Start from 78 curated places around Victoria, CA, then choose the recommendations that fit your guests.
Restaurants & cafés
Brasserie L'Ecole
A Chinatown bistro in a former Chinese schoolhouse, serving country-French cooking with Vancouver Island ingredients. The steak frites, moules, and Belgian beer list have made it Victoria's longest-running serious French dinner.
OLO Restaurant
The Chinatown room from the team behind the much-loved Ulla, serving refined West Coast cooking that leans on Vancouver Island farms and waters. It is one of Victoria's standout serious dinners.
Trails & outdoors
Mount Douglas Park
A Saanich coastal mountain (PKOLS) with a network of forest trails and a summit road that opens to vehicles after noon. The summit offers a 360-degree view across Victoria, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Olympic Mountains.
Mount Tolmie Park
A small Saanich hill near the University of Victoria with a short climb and a 360-degree view across the city, the strait, and Mount Baker on clear days. It is the local sunset spot.
Things to do
Royal Theatre
A restored 1913 Broughton Street theatre that hosts the Victoria Symphony, Pacific Opera Victoria, touring Broadway, and major concerts. The classic Edwardian house and the year-round program make it the city's primary stage.
McPherson Playhouse
A 1914 Centennial Square theatre run with the Royal, hosting touring shows, Belfry overflows, and the Victoria Conservatory of Music. The smaller scale and the heritage interior make it a more intimate alternative to the Royal.
Landmarks & sights
British Columbia Parliament Buildings
The neo-baroque seat of BC's legislature on the south side of Inner Harbour, lit by thousands of bulbs after dark. Free guided tours run on weekdays and the public can sit in on Question Period when the House is sitting.
Inner Harbour
The working waterfront where seaplanes land, ferries dock, and the Empress and Parliament face each other across the basin. The Causeway promenade is the city's front porch and the best evening walk in Victoria.