2 days in Victoria

Day by day

1. Day 1: BC Parliament Buildings and Fairmont Empress and afternoon tea

   BC Parliament Buildings, Fairmont Empress and afternoon tea, Whale watching from the Inner Harbour and Victoria Harbour Ferry, then Downtown and LoJo in the evening.

   1. Morning

      BC Parliament Buildings

      After dark the building is outlined in more than 3,000 light bulbs. Free tours visit the legislative chamber and the stained-glass rotunda.

   2. Late morning

      Fairmont Empress and afternoon tea

      Its afternoon tea in the Lobby Lounge — tea, finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and pastries — is Victoria's best-known indulgence.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Afternoon tea

      The Fairmont Empress is the classic; tea rooms in Oak Bay and the Butchart Gardens Dining Room are alternatives.

   4. Afternoon

      Whale watching from the Inner Harbour

      Sightings are most frequent from about April to October.

   5. Late afternoon

      Victoria Harbour Ferry

      On some summer mornings the boats perform a 'water ballet' in front of the Empress.

   6. Evening

      Downtown and LoJo

      Pubs, cocktail bars and live-music venues around Johnson, Yates and Wharf streets.

2. Day 2: Butchart Gardens and Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park

   Butchart Gardens, Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park, Craigdarroch Castle and Beacon Hill Park, then Rock Bay and Vic West in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Butchart Gardens

      It is a National Historic Site, with displays changing through the seasons.

   2. Late morning

      Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park

      It is midway through a long modernisation, and some older galleries have closed. Outside, Thunderbird Park displays carved totem poles and a carving shed, next to Helmcken House, one of the oldest houses in the province.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Fish and chips

      Stands at Fisherman's Wharf and waterfront shacks along the Inner Harbour.

   4. Afternoon

      Craigdarroch Castle

      Four floors of Victorian rooms are filled with stained glass, carved woodwork and period furniture, and the tower gives views over the city to the Olympic Mountains.

   5. Late afternoon

      Beacon Hill Park

      A totem pole carved by Kwakwaka'wakw artist Mungo Martin, one of the tallest in the world, stands here, and the Mile 0 marker of the Trans-Canada Highway is at its southern edge on Dallas Road.

   6. Evening

      Rock Bay and Vic West

      Craft-brewery taprooms and waterfront brewpubs.

Before you go

• Fairmont Empress and afternoon tea: Afternoon tea is popular year-round; reserve days or weeks ahead, especially in summer and December.
• Butchart Gardens: Summer and December are busiest; buy tickets online ahead, and reserve dining or afternoon tea separately.
• Whale watching from the Inner Harbour: Book a day or two ahead in summer; many operators offer a free repeat trip if no whales are seen.

If it rains

• Swap in Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea (Sidney): Combine it with Butchart Gardens or a ferry arrival at Swartz Bay; it is a short, easy visit for young children.

Where to stay for this itinerary

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 12–17 hours of visiting over 2 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 8.3 hours in December to 16.1 hours in June, so in winter start early and keep museums for the afternoon.

Getting between stops: Walking. The Inner Harbour, downtown, Chinatown, Beacon Hill Park and the Dallas Road waterfront are all within about 25 minutes' walk of each other.

More or fewer days

• One day in Victoria
• 3 days in Victoria

Questions travellers ask