The Butchart Gardens

Fifty-five acres of wonderful floral display are open to the public, offering spectacular views from the many paths that meander through the four main gardens.

In 1904, Jennie Butchart began to beautify a worked-out quarry site left behind from her husband's pioneering efforts in the manufacture of portland cement. The family's commitment to horticulture and hospitality spans 100 years, and continues to delight visitors from all over the world. From the exquisite Sunken Garden to the charming Rose Garden, the gracious traditions of the past are still maintained in one of the loveliest corners in the world.

Royal British Columbia Museum

Without a doubt, the most people-friendly museum you'll ever visit. The second floor showcases a variety of permanent exhibits: Open Ocean, Living Land, Living Sea, Mammoths and Coast Forest amongst them, as well as temporary galleries of special exhibits. But the third floor is a true wonder. There are galleries of recent history and an Old Town with so much atmosphere and societal relics that you might want to just move in. Watch an old movie, wait for the train, visit Chinatown! Also a First Peoples experience and an breathtaking Totem Gallery.

Craigdarroch Castle

A short drive or a leisurely walk from the downtown harbour, just off Fort Street at 1050 Joan Crescent, Victoria, Craigdarroch Castle is a beautiful historic Victorian-era mansion, built in the 1890s by wealthy BC coal baron Robert Dunsmuir.

Rising 87 stairs up through the 4 1/2 storeys, there are 39 rooms, most of which are furnished lavishly in the 1890s–1900s period. With over 20,000 square feet of space, the house and gardens are being restored exactly as they were originally built. Step back in time and experience the life and times of the very rich and famous.

Our favourite docents do tours on Fridays mornings!

Government House

Government House contains the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the representative of Her Majesty The Queen of Canada, and offices of the administrative staff who support the duties and activities associated with the appointment. On the site of two previous Government Houses, each destroyed by fires, the current building was completed in 1959.

While the House is a private residence, the Gardens - and there are 36 acres of them - are open to the public.

Parliament

The British Columbia Government Parliament Buildings proudly look out over the activity of the Inner Harbour in the capital city of Victoria. The buildings were constructed in 1893 by a 25-year-old architect, Francis Rattenbury in honour of celebrating Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

Tours are available but the most stunning view is during the nighttime hours when the Parliament Buildings light up the skyline with over 3,300 light bulbs burning the midnight oil casting a magical spell over the community.

Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, with almost 16,000 works of art, presents a diverse assortment of exhibitions including Canadian, historical and world-class Asian collection, as well as commissioning important contemporary exhibitions. The Canada Council for the Arts and the BC Arts Council have recognized the Art Gallery for its outstanding presentations.

Central to the complex is the original 1889 mansion that is now adjacent to its seven modern galleries. The crowning feature, the belvedere, commands an inspiring view of the ocean.