But there are other facets of Victoria that we find even more intriguing—the totems in the downtown area, for example, honoring the First Nations peoples, the original inhabitants of the island.
First Nations Totems against a backdrop of Victorian buildings in downtown Victoria
The Royal British Columbia Museum: Honoring the First Nations
We visited Victoria about 15 years ago (pre-RVing), and our most vivid memories were of the excellent Royal British Columbia Museum. We’ve been wanting to return, and that’s where we headed first.
There’s a lot more to the museum than just the First Nations exhibits, but this was what captivated us most. The museum focuses not only on the past, but also the present and future of the First Nations peoples.
The Royal BC Museum
First Nations canoe filled with cedar bark containers
First Nations totems and a longhouse
The “talking masks” relate tribal legends as each mask is illuminated
Exploring Victoria On Foot
Victoria is an exceptionally walkable city. Some of the most famous attractions—The Royal British Columbia Museum, the Parliament Building, and the Fairmont Empress Hotel—are within a couple of blocks of the Inner Harbour.
It’s also an enjoyable walk along the waterfront to Fisherman’s Wharf. If you get tired, you can catch one of the cute little water taxis back across the harbour. Or ride one just for fun.
A view of the Inner Harbour from the water
An orca topiary decorates the Inner Harbour walkway
A multi-talented street musician on the waterfront
Cute water taxis buzz around the harbour like little bumblebees
Colorful Fisherman’s Wharf, about a mile from the Inner Harbour
Catching a water taxi at Fisherman’s Wharf
Enjoying fish tacos at Red Fish Blue Fish at the Inner Harbour. We lucked out, there’s usually an enormous line.
Visiting The Parliament Building
On another day, we joined a free hour-long tour of the ornate BC Parliament Building. Our tour guide was engaging and informative, and even taught us how to greet the Queen, which I’m sure will come in handy someday.
The grand BC Parliament Building—the blue domes are copper that has oxidized
Our tour guide explains the symbolism of British Columbia’s coat of arms
A traditional cedar canoe graces the rotunda in the Parliament Building. It was carved by the Honourable Steven L. Point, the former Lieutenant Governor as well as a former Skowkale First Nation chief, provincial court judge and treaty negotiator. (The canoe is named Shxwtitostel which means “a safe place to cross the river” in Halq’eméylem.)
“Shxwtitostel is a gift to all peoples in British Columbia as a symbol of my belief that we need to create a better understanding amongst all people that we are in the same canoe,” said the Lieutenant Governor. “No matter where you are from, we all need to paddle together.”
Traditional First Nations canoe carved by a former Lieutenant Governor
The rotunda of the Parliament Building. Each quadrant represents the four industries of the time: fishing, agriculture, forestry, and mining.
Learning how to behave properly when meeting the Queen
Stained glass windows in the Parliament House—science and art are given equal weight
It’s worth taking a stroll downtown at night, when the Parliament Building sparkles with thousands of lights. The buildings were first lighted for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1897, and were meant to represent jewels in the night sky.
The Parliament House twinkles at night
A scene out of Victorian England—horse and carriage passing by the Fairmont Empress Hotel
The Delightful Tradition Of Afternoon Tea
We got hooked on the tradition of afternoon tea during our weeks on Vancouver Island. It’s such a civilized thing to do, taking a break in the afternoon. We considered high tea at the famed Fairmont Empress Hotel, but changed our minds when we discovered the cost would be $75 per person. Instead, we made our way to Chinatown, where we had organic tea and a slice of flourless chocolate cake at the charming little Venus Sophia Tea Room for about $15, total.
In the tea room of the Fairmont Empress Hotel
Afternoon tea at the cozy Venus Sophia Tea room
Chinatown In Victoria
Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada, and the second largest. The colorful buildings and bustling streets speak to the resiliency of the culture and traditions brought to Canada by Chinese immigrants in search of gold (and later, to work on the railroads) more than 150 years ago.
The Gate of Harmonious Interest in Victoria’s Chinatown
The Chinese Public School, built in 1908 to educate Chinese students who were prohibited from attending public school in Victoria. The school still teaches Chinese language, history, and culture.
Fan Tan Alley, a narrow alley once home to opium and gambling dens. Gates at each end of the alley were locked to prevent surprise police raids.
Colorful buildings in Old Town Victoria
Enjoying The Gorgeous, Lesser-Known Gardens Of Victoria
Victoria is famous for its gardens, and of course, Butchart Gardens tops the list. We went to several gardens, but we passed on Butchart this time around. We were there 15 years ago, and while it’s worth a one-time visit, our taste runs more to less formal, less flower-basket filled gardens.
This time we explored the lovely gardens of Beacon Hill Park (conveniently downtown and free), the Government House Gardens (residence of the Lieutenant Governor and free), and the gardens at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific. All different, and all definitely worth seeing.
Lovely trails in Beacon Hill Park, downtown Victoria
An orca sundial at Government House gardens
Beautiful winding pathways through perennial borders at Government House gardens
Gardens at Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
There are all kinds of demonstration gardens at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
Students working in the gardens at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific
Historic Fisgard Lighthouse
During our stay in Victoria, we also made a couple of day trips to explore nearby areas. On a crisp, early fall day we set out to see Fisgard Lighthouse and Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Park.
Fall colors on the path to Fisgard Lighthouse
The wonderfully photogenic Fisgard Lighthouse
It couldn’t have been a better day for visiting the lighthouse
Inside the lighthouse, the black and white floor pattern was painted by a light keeper to simulate marble tiles
A military searchlight camouflaged as a boathouse on the coast at Fort Rodd
Biking The Galloping Goose Trail
Our other out-of-town excursion was a biking adventure. The bike trails in and around Victoria are wonderful repurposed rails-to-trails. There are many miles of trails—we rode about 20 miles on the Galloping Goose Trail near Sooke, some of the prettiest and least urban of the trails.
Biking the Galloping Goose Trail to the Sooke Potholes
Our few days in Victoria were the perfect ending to our five-week Vancouver Island tour. Would we return to the island? Absolutely. This was one of our top RVing experiences in our four-and-a-half years of full-timing.
Where We Stayed
There aren’t a lot of options close to Victoria. We stayed at Fort Victoria RV Park, conveniently located just a few miles from downtown Victoria. It’s nothing fancy (although it should be for the price!) but it’s clean, quiet, and offers full-hookups and free internet. Ask for a site away from the highway—it’s much quieter.
Fort Victoria RV Park, Victoria, BC
Good decision on the Venus Sophia Tea Room. Looks quaint and the thought of a slice of flourless chocolate cake sounds heavenly. Your overall tour of Victoria and Vancouver Island has been wonderful. Now for me to find a way to put it on our travel calendar.
Ingrid, if you decide to head to the PNW, Vancouver Island is well worth the journey. I’m glad you’ve enjoyed our tour of the island. Definitely put it on your calendar. We already want to return!
Hope upon hope that you found the chocolate shop that specializes in only on premises chocolate…no export or take aways…wonderful chocolates dipped and patterned with a wasabi leaf…or specialty chocolates featuring a cardamon treat.
Noooo…..how did we miss the chocolate shop? You can bet we’ll be looking for it on our next trip to Victoria! Maybe you two will come with us and show us where it is?
For $75, that tea better come with a massage and a puppy. That’s just absurd. Glad you found another way. Your photos of all this beautiful greenery are really making me miss the summer/fall. I am not a big fan (at all) of winter when the trees are bare and the skies are gray. So these photos are transporting me to a much happier place. I’ve learned so much about this part of Canada from your posts. Most importantly – that I want to go there as soon as possible. Thanks for introducing me to such a fantastic region!
Haha, a massage and a puppy and cocktails and they should offer to do our laundry, too! Then maybe we’ll fork over $75 each for tea. Even without the Empress, Vancouver Island is a fabulous RVing adventure. And there’s lots and lots of green in the Pacific Northwest, year round. Of course, also gray skies….
One of my favorite places. I’ve had tea at the empress but it wasn’t $75 ages ago. How time flies and prices get crazy. Morey and I have enjoyed your adventure on the island and thanks for pointing out the other places we have yet to see.
Brenda, I wish we could have had tea at the Empress back when it wasn’t so ridiculously priced! I’m so glad you’ve come along with us on our island adventure. Your Casita wants to go there!
I just sigh out loud when I read your posts. I had no idea I was going to like Victoria so much. I love the story of the L Governor and the canoe. We are all definitely in the same canoe. What a government. Makes me ashamed of mine by comparison. Even lights on their parliament. I hope they are all LEDS. I sure hope you get to meet the queen or perhaps the King if you wait too long. Love the idea of tea but if I add it to breakfast, lunch and dinner I’m afraid I’d be as wide as I am tall. Your photographs of the colorful totems, of the harBOUR and its taxis, Chinatown and Fan Tan alley, the gardens and of course the lighthouse are just beautiful. So crisp and clear, colorful and artistic. The red chairs in front of the lighthouse must be an iconic shot. I can sure see why Vancouver is one of your top experiences. Given U.S. politics, should we move there or won’t they have us immigrants from a battered nation?
Sherry, we were inspired by the seeming dedication of the Canadian government to be inclusive and proactive in the arena of equal rights and a just society. It sure seems like they’re on the right path. We felt very welcomed by everyone we met—it’s interesting how many Canadians encouraged us to move there, without us even broaching the subject!
As far as afternoon tea—if I had cake or cookies with my tea everyday, I’d probably be as wide as I am tall, too! :-) I hope you’ll get to visit Vancouver Island. I know you would love it!
Thanks for the wonderful tour of this island. You have definitely showcased all the unique and beautiful areas. I am really looking forward to making this a stop one day soon. Love that Orca topiary. The city certainly has a lot of variety.
I’m so glad you enjoyed coming along with us on our tour, Pam. I know you would enjoy the island! We can’t wait to return.
We spent our honeymoon in Victoria (25 years ago!), and I wish we’d had this post as a tour guide. You found way more fun stuff than we did!
What a romantic place for your honeymoon, Kim! I’m sure you were more focused on each other than on anything else. Maybe a return trip to celebrate an anniversary? :-)
“we are all in the same canoe”…and “need to paddle together” are fitting words for our times. Looks like another very lovely stay in your fabulous fall.
Lisa, we agree completely—I wish that we could all (especially those governing our country and our world) understand that we really are all in this together. It’s actually a very small canoe and needs careful navigating.
This looks like the perfect ending to your Vancouver Island visit. Now to find a time to schedule it into our travels. Daily afternoon tea sounds so civilized, and civility is something sadly lacking in this country right now. “We are all in the same canoe…No matter where you are from, we all need to paddle together”, a concept we need to embrace.
LuAnn, spending a few days in Victoria was a wonderful way to complete our time on Vancouver Island. We were inspired by the words of the former Lieutenant Governor, and can only hope that our administration will somehow right itself and restore the values of decency, civility, and working together for the common good to our country.
Well, Im so glad you spent a few days in Victoria and showed me what we have missed. We were only there for an overnight stay just to see Butchart Gardens, a tour of one of the castle and did a walk around town. It is a beautiful city and now I know how the inside of the museum and the parliament buildings looks like, thank you.
MonaLiza, it sounds like you did a lot in one day! It’s such a beautiful, interesting city—even with several days there, we would return to explore more.
Great tour of the city. We loved it there when we took the Black Ball Ferry and our bikes across for the day. The Island should hire you to advertise for them.
Thanks, Debbie. We loved our time on Vancouver Island. I guess that’s obvious. :-)) We really enjoyed those bike trails!
Thanks for taking us along on one more beautiful stop.
I wonder if we’d ever see all the beautiful, interesting, historical and decidedly quirky spots you two have discovered.
Love the two red chairs in front of the lighthouse and the one of your hearts content……
Sue, my next post might help you decide to make the trip to the island to see all of the beauty and interesting sights for yourselves! I’m glad you’ve enjoyed the journey. :-)