Floatplanes lift off from Victoria’s Inner Harbour within sight of the Parliament Buildings, while flower baskets line the waterfront below the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Beyond the harbor, the city opens into quite a mix: the 55 acres of Butchart Gardens, Victorian-era architecture, coastal waters frequented by marine life and a food and drink scene shaped by Vancouver Island. 

There’s plenty to fill a day ashore without trying to see everything at once. This guide to the best things to do in Victoria, BC covers the experiences worth knowing about, including ways to see them through Princess Cruises, the #1 Alaska Cruise Line.

Key takeaways

Some of the best things to do in Victoria, BC include Victoria's Inner Harbour, Parliament Buildings and the Fairmont Empress Hotel, which all sit within easy walking distance of the pier.

Butchart Gardens is Victoria's single most-visited attraction and pairs naturally with the Victoria Butterfly Gardens or a formal afternoon tea.

Whale watching tours depart directly from the harbor, making it one of the most convenient wildlife excursions on a Victoria port day.

Victoria's waterfront and historic landmarks

The Inner Harbour brings several of Victoria’s best-known landmarks together along one stretch of waterfront.

The Inner Harbour on foot

The seawall puts you alongside a working harbor, where floatplanes taxi across the water between takeoffs and pleasure craft move between the docks. Flower baskets and landscaped beds add color along the route, while street performers and harbor activity change the scene from block to block.

A Guided Walk into Victoria follows the seawall past the Royal BC Museum, Parliament Buildings and Fairmont Empress Hotel. For a different perspective, Victoria by Horse-Drawn Trolley covers the city at a more leisurely pace.

Parliament Buildings and the Empress Hotel

Completed in 1897 during Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee year, British Columbia’s Parliament Buildings are especially distinctive after sunset, when roughly 3,000 lights outline the façade and rooflines.

Across the harbor, the Fairmont Empress Hotel is recognized as a National Historic Site. Its public spaces give visitors a closer look at the historic hotel even without an overnight stay, from the grand lobby to the rooms associated with its longstanding afternoon tea tradition.

Butchart Gardens and Victoria's green spaces

Butchart Gardens grew from a former limestone quarry into a 55-acre collection of gardens, where the plantings, colors and experience change depending on when you visit within the cruise season.

Overlook of the Sunken Garden at Butchart Gardens near Victoria, showing winding stone paths through vibrant flower beds, manicured lawns and tall evergreen trees against forested hills.
Wander through a rainbow of blooms at Butchart Gardens.

Touring the gardens

The Sunken Garden fills the former quarry with layered flower beds, lawns and trees, while paths continue into the Japanese, Rose and Italian gardens. Streams, ponds and seasonal plantings connect the different spaces, with summer bringing roses into bloom and autumn changing the foliage across the grounds. About 90 minutes gives guests time to explore the main gardens at a comfortable pace, and the Rose Carousel is available for an additional fare.

The Best of Victoria: Butchart & Butterfly Gardens excursion includes about 1.5 hours of self-guided time at Butchart before continuing to the Butterfly Gardens. English Tea at Butchart Gardens adds formal tea seating for guests who want to pair the gardens with one of Victoria’s best-known traditions.

Victoria Butterfly Gardens

Inside a 12,000-square-foot tropical enclosure, roughly 30 species of butterflies fly freely among tropical plants, ponds and pathways. Guests walk through the habitat rather than viewing the butterflies from outside an exhibit, giving you an up-close-and-personal experience.

Beacon Hill Park

Closer to downtown, Beacon Hill Park trades formal flower beds for Garry oak groves, open lawns and coastal views. You won’t forget the plumed feathers of the peacocks roaming freely when you pass through the park on a city tour.

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Whale watching and Victoria's coastal wildlife

Beyond Victoria’s harbor, guests can board a boat and watch the water for the first signs of marine life. It’s often moments like a whale’s blow above the surface or sea lions gathered along a rocky shoreline. Onboard guides also help spot wildlife and identify what guests are seeing as the route unfolds.

Depending on the day, sightings may include orcas, whales, harbor seals, sea lions and porpoises. No particular species is guaranteed, so the experience is as much about the anticipation while watching the water and coastline as it is about checking a specific animal off a list.

Princess®’ Ocean Wildlife & Whales Exploration Cruise takes guests out from Victoria for a closer look at the marine life found around southern Vancouver Island.

An orca spyhopping above calm water with another orca's dorsal fin nearby, backed by a forested shoreline shrouded in mist.
Spot orcas breaching the misty waters near Victoria.

Craigdarroch Castle and Victoria's heritage architecture

Built between 1887 and 1890, Craigdarroch Castle preserves a very different side of Victoria from the waterfront. The Victorian-era mansion is filled with period furnishings, decorative woodwork and stained glass for guests to admire. 

Craigdarroch Castle

Inside, the rooms retain much of the detail that made the house a statement of late-19th-century wealth. Carved woodwork frames the staircases and doorways; stained-glass windows cast color across the interiors; and period antiques and furnishings fill the rooms. The Craigdarroch Castle, Mt. Tolmie & City Highlights excursion pairs the mansion with a stop atop Mount Tolmie for a view across Victoria.

Christ Church Cathedral and heritage churches

Victoria’s British colonial history is also visible in its churches, including Christ Church Cathedral. Inside, one of the standout details is the gallery organ, an instrument with approximately 4,000 pipes. Victoria’s Heritage & Holy Places excursion includes private access to the cathedral and its organ, where you can explore independently with no rush.

Craigdarroch Castle's gray stone exterior, with turrets, a red conical roof and a wraparound porch, framed by a blooming pink cherry blossom tree under a clear blue sky.
Cherry blossoms frame Craigdarroch Castle's turreted stone facade.

Royal BC Museum and Victoria's cultural scene

The route to the Royal BC Museum can cover considerably more of Victoria than the museum alone. The Victoria Highlights & the Royal BC Museum excursion passes Mile Zero before continuing through Beacon Hill Park and Oak Bay Village, then climbs Mount Tolmie for a photo stop overlooking the city. The drive also passes the Netherlands Centennial Carillon and Thunderbird Park before arriving at the museum.

Inside, guests have about 90 minutes to explore on their own, with natural history displays among the exhibits to choose from. Rather than following a group through each gallery, guests can spend that time according to their own interests.

The return route passes the Inner Harbour, Fairmont Empress Hotel and Parliament Buildings. Guests may also have the option to remain downtown or extend their museum visit, with the ship approximately a 25-minute walk away. Some scenic routes pass Victoria’s Chinatown, one of the oldest in North America, though it isn’t a guaranteed stop on every excursion.

A giant sleeping sculpture depicting an enormous face and hand emerging from the ground, covered in moss and surrounded by trees in Beacon Hill Park.
Discover the whimsical sleeping giant hidden in Beacon Hill Park.

Victoria's craft food and drink scene

Vancouver Island ingredients show up in Victoria’s glasses as well as on its plates. Local wineries work with island-grown grapes and fruit; cideries draw on nearby orchards; and distillers turn regional ingredients into small-batch spirits. Guests who don’t drink alcohol can also find locally made juices, sodas and other non-alcoholic options.

The Vancouver Island Wineries & Cider Farm excursion heads beyond downtown for tastings at local producers, while the Craft Brewery & Distillery Experience focuses on beer and spirits. For guests more interested in what’s on the plate, the Taste of Victoria Culinary Walking Tour explores the city through a series of food stops on foot, where you can get a taste of the best restaurants in Victoria.

Rows of trellised grapevines with lush green leaves growing on a sloped vineyard, bordered by a mowed grass lawn.
Sample world-class vintages at a Victoria winery.

Planning your day ashore in Victoria

A Victoria port day can look very different depending on whether you stay near the Inner Harbour or head farther out to places such as Butchart Gardens. Downtown is walkable for guests who want to explore independently before or after an excursion, while attractions outside the city require more travel time.

How much time you need

A shorter excursion works well for one main experience, such as a city tour or waterfront activity. With a longer half-day outing, guests can comfortably combine two complementary experiences, such as Butchart Gardens and Victoria Butterfly Gardens, without trying to fit too many stops into a single visit. Check the duration of individual Victoria excursions against your ship’s time in port when deciding what fits.

When to visit

Princess’ Alaska cruise season runs from May through September, so Victoria visits span several stages of the garden season. This is when whale sightings are at their highest, too. Ultimately, the best time to visit Victoria depends on what you want to prioritize. Late spring brings its own blooms, roses take over more of Butchart Gardens in summer and autumn introduces changing foliage. Peak summer also brings the largest crowds, so you may want to plan your trip accordingly if Butchart Gardens is high on your list.

Making the most of your time ashore

As you plan your day, here are some factors to consider, whether you are figuring out exact timing for your visit or have an extra hour or so to fill:

  • Use the walk into downtown as part of the day. Ogden Point is roughly 1.5 miles from the Inner Harbour, with a waterfront route that can take guests toward Fisherman’s Wharf and the city center.
  • Stop at Fisherman’s Wharf along the way. Its floating homes and casual seafood spots make it an easy addition without committing to another major attraction.
  • Save Government Street for flexible time. Downtown shops, cafés and local retailers are easy to browse when you have an hour or less before returning to the ship.
  • Keep the distance back to Ogden Point in mind. Downtown isn’t directly beside the cruise terminal, so leave enough time for the roughly 25- to 30-minute walk back.

Alaska may be the headline, but Victoria deserves more than a footnote. Set at the southern edge of Vancouver Island, the British Columbia capital has a culture shaped by the sea, centuries of history and a strong connection to the landscapes surrounding it. Princess Cruises®, the #1 Alaska Cruise Line, includes cruises to Victoria on itineraries that let guests experience another side of the Pacific Northwest along the way.

Explore Princess Alaska cruises and make Victoria part of the story.

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