Fun Things to Do in Victoria, BC: Where to Eat, Drink, Stay, & Shop

Looking for fun things to do in Victoria, BC? Having grown up in Vancouver, Victoria has always been a fun staycation for us! It’s a super fun weekend getaway from both British Columbia and Washington, thanks to the various Canadian and US ferries. It’s also a quick helicopter or float plane ride away (our personal fave).

There are endless things to do in Victoria, BC - they have a burgeoning foodie scene, and a lot of activities to choose from, whether you prefer museums, bicycle tours, whale watching, or shopping! Here are some of our faves:

Fun Things to Do in Victoria, BC: Bike Tour!

One of our favorite ways to explore a new city is by bike! It helps you get acquainted with different neighborhoods, so you know where you want to spend more time in later. The good news is that Victoria is super flat, so it’s a really easy and fun place to do a bike tour, and this is definitely a great recommendation for a fun thing to do in Victoria, BC!

We loved the “Eat, Drink, Pedal” tour from The Pedaler, you get a really good tour of the city while also stopping for snacks by local restaurants along the way. You also get to bike through parks and different neighborhoods, and it was a really great activity to kick start our weekend in Victoria!

Plus, the last stop featured a “ride thru” window, so you can just pull your bike up and order there! Very cool.

Best Hotels in Victoria, BC: Where to Stay!

Looking for a hotel in Victoria, BC? We highly recommend staying at The Magnolia Hotel! The hotel is beautifully renovated, without losing the original charm of Victoria’s historic buildings. It couldn’t be in a better location; you are walking distance from all sights like the Empress Hotel and Parliament buildings, not to mention all of the shops in Downtown Victoria.

One of the best perks about staying at the Magnolia Hotel is that you’re super close to the fantastic dining experience of The Courtney Room. We literally ate here for breakfast, happy hour, and dinner! (They have a really great happy hour menu).

When it comes to cocktails, The Courtney Room seriously understands cocktails. As one of the best new restaurants in Canada, they perfectly combine the fine dining experience with the local casual vibe of Victoria, and a menu full of fresh seafood from this city on the sea. If you fancy a fancy cocktail, we loved the French 250, which combines the famous Empress Gin with honey, lemon, and charme de lile.

Fun Things to Do in Victoria BC: Eating, Drinking, and Shopping

We have 3 favorite things to do anywhere we go: eat, drink, and shop! Here are some of our fave places to do those things in Victoria:

Shopping: Johnson Street is a good place to start, there’s a ton of cute local shops around here! Grab a coffee at Hey Happy and then make your way over to Rook & Rose for local art, plants, and cute ceramic goods. Vintage After Death is also a cool store!

Coffee: speaking of coffee, Cafe 1891 has a very minimalist aesthetic to pair with your side of Instagrammable coffee, and we love Habit Coffee too!

Eat: there are a ton of amazing restaurants, which always makes for a yummy thing to do in Victoria, BC! We weren’t able to make it there on this trip, but our friend Dallah has the coolest Lebanese-inspired restaurant called Superbaba (the falafel is SO good!). You can also hit up Agrius for brunch, and we absolutely loved the vibe and food/drink menu at Sherwood. If you love tapas, then Tapa Bar is the place to be for some sharing plates.

One of the most unique things to do in Victoria is to eat at Nourish Cafe! The cafe feels like home, literally, because it’s inside a house. There’s a chill loft and coffee area upstairs for working, and we loved the cozy, chill mood downstairs in the restaurant. This is definitely one of the best things to do in Victoria, you won’t regret it!

Drinks: like we said earlier, The Courtney Room is a really great spot for cocktails. But if you want a darker, grittier vibe, head to Little Jumbo, which feels like you traveled back in time to a speakeasy. The bartenders are true cocktail connoisseurs, and everything on their drink menu is amazing (and strong).

Fun Things to Do in Victoria: High Tea at the Empress Hotel

Last but not least, one of the classic things to do in Victoria is to have high tea at the Empress Hotel! It feels like you entered a different world as you listen to the pianist play a concerto, and you select your tea to drink. We are very pleased to say that there is a gluten-free option, so everyone in your party can enjoy the delicious tea sandwiches and baked treats. So fun!

Victoria, BC is an awesome destination to visit any time of year, especially if you’re a BC or Washington local! It’s a quick trip to get there, and it’s perfect for millennials who love to explore a good food scene without the stress or hustle and bustle of a big city. You can check out more things to do in Victoria, BC here!

This post is in partnership with Tourism Victoria