For couples · Victoria · Canada
Romantic things to do in Victoria
Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: w4nn3s, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Victoria is one of Canada's most romantic small cities: harbour sunsets, afternoon tea, garden walks and castles within a short drive. Couples tend to stay in Inner Harbour and James Bay.
Key facts
- Romantic ideas
- 5
- Couple-friendly sights
- 5
- Area for couples
- Inner Harbour and James Bay
- Best months
- May
Romantic ideas
1.Afternoon tea at the Empress
A long, elegant tea overlooking the Inner Harbour.
2.Butchart Gardens at dusk
In summer, stay for the evening illuminations and the Saturday fireworks.
3.Breakwater sunset
Walk out along the Ogden Point Breakwater as the Olympic Mountains turn pink.
4.Floatplane flight
Fly between Victoria's and Vancouver's harbours, or take a short scenic flight over the islands.
5.Harbour after dark
Stroll the causeway when the Parliament Buildings are outlined in lights.
Sights couples love
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
Arrive at opening or in the last two hours before closing to see the Sunken Garden without the tour-bus crowds.
- Time needed
- 2–4 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Nature
- Couples
- Photo spot
- Outdoors
Waterfront · Inner Harbour and James Bay
Dallas Road waterfront and Ogden Point Breakwater
Walk the breakwater at sunset, then continue east along the cliffs to the Mile 0 marker.
- Time needed
- 1–2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Views
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Photo spot
Castle · Colwood
Hatley Castle and Gardens
Walk the old-growth forest trails on the estate after the gardens.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Architecture
- History
- Nature
- Couples
Garden · Cook Street Village and Fairfield
Abkhazi Garden
Visit in April or May, when the rhododendrons and azaleas flower against the rock.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Nature
- Couples
- Off the beaten path
- Photo spot
Where couples should stay
$$$$ · Best for first-timers, couples, families and luxury
Inner Harbour and James Bay
The Inner Harbour is Victoria's postcard: the Parliament Buildings, the Fairmont Empress, the Royal BC Museum and the causeway where street performers gather in summer. Behind it, James Bay is a quiet residential area of Victorian and Edwardian houses running down to Fisherman's Wharf, Beacon Hill Park and the Dallas Road waterfront.
- Good
- Walk to almost every central sight; Harbour views; Quiet at night
- Watch out
- Most expensive hotels in the city; Cruise-ship days make the harbour busy
- Nearby
- BC Parliament Buildings, Fairmont Empress, Royal BC Museum, Fisherman's Wharf, Beacon Hill Park
Romantic day trips
- Cowichan Valley and Duncan (About 50 minutes by car) — North over the Malahat, the Cowichan Valley's mild climate supports wineries, cideries and farm stands.
- Sooke and East Sooke Park (About 45 minutes by car) — East Sooke Regional Park has rugged coastal trails over rocky headlands, with petroglyphs at Alldridge Point and views of the Olympic Mountains.
- Juan de Fuca coast and Botanical Beach (About 2 hours by car) — Highway 14 follows the wild Pacific coast past China Beach and Mystic Beach to Port Renfrew, where Botanical Beach's sandstone shelf is full of tide pools with anemones, urchins and sea stars at low tide.
- Salt Spring Island (About 1.5 hours including the ferry) — The largest of the Southern Gulf Islands is known for its artists' studios, cheese makers and farms.
For dinner
Share local specialities such as Afternoon tea, BC spot prawns and Dungeness crab. Ask for 'Ocean Wise' or sustainable seafood choices; many restaurants mark them on menus.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Victoria romantic?
Victoria is one of Canada's most romantic small cities: harbour sunsets, afternoon tea, garden walks and castles within a short drive.
+What is the most romantic thing to do in Victoria?
Afternoon tea at the Empress: A long, elegant tea overlooking the Inner Harbour.
+Where should couples stay in Victoria?
Inner Harbour and James Bay: Parliament, the Empress and seaplanes on the harbour, with heritage houses behind.