For the perfect day in Victoria, BC, explore the Inner Harbour on a clue-solving adventure, take a tour in a pickle boat, and dine in Chinatown.
If you’re looking for a family-friendly getaway, look no further than Victoria, BC’s Inner Harbour. Located in the heart of downtown Victoria, the waterfront is a bustling hub of activity with world class attractions, stunning views, charming shops, and eclectic eateries. Here’s how to spend a fun day exploring the Inner Harbour on foot and by water with ClueSolvers and Victoria Harbour Ferry. (If you’re staying for the weekend, we have tips for visiting the Royal BC Museum, BC Parliament Buildings, and Fairmont Empress Hotel too.)
Partnership Disclosure: ClueSolvers and Victoria Harbour Ferry generously hosted us for review purposes, but all words and opinions are my own. Please note that this story contains affiliate links through which I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our small family business!
Race the clock to solve a ClueSolvers Adventure
Standing near the BC parliament buildings, a light breeze blows pink petals from the cherry trees into our hair. The cherry blossoms have just peaked and are glorious. We’re partway through the Totems & Tulips ClueSolvers Adventure, an outdoor escape room / Amazing Race style game. After reading the clue on the app and looking all around, my daughters see words on a plaque that help them solve it. When the next clue is unlocked, they work together to determine which way we need to go, excitedly calling “Hurry up, Mom!” I chase after them, camera in hand. Over 90 minutes, we will solve 23 clues and walk about 2.5 kilometres around the scenic Inner Harbour to discover what family heirloom is hidden in Victoria.
The clues are clever, but not too tricky for my tweens (I only helped a bit), so although we didn’t make the leaderboard, we successfully solved the mystery, and had a lot of fun in the process. Racing the clock while visiting famous attractions and hidden gems was a unique and fun way to explore Victoria’s Inner Harbour. If we hadn’t done the ClueSolvers adventure, we would’ve missed some cool sculptures and murals just off the beaten path. We learned a lot about Victoria’s history too! This was the fourth ClueSolvers adventure we’ve tried (play in Calgary, Canmore, Banff, and more!) and won’t be the last!
Racing the clock while visiting famous attractions and hidden gems was a unique and fun way to explore Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
Play Outside Guide
Know Before You Go
- Duration: 1-2.5 hrs depending on the game you choose
- Difficulty: The games are designed for adults, but families with school-age children will enjoy the “Easy” ones, and tweens and up can do the “Moderate” difficulty ones without too much help
- Players: 2-5
- What you need to play: A fully-charged cell phone, the free ClueSolvers app, a game code (games can be purchased online here), and data or wifi to download the app and activate your game. All the stops are outdoors, so you don’t need to pay admission or go inside any businesses, but there are optional breaks if you want to grab a snack or use the washroom. Curiosity and a sense of adventure will help you, which is probably why kids do so well!
- Tip: Read instructions carefully, so you enter answers correctly. Mistakes will cost you time! You can ask for hints when you’re stumped, but will be docked time and will jeopardise your chance of getting on the leaderboard. It’s tons of fun and perfect for families!
ClueSolvers Adventures to try in Victoria
If you’d like to try a ClueSolvers Adventures while you’re in Victoria, there are four fun challenges of varying lengths and difficulties to choose from:
- Fountain of Youth: Oak Bay, Easy to Moderate, 60 minutes
- Totems & Tulips*: Inner Harbour, Moderate, 90 minutes (* This is the one we did. It took us 1 hour and 16 minutes. We highly recommend it for tweens!)
- Fisherman’s Blues: Fisherman’s Wharf area, Moderate, 2-2.5 hrs
- After the Gold Rush: Downtown Victoria, Challenging, 2 hrs
For more information, or to book your ClueSolvers Adventure now, visit ClueSolvers.
Refuel at Nourish Kitchen & Café
For lunch, head to Nourish Kitchen & Cafe, one of Victoria Inner Harbour’s best-loved restaurants, for “thoughtfully sourced whole foods.” The food is as beautiful as the heritage home it is served in, and everything is delicious. We recommend the Golden Benny, Forest Broth, and Big Hearty Kale Salad. Seating is first come first served, so get there early or grab takeout and go for a picnic. 225 Quebec Street. Open 9 am to 3 pm, Wednesday to Sunday.
Ride a Victoria Harbour Ferry “Pickle Boat” & learn about the past
Experience the beauty of Victoria, BC’s Inner Harbour with Victoria Harbour Ferry. The family-friendly Combo Tour (Victoria Harbour & Gorge Waterway) showcases the city’s stunning waterfront, vibrant marine life, and historical sites, in under an hour (the perfect length for kids). With knowledgeable guides providing interesting facts and stories along the way, you’ll be sure to have a memorable experience as you explore this majestic corner of Canada.
At the Empress Dock, we check in and board a “Happy Boat,” a yellow 12-seat water taxi (also known as a “Pickle Boat” because of its shape, and well, some of them are green!). Captain Stan welcomes us aboard and starts off by letting everyone know Victoria Harbour Tours has been in operation since 1990 and has an “impeccable” safety record.
As we cruise past the stately legislature, Captain Stan tells us it was designed by the same architect who designed The Empress Hotel. Francis M. Rattenbury won the competition to design the BC Parliament Buildings in 1893 at the tender age of 25! While construction went way over budget, the final bill was less than a million dollars. Seems like a bargain in this day and age when you look at how grand the buildings are with their columns and copper-topped domes.
Heading westward, we see ships of all sizes and pass the “busiest seaplane terminal” in Canada. We learn that Victoria Inner Harbour is the “deepest harbour established by the Hudson Bay Trading Company” and that the shipyard “has been in existence for 150 years.” Did you know the City of Victoria began as a fort and trading post built by the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1843? Today, the city is home to 94,000 and receives over 4 million visitors each year.
We had a great time with Victoria Harbour Ferry and loved seeing the sights from the water while hearing fascinating stories about Victoria’s history.
Play Outside Guide
Archaeological evidence shows signs of human habitation thousands of years before the Hudson’s Bay Company set up shop. A midden over 4,000 years old, full of shells, bones, and stone fragments from making tools was discovered when the nearby Tilicum (Gorge Road) Bridge was being built. The midden predates the pyramids and reveals what people were eating and what kind of tools they used.
Historically, the Lekwungen People (Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations) called the area around Fort Victoria “Camosun” (translation: Rush of Water) after the legend of a young girl who was turned to stone at Gorge Falls. Apparently that’s what happens when you’re too picky and don’t eat what the spirits offer you! Read about the Legend of Camossung here. To learn more about local indigenous history, visit the Signs of Lekwungen interpretive walkway, or Royal BC Museum.
After a quick stop at Instagrammable Fisherman’s Wharf, we head up the Gorge Waterway. Captain Stan shares how to find the secret “tunnels below Yates Street.” While you can’t go in the tunnels, you can locate them from above by “blue glass tiles in the sidewalk [that] allow light into the tunnels.” Many myths surround the tunnels, but rather than smuggling, they were used for more mundane things like storing goods or going from one building to another.
As we travel beneath the futuristic Johnson Street Bridge, which is only six years old, Captain Stan encourages us to see it after dark; it’s “lit up blue at night.” Next, we race a rowing team (spoiler, we win) and visit the striking Selkirk Trestle, part of the Galloping Goose Trail. Gorgeous properties along the Gorge Waterway include the Begbie property, a provincial and national historic site.
All in all, we had a great time with Victoria Harbour Ferry and loved seeing the sights from the water while hearing fascinating stories about Victoria’s history. It was also a nice break from walking (we averaged 20,000-25,000+ steps a day on this trip!).
Victoria Combo (Harbour and Gorge Waterway) Tour: Know Before You Go
- Boarding location: The Empress Dock
- Duration: 45 minutes
- Hours: 11 am – 4 pm, 7 days a week
- Kids 1 & under free (if they sit on your lap)
- Reservations recommended, but walk-ins possible, space permitting
- Disembark at Fisherman’s Wharf (and walk back) or The Empress Dock.
- Book Combo Tour tickets online.
Other tours available include: Victoria Harbour Tour (45 minutes) and the Pickle Pub Crawl (ages 19+, includes Four hops on the Water Taxi, and one appetizer per group of four with the purchase of beverages at each participating venue.)
No time for a tour? Take the Water Taxi from the Inner Harbour to Fisherman’s Wharf, West Bay & Esquimalt, Chinatown, Selkirk Landing, and more. It’s the best way to get across town! See the Stop Map here.
For more information, or to book your tickets now, visit Victoria Harbour Ferry.
Explore Chinatown
Victoria is home to Canada’s oldest Chinatown, a vibrant cultural district spanning three blocks. Brick heritage buildings over 100 years old line the street, and colorful lanterns hang overhead. Check out the beautiful Chinese Public School, a former school turned cultural centre; then take a photo at the Gate of Harmonious Interest on Fisgard Street, the oldest Chinatown entrance in Canada; and stroll down Fan Tan Alley, Canada’s narrowest street.
If you’re looking for a bite to eat, there are several amazing restaurants including:
- Yua Bistro (622 Fisgard St): Some of the best sushi I’ve ever had!! So fresh and delicious!
- Bao (626 Fisgard St): Famous for fantastic bao buns and ramen.
- Shanghai City (548 Fisgard Street): Known for their flavorful peking duck and traditional Chinese dishes.
- Little Yunnan (546 Fisgard St): Best rice noodles and wonton soup in town according to Google reviews.
This was a full, fun day for us, but there are several more things to do in the Inner Harbour/downtown Victoria area. If you have more than one day in the area (or the weather’s bad and you don’t fancy a walking/boat tour in the rain), check out: the Royal BC Museum ($), Afternoon Tea at The Empress ($), the BC Parliament Buildings (free). Nearby Beacon Hill Park and the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm are worth a visit too (blog post coming soon).
Victoria Inner Harbour Attractions
Royal BC Museum (675 Belleville Street)
Located in the heart of Victoria, the world-class Royal BC Museum is a must-see destination. This museum features a variety of permanent and travelling exhibits that explore the natural and cultural history of the province. Explore interactive displays about First Nations cultures, local wildlife, and early settlers, and take part in educational programs designed to inspire curiosity and wonder. There’s also a coffee shop, IMAX theatre, and gift shops with unique gifts. Don’t leave without seeing the outdoor exhibits including the Thunderbird totem poles and Netherlands Carillon. You could easily spend a couple hours at the museum and a couple hours at the IMAX theatre.
Know Before You Go
- Open 10 am – 5 pm daily.
- See the events calendar for special programs including free (with admission) gallery tours.
- Buy museum and IMAX tickets online.
- Note: As of March 2023, the 3rd floor galleries are closed until further notice.
BC Parliament Buildings (501 Belleville Street)
The BC Parliament Buildings are impossible to miss with their Romanesque design, grand columns, and copper-gilded domes. While they are impressive on the outside, they’re just as grand inside. Did you know it’s free to visit the BC Parliament Buildings? You just need to go during visiting hours and go through a security screening.
Once indoors, check out all the stained glass windows, gaze up at the rotunda, visit the Legislative Library, dine at the Parliamentary Dining Room (reservations recommended), and observe a debate or question period from the Public Galleries. You can explore at your leisure, or join a free guided tour that will provide in-depth info about the history of the legislature and work that is done here. Kids will enjoy filling out the I-Spy scavenger hunt activity sheet (available at the Tour Desk) as they explore.
Outside the parliament buildings, there are fountains, cherry blossoms, and several statues. Can you spot Captain George Vancouver at the top of the dome, and 14 towering statues (almost 3 metres tall) on the Library’s walls? Two alcoves are empty; who do you think deserves a place of honor there?
Know Before You Go
- Hours: 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday to Friday. Closed weekends and holidays.
- The Parliament Buildings are wheelchair and stroller accessible.
- Check the Public Tour Schedule before you go and allow 45 minutes for the free guided tour.
- Check the Parliamentary Calendar to see when the Legislative Assembly will be sitting. For security reasons, bags, backpacks, cameras, notepads, cell phones and other electronic devices must be checked at the security station before entering the Public Galleries.
- For more programs, visit Special programs and events.
- There is no parking on site. Park downtown and walk over, or take public transit.
The Fairmont Empress Hotel: The Ultimate Afternoon Tea Spot
The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC is one of Vancouver Island’s most iconic landmarks. Located right on the harbour, this stunning hotel offers an elegant Afternoon Tea in the luxurious Lobby Lounge. Enjoy freshly-baked scones and finger sandwiches with a view!
Know Before You Go
- Afternoon Tea is fancy schmancy, so a dress code is in effect.
- Hours: 12 pm seating on weekdays, 12 pm & 2 pm seatings on weekends.
- Reservations recommended.
- For more information visit The Fairmont Empress Hotel | Tea at The Empress.
What to Bring to Victoria, BC
- It’s almost always breezy by the shore, so a windproof-waterproof jacket or fleece-lined rain jacket is a must year-round.
- While Victoria, BC boasts a milder climate than most of Canada, it’s still cool in early spring (high or 11 C and low of 1 C) and feels colder when the humidity is high, so bring a fleece jacket or down jacket.
- Waterproof boots or waterproof shoes are recommended so you don’t need to bring multiple pairs of footwear (also, spring can be a bit rainy in Victoria). I recommend waterproof leather boots and waterproof sneakers.
- Many island roads are winding, including the ones to Butchart Gardens and East Sooke Regional Park, so if anyone in your family gets motion sickness, you should bring anti-nauseants. We like chewable ginger Gravol for road trips and regular Gravol or Dramamine for whale watching.
Getting Around
Victoria, BC is extremely walkable and has a great public transit system (plus Water Taxis and hop-on, hop-off sightseeing buses), so a car rental is only necessary if you’re staying outside downtown and/or are planning on exploring outside Victoria. We rented a car for our 10-day trip in order to visit Goldstream Provincial Park, East Sooke Regional Park and Hatley Castle, Butchart Gardens, Tod Inlet, and The Butterfly Gardens (our next blog posts will have more info on these destinations!).
Where to Stay
Disclosure: When you book a room through my affiliate links, you earn Expedia points and I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting our family business!
Family-friendly hotels near Victoria’s Inner Harbour include the following:
- Best Western Plus Inner Harbour (412 Quebec Street, 900 m from Royal BC Museum): Offers a lot of bang for your buck including free buffet breakfast, in-room fridge and microwave, gym, sauna, steam room, seasonal outdoor pool, laundry, and parking ($15/day) – and is highly rated by Expedia guests (8.6/10).
- Hotel Zed Victoria (3110 Douglas St, 3 km from Royal BC Museum) is a family favorite with its funky decor, indoor pool and hot tub, free bicycle rentals, free parking, Arcade/game room, in-room fridge, shared microwave, and laundry. Rated 8.8/10 and it’s pet friendly too!
- Sandman Hotel Victoria (2852 Douglas St, 3 km from Royal BC Museum) boasts good prices and amenities including an indoor pool, hot tub, gym, laundry, and free parking. Family suites with kitchenettes are available. Average rating of 7.6/10.
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