A short and scenic ferry ride away from the metropolitan city of Vancouver, here’s what makes a weekend trip to Victoria (Vancouver Island) one of the best staycations from Vancouver.
I just recently landed in Canada as an international student amidst a global pandemic, it is hard to keep the travel bug inside of me to stay calm. Within my short two months stay in Vancouver, my first port of entry in Canada, and my new home – I have been to almost all of the top places to see in Vancouver. The city of Vancouver is a haven for outdoorsy adventure lovers. It offers everything from the mountains to the ocean and rainforests, all within the boundaries of the city.
But I wanted to step beyond those boundaries. I wanted to see the many small islands that surround one of the largest cities of Canada. And for that, I had a reason. I am a full-time enrolled student at the Royal Roads University in Victoria – a small island off the coast of Vancouver. Sadly, all my classes are online for the foreseeable future and I didn’t get the chance to visit the beautiful university campus I aspired to study at.
As the arrival of spring started showing its sign, I thought this is the best time to take a trip for a weekend staycation from Vancouver and explore the things to do in Victoria. This way, I could also visit my university from the outside at least.
In this article, I am going to share everything about what makes visiting Victoria the best weekend staycation from Vancouver along with information on things to see and do in Victoria over the weekend.
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Why Visit Victoria?
Not many people know about this, but Victoria is the provincial capital of British Columbia, not Vancouver. It is one of the many islands that surround Vancouver and a part of the Vancouver islands. Just like its name suggests, the architecture of the buildings in the main Downtown Victoria and surrounding areas are inspired by Victorian architecture. Victoria gives the feel of being in a European town. Visiting Victoria for a weekend staycation from Vancouver is one of the top staycations in B.C among others such as visiting the best Okanagan wineries in Kelowna.
The weather in Victoria is the mildest in all of the country. The winters aren’t that cold and the summers are bright and shiny without being humid. It does rain sometimes but not enough to ruin any travel plans to the island. This is one of the reasons that make Victoria the best weekend staycation from Vancouver.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty of the best things to do in Victoria, first, here is some general information about visiting Victoria.
How To Go To Victoria
The best part of visiting any of the Vancouver islands for a weekend getaway from Vancouver is that it can be reached quickly and at a minimal cost. There are daily roll-on ferries (on-boarding cars and passengers) to Victoria from the Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal in South Vancouver. Operated by the BC Ferries, Vancouver to Victoria ferry runs every day from 7 AM to 9 PM at every alternate hour. It is advisable to check the weather conditions before planning your trip as the ferries get canceled during strong wind or heavy rains. For the complete schedule and ticket fare, please visit the BC Ferries website.
How To Get Around Victoria
Thanks to the BC Transit, it is very easy to get around Victoria without a car. Unlike Vancouver, there are no Sky Trains in Victoria, however, the bus network connects all the major spots on the island. While visiting Victoria on a short staycation from Vancouver – your best bet is to buy the daily transit pass worth CAD 5. It can be directly purchased by the bus driver. Notes and coins both are accepted as payment, however, make sure to keep the exact change as the driver doesn’t carry any change.
Pro tip: You can catch bus no. 70 to Downtown Victoria right from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. It is almost an hour’s drive to the Downtown so enjoy the views by sitting on the upper deck on the bus! All the places to visit in Victoria mentioned in this article can be easily visited by BC transit.
There are plenty of unique things to do in Victoria, but here are the places I visited during my short weekend best staycation from Vancouver.
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Top Things To Do In Victoria
Inner Harbor
Located in the heart of Downtown Victoria, the Inner Harbor, also known as the Victoria harbor is a beautiful walkaway beside the harbor offering views of the seaplanes arriving and departing and the many vessels and yachts parked at the harbor. I thoroughly enjoyed walking at the Inner Harbor in the evening while absorbing the views of the Empress Fairmont Hotel and the British Columbia Provincial Parliament. It is a perfect place to start your weekend staycation from Vancouver upon reaching Victoria.
Fairmont Empress Hotel
One of the most iconic buildings on the island, the Fairmont Empress Hotel is located right adjacent to the Victoria Inner Harbor in the Downtown area. The beautiful Victorian architecture of the hotel makes it a unique place to see in Victoria. For daytime strolling and sightseeing, the Fairmont Empress Hotel is the best place to be in Downtown. It looks even better and majestic at the night. Either you are a guest of the hotel or not, you can still enjoy the Afternoon Tea at the hotel for $75.
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
In the main Downtown area, another famous thing to do in Victoria is to visit the grand building of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia also called the Parliament Building. The Victorian architecture exteriors of the parliament give you the feel of standing in front of the Westminster Abbey in London. The huge complex is surrounded by a beautiful garden, which remains open to the public throughout the day. Just like the Empress Hotel, the Parliament building also looks magnificent at the night!
Royal BC Museum
Another interesting place to visit in Victoria is the Royal British Colombia Museum in Downtown Victoria. The museum is considered to be Canada’s one of the greatest treasures as it homes documents and artifacts of British Columbia’s natural and human history. Being surrounded by all the Victorian architecture buildings, the Royal BC Museum is built in a state-of-the-art complex and adds the urban vibe to the Downtown area in Victoria.
China Town
If you live in Canada or you have traveled extensively across the country, there is a huge probability that you must have visited the China Towns in different cities of Canada. With that being said, the China Town in Victoria is a must-visit place in Victoria as it is the oldest China Town in all of Canada. Also, located on the Downtown street, China Town is worth a visit for souvenir shopping and small decorative home décor items. The surrounding streets of China Town are also very insta-worthy!
Craigdarroch Castle
On your staycation from Vancouver to Victoria, do not miss visiting one of the National Historic Sites on the island – the Craigdarroch Castle. Situated just a short drive from the Downtown, the Craigdarroch Castle is yet another display of the beautiful Victorian architecture in Victoria. It was built as the residence of Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who was one of the richest men to live in British Columbia during 1887. The castle is opened for the public all year round and offers complete guided tours of the stunning interiors of the castle. More details about the castle tours can be found out here.
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Government House Victoria
Just a short five minutes’ walk from the Craigdarroch Castle Government house Victoria, the residence of the Lieutenant Governor, which is also the ceremonial house of all British Columbians. During the summer months (from May to September), the Cary Castle Mews Interpretive Centre and Tea Room offer visitors a unique place to explore the history of this National Historic Site and enjoy a cup of tea. For more details about the Government house tour, please visit the official website here.
Hatley Castle/Royal Roads University
Yet another National Historic Site of Canada in Victoria is the Hatley Castle, which is now a part of the Royal Roads University. This is the place I was the most excited to visit during my weekend staycation from Vancouver to Victoria as I am a full-time student of RRU but due to online classes, I never get the chance to visit the stunning university campus.
The Hatley Castle serves as the administrative building of the Royal Roads University. The Castle was built in 1908 as the residence of an influential man of British Columbia. It was later leased to the federal government and converted into a military school, which then turned into the Royal Roads University in 1995. It is surrounded by beautiful Japanese and Italian gardens that are open for the public all year round. More information on visiting the Hatley Castle and the gardens can be found out here.
Butchart Garden
Vancouver mainland and islands all are very famous for the plenty of colorful gardens. One such garden that tops the list of the best things to do in Victoria is the Butchart Garden. The garden was built by the residence couple of the place who started the garden as a passion project. Now the Butchart Garden is established as a National Historic Site in Canada with more than 900 different varieties of flowers that bloom in the vast gardens and quarries surrounding it.
WildPlay Victoria Adventure Park
After a lot of sightseeing in Victoria, it only makes sense to end the weekend staycation from Vancouver but doing some fun activities on the island. WildPlay Victoria is the go-to place for all the adventure activities both for the kids and the big kids like myself, alike! The adventure park offers activities such as ziplining, axe throwing, bungee jumping among other exciting things to do. I tried the 40ft free-fall jump and it was the highlight of the entire trip for me. Read more about the WildPlay Adventure Park here.
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Best Places to Stay in Victoria
Before I dive into all the amazing places you can stay in Victoria, let me bust the bubble for you that Victoria is NOT a backpacker’s destination. Being an island and the capital of BC, it is understandable that everything in Victoria is expensive. With that being said, here is a breakdown of different price range hotels to stay in Victoria.
Top Ranged Hotel (CAD 320-500 per night for 2 persons)
Mid-Ranged Hotels (CAD 150-300 per night for 2 persons)
- Days Inn by Wyndham Victoria On The Harbor
- Pendray Inn and Tea House
- Victoria Regent Waterfront Hotel & Suites
This looks like such a great place to visit. Thanks for the post.
Victoria looks like a great city to visit. I have yet to make it over to the west coast but Victoria has always been on my list!
West coast is beautiful! You’ll get everything from the mountains to the ocean and rain forests all within close vicinity to the cities!
Wow, Victoria looks so beautiful! I love the architectural details in this city. Reminds me very much of Europe!
Yes, I actually kind of got teleported to Europe when I was there (at least I felt that way! Haha). It looks like a small European town
My dad is Canadian and we love going to Victoria for Canada day, it is such a wonderful place. I’m always looking for new things to do there. I have yet to go to the Royal Museum and Hatley Castle. I’ll have to put it on the list for our next visit and give myself more time to stay longer.
You really need these places for yourself! The Hatley Castle was so so beautiful… I also saw many peacocks roaming around the castle.