Visiting Craigdarroch Castle

About Craigdarroch Castle

Coal magnate Robert Dunsmuir built this Scottish baronial mansion in the late 1880s and died before it was finished. 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.

Tip: Climb the narrow stairs to the tower top; the view south across the strait to the Olympic Mountains is the reward.

Plan your visit

• Time needed: 1–1.5 hours.
• Cost: Mid-priced.
• Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
• Where: Rockland, bohemian village square with a theatre, cafés and painted heritage houses.

Best time to visit Craigdarroch Castle

Craigdarroch Castle is indoors, which makes it a good plan for the wettest months:

• January: 7°C (45°F) highs, about 18 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
• November: 9°C (48°F) highs, about 18 rainy days, very quiet crowds.
• December: 7°C (45°F) highs, about 18 rainy days, quiet crowds.

For the view at golden hour: in mid-January the sun sets at about 16:45 local time (calculated for Victoria).

When to visit Victoria has the full month-by-month picture.

Fit it into your trip

Our 3-day Victoria itinerary visits Craigdarroch Castle on day 3, together with Beacon Hill Park and Chinatown and Fan Tan Alley.

• No. 7 of the 18 sights in our Victoria things-to-do list.
• Day 2 of the 2-day plan.
• One of the picks in historic sites in Victoria.

If you like Craigdarroch Castle

• BC Parliament Buildings — Inner Harbour and James Bay, 1 hour
• Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park — Inner Harbour and James Bay, 2–3 hours
• Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse — Colwood, 2 hours
• Hatley Castle and Gardens — Colwood, 1.5–2 hours

Staying near Craigdarroch Castle

Stay in Fernwood ($$) to walk here: bohemian village square with a theatre, cafés and painted heritage houses. All areas to stay in Victoria.

Questions travellers ask