An early British outpost that blossomed into a cosmopolitan center, this harbor city on south Vancouver Island boasts manicured gardens, Victorian architecture, and refined cuisine against a backdrop of Pacific Northwest mountains, forests, and ocean.
1. Dahlias, Japanese maples, and rainfed lawns in autumn dress create a profusion of color at Butchart Gardens, a life-list destination for horticulture fans. Highlights of the 130-acre spread include five sunken gardens, a carousel with a menagerie of hand-carved steeds, and a bronze dragon fountain.
2. A 45-minute tour with Victoria Harbour Ferry shows off the town’s watery side: houseboat neighborhoods, floatplanes on the marina’s harbor runway, Fisherman’s Wharf, and views of the Parliament Buildings along the shore. Keep an eye out for sea otters and seals.
![Craigdarroch Castle in Victoria, B.C., lit up at night](https://assets.goaaa.com/image/upload/if_ar_gte_1.0/c_limit,w_934,h_620,q_auto:best/if_else/c_limit,w_500,h_750,q_auto:best/if_end/v1647564536/singularity-migrated-images/craigdarroch-castle-night-victoria-bc-via-magazine-shutterstock_100488037.jpg.jpg)
Historic Craigdarroch Castle stands bright against the evening sky.
3. With its stone turrets, stained glass, and intricate woodwork, Craigdarroch Castle stands as a symbol of the vast wealth of mining baron Robert Dunsmuir. The four-story, 39-room mansion, now a National Historic Site, offers self-guided tours.
4. The Royal BC Museum’s natural history exhibits evoke the province’s wild side. Even more amazing are the hand-hewn artifacts of the First Peoples Gallery. Poles, masks, and ceremonial objects meld human images with those of crest figures: ravens, wolves, bears, and eagles.