10 Free Things to Do in Victoria, BC

Victoria’s Inner-Harbour Pathway leads you through the most picturesque plot on the south-eastern corner of Victoria Harbour. You can’t really say you’ve done Victoria without taking a walk here. From the jetty-lined pathway, easily reach two of the city’s main attractions, namely the British Columbia Parliament Buildings and The Empress Hotel, which also serve as the harbour’s iconic backdrops. Come in the evenings for a magical scene when these landmarks glimmer with ornamental lighting features.

Just a short walk from Inner Harbour, you can enjoy a free historical sightseeing tour in this outdoor gallery that’s right next door to the Royal BC Museum. Thunderbird Park features an impressive collection of totem poles that were part of a restoration programme in 1952. Most of the creations that still stand tall here today are the works of the late Mungo Martin, a First Nations chief and master carver, and patron of the Royal BC Museum.

Enjoy one of the best window-shopping experiences in Victoria along Lower Johnson Street, which locals often nickname “Lo-Jo”. After browsing the compact rows of shops and boutiques, you’ll eventually end up at Market Square, right before Victoria’s Chinatown. This historical town square operates like a mall, featuring a mix of tenants and surrounded by heritage buildings. There are also modern shops, including jewellery stores, homeware galleries, and fashion boutiques around its open courtyard, where you can sometimes watch live free music performances.

If you’re looking for a free and relaxing time out in Victoria, escape to the lush grounds of Beacon Hill Park. This 200-acre park near the southern coastline features scenic trails that run through woodlands and along the shoreline. For families, there are two playgrounds around the park’s centre, as well as the Children’s Farm where the little ones can pet cute farm animals. Many ponds and landscaped gardens dot the northern part of the park, with squirrels, otters, and peacocks among its inhabitants.

Chinatown is one of Victoria’s most colourful neighbourhoods, which you can explore freely and at your own leisurely pace. It’s a web of narrow and winding streets that feature rows of many different shops and dining spots large and small, all bearing intricate Chinese architectural features with red lanterns and calligraphic store signs. In the middle of Chinatown, you’ll find Fan Tan Alley connecting both ends of Fisgard Street. It’s known as “the narrowest street in the country” since it's less than a metre wide at its narrowest point yet is still lined with shops.

If you’re fond of nature and adventure, you can head up to this urban forest park on the Saanich Peninsula, within 20 minutes’ drive north from downtown Victoria. Mount Douglas Park offers the great British Columbia outdoors for most fitness levels. The forest has over 21 km of trails. There are moderate trails along the northern coastline, while more strenuous paths wind up the hills. If you’re up for a challenge, you’ll be awarded with prize views of the Saanich Inlet and the straits of Georgia and Haro from the top.

Back in the early ‘80s, Fort Street gained the moniker “Antique Row” thanks to the closely packed series of antique shops lining the route. Nowadays, the shopping scene has evolved to include a more diverse variety, with cafés and other types of shops in between. You can still poke in for a quick browse at some of the interesting and longstanding antique shops, such as Russell Books for prints of old and new, Old ‘N’ Gold Jewellery for vintage designs, and Zeitgeist Vintage Store for quirky homeware.

Home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, the Parliament Buildings are one of Victoria’s main landmarks. Together with The Empress Hotel, they serve as the iconic and picture postcard view of Victoria’s Inner Harbour waterfront. You can enjoy free guided tours through the Legislative Chamber at hourly intervals from 9.30am through 4pm. If you’re more interested in the physical beauty of the majestic buildings, you can go for their special 90-minute architecture tours. The Parliament Buildings are right next door to the Royal BC Museum.

While Government House doesn’t open its doors to the public often, the gorgeous expanse of gardens that surround the residence of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia are free to explore. There are wonderful trails that you can follow, leading you to colourful spaces such as the herb garden, the English Country Garden, a sunken rose garden, a Rhododendron garden, and the Victorian rose garden with its intricately pruned hedges and symmetrical layout. You can easily spend hours here, relaxing on benches while taking in the floral beauty and birdsong.

You can enjoy tranquil nature walks along manicured garden trails and stone pathways through this public woodland at the University of Victoria (UVic). Finnerty Gardens serves as a beautiful oasis where UVic faculty students and the public can retreat to, reflect, and be inspired by nature. Besides enjoying the beautiful ponds under the shades of native trees, you can admire its most dominant botanical feature: hundreds of different varieties of rhododendrons, which are artfully arranged throughout its 2.7-hectare grounds.