Things to Do in Victoria

[J-Dogg]

Does anyone have any recommendations for activities in Victoria apart from pooning? I'm heading there next month and have the morning (early ferry) and all of Sunday (late ferry)...

Looking for activities/stuff to do in between ferries, especially at night like nightclubs/strip clubs/good bars, or scenic drives.

 

[Theguyfromvictoria]

Are you here just on the Sunday, or for the weekend? Typically lots going on in the summer, but mostly outdoorsy stuff if you're into that. Great kayaking, hiking, etc.
Nightclubs/strip clubs basically non existent. Better ways to spend your time in Victoria than the dumpy clubs that we have. Lots of great patios downtown.
Specifically what weekend are you around?

 

[alcxd]

If you are into beer, lots of brew pubs within walking distance of down town. Canoe, Swans, Spinnakers, Moon under Water + Pubs
The Drake, Garricks head have a verrrry good selection + Breweries Philips, Hoyne, Driftwood. All these you can walk to.
The Harbour is a nice walk, with water taxi's to cut the walking distance down if you so desire or the Breakwater, Dallas Road walking path along the ocean is nice.
Also of course there are SP's down town, Indies & Sweet VIP's.
So lots of things to do, you will not be board

 

[J-Dogg]

In for the weekend around mid august

 

[Bridge]

Shakespeare by the sea July 29th to August 20th (Fisherman's Wharf).

 

[FreeG]

Early morning brekkie: Blue Fox on Fort street. Peasant Toast - so worth it (but go early to beat the line).

Great eats all around: Nurture near Fishermans Wharf, Rebar, Terazzo.

Too many cafes to count.

Near downtown, kayak or SUP the inner harbour or up the Gorge.

Hike Mt Doug (on the way in from the ferries) or Goldstream or East Sooke park (both about 25 min outside of downtown without traffic). All short but great hiking areas considering how close to the city they are.

Museum near Empress has Terry Fox exhibit and an IMAX.

I've lived all over the US and parts of the world and it's the best place I've lived (for me).

 

[LalaniElectrica]

Victoria Event Centre has Burlesque most fri and sat nights, Paparazzi on Broad street, is nearby if you are open minded, it's a gay club and a tonne of fun!

Definitely the Fox Showroom, one of my sexy dreadlocked tattooed Girlfriends works there.

If you are looking for a walk in the Park, definitely Bouchart Gardens, it's unbelievably beautiful. For local culture, I love the waterfront in summertime! Some good Pho in China town is a MUST!

 

[SDK]

Regarding "scenic drives", one of the nicest I have ever done was the one from Victoria to Tofino (great fun especially with a manual on those winding, hilly roads!), and stopping at Cathedral Grove near Port Alberni. The Grove has some of the oldest trees in B.C., with an 800-year-old Douglas Fir as the champion. A nice local drive would be along Dallas Rd., which you can also walk to from the picturesque Beacon Hill Park - an enjoyable walk from the entry to the park on Douglas St. down to Dallas and then along the water - spectacular view. Beacon Hill Park really is a beautiful setting, with paths alongside old trees, ponds and wildlife.

The Fox Showroom is the only strip club in the city and I enjoyed many a pint of Blue Buck there, and those double Lemmys on special! Big, well-lit stage and a good lineup of girls and selection of beers, and free parking too. The burgers are quite good. I left Victoria (Brentwood Bay) at the end of March, but still feel attached to it.

 

[MissingOne]

The ferry trip from Tsawwassen to Schwartz Bay is in the order of an hour and forty minutes, but of course you have to allow for loading time and drives or bus rides on both ends. On a nice day it's a very scenic ferry ride.

Traffic in the Victoria area can be awful, worse than Vancouver in some places at some times of day. Where we stay in the Victoria area should be about a half hour drive from Schwartz Bay, but it can take up to two hours.

 

[J-Dogg]

Depending on how early you line up for the ferry and/or boarding times/waves....although the ferry ride is quite tame compared to some ferries in SEA.....the ride from Malaysia to Brunei had about half the passengers throwing up b/c of all the rocking.....

The view from the ferry is quite nice, but can get a bit windy if you hit up the top deck.

 

[J-Dogg]

What about any pubs/places with good live music? Jazz/hiphop preferably (or either one)

Also, thanks everyone for the info/suggestions still in the process of planning what to do lol

 

[Dawgfan]

There is a cool food truck getto behind the Royal BC Museum. Especially handy if you have your doggy with you.

 

[MissingOne]

There is a cool food truck getto behind the Royal BC Museum. Especially handy if you have your doggy with you.

Hey, thanks. We're always on the lookout for places we can get something to eat when we have the dog along, which is most of the time.

 

[MonaBardot]

For patio drinks: the Rooftop Surf Club on top of the Strathcona Hotel. So fun! They have beach volleyball courts up there, a young crowd, and DJs. Go on Sunday, that's their big day/night.

For live jazz: Hermann's Jazz Club! Obvi! Seriously, try to catch my dear friend Rosie Bitts' Bitts of Tease variety show there, if you can. She and her band mix comedy, burlesque and jazz, in a caliber of show you would expect to see in a much larger city. A gem for sure.

For live music in general: see who is playing at Lucky Bar and at Logan's while you are there. Lucky is a downtown live music staple in Victoria, and they bring consistently good acts. This is where you would have seen Metric before they blew up. Logan's is in Cook Street Village, really close to downtown, and attracts an eclectic crowd that leans toward the hipster demographic. Victoria's little The Drive.

Have FUN, and feel free to PM me for more suggestions. I love my role as unofficial tourism ambassador for my city!

 

[Claire Monet]

I second Cathedral Grove, so amazing!

If you're looking for a sweet treat (besides the lovely ladies there) check out Chocolats Favoris on Government st. They're a chocolatier that does amazing ice cream.

 

[Cognoscente]

Claire....just wondering if you are planning to visit Victoria this summer?

 

[Bridge]

I am sure you would make a divine tour guide for anyone.

For patio drinks: the Rooftop Surf Club on top of the Strathcona Hotel. So fun! They have beach volleyball courts up there, a young crowd, and DJs. Go on Sunday, that's their big day/night.

For live jazz: Hermann's Jazz Club! Obvi! Seriously, try to catch my dear friend Rosie Bitts' Bitts of Tease variety show there, if you can. She and her band mix comedy, burlesque and jazz, in a caliber of show you would expect to see in a much larger city. A gem for sure.

For live music in general: see who is playing at Lucky Bar and at Logan's while you are there. Lucky is a downtown live music staple in Victoria, and they bring consistently good acts. This is where you would have seen Metric before they blew up. Logan's is in Cook Street Village, really close to downtown, and attracts an eclectic crowd that leans toward the hipster demographic. Victoria's little The Drive.

Have FUN, and feel free to PM me for more suggestions. I love my role as unofficial tourism ambassador for my city!

 

[Claire Monet]

Claire....just wondering if you are planning to visit Victoria this summer?

If you buy me ice cream

I occasionally go over, I just need incentive. No definite trips planned at the moment.

 

[FreeG]

I second Cathedral Grove, so amazing!

If you're looking for a sweet treat (besides the lovely ladies there) check out Chocolats Favoris on Government st. They're a chocolatier that does amazing ice cream.

Chocolat Favoris is simply too good to not be illegal or have a minimum age limit! ;-)

Agree about Cathedral Grove but I believe the OP is only coming for a weekend: CG and Tofino are a long way for a weekend visit. There are some amazing trees in Avatar Grove past Port Renfrew, about 60-90min outside Victoria. Another 10min past the port renfrew bridge is an amazing old growth forest (up a rough logging road, don't bring your sports car!). Some amazing beaches along the way too including French, China, Miracle, and Botanical is also past Port Renfrew. There's also surfing at Jordan River (if the swell or wind is right) and you have to stop at the cafe on Shirley for the hippest euro-DJ barista ever!

 

[ddcanz]

https://www.google.ca/url?sa=t&rct=...a.html&usg=AFQjCNGPNCTU1TB2-jhxYvqQ05YKnCRyaQ
A nice little drive up the Malahat to the Chalet will net you the absolute BEST blueberry pie and an amazing view over the Saanich Inlet and Finlayson Arm.