I recently visited Victoria, BC for a long weekend with some family who had never been there before. Victoria is the perfect distance from Seattle that you feel like you got away while still being close to home. We drove across the border to Tsawwassen and drove our cars onto the ferry. It was a little cheaper than the Black Ball walk-on ferry from Port Angeles that goes directly to downtown Victoria and less out of the way leaving from Kirkland, WA. The Tsawwassen ferry also has many more ferries and times to go since it is a commuter ferry to and from Vancouver Island.
We visited towards the end of February and we were lucky to have a nice break in the rain to walk around and explore the shops downtown and walk along the boardwalk. If you’re looking for things to do in Victoria, BC, I’ve come up with a list of my favorite places since I’ve visited a few times now.
Here are some of the attraction highlights:
- Tour a historic mansion at Craigdarroch Castle
- Sip a drink at a jazz club with great service and atmosphere at Hermann’s Jazz Club
- Enjoy a cozy rustic in-season Italian dinner at Cafe Brio
- Get coffee at Union Pacific Coffee in Chinatown
- Walk along the waterfront parks
- Visit the Parliament Building
- Indulge in afternoon tea at the Empress Hotel
- Warm your soul with dinner at Băo
- Get Sunday Brunch at Jam Cafe
- Take a drive to Malahat Skywalk and hike up for an impressive view
- Savor fresh sushi from Toro
- Spend a day at the First Peoples’ Gallery at the Royal BC Museum
- If you go in the summer, the Butchart Gardens are a must
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CRAIGDARROCH CASTLE
If you’re a history buff, Craigdarroch Castle is a fun place to spend some time and tour. As an interior designer, visiting to see the woodwork alone is incredible and it’s pretty impressive to see the scale of the castle and how the spaces are separated with public versus private areas.
MALAHAT SKYWALK
Malahat Skywalk was about a 30-40 minute drive from downtown Victoria. Even though it was a cloudy day, the view at the top was still impressive. On a clear day, the view spans well into the Washington islands. It’s definitely a fun activity to check out. It’s a great activity for kids as there is a slide from the top that swirls all the way down.
Malahat closes pretty early so be sure to check the hours before you go.
CITY ACTIVITES
If you stay in the downtown area, you really don’t need your car. We had the dogs so we brought our cars but it was nice to park and leave it most of the time. There are tons of activities, restaurants, shops and parks within walking distance. We walked across the bridge to Songhees Park and enjoyed the waterfront. There is also a nice dog park at Victoria West Park which is about a five minute drive or 20 minute walk from downtown that the dogs really enjoyed running up and down the rocks.
AFTERNOON TEA AT THE EMPRESS
This was my second time for afternoon tea at the Empress and it is an absolute treat. The snacks are delightful and the tea is fresh and delicious. Scones with clotted cream and jam, tea sandwiches and savory bites and an assortment of dessert bites. It looks like small portions, but we ended up taking a lot to go with us. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon with friends.
Băo
Băo is just a hole in the wall restaurant with very limited seating. It is a local favorite and usually has a line down the block for takeout and dine in. We were lucky to sneak in and get seated with only a 15 minute wait before a large crowd lined up outside. We had to try a steam bun in every flavor combination they had. They did not disappoint! Taiwanese Classic, Chinese BBQ, Pork Meatball Bahn Mi, Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Tonkatsu Chicken, Shanghai Black Bean Croquette, Mala 5 Mushroom and a dessert Nutella Banana. My favorite was the Bahn Mi and the Chinese BBQ. We also tried the ramen and the super spicy cold noodles and they were delicious! The perfect amount of sauce and spice for a cold wintry evening.
UNION PACIFIC COFFEE
On my first trip to Victoria, I tried out a different coffee shop every morning. None of the others compared to Union Pacific Coffee so now I visit it pretty much exclusively while I’m there. (It also helps that our AirBNB was only a block away this time). The coffee is delicious and they have a huge selection of baked goods and sandwiches. They have a really inviting interior space as well as a nice, covered patio in the back. They are closed on Sundays, so be sure to check them out when they are open!
JAM CAFE
Jam is one of those breakfast places that seems to always have a long line out front. Since we had our dogs on this trip, we took them out on an early morning walk through Chinatown every day and realized the key to getting in is to be in line before 9:30am when it starts to back up. We only had to wait about 15 minutes Sunday morning even with a large group. The food was everything you want a savory comfort brunch to be. The Nashville Hot Chicken Benedict was my favorite.
TORO
Toro claims to have the best Bluefin O-Toro, Hamachi Toro, Shima-Aji and Foie Gras in Victoria. It did not disappoint! The sushi was fresh and delicious. The bao buns and potstickers were great appetizers to share. The sake was warm and tasty and I especially loved the sashimi which was bright and flavorful on its own.
CAFE BRIO
Cafe Brio had amazing service and absolutely delicious food. While the food feels very fancy, the atmosphere is very welcoming and almost casual. The concept is rustic Italian-inspired food utilizing ingredients that are fresh and in season. All of the food is prepared in house, and they offer half portions if you want to try more of their dishes. They change their menu as often as they restock their vegetables, so it’s always bound to be something new and exciting. This is definitely one of my favorite meals that I have had in Victoria.
If you need a good weekend getaway idea and live in the Pacific Northwest, Victoria is a great place to visit. Even if you don’t live nearby, it’s a great destination city! Do you have any other Victoria favorites that I missed?
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