Greater Victoria Ale Trail

Majestic mammals and marine wildlife abound in the waters surrounding Victoria. Cruise with local certified naturalists and experts for a guided marine adventure to discover, observe and learn about these enchanting creatures up-close.

After wandering through Market Square, continue your journey to LoJo. Lower Johnson is the spot for the best boutique shopping in the city. Lined with independent stores, coffee shops and restaurants with lots of nooks and crannies to explore like Market Square, Waddington Alley and the Paperbox Arcade.

Continue exploring Downtown Victoria with a visit to the oldest Chinatown in Canada, featuring the iconic Gate of Harmonious Interest. Browse historical buildings, shops, restaurants and grocery stores, or learn more about the history of the neighbourhood with a walking tour from Discover the Past. Don’t miss walking down Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in Canada.

Stroll along the breakwater with the magnificent Olympic Mountains in the distance. Head along the 1km (roundtrip) path, which includes the Unity Wall Mural and culminates in a lighthouse on the Juan de Fuca Strait.

With roughly 740,000 square metres of parkland, Beacon Hill Park is an amazing urban oasis. There are natural areas, manicured flower beds, footpaths, water features, a band shell for music performances, fields for cricket, tennis, golf and baseball. Plus an adorable children’s farm featuring a daily “running of the goats”! Beacon Hill Park is also home to what was once the tallest totem pole in the world, a 38.9 metre (128 foot) pole raised in 1956.

Sheringham Point Lighthouse is a designated National Heritage Lighthouse. The Lighthouse is owned, operated and cared for by the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society, a non-profit charity based in Shirley. The Lighthouse Site is open every day for the public to visit, enjoy and appreciate.

Adjacent to the park is the Sooke River, where there is a series of deep, naturally carved and polished rock pools. This area is a favourite day-use destination for many local and regional residents.
Spend some time exploring, or take a dip in the natural pools to cool off in the summer.

Within the museum’s exhibit galleries, highlights of the region’s history and culture are presented through First Nations artifacts, historic photographs, dioramas, displays and scale models, depicting both momentous occasions and the day to day life in the history of the region. Foresty Path — take a self-guided tour of the grounds and explore the history of Sooke’s forest industry through images and artifacts. The Sooke Night Market is outdoors and runs weekly on Thursdays from June 1 to September 7, 5:00pm – 8:00pm.

West Coast wilderness awaits you at East Sooke Regional Park. Experience it as you hike along the windswept rocky coast, over dry hilltops, through dark rainforest to sheltered coves.

Three entry points offer hikers and explorers different experiences and challenge levels along over 50km of trails, from a short walk to a pocket beach, to the challenging 10km Coast Trail.

As a stop for many migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway, the Esquimalt Lagoon is a federal Migratory Bird Sanctuary, making it a fantastic place for birdwatchers to discover the unique avian species that come through the area. Don’t forget your camera, the Lagoon’s one-of-a-kind ecology makes for a great backdrop while capturing images of your favourite birds.

No trip to the province’s capital would be complete without a photo of our parliament buildings. Overlooking Victoria’s majestic Inner Harbour, the Parliament Buildings and surrounding areas are located in the traditional territories of the Lekwungen people. Visitors are invited to discover the architectural splendour of the Parliament Buildings and learn about British Columbia’s Legislative Assembly.

The Parliament Buildings are open for free guided tours on weekdays throughout the year and seven days a week during the summer. Free tours are offered regularly throughout the day.

A year round destination, featuring multiple themed gardens as well as musical events, The Butchart Gardens has been an iconic tourist attraction for over 100 years.

Encounter thousands of tropical butterflies, poison dart frogs, tortoises, large iguanas, flamingos, tropical ducks, free flying tropical birds and more. Dress for tropical weather as you stroll through these indoor gardens. Also includes the Insectarium, featuring impressive insects & invertebrates from around the world.

Start on Beacon Avenue, home to stunning three dimensional murals and life-like bronzed statues, and continue to the Seaside Sculpture Walk. It begins in Beacon Park and continues along the waterfront walkway south towards the Sidney International Ferry Terminal. This magnificent outdoor art gallery uses the majestic scenery of Mount Baker and the Salish Sea as its backdrop.

This family-owned Salt Spring Island staple makes a variety of artisan goat cheeses using traditional methods and natural ingredients.

This large protected park features old-growth Douglas fir and beautiful views of Vancouver Island and the surrounding Gulf Islands from one of the highest points on the island, Baynes Peak.

Head to the Salt Spring Island Public Library to see the mural created by young artists of local Indigenous communities.

This beautiful garden is dedicated to the memory and legacy of the island’s Japanese-Canadian community who settled and worked on the island between 1900 and 1942 before the Internment during World War II. It is open to the public by donation year-round.

This 18-hole disc golf course has both technical and open holes. Located in Dinner Bay Park, it’s steps away from the Japanese Memorial Gardens.

Visit this sculpture carved with open, welcoming arms to honour Emma and Felix Jack and all other Coast Salish People that visited or lived on Mayne Island.

This National park has lots of opportunities for outdoor activities. Hike up the Mt Norman summit for a beautiful view.

As you venture in-island for breakfast, be sure to stop at the Pender Island Community Hall to view the three carved Pender Women’s Unity Poles, created as part of an initiative by The Mother Bear Project.

Satisfy your sweet tooth with creative, hand-crafted chocolates.