Month guide · Victoria · Canada
Victoria in May
What May is really like in Victoria: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Michal Klajban, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
May is one of the best months to visit Victoria. Expect average highs of 17°C (63°F), lows of 7°C (45°F), about 10 rainy days and roughly 15.2 hours of daylight. Pleasant, increasingly dry and green; the city celebrates its namesake queen on the long weekend.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 17°C (63°F) / 7°C (45°F)
- Rainy days
- About 10
- Daylight
- About 15.2 hours
- Sea temperature
- 10°C (50°F)
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in May
May is the 5th-warmest month in Victoria: days average 17°C (63°F) against a yearly average high of 14°C (57°F), and nights fall to about 7°C (45°F). Rain falls on roughly 10 of its 31 days. Compared with April (13°C (55°F)), May is warmer; by June highs climb to around 20°C (68°F).
- Sunrise (15 May)
- About 05:33
- Sunset (15 May)
- About 20:46
- Daylight
- About 15.2 hours
- Sea
- 10°C (50°F)
Spring (March–May). Canada's earliest blossoms, bulbs at Butchart and the start of whale-watching season, with mild temperatures and regular showers.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, May rates 3 for crowds (the peak is July at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in July). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in May
- Victoria Day Parade (Victoria Day weekend, late May)
- Swiftsure International Yacht Race (usually late May)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in May
With frequent rain, plan around indoor sights and keep outdoor time flexible.
Aquarium · Sidney
Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
Combine it with Butchart Gardens or a ferry arrival at Swartz Bay; it is a short, easy visit for young children.
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Architecture · Inner Harbour and James Bay
BC Parliament Buildings
Designed by Francis Rattenbury and completed in 1897, the legislature's granite façade and copper dome topped with a gilded statue of Captain George Vancouver dominate the harbour.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Architecture
- Free
- After dark
- History
Landmark · Inner Harbour and James Bay
Fairmont Empress and afternoon tea
Even without tea, walk through the lobby and the rose garden at the side of the hotel.
- Time needed
- 2 hours for tea
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Couples
- Food
- Architecture
Garden · Brentwood Bay
Butchart Gardens
From 1904, Jennie Butchart began turning her husband's exhausted limestone quarry into the Sunken Garden, now the centrepiece of 22 hectares of themed gardens including a Rose Garden, Japanese Garden and Italian Garden, all on the Saanich Inlet about 21 km north of downtown.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
What to pack
For highs near 17°C, lows near 7°C and 10 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is May a good time to visit Victoria?
One of the best months to visit Victoria, with 2 notable events on the calendar. The other best months are June–September. Compare every month.
Victoria in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is May a good time to visit Victoria?
It is one of the best months to visit Victoria. Pleasant, increasingly dry and green; the city celebrates its namesake queen on the long weekend.
+How warm is Victoria in May?
Average highs are around 17°C (63°F) and lows around 7°C (45°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Victoria in May?
Expect rain on about 10 days of the month.