The capital city of Victoria, BC is a lovely little place to explore on your cruise ship stop
Last weekend I had the pleasure of taking my new coworker on a walking tour of the city. He had recently moved from Egypt and I wanted to show him a few of the local sites. If you, too, happen to have a free afternoon in Victoria while on a cruise ship stop this is a nice little walking tour you can easily do from the cruise ship terminal.
Ogden Point to the Breakwater
Cruise ships dock at Ogden Point. From the terminal, head to your right and take a walk down the breakwater. You will have fantastic views of the ocean and can look across to Esquimalt and Metchosin. If it is a clear day you can even see the Olympic mountains off in the distance.
Luckily when we went it was one of the first nice days of spring. The sun was shining and reflecting off the water – it was just beautiful! Don’t get fooled by the sunshine, though – it is always very cold at the breakwater. Make sure you bring a jacket – you’ll be thankful. Even if it’s summer time it can be very cold and windy there.
You can often see seals and sea otters in the area. The day we went we spotted 3 of them off the tip of the breakwater as well as this guy in the video above, lazing on the boat launch nearby.
Dallas Road
After your walk along the breakwater continue down Dallas Road toward Beacon Hill Park. There is a nice path along the cliffs or you can choose to take the steps down and walk the whole way along the beach. Dallas Road is a very popular place for people to walk their dogs. If you are a dog lover and are missing your pooch while on vacation this is a great place to go see all kinds of dogs. We sat on one of the many benches looking out to the ocean and had many adorable dogs stop and say Hi to us.
Beacon Hill Park
After you’ve taken in the view continue on down the path until you see the entrance to Beacon Hill Park on your left. Cross Dallas Road to enter the park and the first attraction you will see is a giant totem pole. This is the largest totem pole in the world.
Past the totem pole you will come to the famous petting zoo on the left. This is a very popular place for kids and I have very fond memories coming here as a child. I must admit, even as an adult I enjoy coming here. Entry is by donation. It is not a huge petting zoo but there are a number of animals you can see. The main attraction are the baby goats which you can interact with and they are quite entertaining!
After you’ve got your fill of the petting zoo you can continue to explore the rest of this large park. There is a small putting green on the left and ponds on the right with lots of ducks. There are also many gorgeous peacocks all over the park.
Nice flower displays can be found all over the park and in the spring it is a great place to photograph all the cherry blossom trees. There’s also a good-sized playground for kids. You will find many areas to stop and have a picnic and take in the nice scenery.
Beacon Drive In
If you feel like a snack or would like to cool down with a treat head on over to Beacon Drive In. This little restaurant is located on the Douglas Street side of the park. They are famous for their soft serve and you can get all kinds of flavours. I particularly love their milkshakes. Prices are reasonable, too.
Royal BC Museum
Afterwards, continue down Douglas Street and you will come to the Royal BC Museum. To be honest, I am not a huge museum fan but this is one I quite enjoy going back to.
Parliament Building
Next to the museum you will find the beautiful Parliament buildings. If you can return in the evening it looks fantastic all lit up at night!
The Empress Hotel
The Empress Hotel is also close by and is where the Queen stays when in town. If you feel like shelling out $75 I would recommend trying the famous Afternoon Tea. The price is steep but the tea, food and service are very good and it’s worth trying for the experience.
Inner Harbour
Take some time to explore the inner harbour and then continue on past the Clipper and Blackball ferry terminals and the hotels.
Fisherman’s Wharf
You will reach Fisherman’s Wharf which is popular for its colourful floating village (yes, people actually live in these neat little floating houses).
Barb’s Fish N Chips
My friend and I stopped here to have a light dinner. Being from Egypt, he had never tried Fish N Chips before. We ordered a 2 piece from Barb’s. It was quite good – I enjoyed that the batter was very crispy and the fact that it came with 2 containers of tartar sauce. All the tables at the wharf are outdoors and you often sea seals swimming next to you. It was quite fun to watch while enjoying our meal.
After eating, continue down the road and you will find yourself back at the cruise ship terminal!
Suggested Time: 4 Hours
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Spending more time in Victoria? Check out:
Ultimate Guide to Visiting Butchart Gardens
Whale Watching in Victoria, BC
[…] The Ogden Point Breakwater was built in 1916 and is 762 metres (2500 feet) long. It is a popular place for a scenic walk, with a lighthouse rewarding you at the end. Located right next to the cruise ship dock, this walk is perfect for those visiting Victoria on a cruise ship stop. […]