Things to do in Victoria

14 activities, venues and outings in Victoria, from theatres and live music to parks and tours.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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BC Whale Tours
3-4 hour whale watching trips with a choice between open Zodiac-style boats or boats that have outdoor and indoor seating. Maximum number of passengers on a trip is 12.
Two daily departures from Mar-Oct. Winter tours (Nov-Feb) are run on demand$121 (adult), $81-101 (children), a trip on the Luna costs an additional $10
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Eagle Wing Tours Whale Watching
Minimum 3.5 hour whale watching trips with open and semi-covered options. Maximum number of people per trip ranges from 12-50, depending on the boat.
$85-135 (mid May-Oct), $55-105 (Nov-mid May)
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Elk/Beaver Lake Regional Park
Popular park with two lakes (actually it's one lake with different names, connected by a channel), a number of beaches that are popular swimming locations and a 10-km trail that circumnavigates the entire lake. Picnicing, rowing, wind surfing and fishing are also popular. A nature center near the main entrance on Beaver Lake Rd has displays on the park's natural and cultural history and staff on hand to answer any questions you may have.
Park open daily year-round, Nature Center open June-Sept Sat-Sun noon-4PMFree
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Five Star Whale Watching
Long operating family business (since 1985). Three hours whale watching trips in their catamaran that includes several outdoor decks and a heated indoor cabin. Maximum number of passengers is 45.
Two daily departures from early May to late Sep. Departures in Apr and Oct dependent on demand$130 (adult), $95-109 (child)
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Forged Axe Throwing
Forged Axe Throwing Victoria opened in 2023. This axe throwing arena will make you think you've been transported into a cabin in the woods where lumberjacks roam! The venue can accommodate groups of 2-50 people. Axe throwing league is every Thursday at 6:45pm.
1-9PM$30
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Galloping Goose Regional Trail
The Goose
A 55 km trail on a decommissioned rail bed from downtown Victoria through Langford and the West Shore and onto Sooke and the hills beyond. The varied scenery includes urban, rural and wilderness, and it connects with many other trails in the Greater Victoria area, including the Lochside Regional Trail and the E&N Rail Trail - Humpback Connector. In Victoria, the trail starts at the corner of Wharf & Pandora St and then crosses the Johnson St bridge to Harbour Rd. There are also a number of access points along the way to Sooke, several of which have parking. The Capital Regional District (CRD) website has directions to access points with parking lots. A few places rent bikes and this is a great afternoon or day trip.
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Lochside Regional Trail
A 29-km multi-use trail that runs from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal near Sidney to the Galloping Goose trail in Saanich. It is mostly paved (there are a few gravel sections though) and rolls through suburban Victoria to the farmland of the Saanich Peninsula, passing close to several parks, beaches and wetlands. Designated parking lots to access the trail are at Lochside Dr & Mackenzie, Lochside Park, Cy Hampson Park and Tulista Park.
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Orca Spirit Adventures
Offers covered vessels with indoor seating, liquor license, and onboard washrooms, as well as open Zodiac tours. Maximum number of passengers ranges from 12-170.
Daily departures year-round$115 (adult), $75-85 (child). Winter tours (Nov-Mar) are $10 cheaper
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Prince of Whales
Three-hour whale watching tours with a choice of semi-covered boat (with an elevated viewing deck) or open Zodiac in summer. Winter tours (Nov-Mar) are in Zodiac boats only.
Three sailings daily in Jul & Aug, one sailing daily at other times. Zodiac tours are on demand$120 (adult), $85-95 (child). Adult tickets $15 cheaper in winter
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SpringTide Whale Watching and Eco Tours
Three-hour whale watching tours in a semi-covered yacht or open Zodiac in summer. Winter tours (Nov-Mar) are in Zodiac boats only. Maximum number of passengers is 12 in the Zodiacs and 84 in the yacht.
Multiple daily departures Apr-Oct, winter tours are offered once daily weather and demand permitting$85-115, winter tours are $10 cheaper
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Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary
Swan Lake Park
There is a nature trail that goes around Swan Lake on a boardwalk through beautiful marshlands. The Nature House, at the main entrance, contains information about the natural wildlife in the area, some interpretive exhibits, a reading room with materials for both children and adults, and a small gift shop. If you wish to trek further, across McKenzie Avenue from Swan Lake is the hike up Christmas Hill, which has a viewpoint overlooking Swan Lake and Saanich. There is also a bike route connecting to the Lochside Regional Trail.
Park open daily dawn to dusk, the Nature House open Mon-Fri 8:30AM-4PM, Sat Sun noon-4PM (closed statutory holidays)Entrance to the park is free, admission to the Nature House by donation
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Victoria Royals Hockey
The local junior hockey team and an entertaining option if you want to catch a hockey game while in town. Games are usually 2-3 teams a week from Oct through early April. Tickets can be purchased online through the Royals website or at the arena.
$18-28 (adult), $18 (senior/student), $14 (child)
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SilverCity Victoria Cinemas
The largest cinema in Greater Victoria.
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Victoria Kayak
Kayak rentals in the Victoria Harbour.
9AM-8PM

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Victoria (CC BY-SA 4.0).