Victoria & Vancouver Island, british columbia
Attractions Guide

Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia and is located at the eastern edge of Vancouver Island. This massive island sits just off the southwestern coast of Canada between Washington and British Columbia, with a length of approximately 290 miles (460 km).

Vancouver Island and Victoria can be reached via car ferry from either Vancouver, B.C. or from Port Angeles, Washington (near the northern side of Olympic National Park).

The ferry ride from Port Angeles to Victoria takes about 90 minutes, however this does not include the time going through Customs & Immigration. It's highly recommended to pre-book reservations for this ferry, especially if you will be taking you vehicle.

The ferry ride from Vancouver similarly takes about 90 minutes, however the ferry station is located in the suburb of Tsawwassen and lands in the town of Swartz Bay north of Victoria. This adds about another 1-2 hours of driving to get from Downtown Vancouver to Downtown Victoria, without having to cross an international border.

Victoria's most popular attraction, the Butchart Gardens are located in Brentwood Bay, about 20 minutes south of the ferry landing in Swartz Bay, while Victoria is located quite further south.

Just south of Downtown Victoria are several of the city's top attractions. Among Victoria's most iconic attractions is the grandiose British Columbia Parliament Building, a magnificent domed structure which serves as the seat of government for the province of British Columbia. This vast elegant building combines Neo-Baroque and Romanesque Revival architectural styles.

Across from the Parliament Building is the Royal British Columbia Museum, which hosts extensive exhibits and collections in First Nations' history, modern history, and natural history. Adjacent to the museum is another of Victoria's most beautiful structures, the majestic waterfront Fairmont Express, a chateau-like hotel which is quite photogenic.

West of Downtown in the old James Bay neighborhood is Fisherman's Wharf, an area along the harbor consisting of several floating piers lined with shops and restaurants, as well as beautiful colorful floating homes. Fisherman's Wharf is quite photogenic and is a very popular tourist area.

East of Downtown Victoria is a lovely late 19th century mansion, the Craigdarroch Castle. This impressive Victorian-style home now serves as a museum, hosting lavish historic furnishings and elaborate stained glass windows.

On the western outskirts of Victoria you'll find the Hatley Park National Historic Site, which hosts the lovely Hatley Castle. Surrounding this stunning 20th century mansion are woodland parks, in addition to beautiful formal Edwardian gardens.

Hatley Park also has a fascinating history. At the outbreak of WWII the castle was purchased by the British Royal Family, who planned to relocate to it during the war in order to stay safe, however they ended up staying in London.

Hatley Castle is also extremely well-known as the filming location for Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters, featured in nearly every X-Men and Deadpool film since X2: X-Men United. Additionally, the castle has been featured in many other films and TV shows.

Nearby Hatley Park is the Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, a 19th century artillery fortress on the coast with interesting historical artifacts and exhibits.

Adjacent to Fort Rodd is the Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site, where you can admire the first lighthouse established on Canada's west coast about 170 years ago. The Fisgard Lighthouse is extremely picturesque and built atop a tiny rocky peninsula, hosting amazing views of the coastline.

North of Victoria in the city of Brentwood Bay are the famous Butchart Gardens, a gorgeous collection of well-manicured themed gardens with vibrantly colored flowers and plants, as well as mesmerizing fountains.

Victoria Butterfly Gardens

Nearby the Butchart Gardens are the Victoria Butterly Gardens, a lush indoor rainforest environment full of stunning tropical plants and creatures, including butterflies, parrots, frogs, iguanas, geckoes, an insectarium, and more.

Approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Victoria is Goldstream Provincial Park and its thick forests, which host several great hiking trails.

Much further west of Victoria along Highway 14 is a long scenic stretch of coastline hosting many beautiful beaches surrounded by tall dense forests. These beaches are located just off the highway along the coast of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, a long body of water which separates Washington's Olympic Peninsula from Vancouver Island.

French Beach

The first major beach you'll encounter is the stunning French Beach Provincial Park, which you can admire with a short walk from the parking lot.

Sandcut Beach

Continue up the coast to nearby Sandcut Beach, which is known for its gorgeous waterfalls which flow from Sandcut Creek over a tiny cliff onto the rocky beach. The trail to reach the waterfall begins by journeying through a lush temperate rainforest before reaching the beach, at which point you'll walk east along the coast until reaching the falls. The round-trip length for this hike is approximately 1.6 miles (2.6 km) starting from the Jordan River Regional Park Sandcut Beach Parking Lot.

Juan de Fuca Marine Trail

Further west along the coast is the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, which is connected by the extremely scenic long-distance 23.6 mile (38 km) long Juan de Fuca Marine Trail along the coast. From the eastern Juan de Fuca Trailhead you can hike 1 mile (1.6 km) round-trip along the China Beach Trail to reach the striking sandy China Beach.

Mystic Beach

Also from the eastern Juan de Fuca Trailhead you can hike west along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail to reach the breathtaking Mystic Beach. This beach is known for its tree-covered cliffs which rise above the sandy beach, as well as a seasonal waterfall which flows onto the sand. The hike to reach Mystic Beach is approximately 2.5 miles (4 km) round-trip, and includes the exciting Pete Wolfe Suspension Bridge along the serene path through the lush forest.

Sombrio Beach

Consider heading further west to view another lovely sandy beach surrounded by thick forests, Sombrio Beach, which can be reached with a short round-trip walk of about 0.9 miles (1.4 km). Sombrio Beach is located about halfway through the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail.

Botanical Beach

The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail terminates much further west of Sombrio Beach at the scenic Botanical Beach near the town of Port Renfrew. Botanical Beach can be reached with a 1.4 mile (2.3 km) round-trip walk from the western Juan de Fuca Trailhead.