Victoria offers different ways to explore: parkland, Coast Salish culture, provincial politics and museum topics each have their own focus. This can help you decide what you’d like to explore in more depth during your stay. If you’re looking for a hotel in Victoria, you can start by considering which of these aspects of the destination will most influence your plans.
Beacon Hill Park: Nature and Flower Beds
Beacon Hill Park covers approximately 740,000 square metres of parkland. Natural areas and carefully maintained flower beds sit side by side, giving the park a varied landscape. The ecologically sensitive areas within the park are protected by municipal, provincial and federal law. If you’d like to discover Victoria’s green spaces and gardens, you’ll find both in this park; the protected status applies specifically to its sensitive areas.
Signs of Lekwungen: Coast Salish Art and Culture
Signs of Lekwungen is an interpretive trail along the Inner Harbour and through surrounding areas of Victoria. It honours the art, history and culture of the Coast Salish, who have lived in the Victoria area for centuries. The trail features seven unique bronze site markers. They are based on original cedar carvings and were designed and carved by Coast Salish artist Butch Dick. The trail thus combines its cultural purpose with a distinctive artistic design. For travellers who want to learn about Victoria through Coast Salish culture and history, it offers a focus of its own.
The Parliament Buildings of British Columbia
The Parliament Buildings of British Columbia are home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) meet there to debate and pass provincial laws. Free guided tours of the buildings are offered and last approximately 40 minutes. This approximate duration can help you plan your day. Check the current schedule and tour arrangements in advance, as schedules and operations may change.
Exhibitions at the Royal BC Museum
The galleries at the Royal BC Museum tell the stories of the people, plants and animals native to British Columbia. Two exhibitions offer a more specific focus: Old Town, New Approach recreates a British Columbia town around the turn of the 20th century. Our Living Languages presents the history and beauty of languages in British Columbia whose transmission has been interrupted. You can choose according to your interests: a historical town recreation or language history, alongside the galleries’ broader perspective on the province.
Chinatown and the City’s History
Victoria’s Chinatown offers another historical perspective: it was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1995 and is located in Downtown Victoria. This formally designated site offers a different way to explore the city’s history from the Royal BC Museum’s exhibitions, which cover themes including recreation and language. You can compare a historic neighbourhood with a museum visit organised around specific themes.
Songhees Park in the Active Transportation Network
A City description dated July 25, 2022, identifies Songhees Park as a connection point in Victoria’s active transportation network. The connections there include the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, the E&N Rail Trail, the Songhees Walkway and the Johnson Street Bridge. These named routes provide specific reference points if you’re exploring the active transportation network. As infrastructure can change, check the current connections if they’re important to your route planning.
Discover more destinations: Sidney, Salt Spring Island, Langford, Mayne, Saturna, Saanichton, Colwood, Port Renfrew.
For the broader travel overview: Capital Regional District.
