Sight guide · Victoria · Canada
Visiting Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse
About 12 km west of downtown, Parks Canada protects a coastal artillery fort that guarded Esquimalt Harbour from the 1890s, with underground magazines and gun batteries.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: SamGusway, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse is a historic site in Colwood, Victoria. Allow 2 hours; it is low cost. Booking ahead is not usually needed.
Key facts
- Type
- Historic site
- Area
- Colwood
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Book ahead
- Not usually needed
- Good for
- history, kids, views and outdoors
- Best months
- July–September
About Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse
About 12 km west of downtown, Parks Canada protects a coastal artillery fort that guarded Esquimalt Harbour from the 1890s, with underground magazines and gun batteries. A causeway leads to Fisgard Lighthouse, built in 1860 as the first permanent lighthouse on Canada's west coast.
Tip: Bring a picnic; the grassy grounds and views of the Olympic Mountains suit a long afternoon.
Plan your visit
- Time needed: 2 hours.
- Cost: Low cost.
- Book ahead: not usually needed; buy on arrival.
- Where: Colwood.
Best time to visit Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse is outdoors, so weather matters most. The driest, most comfortable months are:
- July: 22°C (72°F) highs, about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds.
- August: 22°C (72°F) highs, about 4 rainy days, very busy crowds.
- September: 19°C (66°F) highs, about 6 rainy days, busy crowds.
For the view at golden hour: in mid-July the sun sets at about 21:11 local time (calculated for Victoria).
When to visit Victoria has the full month-by-month picture.
Fit it into your trip
Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse is not on our short itineraries, so plan it as an extra once you have seen BC Parliament Buildings and Fairmont Empress and afternoon tea.
- No. 12 of the 18 sights in our Victoria things-to-do list.
- One of the picks in outdoors in Victoria.
- One of the picks in historic sites in Victoria.
- A family favourite in Victoria with kids.
Near Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse
Also in Colwood, so you can walk between them:
- Hatley Castle and Gardens — 1.5–2 hours, low cost
If you like Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse
- Victoria Harbour Ferry — Inner Harbour and James Bay, 15–45 minutes
- Royal BC Museum and Thunderbird Park — Inner Harbour and James Bay, 2–3 hours
- Craigdarroch Castle — Rockland, 1–1.5 hours
- Beacon Hill Park — Inner Harbour and James Bay, 1–2 hours
Staying near Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse
Where to stay in Victoria compares every area by price and who it suits.
Questions travellers ask
+How long do you need at Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse?
Plan 2 hours. With Hatley Castle and Gardens nearby, it fits a half-day in Colwood.
+Is Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse free?
No, it is low cost. Tickets are usually available on the day.
+When is the best time to visit Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse?
July–September for the most comfortable weather. Bring a picnic; the grassy grounds and views of the Olympic Mountains suit a long afternoon.
+Do I need to book Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse in advance?
Usually not: you can decide on the day.
+Is Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse good for kids?
Yes, it is one of our family picks in Victoria. Victoria is a gentle, easy city for families: short walking distances, a children's farm with a goat stampede, whale watching, a harbour full of boats and seaplanes, and beaches and tide pools nearby.