Hello and welcome to episode 29 of the Ready Set Depart Podcast. We are so glad you’re here!

Today, we’re going north of the border to talk a little bit about Victoria, Canada!

Victoria is situated at the very southern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. In fact, it’s the capital of British Columbia, which is the farthest west province of Canada. 

Victoria sits right on the ocean, the Strait of Juan de Fuca to be exact, and because of that, it is mild weather - though winters can be chilly, and sunny a lot of the time. It also reminds me a lot of England, which is a definite plus to me!

So, let’s talk about the perfect itinerary for a long weekend in Victoria, BC! This itinerary is perfect for families who love wildlife, museums, and being near the water, especially if this is your first trip to Canada and you want something that feels easy and approachable.

How to get to Victoria

While you could technically fly into Victoria, I think the most fun way to get there is on the Victoria Clipper - a high speed catamaran ferry that takes you from Seattle to Victoria in just under 3 hours. 

I can hear you asking, “But, Ashley, why would we want to take a boat rather than just fly there.” One word my friends - whales. Ok, two words, and dolphins. Is that three words?

However many words it is, the wildlife you can see from your seat is well worth the early morning trip! And they have some amazing packages, complete with hotel stays, so the Clipper is a wonderful way to go!

But, why am I so sure you’ll see whales and or dolphins? Well, for one, I did when I took the Clipper. There was a whole pod of White Sided Dolphins that kept us company for a while. Depending on the time of year, you could also see Gray Whales, sometimes, Humpback Whales, and my favorite - Orca! 

So, if you think about a map of the Salish Sea, it goes from Olympia, Washington in the south to Campbell River, British Columbia in the north, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca in the west and it is home to the southern resident orcas. You know the ones that feed on salmon so they’re around all the time. And up near the San Juan Islands and Victoria is where they spend much of their summers. 

One time, my mom and I went on a whale watching tour in the San Juans and we came upon a superpod - which means that there were two pods there at the same time. There were about 40 orca in the area and the sound they made as they came up to breathe will be a memory I hold dear forever!

The Salish Sea is also home to not only humpbacks, grays, and orca but minke whales, harbor porpoise and the tiny little Dall’s porpoise. Well, at six feet in length, compared to me, they’re still big, but compared to other whales and dolphins, they’re tiny!

I could talk about cetaceans all day, but that is my favorite part of the Victoria Clipper. Plus, they serve you a little food and the views out of your window are glorious!

To catch the Victoria Clipper, you will need to first fly into SeaTac Airport. It’s called “SeaTac” because it’s in between Seattle and Tacoma. It’s about a ½ drive, with no traffic, from SeaTac to the pier where you’ll catch the Clipper.

Friday Morning

Here is my suggestion. Fly in late on Thursday night. Find a hotel close to Pier 69 in Seattle. And then you’ll be close to catch the 8 am ferry to Victoria.

You’ll arrive in Victoria around 11 am - just in time to find your hotel and a snack because today you are going to have Afternoon Tea at the Empress Hotel. 

The Empress Hotel has been dominating the harbor since 1904 and it is still a wonder to behold. And every day, they serve Afternoon Tea along with scones and sandwiches. It is an elegant meal that is an amazing experience. 

However, I realize that a fancy afternoon tea may not be on everyone’s list so if you’d rather do something else on your first day in Victoria, may I suggest the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm? Just a 20 minute walk (or bus ride) from the Harbor is this amazing farm that boasts pigs, chickens, guinea pigs, goats, donkeys, a farm cat named Elsie, and more! There is even a petting zoo that you and your kids can go to. Note that they do close after Christmas for winter break but they open again in the spring and what better time to visit a farm than in the spring!

Once you’ve visited the animals or sipped some tea with your pinky out, what should you do now? Remember, we believe in one big event a day but if you still have some energy, here are a few other places in the area:

Beacon Hill Park - where the Farm is located, has a lot of great walking paths you could trek. On a clear day, the views are amazing!

Or head on over to Miniature World. They are the self proclaimed “Greatest Little Show on Earth!” Whether you want to see a tiny version of London, the Swiss Family Robinson Tree, or Camelot, this is a fun indoor adventure sure to please you kids!

If you want to see some more small things, then the Victoria Bug Zoo is the place to go! Now, bugs are not really our thing, so I can’t say anything about the Bug Zoo from a personal standpoint but the website is nice. And kind of creepy. But only because there are a lot of big bugs on it!

Now it’s time to find a little dinner and go back to your hotel room for some rest. 

Saturday Morning

Saturday morning, you are going to go to Butchart Gardens. I know that sometimes a garden is not your child’s favorite place, but this garden has a lot to see and do! In fact, each season brings something new. From Christmas lights to Easter Bunny hunts, Butchart Gardens is a fun stop! And you can take a double decker bus there from downtown Victoria! Just go to the Butchart Garden’s website and click “Plan Your Visit” and “How to Get Here” and you can find the tour bus website.

But if gardens aren’t your thing, you can also go to the Butterfly Garden in Brentwood Bay, about ½ hour north of Victoria, quite near the Butchart Gardens. So much more than just butterflies, they have fish, birds, and poison dart frogs. You can take a bus here from Victoria or take a taxi or Uber. 

But if you want to do both of the Gardens, there is a tour for that too!

Once you get back to Victoria, if you still have some energy, why not take a horse drawn carriage tour of the city? Could be fun!

Sunday Morning

Alright, here we are on Sunday. And today is the day to go to the Royal BC Museum. With three floors of collections on display, this museum is like the best Natural History museum you’ve been to. Famous for the life sized Mammoth on display, your family will learn about all the people, animals, and plants that call this area home. This is a great stop on a rainy morning, or if you have a curious kid like Trooper!

After the museum, it may be time for a little down time, or you could take a walk along the Inner Harbor in front of The Empress. Maybe even take a little harbor taxi to see what you can see!

But, don’t forget that the last Victoria Clipper bound for Seattle leaves at 5 pm!

Once you’re back in Seattle, at about 7:45 pm, you can check back into your hotel and prepare for your flight out Monday morning.

So, what do you think of this itinerary for beautiful Victoria, BC? You and your family will fall in love with the quaint city and the surrounding beauty, I just know it!

Don't forget to download the itinerary for yourself and as always, let’s keep making traveling with your family easier, one trip at a time. See ya next time.