Tips and Recommendations, Your Travel Guide to Victoria, Canada

Welcome to Victoria, Canada! In this post we will be discussing, places to stay, eat, and experience life in this outdoorsy, historical, seaside city! As well, we have a few local & general travel tips and recommendations, a local recipe and we’ll be talking the how, when, and why of one of our favourite Victoria photos. For more information on the top things to do and experience, and a detailed 4-day itinerary, please check out our posts, “Top 12 Things to do in Victoria, Canada – Explore and Experience” and “4-Day Itinerary for Victoria, Canada – How to Best Spend Your Time”. Let the planning begin!

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Table of Contents:

1. Places to Stay in Victoria
2. Places to enjoy some great food
3. A Few Local & General Travel tips, Recommendations, and more
4. Our Fav Photo from Victoria, Canada
5. Local Recipe – The Famous Empress Gin & Tonic
6. References
7. The Wrap up

1. Places to Stay in Victoria:

Depending on how long you’re staying and how many people you’re travelling with you could also checkout AirBnB or VRBO. They are great for groups or families as there is usually more space, with space to relax as a group and a kitchen. I always check out the reviews, price and location. We also use these trusted travel sites, www.expedia.ca  and www.hotels.com. Here are some suggestions to see if any pique your interest, but there are a lot of accommodations in this city to choose from, so have some fun with it, if you start early there is no stress, just excitement in the process! Check these out below, they are some of the places we’ve stayed or have been highly recommended to us.

1. The Fairmont Empress Hotel– Located at 721 Government St, across from the Inner Harbour, so has great views. This luxury landmark Hotel was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway in 1908. They have a spa, indoor and outdoor dining, a renowned wine list and cocktail bar, and the famous Empress 1908 Indigo Gin & Tonic. It is a bit on the pricy side for sure but would be a very  memorable stay. Also, if you join Hotels.com or Expedia you get member pricing and collect points or free stays, which definitely helps and the price does change depending on the time of year.

2. Huntingdon Manor Hotel – Located at 330 Quebec St. and a sister hotel to the Pendray Inn and Tea House. We stayed here on one of our trips and really enjoyed it, the location was awesome. The property has beautiful gardens, a pond, cobblestone pathways and British influenced architecture. They serve a hot breakfast, and have a restaurant attached, Santiago’s Café. They also have a bike rental shop on site. The Huntingdon offers regular hotel rooms as well as suites with kitchens. They often offer special deals, which is what happened when we stayed here, so definitely good to check them out.

3. Coast Victoria Hotel & Marina– Located at 146 Kingston St. downtown along the harbour, near Fisherman’s Wharf. We stayed here too and had a room facing the harbour and the views were beautiful. They have water view rooms, an on-site restaurant, (the Blue Crab Seafood House), they offer breakfast, and have a 52-slip Marina, so if you happen to be coming by boat, this place is perfect. They are also the only hotel in the area with an indoor/outdoor pool and are pet friendly. And they have a water taxi stop in their marina, which was convenient. This hotel is moderately priced.

4. Delta Hotels Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort – Located at 100 Harbour Rd. on the opposite side of the Inner harbour and downtown, close to the Johnson St. Bridge and the Songhees Trail. This hotel also has rooms with great views of the water and Inner Harbour. It is pet friendly, has an indoor pool and fitness centre. This hotel also has a restaurant call LURE with indoor and outdoor seating but is a little on the higher price.

5.  SoLo Suites– Located at 590 Goldstream Ave. in the Langford area. We have also stayed here, we book a 2-bedroom, 2-bathroom condo with full kitchen. It was great for 4 people, we were able to make picnic lunches and breakfasts and a couple of dinners in our place, the price was very reasonable, they had free covered parking, and it was close to shops and restaurants. If you have a car and don’t mind the 25 mins drive into town, we highly recommend this place. If you do have a car some things are actually closer to Langford, like the Malahat Skywalk, instead of it taking 45 mins from downtown, it takes 25 mins from here, and you’re 10mins in opposite directions from the Goldstream Provincial Park and the Fort Rodd Hill Historic site.

2. Places to Enjoy some Local Food in Victoria:

We typically don’t make reservations, unless there’s an activity included with the food, like a Show or a food tour or there is something really special about the food or location. We find that if you make reservations, it dictates the pace of your day. We like stopping when we’re hungry or when we see a place that piques our interest. That said, here are a few suggestions of what Victoria has to offer, some we enjoyed, and some come highly recommend! We do read reviews as well, we think it’s important, especially the negative ones to see what people are complaining about, but we’ve learned over the years to “take them with a grain of salt” not every restaurant can be perfect every time and some people just like to complain. We like to make sure there are more good reviews then bad and read what the issues are, sometimes it might be something that doesn’t concern us. This city is known for its seafood, west coast, clean healthy eating, power bowls and more.

1. Cactus Club –Located at 1125 Douglas St. open every day from 11:00am to 12:00am, but open till 12:30am on Friday and Saturdays. We’ve eaten at a few of these in Vancouver and have never been disappointed. They offer seafood, pasta, power bowls, salads, burgers, steaks, and great drinks, lots to choose from. They also offer happy hour and late-night deals. They have indoor and outdoor seating and just down the street from the Inner Harbour.

2. Milestones – located at 812 Wharf St. open 11:00am to 11:pm Monday to Thursday, 11:00 to 12:00am Fridays, 10:00am to 12:00am, Saturdays, and Sundays 10:00am to 11:00pm. We’ve enjoyed many meals here, they have great starters, salads, handhelds, pastas, steaks, and bowls. As well as yummy desserts and drinks, the Bellini is our go to drink! They have vegan and gluten free options too, and happy hour and late-night deals. We do recommend making reservations here and asking for a window seat, the views here of the Inner Harbour are amazing.

3. Tacofino – One of our favourites, if you like tacos, this is a must-try!! Located at 760 Pandora Ave. near Chinatown, open 11:00am to 11:00pm every day. We’ve also eaten at one of their locations in Vancouver and the original taco truck in Tofino and it has always been delicious for us, the guacamole is really good, so make sure you order a side of it with chips, we’ve ordered a number of different tacos and have not been disappointed! Great for a meal or a snack while exploring the city.

4. Pendray Inn & Tea House – Located at 309 Belleville St. reservations are required. This was a great experience, having High Tea in this magical Victorian Inn with gardens, a pond, beautiful porch, and very professional staff. You can sit in or outside with views of the harbour. We choose this place for our High Tea opposed to the Empress as it was a little more intimate and less expensive, but the Empress would also be a great choice if you’re wanting to do a High Tea.

5. Barb’s Fish & Chips – This famous fish & Chips establishment is located at 1 Dallas Rd. open from 11:00am to 9:00pm every day, but hours may vary in the winter. This floating seafood restaurant has been a summer tradition in Victoria since 1984. They serve crispy BC Halibut, tartar sauce thick-cut fries, coleslaw, as well as burgers, seafood chowder, oysters and mussels. A great place to enjoy lunch when exploring Fisherman’s Wharf.

6. Crust Bakery –Located at 730 Fort St, open from 8:00am to 4:00pm every day (or until they sell out). We discovered this place by chance, then went back during our Food tour and kept going back. So delicious and so much to choose from. This award-winning bakery sells kronuts, sausage rolls, croissants, pastries, breads, wraps, cakes, tarts, cookies, brownies and more. Definitely worth the stop. They also sell a cookbook called Crust, which could make a nice keepsake from your trip.

7. Irish Times Pub – Located at 1200 Government St. open from 11:00am to 1:00am Monday to Friday and 9:00am to 1:00am Saturday and Sunday. Set in an 1894 Chateau Style building, this Irish pub opened their doors in 2004 and won best Irish pub in North America in 2017. They offer great pub food, drinks and live music. As well as indoor and outdoor seating. They are located at one end of the Bastion Square area.

8. The Flying Otter Grill – Located at 950 Wharf St, right on the water, with great views. Open 11:00am to 9:00pm Sunday to Thursday and until 9:30pm on Friday and Saturdays. They offer West-Coast inspired food, seafood, soups, salads, handhelds, west-coast bowls, great desserts (including deep fried cheesecake) and have daily and happy hour specials.

9. Boom and Batten – Located at 2 Paul Kane Pl. open Sunday to Thursday 9:00am to 9:30pm and Friday and Saturday until 10:00pm. This restaurant is in the Victoria Harbour Marina, with floor to ceiling windows and amazing views of the Inner Harbour. We went here for dessert and the great views. They have seafood, soups, salads, pizzas, pastas, burgers, desserts, and more.

10. L’Authentique Poutine & Burgers – Located at 100-1208 Wharf St. at the north end of the Parking Lot 708. Open 11:00am to 7:00pm Sunday to Thursday and 11:00am to 10:30pm Friday and Saturday. If you’ve never had Poutine, this is a must-try while you’re here, very Canadian.

11. Sabhai Thai – Located at 2800 Jacklin Rd. in Langford, open 11:30am to 2:00pm and 5:00pm to 8:30pm Tuesday to Thursday, till 9:00pm on Friday, 5:00pm to 9:00pm Saturday and 4:00pm to 8:30pm, closed on Mondays. We ate here one night as we were staying in Langford, and we were so glad we did, this authentic Thai food was voted #1 ethnic food restaurant in the Sidney/Langford area. They also have vegan options. A great choice if you’re staying at the SoLo Suites or have a car.

12. 4-Mile Brewpub– Located at 199 Island Highway, open 11:00am to 11:00pm every day. Set in an 1858 Tudor style building, this restaurant has been serving the public for over 100 years. They have great seafood, pub favourites, handhelds, soups, salads and more, something for everyone. They also have an extensive wine and scotch list as well as great cocktails and beers. This is a fun and interesting place, just outside of town.

3. A Few Local & General Travel Tips, Recommendations and more:

1. Getting around town by the Victoria Harbour Ferries (Water Taxis):

While you’re in Victoria, taking the water taxi is a really fun way to get around. They have stops that can take you from the downtown area across the Victoria harbour over to the Songhees trail, Boom + Batten Restaurant, Spinnakers Brewpub, or the Westbay Marine. You can also take it from the Inner Harbour to attractions like Chinatown or Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s always great to see the town from the water, fun to do with kids too. They don’t really have a schedule, so once you get to the stop, they have a sign with a QR code and phone number (250-514-9794) you contact them and let them know where you are and were you want to go and they will let you know when you will get picked up. They also offer boat tours to the Gorge Waters, check out their website here.

2. HAVN Saunas:

If you have the time and interest, you could check out the HAVN Saunas at 920 Wharf St., open Tuesday to Thursday 9:00am to 10:45pm and Friday to Monday 8:00am to 10:30pm. These unique saunas are aboard an old 1943 US Navy workshop barge that was transformed into this relaxing retreat and now sits in the Victoria Harbour. You can choose from a 3-hour $94.00 visit or a 2-hour late night visit at $84.00. This includes full access to the saunas, cold plunge pools, hot tubs, indoor/outdoor social space, with light food and refreshments, robe, towel, showers with shampoo, conditioner, bodywash and lockers. Great for relaxing after a day of hiking or exploring and great for a raining day activity. Check them out here.

3. Tourist office:

One very helpful thing to do when you first get to any city is to check out their Tourism Office. If you’re staying in a hotel, they often have a rack with lots of brochures and tourism books and maps, which is great and this might be all you need, but if you’re staying in a vacation home, they might not have as much information available, so locating your nearest tourism office is always a good idea. They can provide city maps, brochures on things to do, have information on tours and answer any questions you might have, making your stay more enjoyable. In Victoria there is an office at 812 Wharf St. open Sunday to Thursday 9:00am to 5:00pm and Friday and Saturday 8:30am to 8:30pm. Check them out at Tourism Victoria. If you’re going to spend some time exploring Vancouver Island while you’re here, this is also a great place to get more information and maps on the island.

4. Using Points:

Whether it’s Airmiles, Aeroplan, hotel chain, or credit card points, collect them religiously and use them for travel!! We have stayed in some amazing places using points, some we normally wouldn’t have even looked at because of the price, we’ve used points for flights and rental cars too. They are so satisfying to use, but you have to get to know what is a good value and what isn’t. For example, if you’re using Airmiles for flights, the points cover the flight cost and you pay the taxes, so generally the taxes cost us in the range of $200, which is reasonable, but if we fly to Europe from Canada, the taxes were over $700, (I was told this was because their airport taxes were higher) I was shocked, it didn’t make sense to use the points for that, so you have to get to know how to best work you’re points, but once you do, you’ll be hooked!

5. Start your off Day Early:

Start your day off early, this will always be my suggestion! When I say early, I’m talking 6:30/7:00am, but I know that’s not for everyone, so just get started as early as you can and always keep in mind open/closing hours and open/closing days for the attractions that you really want to see. If there is something you really want a photo of without people in the shot, start there! For more information on the advantages of getting up early, check out our post “Three Significant Reasons to Get Up Early, while Travelling”.

6. Speaking the Language:

For some people speaking different languages comes easy and for some, it does not, I’m the latter. Although it’s not easy, I always make an effort to learn at least the pleasantries when I’m travelling. It’s one of my many favourite things to do! I also carry a language pocketbook with me, and I have google translate on my phone! I also like the free language app, Duolingo!

7. Phone service:

When travelling in Europe we use Hippocket Wifi, but they also service Canada and the United States. They are based in France, but you can simply order it online and they mail it directly to you 3-5 days before you leave for your trip. It comes with a small carrying case, charger, (including a car charger if needed) and an addressed, stamped return mailing envelope, so you simply drop it off in the mailbox at the airport before heading home. The great thing about this is that if you are traveling with other people, you can all use it and share in the cost. You can have up to 8-10 users at the same time. If you have multiple users, I recommend getting the unlimited options, as the 1GB/day option may not be enough. The unlimited works out to be approximately 7.00 to 9.00 euros per day, including all shipping. It’s a great option, check it out here.

**Any pricing, opening/closing hours and days listed here are as of Aug. 2025 and are subject to change, so be sure to check before you go. I like these websites: for all your current information. Destination Victoria and City of Victoria.

4. Our Fav Photo from our time in Victoria, Canada:

The first time we visited Victoria, it was in December, so the whole city was decked out in Christmas lights, including the boats in the Inner Harbour and marinas. The Parliament Buildings were particularly beautiful all outlined in colourful lights. Just walking around the area was magical. We choose this photo as our favourite from our time here because of the memory it evokes, the lights shining on the fountain, the falling water and the bright lights of the parliament building behind it. When we took the photo, we thought it would look best in portrait, and tried to fill the whole frame, leaving the dark night sky to make the lights on the building pop. The only edit we did was to brighten it a bit. This also makes a pretty photo in the day time too.

5. Victoria Recipe:

How to Make the Famous Empress 1908 Indigo Gin & Tonic:

The Fairmont Empress Hotel has been making their own Empress 1908 Indigo Gin since 2017. When they set out to create this unique gin, they looked to their famous afternoon high tea program for inspiration and after exploring with many botanicals, they finally settled on a combination of the Empress Signature Blend Tea and butterfly pea blossom, which gives it the indigo colour. Since then, they have created 2 more flavours, Cucumber Lemon Gin and Elderflower Rose Gin. Check out this recipe here: How to Make the Famous Empress 1908 Indigo Gin & Tonic. 

6. References:

All of this information, research and suggestions came from our own experiences we had while exploring this seaside, island city of, Victoria, Canada. As well, we spent countless hours reading travel books like, DK Eyewitness, Top 10 Vancouver and Vancouver Island, Moon’s Victoria and Vancouver Island, and multiple Travel blogs and Victoria tourism websites like, Destination Victoria and City of Victoria These all gave us great insights into what we wanted to explore and discover. We hope you found this information helpful!

7. The Wrap up

We hope these tips and recommendations help you plan an amazing adventure filled with new experiences! Don’t forget to try new things, talk to the locals, indulge in traditional foods, people watch, enjoy nature, speak a little of the local language, but most of all, focus on the journey!                                   

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Thank you,

From, Wild Meadow Studio

Where we, Focus on the Journey,

By: Beth de Verteuil

www.wildmeadowstudio.com