Things to do in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

Victoria's Attractions are so many, that when visiting Victoria attractions and Vancouver Island attractions, you are more likely to run out of time than run out of things to do. Your ideal holiday may call for doing a lot in a short time or, on the contrary, little of anything during a lengthy stay. Either way, the Island is bursting with attractions and things to do that provide the perfect mix of excitement and relaxation.

From museums and art galleries to castles, landmarks, gardens and zoos, Victoria’s attractions invite visitors into a world of history, entertainment and color. Take a guided tour or stroll at your own pace. The only catch to visiting Victoria’s attractions is that you will want to come back again and again.
Victoria Attractions are also popular with families and are often the ideal place to let kids run wild. Young visitors will delight in discovering local marine life, bugs, butterflies and farm animals. They can assist in carving a native totem pole or dig for minerals in a scratch patch. Recreation centers, swimming pools, waterslides and mini-golf are always favorite attractions in any city.

Entertainment in Victoria
You can feel the life of a city through its arts and entertainment and Victoria is alive with culture. Victoria and Vancouver Island boast a year-round schedule of cultural entertainment bursting with talent. Experience live theatre, art exhibits, music concerts, summer festivals and film. Be moved. Be inspired. Be entertained.

The performing arts are well represented in Victoria and on Vancouver Island. Professional and amateur theatre and dance companies perform in historical playhouses, modern arts centers and small, quaint community theatres. Victoria is also home to the acclaimed Pacific Opera Victoria.
Victoria and Vancouver Island are home to numerous art galleries, exhibits and studios. You can walk from gallery to gallery in Victoria’s downtown core or drive the country roads to visit artisans’ studios. Paintings, prints, sculpture, glass, wood and pottery can all be found and the traditional art of the First Nations peoples is also prevalent throughout the Island. Salt Spring Island and the Gulf Islands are also world-renowned as creative centers.

Music for all tastes fills local concert halls, cathedrals, nightclubs and pubs. The Victoria Symphony entertains audiences all year long, the highlight of its season, and a Victoria tradition, is the Bay view Residences Victoria Symphony Splash: a by-donation concert performed from a barge in the Inner Harbor to over 40,000 people.

Music and arts festivals throughout the summer and throughout the Island celebrate jazz, blues, R&B, folk, independent film, Shakespeare and fringe theatre. Buskers and street performers add color to Victoria’s streets and Inner Harbor. During the summer, bring a lawn chair and a blanket and enjoy classic movies at the harbor boardwalk. A number of movie theatres deliver Hollywood blockbusters and Independent films to residents and visitors, and the National Geographic IMAX Theatre brings images to life on a screen over six storey tall.

Tours of Victoria
It is impossible to visit Victoria and Vancouver Island without touring the area. By simply arriving to the Island by air or water, you have already experienced incredible vistas and a mystique that makes you want to see and learn more. Once on the Island, spectacular scenery continues to accompany your travels everywhere you go. Farmland, gardens, ocean drives and mountain lookouts surround native heritage, historic buildings and championship golf courses. Exploring these and other destinations confirm that you are visiting a special place.

Strike out on your own and enjoy the freedom to stop when you want and take as much time as you desire. Victoria is picturesque in every season and a self-guided tour or scenic drive is a relaxing way to experience the coastline and the countryside. Victoria streets and country roads move at an easy pace, ideal for sightseeing. Attractions of all kinds, photo opportunities and charming roadside stands selling produce and flowers tempt visitors to make several stops along the way.
If you would rather concentrate on the scenery than the road, leave the driving to the experts and take a guided tour. Whether by car, boat, horse-drawn carriage, double Decker bus, or by scenic floatplane, Victoria’s tours capture the highlights of the city and the Island. Your local guide will recite historical facts and personal stories of the attractions and areas you see.
For a unique tour, pick a theme like gardens or British heritage. Depending on your interests, take a tour that lasts a few hours or a few days. For visitors with more time, venture out on a day trip to a nearby town or Gulf Island; Victoria offers easy access to both. Leave your entire holiday to a tour operator and experience the convenience of having your transportation, accommodation and activities arranged for you.
There is just so much to do such as whale watching, hiking, horse-back riding, canoeing down the rivers, fishing, beautiful gardens to see Etc. you would need months to experience everything Victoria has to offer.

In Victoria and the Islands, culinary tourism has taken root. Fill your visit with unique culinary experiences: meet the chef who prepares their meal, the farmer who grew or raised the produce used, and learn how regional cuisine and beverage production is making its mark on the food scene.
BC is responsible for some of the freshest produce in the world. Around Victoria, the northern Saanich Peninsula and the Cowichan Valley are home to agricultural land. The Island’s coastal climate is mild and promotes a long growing season compared to the rest of Canada. The Cowichan Valley, 45 minutes north of Victoria, means "warm land" in a native tongue and enjoys the warmest and longest growing season on Vancouver Island. Visitors can tour both of these regions on a self-guided drive or can join a guided gourmet tour.

Visit acclaimed wineries, cideries and a meadery; sample the region's organic produce, artisan cheeses and locally produced gourmet fare. Do so on your own or join a tour for a behind-the-scenes experience.
Buy fresh from the farm or from roadside stands, scattered along country roads, which operate on the honor system. Fresh greens and herbs, fruit and berries, cheese, poultry, lamb, ostrich and fallow deer are just a few of the products to be found. Stay overnight at a bed and breakfast on a working farm or go hiking with llamas. A culinary experience on Vancouver Island is unique and not soon forgotten. One can even organize a Culinary/Winery/Cidery/Meadery Tours.