Our weekend trip to Victoria was just that, a quick one night away. It was not enough to get to do and see everything we wanted, but that is okay because it simply means that we will have to go back some time. We wanted to share some of what we got up to as a family. Maybe give others some ideas of where to go when in Victoria.
Our List of Family Friendly Places to See and Eat at In Victoria
FORT RODD HILL AND FISGARD LIGHTHOUSE
This is a national historic site, which does mean you have to pay a little bit to go in. In our opinion, it’s definitely worth it. I wish we had packed a picnic to bring with us so that we could have spent much longer there. There are all sorts of stuff to explore and discover.
Tour the grounds of the fort by going through the bunkers, military compounds and reading about the true stories of soldiers and their time there. The highlight for us was the lighthouse itself. We didn’t think we’d be able to go inside the lighthouse but we were pleasantly surprised when the doors opened and inside provided the opportunity to learn all about it. This is the oldest lighthouse on Canada’s west coast and is not one to be missed.
There’s a large beach area to explore, plus there are even chairs tucked on the edge of some rocks with a great view of the ocean and boats passing by. Remember that the driftwood, seashells and other items you discover and meant to stay there. There are containers around the fort with signage to remind you of this.
THE RUBY
We’re so glad that this restaurant was located in the same place we stayed at. When we first arrived in Victoria we noted that it was full only confirming that it was a must go to place for us. Our second day there Jason popped over and got our name in for a late breakfast, early lunch. We did not have to wait long to get a table by doing this.
Looking at the menu we decided to order just one item off the kid’s menu and two full-size items off the menu. This allowed us to all share different items and get a bit of a variety. The Canadian Benny was one of the best eggs benedicts I have had in some time. It even came with avocado on it which was nice to share with everyone. We also kept it simple with a classic egg option that came with toast and sausage. I’m saying it again, the hashbrowns from The Ruby are a must!
If we had the trip to do over, we wish we had gone here for dinner too so that we could have experienced some of the other menu options too. Everything tasted great and the staff was amazing. Even going as far as bringing the girls a mini-game of Jenga to keep them entertained.
BRITISH COLUMBIA PARLIAMENT BUILDING
We didn’t go inside the BC Parliament Building, but we did wander the grounds. It overlooks Victoria’s inner harbour and is just beautiful to take in. The architecture is incredible. You can go for a guided tour inside, but we didn’t think the girls would be up for that. They had lots of fun wandering around the fountain and playing on the stairs.
EMPIRE DONUTS
This is one that we didn’t go to, donuts were actually left for us by Hotel ZED. It is definitely on our list of places to go to for a treat the next time we are in Victoria. The donuts were ridiculously good. We were pleasantly surprised by the flavours. We did dub theme sharing donuts as the flavours are very strong and some were a bit sweet. There was no way we could get through one whole donut on our own. Sharing was perfect. Old Fashioned, Brown Butter Toffee Pecan, and White Chocolate Passionfruit are just a few of the ones we enjoyed. If you are looking for a sweet treat, go to Empire Donuts.
EL FURNITURE WAREHOUSE VICTORIA
Somehow we missed this place on our first day there. We had found great parking next door to it but totally missed it. So glad we spotted it the next day because El Furniture Warehouse is a go-to for us whenever we are in Whistler. Why? The price of food! It’s a $5.95 food menu all day.
We enjoyed fish tacos, perogies, nachos, and a salad. To keep the price down we order water to drink. There was nothing left, everything was so good. Our only issue with this location is the washrooms. They are downstairs and very small single stalls. You can’t get down there with a stroller if you were on your own with kids, you can’t fit a stroller in the stall either. But, the food is great!
WANDER CHINA TOWN AND DOWNTOWN VICTORIA
There is lots of sightseeing to do in China Town and Downtown Victoria. When Jason and I went to Victoria pre-kids we loved China town and finding different little places there. The best was a spot we got handmade Chinese pastries. Sadly, we couldn’t find that place this time. The girls still loved looking in the windows of all the different shops.
We also made sure to walk down by the water and watch boats going past and the seaplanes taking off. There’s nothing better than just wandering together and taking in the sights. Just be sure to pack snacks so you don’t have to worry about anyone being hangry.
RESTHAVEN PARK
We stopped at a park on the way back to the ferry terminal to go home. We were ahead of schedule, so we knew that we could stop and let the girls play for a bit. They needed to get some energy out and just run around. There are lots of parks in the area so if you’re looking for something just pull up Google maps on your phone and you’ll find somewhere for kids to play.
My favourite childhood thing to do when we lived in Oak Bay was to go to The Galley on Estavan for fish and chips and either eat them there or take them down to Willows Beach. We still do it from time to time when we’re in Victoria too.
Exploring the shoreline along Dallas Rd from Clover Point to Ogdon Point is always a lot of fun too. Lot’s of fun things to do 🙂 Eating options though, we rarely eat out. We typically stay with friends so we have regular meals with them etc .