What to do in Victoria

Whether you visit Victoria every year or you're planning to come for the first time, you've probably heard that Victoria is a great summer destination.  The city sees more 3.5 million visitors every year, and during the summer the streets are filled with tourists and locals alike, enjoying our beautiful weather and taking advantage of the many fun things to do in the city.

If you're coming to Victoria from out of town, you'll find the downtown area easy to navigate and full of fun things to do.

We have some of the best coffee culture north of Seattle, with dozens of great cafes within walking distance of the Festival.  Many local companies roast their own beans on site, and there are a number of cafes in the downtown area that cater to special diets, offering gluten-free, vegan, or even raw snacks and goodies.  Of course, if your morning isn't complete without Timbits and a double-double, you can find a Tim Hortons at the corner of Blanshard and Johnson.

Victoria is home to some excellent shopping.  The Bay Centre is located in the heart of the city, and with more than 80 stores is the city's premier shopping centre.  Souvenir shoppers will find everything they need along Government Street hard to beat, and if antiques are more your thing then nearby Fort Street is where you will be headed.  Lower Johnson Street is home to trendy boutiques, housed in candy-coloured heritage blocks in one of the oldest parts of the city, and just a few more blocks along you'll find street stalls and bubble tea in Canada's oldest Chinatown.  With a few more weeks left in the summer, you may be looking to score some deals on great summer paddling gear or you may already be thinking about the autumn and winter to come, in which case a trip to Ocean River Sports will be on your list.  You'll find a selection of their best-selling items available for sale at the Festival as well.

We've scoured the city to find some of the best local food for you to try in the Forbidden City Food Court.  We welcome the return of favourites like The Reef Restaurant, serving amazing Caribbean food, and the Noodle Cart, with to-die-for Thai curries and noodles.  We're also making plans to bring some fresh, cool flavours to the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival.  If you can't decide where to eat, you can also try a little of everything at our Paddlers' Party, which takes place in the Beer Garden on Saturday, August 17.

There's also tons of great activities to do after your races or after the Victoria Dragon Boat Festival is done.  During the Festival, join renowned local historian John Adams for a free walking tour of Victoria's Chinatown. Register at the Festival Information Booth and remember, spaces are limited and these tours fill up quickly.  Victoria is home to some excellent museums and galleries, including the Royal BC Museum, the Maritime Museum of BC, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, Emily Carr House, Open Space Gallery, and Craigdarroch Castle.  This summer, the new Bateman Centre's gallery space will be open in the historic CPR Steamship Terminal Building, formerly home to the Wax Museum in the Inner Harbour.

Are you a more spur-of-the-moment traveller? The Tourism Victoria Visitor Centre located immediately adjacent to the Festival can help you pick some cool activities to round out your trip.  Maybe you'll hop on a whale-watching tour at Prince of Whales, or maybe you'll rent a bicycle or scooter from nearby Cycle BC Rentals and check out some of the city's scenic viewpoints in style.

The Downtown Victoria Business Association is also a great place to check out as you're making your plans.  The DVBA is your source for information on what's happening downtown, from public markets to museum exhbitions.

There's more to Victoria than just a great dragon boat festival.  This summer, check out everything the city has to offer.