Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, off Canada's Pacific coast, Victoria is a city protected by mountains with the mildest climate in the whole of Canada due to the warm North Pacific current. The entire year, the parks and the gardens are decorated with beautiful flowers and marvelous foliage. The capital city of British Columbia is surprisingly quiet, skyscraper-free and largely residential and administrative. A particular beautiful place is the downtown area, positioned around the Inner Harbor, which still maintains the Victorian heritage buildings and atmosphere. If this city is your destination, make sure you see these 8 top attractions not to be missed while visiting Victoria.
#1. Royal British Columbia Museum
British Columbia’s provincial museum is located at equal distance from the Parliament Buildings and the Fairmont Empress Hotel. The general opinion is that it's definitely the greatest museum of natural and cultural history in Canada, showcasing a lot of three-dimensional displays that enchant all your senses. Experience walking through a rainforest, admiring animals on West Coast beaches and in marshlands, analyzing aboriginal ceremonial masks and poles, wonder around through a big house and learning about the predominant Aboriginal population in Canada and their efforts after the European settlement. There's also an interactive HMS Discovery replica, the ship that brought Captain Vancouver to this location and also a street full of shops in Old Town.
#2. Butchart Gardens
In 1904, there was once a woman, Jennie Butchart, wife of a wealthy quarry owner, who decided to have a fragrant garden in an abandoned limestone facility. The mild weather helped the garden flourish leading nowadays to a 20-hectare horticultural tour de force unseen anywhere else in Canada. The most appreciated are the Italian and the Japanese gardens, the rose garden, and the sunken one. The setting composed of open spaces amid the pools, fountains and many exotic plants is perfect for organizing artistic and musical performances.
#3. Craigdarroch Castle
Craigdarroch Castle is considered to be a dreamlike mansion, influenced by the Victorian architecture. Robert Dunsmuir, an immigrant Scottish entrepreneur who got rich by coal mining, wanted to have this house built for his wife in the 1880s. But he didn't end up seeing his desire become a reality because he died before his mansion was completed. The house is situated in a prosperous area of Victoria. The elegant Rockland is renowned for its Rockland Avenue, a location packed with grand heritage homes including the Government House which is the official domicile of the Queen's representative in British Columbia. The house is not open to the public, but one can admire its magnificent gardens.
#4. Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site
The gun batteries stationed at Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site, almost 13 kilometers west of Victoria, were meant to watch over Esquimalt Harbour, which used to be a British naval base. The guns were operational from 1895 until 1956. The fortress is nowadays a public attraction. Nearby, the Fisgard Lighthouse, which was the first of its kind on the west coast of Canada, is considered a local monument.
#5. Maritime Museum Of British Columbia
The former Court House (1869) located in Bastion Square is now functioning as the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, which has on display lots of objects from the age of sail (1571–1862). A highlight of the museum is the “Tilikum”, a great Indian canoe used by some brave people to voyage to England at the beginning of the century. The Museum also honors the memory of the legendary Richard Matthew Begbie, whose manner of managing the justice department at the end of the 19th century led to him being named “the Hanging Judge."
#6. Hatley Park National Historic Site
The former British Columbia Premier and coal baron, James Dunsmuir, built in 1908 a castle which alongside an Edwardian estate with Japanese, Italian and rose gardens forms Hatley Park National Historic Site. Based on their preferences, visitors can take a walk through the gardens or visit the castle (now the base of Royal Roads University) accompanied by a guide.
#7. Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Another amazing place is Victoria Butterfly Gardens, a location situated near Butchart Gardens. Here you will find indoor tropical gardens created to give shelter to 75 species of exotic butterflies and moths, alongside birds, fish, and reptiles. The original landscape includes waterfalls, trees, and flowers.
#8. Victoria Bug Zoo
Victoria Bug Zoo is the place to be if you like admiring insects and spiders. Here you can find a variety of bugs originating from all over the globe, most of which the visitors can hold, with few exceptions. This attraction is situated near Victoria’s Inner Harbour. If you've decided it's worth coming to Victoria, then you should benefit from the best possible ground transportation. If you are just visiting the city, we can give you a ride in style to the most interesting places such as the Butchart Gardens, The Royal British Columbia Museum or Craigdarroch Castle.
Griffin Transportation prides itself on providing the best Victoria Airport shuttle service that will not only meet but even exceed your needs. No matter if you're traveling to or from Victoria for business or recreation, the only way for you to relax on the route to or from the airport is by booking a limousine service. This way you will be relieved of the stress caused by the traffic and parking space problems. All you'll have to do is sit back, relax and enjoy the ride. Our fleet only consists of modern Sedans, executive vans, SUV’s, limousines or luxury buses designed to meet even the most challenging demands.
Contact Griffin Transportation today if you want the best Victoria airport shuttle service.
