ATTRACTIONS IN THE VICTORIA AREA
Victoria, British Columbia has many exciting options for visiting world-class museums, galleries and attractions or, for the active souls, golf,
beach rambles, cycling and hiking. Countless attractions are located within 30 minutes of Downtown Victoria and wonderful opportunities abound for easy day trips. We encourage our guests to plan at least two or three days for exploring our beautiful part of Vancouver Island. Take time for yourself and enjoy our majestic coastal home!World-famous Butchart Gardens is located 30 minutes north of the Inner Harbour, midway between Downtown Victoria and the ferry terminal at Swartz Bay. Spend
three or more hours here easily! This is one of our favorite places to go for afternoon tea or for a dinner in an exceptional setting. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is refined and relaxed, and the prices are reasonable. Plan a summer Saturday night (approx. July 1 - September 4th) as an explosive fireworks adventure fills the sky, covering the gardens and the sea in the background. This is definitely one of Victoria's jewels.Other gardens well worth visiting include: Horticultural Centre of the Pacific, Government House, the Abkhazi Gardens, Finnerty Gardens at the University of Victoria, Robin Hopper's Pottery Studio, and Royal Roads University Hatley Park Gardens, which is on the former Dunsmuir family estate.
Whales stir the creative spirit of both young and old. These intelligent creatures share our waters in great numbers, and it is a special treat to be able to see them in their element, up close and personal! A three-hour excursion to visit the whales is the highlight of many people's visit to Victoria. Many tour operators work out of the Inner Harbour, Oak Bay, Sidney and Sooke. Have a look at Eagle Wing Tours and their amazing Scarab design speedboats. We recommend these operators highly.
Fishing guides are available for both ocean and fresh water fishing adventures. We recommend Island Outfitters. Tours with Island Outfitters are available for fly fishing in the scenic Cowichan River, where salmon, trout and the feisty steelhead are in plentiful supply, especially from March through May. The Cowichan River is renowned for its exceptional angling opportunities year-round. Expert guides, drift boats and professional equipment, are all provided to make your fishing dream a reality.
Victoria and the entire region of Southern Vancouver Island are well established as a bike friendly area. A safe, extensive network of trails and city bike lanes, detailed maps and other resources as well as organized, guided bike tours, for those wanting that extra level of comfort, give visitors great opportunities for touring the area by bike.
Coastal Watersports will deliver excellent quality mountain bikes right to Dashwood Manor for your convenience! A bike lock and helmet are included with your rental. Cycle BC also has rentals in a convenient downtown location. Have a look at Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition or Cycling Vancouver Island for more biking information.
Get out on the water and get close to our unique coastal environment. Rent a kayak or reserve for a guided kayak tour of safe, gorgeous local bays and inlets, protected from the intensity of the open ocean. An excellent kayaking option is the Gorge Kayaking. This gentle and scenic waterway is located near downtown. These folks have a good reputation for their lessons and equipment. Feeling more adventurous or looking for a place to test your kayak skills? Adventurous, ocean kayaking can be found through Rush Adventures. Enjoy a half day or full day guided tour of the Sooke Basin, exploring a series of small islands, scenic coves and beaches teaming in marine life. No experience is necessary. Kayak tours and rentals are widely available in a variety of locations within a short drive from Dashwood Manor, and they are very popular ways to dig deeply into the wonders of the West Coast.
Blackfish Sailing Adventures offers sail training courses, tours, and
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sailing charters of the Gulf and San Juan Islands on their 35 foot Beneteau cruising sloop, Ibis. Plan a short day cruise around the islands off Oak Bay, with panoramic views of snow-capped Mount Baker and the Olympic Mountains making your day sailing these waters especially memorable, or take an overnight tour as far as the wild and scenic Desolation Sound along the Sunshine Coast. Kayaking and whale watching are also available as part of a cruise or on their own. Most tours feature some instruction and opportunities to get involved with the sailing of the boats. The operators are certified Canadian Yachting Association yachting instructors.Imagine a romantic carriage ride with Victoria Carriage Tours through the streets of Victoria! What a wonderful way to slow down the day and feel the rhythms of Victoria's colourful past. Clip clop casually along roads winding through Beacon Hill Park and past lovely Victorian houses, many with fascinating stories of ancient mariners and eccentric artists. Ask us for information about our packages with Victoria Carriage Tours, featuring romantic and leisurely carriage rides.
Enjoy a day cruise from Victoria, BC to Friday Harbor on San Juan Island (2 1/2 to 3 hour crossing) with the Victoria Express passenger ferry. On this route, you will have opportunities to see whales and other marine wildlife. You will have 3 to 3 1/2 hours of free time to enjoy the quaint town of Friday Harbor. Please call 250 361 9144 for more information or visit their website.
English High Tea has long been a tradition many visitors to Victoria enjoy. The White Heather Tea Room in Oak Bay, a 10-minute drive from Dashwood Manor, is one of our favourite places to sip and relax with incredibly tasty treats. Butchart Gardens has a wonderful high tea, which is served (seasonally) in the lovely former residence of the Butchart family. Of course, the Empress Hotel has long been the standard bearer for afternoon tea. The atmosphere is so elegant and classic!
Chocoholics ultimately find their way to Rogers Chocolates. This wonderful gem of Victoria's heritage has operated its storefront on Government Street continuously since 1903. Little has changed in this Victorian-age store, and their chocolates are still made from time-honoured recipes. Visit the official chocolatier to the Queen!
Victoria is the hub of cultural activities on the island. Excellent quality live theatre and other performance extravaganzas are staged at both the Royal Theatre and McPherson Theatre in downtown Victoria. For something a little different, try the Chemainus Dinner Theatre, a 45-minute drive away, but a terrific way to spend an afternoon or evening. For a calendar of other live events in the Victoria region, see our Happenings page.
Looking for a place for golf?
British Columbia was selected as the "Undiscovered Golf Destination in the World" by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators! Why? The review committee considered: the attractiveness of the region and of the courses; golf course quality and accessibility; standard of accommodation; friendliness of the staff; value for money; speed of play; and climate.
We have fourteen courses within ten minutes driving time from our door and quite a few more within thirty minutes. Try Cordova Bay Golf Club, one of our many scenic and challenging courses - this one with a seaside view! If you are ready for a greater challenge, head toward Metchosin for fabulous vistas at Olympic View Golf Club. Bear Mountain Golf and Country Club is the most recent addition to the golfing scene in Victoria. Work on the twin 18-hole, mountain courses and resort community will continue over the next couple of years, but the first 18 holes are now open. This par 72, Jack Nicklaus designed course is located on a stunning site, with spectacular ocean and mountain views.
Our Royal British Columbia Provincial Museum & its Imax Theatre in downtown Victoria are highly rated attractions, with world-class exhibits on the Native peoples of the West Coast, the Pacific rainforest flora and fauna as well as an intriguing and dynamic display called 'Old Town.'
Our noble Legislative Assembly Buildings are open to the public for touring. During the summer actors liven up the tour by wandering the hallways in period costume, engaged in mock debates about BC politics from the 19th century. It's fun and uniquely informative.
Early wealth in the region was often built on coal, and the Dunsmuir family splashed their fortunes around the city in imaginative and massive projects. Visit Craigdarroch Castle to see the Dunsmuir dream first hand. Hatley Castle was also a Dunsmuir family estate, and it is now the home of Royal Roads University. Guided tours of the castle are available, and they tell a wonderful story of the amazing wealth and profligate ways of the Dunsmuirs as they built this massive estate. Leave enough time to tour the incomparable Japanese Gardens, one of our absolute favourites in this region.
While in the downtown area, stop in at the Royal London Wax Museum and gaze into the eyes of current and former world leaders, explorers and famous scientists. A short walk will take you to the Maritime Museum which is located in the original site of Fort Victoria, a thriving centre of government and commerce during the 19th century gold rushes.
Our regional government is charged with responsibility for some of our most beautiful parks. Visit the CRD site (Capital Regional District) and wade your way through the index to find their brochures on individual parks. Some excellent maps are available on this site. Witty's Lagoon and Elk Lake/ Beaver Lake Park are a couple of our favorite parks listed.
A Saturday night visit on a clear, cloudless night, to The Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, a 30-minute drive from Dashwood Manor Bed and Breakfast, is filled with awe-inspiring wonder, as local astronomers trundle up the hill and set up their own telescopes for the general public's enjoyment. The dome opens up its huge curved doors, spins slowly and eerily, and the massive 1.8 metre Plaskett Telescope pokes its nose out into the night sky. Visitors can wander, speak to astronomers, look through telescopes and soak up the fascination these scientists and hobbyists feel for the night sky. Visit The Centre of the Universe, a delightful interpretive centre for astronomy on the observatory property. The centre is open daily with wonderful, interactive displays on a wide range of topics related to astronomy.
Your time here has only scratched the surface of the exciting things to do in the Victoria area. Let us know if we can help you with making reservations for activities before you arrive.
Dashwood Manor Bed and Breakfast
One Cook Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 3W6
Tel: 1 (250) 385-5517 * Toll Free: 1-800-667-5517 * frontdesk@dashwoodmanor.com
One Cook Street, Victoria, B.C. V8V 3W6
Tel: 1 (250) 385-5517 * Toll Free: 1-800-667-5517 * frontdesk@dashwoodmanor.com