See, Eat, Do: Victoria British Columbia

See, Eat, Do: Victoria British Columbia: Things to do in Victoria British Columbia

So you’re planning a trip to Victoria, British Columbia. Now what? Now comes the “dreaded” itinerary planning. Or for me, my favorite part of traveling! I love coming up with a nice balance of activities, relaxation and of course food. To help you map your trip out, I’ve come up with a list of all of my recommendations of things to see, eat & do in Victoria!

Planning Your Trip to Victoria, BC

To get started, I want to share a total game changer travel hack with you guys. I recently started using Tripit, a free website for creating travel itineraries. Basically, you can create a master itinerary for any of your trips, keeping all of your information in one place. You can even forward them your confirmation emails (thing flights, restaurant reservation, activities, etc.) and they’ll automatically put it into your itinerary for you. Then, you can access your plans from you computer, iPhone or tablet. They even have a handy app you can download that will send you notifications. Now you don’t have to print out a ton of confirmation emails, flight details & directions. It’s all just in one place. FYI, I know this sounds sponsored, but it’s not. I’m just super pumped on organization haha!

Getting To and From Victoria

Step one, how are you getting to and from Victoria? Victoria is an awesome spot for a weekend getaway or day trip. If you’re planning a larger scale trip to British Columbia, it’s also a great leg of a vacation. I recommend checking out Clipper Vacations, a one stop shop for planning your next trip to Victoria and beyond. They offer pre-planned trips as well as routing to Victoria, Seattle, San Juan Island, Vancouver Island, Whistler & Portland. If you live in any of these citifies or are going to be in one, you can easily take advantage of some of their travel options.

We flew in a seaplane from Vancouver to Victoria and then took the Clipper from Victoria to Seattle! The Clipper has a ton of awesome travel experiences, whether you’re on the Seattle to Victoria ferry, taking a whale watching trip to San Juan Island or jumping aboard a train from Seattle to Vancouver.

A few things to know:

The Clipper catamarans are a great way to relax and take in the views.
The trip from Victoria to Seattle takes a little under 3 hours.
You cross the border within their terminals, so don’t forget your passport!
They have a selection of snacks, meals & drinks that you can buy onboard.
If you get seasick and forgot your motion sickness medicine or remedy, they offer if for free!

Victoria Clipper Ferry

Things To Do In Victoria

There are tons of things to do in Victoria! We visited in the winter and the weather was pretty similar to Seattle. A little chilly, but no snow and only light rain! Here are my top recommendations of things to do in Victoria:

The Butchart Gardens:

The Butchart Gardens are a privately owned garden & National Historic Site. Back in the day, Jennie Butchart wanted to make her husband’s depleted limestone quarry look better, so she had a sunken garden built. They added more, including a rose garden, Japanese garden & Italian garden. It’s open every day, no matter what the season!

Chinatown:

Who would have known that Canada’s oldest Chinatown is located in Victoria!? Be sure to check out Fan Tan Alley, the most famous place in Chinatown, if not in all of Victoria! Another highlight of Chinatown is the Gates of Harmonious Interest. A landmark that was modeled after the entrance to the famous Dunhuang Caves in northwestern China. Chinatown Fan Tan Alley Victoria British Columbia Canada

BC Parliament Buildings:

We could see the BC Parliament Buildings from our room at the Fairmont Empress, located in the Inner Harbour. The beautiful buildings are open to the public year round and you can opt for a guided or self guided tour. You can even eat in their Legislative Dining Room!

Royal BC Museum:

A visit to the museum is a great way to experience British Columbia! While they’re open year round, it’s always a great option for a rainy afternoon! They have tons of authentic artifacts and specimens on display in their interactive exhibits.

Victoria Butterfly Gardens:

Just north of Victoria is a tropical jungle filled with thousands of butterflies! The beautiful gardens have tons of exotic plants and fruits, as well as over 70 species of butterflies!

Victoria Ghost Tour:

I had no idea that Victoria is considered the most haunted city in British Columbia. Creepy right? There are tons of allegedly haunted spots you can visit. Bastion Square was a courthouse ruled by “the hanging judge” and is considered one of Victoria’s most haunted spots! Fairmont Empress Victoria Canada Victoria Canada Vacation Victoria British Columbia

Where To Eat In Victoria

Ok, now on to my favorite part of this post. I was only in Victoria for about 2 and a half days, but tried to pack in as many spots as possible! Our first night we stopped in at 10 Acres Kitchen. The majority of their menu is grown and ethically raised on their 10 Acres organic farm in North Stanch on Vancouver Island. They have a locally inspired “farm to plate” menu and everything is based on seasonal availability and freshness. We loved it so much, we decided to go to their 10 Acres Commons restaurant across the street from our hotel for lunch! Rogers Candy Store Victoria Canada Chocolats Favoris Smores Ice Cream Cone

The next day, I did a little “dessert tour” and stopped at Chocolats Favoris… literally my dream shop. I got soft serve dipped in chocolate. They cover it in marshmallows and graham crackers. So it’s an over the top s’mores treat. I also tried their cotton candy milkshake!