveCAN app to upload your vaccination card and reason for travel. One last thing - wearing a fascinator at the Tea at the Empress really amps up the energy and elegance of the luxurious hotel and I think it made my whole weekend trip even more amazing :)