Victoria, BC: Gardens, Harbor Views, and Historic Charm

Posted on July 14, 2024November 6, 2025 by jim

Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, and the last stop on our Vancouver Island tour.
This is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest, with the British settling it in 1843.
You can definitely feel the British influence from the Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel next door.
Colette found us a great historic hotel in the James Bay area, complete with slanted floor and creaky stairs. The proprietor told us that the slanted floors help him to sell alcoholic beverages at the bar because it levels everything out…
Often referred to as "The Garden City", we can see the reference with the amazing amount of flowers everywhere.
When the cruise ship crowds descend, the harbour (proper British spelling) turns into the usual congested tourist area, complete with horse-drawn wagons, music festivals, and food options galore.
Over half a million daytime visitors arrive on cruise ships, and 3.5 million overnight visitors. Don’t expect to find any small-town charm here!
We thoroughly enjoyed our two days here, and firmly believe that two days is enough to hit all of the necessary highlights.
Plenty of photos to be made strolling through and around the multiple marinas in the harbour, quirky signage, highrises, and colorful splashes to catch the eye.
If you’re not doing a full Vancouver Island tour, the hot ticket would be to hop a seaplane from Vancouver on Harbour Air, or the 45 minute seaplane from Lake Union or Lake Washington. Spend a day or a night, then hop right back. We watched flights buzz in and out all day long, and we would certainly do a Victoria trip in the future from Seattle.