Victoria BC Tourist Attractions

Inspiring conservation of our marine environment - With a thrill! Guests on our Whale Watching tours see: Orca (killer whales), Minke Whales, Humpback Whales, Gray Whales, Dolphins, Harbour Seals, Steller Sea lions, California Sea lions, Elephant Seals, Dalls Porpoise, Harbour Porpoise, Bald Eagles, Great Blue Herons, Peregrine Falcons, Common Murre, Pigeon Guillemots, Rhinoceros Auklets, Common Loon, Mergansers, Grebes, Tufted Puffins and lots more. eaglewingtours.com

Just 17 kilometers from downtown Victoria, Goldstream Provincial Park lies amid the splendour of an old-growth temperate rain forest.

West Coast wilderness awaits you at East Sooke Regional Park. Experience it as you hike along the windswept rocky coast, over dry hilltops, through dark rain forest to sheltered coves.

If you enjoy swimming, then be sure to visit Sooke Potholes, a swimmers paradise. Minutes beyond the urban core and perfect for picnics, the Sooke potholes are one of the more popular swimming spots in the region.

Bird watchers will discover how amazing Esquimalt Lagoon is, a saltwater lagoon and migratory bird sanctuary located at the bottom of the Royal Roads property, near to the Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Sites also offering an excellent view across Esquimalt Harbour.

At Fort Rodd Hill, you can explore  underground magazines gun batteries and battlements constructed over a century ago, as well as searchlight emplacements, command posts…and much more. Families often picnic  and stay for the day. While the kids investigate our tide pools, parents can enjoy the spectacular sea and mountain views.

The first lighthouse on Canada’s west coast, Fisgard Lighthouse is still in operation, and is a National Historic Site.

If you hike, you will enjoy the Juan De Fuca Marine Trail, almost 50 kilometers hiking trail running along the west coast shores of southern Vancouver Island, Canada, from China Beach, just west of the community of Jordan River and extending to Botanical Beach near Port Renfrew.

The West Coast Trail, the third unit of the Pacific Rim National Park, which includes the section of coast southeast of Barkley Sound between the villages of Bamfield and Port Renfrew is for those hearty souls that prefer a challange.

An easier trail for nature fans is The Galloping Goose Trail, where you can travel for nearly 60 kilometers. You can cycle, walk, or ride a horse along this wheelchair accessible,  former rail line past some of B.C.’s finest scenery.

Beside the Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the Bilston Creek Watershed, lies Witty’s Lagoon Regional Park, a spectacular blend of protected natural environments from the forrest to beach.

On the grounds Royal Roads University in Victoria, you’ll find Hatley Castle and Hatley Gardens. These sites are well worth a visit. The Castle was completed in the early part of the last century. In 1941 and until 1943 when Grant Block was completed, the Castle served as dormitory and mess hall for cadets and staff officers at Royal Roads Military College.

If you’re looking for a real wilderness and fishing adventure try Nimmo Bay Heli Fishing Resort which is located off of Port McNeil in northern Vancouver Island.

Here in the western communities of Victoria you can enjoy the natural beauty and natural history that Victoria and southern Vancouver Island are renowned for. We hope you will discover the diversity and beauty that is Vancouver Island. For more to see and do in this beautiful area, please visit Recreation Victoria