Victoria Attractions
Boating
The sheltered bays and islands of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Georgia Strait offer ideal conditions for recreational boating. More than a dozen marinas in the Greater Victoria area cater to boat owners of all types.
Parks
By providing a source of recreation and spiritual enrichment, Victoria and Vancouver Island parks offer visitors and residents an escape from the hustle and bustle of urban life. Victoria's parks extend beyond the city limits to encompass the rugged coastline, lush rainforests, secluded beaches, lakes and meadows of the Island.
Fishing
Victoria has some of the best salmon fishing on the Pacific coast, with fishing grounds five minutes from the provincial Legislature. All five species of salmon are caught here as well as halibut in the 20-60 lb range.
Antiques
Fort Street offers "Antique Row", a concentration of antique shops and stores stretching 10 blocks. With a past of British immigration and as a major sea port on the West Coast, Victoria has become a treasure chest of rare and unique items from around the world.
Golfing
With it's natural beauty and temperate climate, Victoria is an ideal golf location and supports some of British Columbia's finest golf courses. Royal Colwood and Victoria Golf Club are two of the finest private golf courses in Canada , Cordova Bay and Olympic View offer world class public play.
Restaurants
Victoria is now a world-famous destination for travellers, as well as a popular place for Canadians to enjoy life. There are a number of outstanding restaurants offering cuisine comparable to that found in New York, San Francisco, Paris or Rome.
Victoria Events
Victoria Harbour Festival
A celebration bridging Canada's Victoria Day and the USA's Memorial Day long weekends. Many family events, such as the Victoria Day Parade and the Bastion Square Cycling Festival are featured along with many other arts and cultural events.There really is something for everyone
Victoria Festival of Wine, Music & Food
Annual event focuses on BC, Australian and Washington State wines; local restaurants and performing arts.
Victoria Day Parade
This yearly event includes bands from Victoria and the United States. Clowns, floats etc. Bands play in Victoria for the weekend.
Swiftsure International Yacht Race
Every year this race is a major community event - the premiere long distance sailing race in the B.C. and US Pacific Northwest area and a festival on shore. Wonderful sight for all to experience. Weekend of fun and frivolity.
Oak Bay Tea Party
Beginning with the Oak Bay Tea Party Parade on Saturday morning from Windsor Park to Willows Park, the Tea Party is a weekend community celebration of entertainment, midway, fireworks, bathtub race and (usually) AIR SHOW.
Victoria Community Corporate Rowing Challenge
A 7-week rowing program for Victoria businesses, groups and clubs culminating in a final Championship Regatta Race. Crews practice twice/week at one of three convenient locations. Victoria's best rowers will coach teams as they learn basic boat handling, rowing and racing skills. No experience is necessary! This program is open to all ages and abilities.
Summer In The Square
The City of Victoria's premier Festival event. From late June through to early August each year, tens of thousand of Victoria residents and visitors stop by Centennial Square, adjacent to Victoria's heritage City Hall to enjoy the best FREE entertainment the City has to offer, seven days a week.
Jazzfest International - 20th Anniversary
10 days and nights of the coolest music in town - The biggest summertime music festival on Vancouver Island, Jazzfest promises jazz, blues, gospel and world beat music of the highest calibre. More than 250 musicians in more than 60 performances entertain at venues around the city.
Folkfest
The Folkfest is mainly a music event that takes place in and around the inner harbour each year. The organizer brings in some of the more well known Folk musicians for headlining the shows. Intercultural food kiosks are a big draw, as well as arts & crafts on sale.
Canada Day Celebration
Celebrate Canada Day with various activities happening in Victoria. Fireworks usually finish the evening. Folkfest offers all arts, crafts, food & entertainment.
Victoria Flower and Garden Show
Long envied for its very agreeable year round gardening climate, British Columbia has cultivated a world-class reputation as the 'Garden Capital of Canada' for its outstanding botanical beauty. With great pride and in keeping with Victoria's garden heritage, The Victoria Flower and Garden Show held each July at Royal Roads University, will once again host it's annual flower and garden competition.
Moss Street Paint In
Sponsored by the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, over 100 artists gather to exhibit their works up and down Moss Street (1:00 to 4:00 p.m.)
Luminara Festival
Imagine if you will, a stroll in Beacon Hill Park on a warm summer night, the darkness gently pushed back by the glow of thousands of colourful handmade lanterns. While many are carried by those who attend the event, many more are part of the numerous and imaginative installations scattered throughout the park. Acoustic music gently drifts through the park while performance artists and dancers set light in motion, adding pageantry and spectacle. Sponsored by the Inter-Cultural Assoc. of Greater Victoria.
Symphony Splash
The biggest audience the Victoria Symphony plays to every year, is at Symphony Splash in the Inner Harbour. With conductor at the helm, musicians play a selection of classics and pops for a summertime audience of up to 40,000. The big finish - Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture is always a crowd pleaser.
Victoria Dragon Boat Festival - 10th Anniversary
This colourful and popular August event offers something for everyone: dragon boating in the Inner Harbour, multicultural entertainment and Dragonland for the kids.
Victoria Fringe Festival
Anything goes at this annual alternative theatre festival. The festival is a summer's-end 12-day celebration of some of the most innovative theatre offered anywhere in the country at eight locations throughout downtown Victoria. Info: 383-2663
Classic Boat Show in the Inner Harbour
Victoria's Inner Harbour is the place to be this Labour Day weekend when up to 100 classic sail and power boats from throughout the Pacific Coast and beyond will arrive for the 26th Classic Boat Festival. The highlight of the festival takes place on Sunday morning, August 31, with the Sailpast. All vessels will leave the Inner Harbour to take the salute from the Honorary Commodore.
Saanich Fall Fair
This fair on the Saanich Peninsula takes place during the Labour Day weekend and has something for everyone. The oldest agricultural fair in Canada, the atmosphere here is one of a traditional country fair with agricultural displays and prize-winning livestock, arts and crafts, fairgrounds and entertainment.
Salmon Run at Goldstream Park
Every autumn, million of Pacific salmon forge their way up the myriad streams of the Pacific northwest to spawn and die. Goldstream has a world-class salmon spawning stream with thousands of Chum Salmon returning each year. Look also for the speckled flanks of the sea-going Cutthroat trout that are here for a feast of roe. At night come the shy mink, raccoon, otter, and, perhaps, a bear. THE END OF THE GOLDSTREAM Salmon Run is a signal to the Bald Eagles that it is time to return to Goldstream for their annual salmon feast.
