Summer in Victoria
Explore the page below to find things to do in Victoria!
The coastal city of Victoria boasts the mildest climate in Canada, with low humidity, and ocean breezes that keep temperatures moderate, which makes it perfect for exploring the natural beauty of the region.
Festivals & Events
Artists on the Causeway
May 1 through September 2024
The Inner Harbour is the heart, and front porch, of Victoria. Located along the lower causeway, Artists on the Causeway features a wide array of street performers, musicians, food vendors, artisans and First Nations artists. Running from May to September each year, visitors and locals alike have the opportunity to view, engage and participate in the fun.
Moss St Farmers Market
May 4 – October 26, 2024
Saturdays from 10:00am – 2:00pm
Victoria’s premier farmers market with over 30 local, organic farmers and another 100+ crafters, artisans, bakers, and food and drink vendors. All locally made, there’s something for everyone at the market. Every Saturday, 10am to 2pm.
James Bay Market
May 4 – October 5, 2024
Saturdays from 9:00am – 3:00pm
Shop from over 50 local vendors, selling fresh local fruits, vegetables and farm produce along with baked goods, locally brewed beverages, prepared foods and preserves. Crafters offer you a large selection of art, woodworking, clothing, body care products, jewelry and more!
Bastion Square Market
May through October 2024
Thursdays through Sundays from 11:00am – 5:00pm
Craft and artisan market located in historic Bastion Square in Downtown Victoria.
Music by the Sea
July 25 – 27 starting at 8:00pm
Victoria International Marina
Enjoy live music from a variety of different artists at the Victoria International Marina every night at 8:00pm, July 25-27. Tickets start at $108.
Beachland Eats & Beats Beach Party
July 27 1:00pm – 8:00pm
The Beachlands 3483 Metchosin Road, Colwood
Enjoy live music all day with an international food truck festival, beachside beverage service with Victoria Beer Society and all kinds of fun by the ocean! We’re celebrating summer with FREE fun in the sun, sand, and sea.
Phillips Backyard Music Festival 2024
Reverb Weekend – August 9-11
One of Victoria’s favourite summer music festivals, Phillips Backyard takes place over 2 weekends in July and August.
Canada Dry Victoria Dragon Boat Festival
August 9-10, 2024
Enjoy entertainment, cultural activities, family events, special ceremonies, and of course dragon boat racing in the Inner Harbour.
Victoria Fringe Festival
August 21 – September 1, 2024
Victoria Fringe Theatre Festival takes over downtown Victoria BC each summer for a celebration of live performance from around the world, featuring an eclectic mixture of spoken word, drama, musicals, dance, comedy, magic, theatre for young audiences and more at venues across the city.
Harbour Blues N Roots Festival
August 23 – August 25, 2024
The BC Smoke Shop Harbour Blues ‘n Roots Festival features local, international, and regional blues and R&B artists/groups in both free to the public and ticketed performances on the beautiful outdoor stage in Victoria’s Inner Harbour, Ship Point Picnic Site.
Saanich Fair
August 31 – September 2 2024
Known as Western Canada’s oldest continuous agricultural fair, the Saanich Fair offers midway rides, interactive kid zone food, entertainment and live performances!
Great Canadian Beer Festival
September 6, 2024 from 4pm – 9pm
September 7, 2024 from 12pm – 5pm
Topaz Park
Featuring 90+ Canadian craft breweries from coast to coast, the 30th annual edition of Canada’s oldest beer festival returns this September. GCBF showcases breweries from every region of Canada, including the Maritimes, Québec, Ontario, Western Canada and the Yukon. Visit the Premium Tent for treats cooked up by Chef Brian Tesolin of The Courtney Room!
Rifflandia Festival
September 13 – 15, 2024
Rifflandia music festival features national, international, new and emerging artists, as well as local food and drink.
Victoria International Wine Festival
October 2 – 6, 2024
Victoria Conference Centre
Experience a global tasting voyage with over 400 wines from around the world. Aiming to increase guests’ wine knowledge while highlighting affordable wines, sommeliers will mingle with attendees throughout the festival grounds, assisting tasters by answering questions, making suggestions, and facilitating new finds.
Theatre
Located in the heart of downtown Victoria, the historic Royal Theatre and McPherson Playhouse have been connecting world class performing arts and entertainment with our community for over a century. Discover What’s On-stage
We are dedicated to producing contemporary plays, with an emphasis on Canadian work, and to promoting artistic, cultural, and educational events in the Greater Victoria Region. What’s On
The Langham Court Theatre Society (has been producing engaging and high quality theatre with dedicated actors and creative teams for more than 90 years! The theatre itself is a charming surprise tucked away in the residential Rockland neighbourhood, seats 175 people and offers a licensed lounge for intermission. What’s On
Art & Culture
Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
With over 20,000 objects, the AGGV collection represents significant works produced in this region and art that represents our histories. Since its founding, we have been assembling work from around the Pacific Rim and have established one of the finest collections of Asian art in the world.
The Royal BC Museum, founded in 1886, is one of Canada’s greatest cultural treasures, collecting artifacts, documents and specimens of BC’s natural and human history.
Current Exhibitions:
- Stonehenge, May 10, 2024 – January 5, 2025
- Wildlife Photographer of the Year, March 1, 2024 – June 1, 2024
- Old Town, New Approach – Always on
Upcoming Exhibitions:
- Canadian Modern, June 28, 2024 – February 16, 2025
Built by coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, this legendary Victorian mansion was built 1887-1890. The architecture showcases the Romanesque revival taking place at the time, and has been meticulously restored, giving visitors a glimpse of privileged life in the 1890s.
Gardens & Vistas
With 55 acres of gardens, 900 bedding plant varieties, there is always beauty at Butchart Gardens. The gardens are in full bloom in Summer and there is so much to take in, from the stunning beauty of the Sunken Garden, to the serenity of the Japanese Garden and the vibrant colours of the Rose Garden to the sunny Italian Garden.
Tucked behind a hornbeam hedge, discover Prince & Princess Abkhazi’s garden that love built. Gardens flow around dramatic glaciated rocky slopes, magnificent native Garry oaks and gorgeous vistas. Drive, or borrow our Norco Cruiser bicycles.
Located about 40 minutes north of Victoria, the Malahat SkyWalk is an accessible 600 m TreeWalk through a beautiful arbutus forest leading to a spectacular gentle spiral ramp that takes you up 32m to a sightseeing lookout offering views of Finlayson Arm, Saanich Peninsula, Mount Baker and the distant Coast Mountains.
Victoria’s Inner Harbour
Take a stroll along Victoria’s beautiful inner harbour, just steps away, to watch ships, boats and seaplanes and harbour seals coming and going. This working harbour is part of the traditional lands of the Songhees and Esquimalt Nations.
Just 5 blocks from the inner harbour, Beacon Hill Park is 740,000 square meters of parkland. This park boasts manicured gardens, meandering footpaths, ponds, a Garry Oak ecosystem, and open vistas across the Strait of Juan De Fuca.
Government House is the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor and the ceremonial home of all British Columbians. The grounds embrace 36 acres, including formal gardens and a rare Garry oak ecosystem.
Hatley Castle National Historic Park
Just 13km from downtown, you will find this fascinating Edwardian estate, with Japanese, Rose and Italian Gardens on 565 oceanfront acres with an amazing view of the majestic Olympic Mountains.
Shopping
Check at the front desk for a copy of our Beautiful Boutiques curated map.
Government Street
Take a walk down Government Street to view beautiful heritage buildings and quaint shops with handmade gifts. Peruse Munro’s Books, Rogers Chocolates, handcrafted jewellery, gift shops and designer boutiques. Stop for delicious snacks along the way.
Local boutiques, one-of-a-kind merchandise, dining, coffee & craft beer eatery all in a beautiful heritage square!
Lower Johnson Street has many independent boutiques and specialty shops, many with a fashion focus, situated amongst the colourful heritage buildings.
Canada’s oldest Chinatown is characterized by heritage buildings, beautiful Gate of Harmonious Interest, small shops and restaurants. Check out the little shops in Fan Tan Alley.
Peruse local artisans, farmers, butchers, bakers, cheese-makers and more! Dive into pasta or tacos, sip tea, or delight in a meat or fruit pie.
Bounty of the Harvest
For a true sense of place, taste! Engage all of your senses when you visit and taste at local farms, wineries, breweries, distilleries and more! See the front desk for our Saanich Flavour Trail or Cowichan Flavour Trail to explore the region at your own pace.
Breweries
Ask the front desk for our Craft Brewery Trail!
Inspiration through fermentation. See what some beer nerds can accomplish with creativity and a welding torch.
A tiny brewery with big ideas, we make small-batch, experimental beers with high quality ingredients in the heart of Downtown Victoria. Pick-up window, taproom, and patio are located on the courtyard level of historic Market Square.
French for “Wild Island” the name is a reference to the wilderness of Vancouver Island and our focus on Belgian-style wild ales and sour beers. We make use of Kveik, Lactobacillus, and Brettanomyces fermentation, as well as secondary fermentation with fruit.
Vancouver Island Brewery, Victoria
A craft brewery since 1984, we are committed to producing fun, authentic, sharable brews.
Cidery
Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse, Saanichton
An award-wining farm-based cidery focused on producing traditional artisan ciders from organically grown apples.
Merridale Cidery & Distillery, Cowichan Valley
Merridale makes farm-crafted Cider, Spirits, and Fortified Ciders. Visit their Tasting Bar, Eatery and retail shop.
Wineries
Symphony Vineyard, Saanich
Wines true to the region, 100% Saanich grown. Patio is open Fridays & Saturdays to enjoy a bottle of wine, though tastings are not yet available.
Averill Creek Vineyard, Cowichan Valley
Averill Creek is built into the side of Mt. Prevost, and our state-of-the-art facility incorporates three buildings structured together, allowing wine to flow down from one stage to the next without the need for pumps. This gravity flow method allows for gentle handling of delicate varietals – helping to retain their subtle characteristics.
Blue Grouse Winery, Cowichan Valley
Family-owned, sustainably-farmed Blue Grouse Estate Winery produces award winning wines. Reserve ahead for a tasting, they often have several experiences available!
Unsworth Vineyards, Cowichan Valley
Tradition meets artisanal wine-making in this family owned winery. Stop for a tasting or reserve for lunch or dinner in the restaurant.
Tours
Discover the Past Walking Tours
Best known for Ghostly Walks, Discover the Past also offers a range of fun and insightful History and Chinatown tours. John Adams, Victoria’s pre-eminent historian, leases a team of exceptional storytelling guides.
Magnolia’s Mobile Walking Tours
If you prefer to discover the city on your own, download one of our digital walking maps: Welcome to Victoria, Historical Victoria or Foodie Adventure.
Magnolia’s Curated Trails
Ask the Front Desk for one of our printed curated trails: Tapa Trail, Craft Brewery, Beautiful Boutiques for shopping, see the sights with Everything Victoria, discover Adventures, or check out Notable Dining. Explore a little further with our bikes and take one of our thee bike maps: Rockland & Cook St Village, Beacon Hill Park & James Bay or Bikes, Blooms & Brews. Runners can choose from a scenic 5.8km, 7.5km or 10.2km route.
Whale & Wildlife Tours
Kayak & SUP Tours & Rentals
The Pedaler offers a range of guided bike tours that showcase Victoria; its scenic views, its history, and its artisan food and drink.
Bike
Victoria is a cyclist’s dream, with many great places to ride. Bring your bike or borrow one of our bicycles and use one of our three curated bike maps to tour the city.
Hike
Hiking in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park
More than 25 kilometres of trails, varying in degree of difficulty, offer spectacular views, as well as the chance to view animals in their natural environment. In spring and early summer, the moss-covered rocky knolls come alive with a carpet of colourful, vibrant wildflowers.
188 hectares of forest and 21km of trails, take a leisurely stroll, explore the beach or hike to the summit.
Just 17 kilometers from downtown Victoria, Goldstream Provincial Park lies amid the splendour of an old-growth temperate rain forest. See massive trees, majestic waterfalls, a meandering river that meets the sea, and a world class salmon-spawning stream with thousands of Chum Salmon returning between October and December. Hike to the top of one of the highest points in Greater Victoria, Mt Finlayson. Another trail leads you to Niagara Falls, higher than its namesake – a truly exquisite discovery buried deep in Goldstream’s forests.
Golf
Boasting beautiful views of Washington State’s Olympic Mountains, Olympic View Golf Club is located just 20 minutes outside of downtown and is rated ‘Top 10 Best Public Golf Facility’ in British Columbia by ScoreGolf Magazine.
18 Championship Golf Course and 9 Hole Par 3 Ridge course with massive fairways, huge greens and a course for every level of player.