Butchart Gardens
The Butchart Gardens is one of the World’s premier floral show gardens. Jennie Butchart began to shape this magnificent landscape in 1904 in the style of the grand estates of the period with several distinct gardens to evoke a range of esthetic experiences. Your Butchart Tour includes the journey (approx. 15 miles/25km from downtown Victoria) via routes through the scenic Saanich Peninsula. You receive preferred parking at the entrance and then I accompany you inside and provide you with an “Orientation Primer” to ensure your maximum experience.
Other Victoria Gardens
As well as Butchart Gardens Victoria offers numerous horticultural sites including Abkhazi Gardens, Government House, Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, Beacon Hill Park and Hatley Castle.
*Note: Please inquire as to which gardens are free and which ones require admission and we would be happy to provide you with the appropriate information.
The Empress & The Inner Harbour
The Victoria Inner Harbour, gateway to British Columbia, is one of the most beautiful harbours in the world. Attractions include the world-famous Empress Hotel, The Royal B.C. Museum, Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf with its eclectic houseboat community, the magnificent B.C. Legislature building and grounds. Stroll the Inner Harbour with its Buskers, Craft Kiosks, Cafes, Bistros and Boutique Shops.
We are available to pick you up from the ferry terminal, the airport, or from any cruise ship to help you reach your destination. Always safe, and always in style.
Concerts & Events
Victoria, British Columbia Concerts & Performances lists all the main events coming to town. For a dose of culture, visit the theatre, the opera, or the symphony. Or catch rock bands, country music stars or pop sensations coming to Victoria.
Victoria BC Landmarks
Victoria, the oldest city in the Pacific Northwest, has a rich and fascinating history. Explore our past and celebrate our rich culture through a variety of galleries, museums, heritage sites and cultural events. Victoria and Vancouver Island boast a year-round schedule of entertainment bursting with talent.
Victoria is rich with architectural delights from the Victorian era including Hatley Castle and Gardens, Government House (the residence of the British Royal Family Representative), Christ Church Cathedral built in the Medieval style, Craigdarroch Castle and the charming Victorian neighborhoods of James Bay, The Uplands and Oak Bay.
How do you set up a tour? Just send me a quick message and we can create your personalized tour today.
Whale Watching – – https://www.orcaconservancy.org/
The waters surrounding Victoria are home to an abundance of marine wildlife. The Orca, or killer whale, is the main whale found in the area, and gray, humpback and minke whales can be seen on occasion. Sea lions, seals, porpoises, and a variety of marine birds call the waters of Victoria home. Three pods of resident orcas totaling over 80 whales live in the waters surrounding Victoria.
Visitors can join local certified naturalists for a guided marine adventure tour to see and learn about these animals first-hand. A marine wildlife tour usually includes a trip to Race Rocks Ecological Reserve. Race Rocks is the most southern part of Vancouver Island and of Canada on the Pacific coast. It is Canada’s first Marine Protected Area and is home to an abundance of marine life. Send a message to inquire today!
Goldstream Provincial Park – https://www.goldstreampark.com/
Just 10 miles (17 km) from downtown Victoria is Goldstream Provincial Park. This Park lies amid the splendour of an old growth temperate rainforest. The park contains waterfalls, giant old growth trees, Interpretive center, and numerous trails, some of which are wheelchair accessible.
Eco Tours & Nature Tours
Victoria and surrounding area have numerous spectacular nature parks with your choice of easy well maintained walking trails to facilities to challenge the most adventurous hiker.
Mount Douglas Park
Mt. Doug Park within the city limits of Victoria encompasses a wide range of trails leading from the oceanfront beach at Cordova Bay to the summit with its spectacular 360-degree panoramic view.
Gowlland Todd Provincial Park
Get to know this 1.6-mile loop trail near South Saanich 1, British Columbia. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 37 min to complete. This is an extremely popular area for birding, hiking, and horseback riding, so you will likely encounter other people while exploring.
*Note: Vancouver Island’s natural beauty is endless and tours farther afield to Tofino, Long Beach, Cowichan Valley, and Cathedral Grove are also available
Golf Tours in Victoria BC
Victoria is a golfer’s dream. With a climate that encourages golfing year-round, Victoria and Vancouver Island are home to many of Canada’s most beautiful and challenging courses. Victoria is also the gateway to the Vancouver Island Golf Trail, 250 kilometres of Pacific golfing paradise from Victoria to Campbell River with 11 gorgeous golf courses to choose from. Even if your swing isn’t quite up to par, golfing in Victoria will provide an experience that will leave your vacation bragging rights intact. Make contact today to book your golf tour!
Arrivals and Departures
Whether you are arriving via the Cruise Ship Terminal at Ogden Point, the Inner Harbour Terminal for the Victoria Clipper, Coho Ferries, B.C. Ferry Terminals, or Victoria International Airport, we will be there at the appointed time to begin your visit to Victoria.
Shopping in Victoria
Government Street
From the Inner Harbour, wander up Government Street to find the perfect gift or souvenir. Stop to sample handmade chocolates or the perfect cup of tea or coffee. Discover native art, jewellery, fashion and a variety of specialty stores as well as a major shopping centre along the bustling sidewalks of this iconic street.
Trounce Alley
Four blocks along Government Street, on the right-hand side, is Trounce Alley, one of Victoria’s best-kept secrets. European fashions and gift shops await.
Bastion Square
Across the street from Trounce Alley, find Bastion Square; once the site of Victoria’s Court House, Law Chambers, a brothel and several hangings, Bastion Square is now animated with shops and restaurants. In the summer, take in the Bastion Square Festival of the Arts, a bustling market where vendors and local artisans sell their handmade arts and crafts.
Yates Street and Johnson Street
Just beyond Bastion Square, turn left off Government Street onto Yates Street and beyond to Johnson Street. Wander among amazing shops set in heritage buildings restored to maintain an old-town ambience. Lower Johnson Street, known as “Lo Jo”, is a district of exclusive fashion and design boutiques.
Chinatown
Enter Canada’s oldest Chinatown through the Gate of Harmonious Interest, at the corner of Fisgard and Government Streets. Shop for art, curios, home furnishings and Asian wares. Stroll down Fan Tan Alley, North America’s narrowest street. At its narrowest, the alley is only 0.9 metres (3 feet) wide. Once notorious for its many opium dens and gambling houses, Fan Tan Alley is now lined with shops and restaurants.
Antique Row
Only in Victoria will you find a street devoted to antiques and collectibles. Fort Street, a one-way street leading out of downtown Victoria, is known as Antique Row. Shop after shop lure the antique collector away from the downtown core and into a world of rare china, silver, toys, furniture and other treasures.
Off the Beaten Path
Victoria’s shopping experience also extends beyond famous Government Street storefronts and the downtown core. Off the beaten path and just minutes from downtown, shoppers will find several major suburban shopping centers with hundreds of stores to browse.