A Honeymoon in Victoria, B.C. from The World's Greatest Honeymoons

Nicknamed the “City of Gardens,” flower-filled Victoria—located on the southern tip of Canada’s Vancouver Island, overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca—is graced with that nation's mildest and sunniest climate. This beautiful seaside city has an intimate, friendly air, an easy-going nature, and a touch of British elegance. The small but exciting downtown—home to pubs, theaters, restaurants, clubs, and shops—is only minutes from rural areas known for exhilarating scenery and adventurous activities.

Victoria Honeymoon Ideas

Inner Harbor: Victoria's vibrant Inner Harbor is the center of action. To get an overview, hop one of the tiny green-and-white local ferries for the 45-minute circle tour. Disembark at the Fairmont Empress (below), with its view of beautiful anchored yachts and the harbor district stretching before you. Stroll along the paved walkway beside the water, stopping whenever something grabs your interest. You might sign up for a whale-watching excursion, examine the 15 totem poles in Thunderbird Park, relax over a fresh seafood lunch, marvel over the street jugglers and musicians, rent a kayak, watch the float planes land and take off, or just hunker down on a bench and enjoy the passing scene. A few blocks past the Johnson St. Bridge is Victoria’s tiny but delightful Chinatown, the oldest in Canada.

Whale-Watching Excursions: Spotting massive whales breaching 100 yards from your boat is a frequent (and always exciting) occurrence in these parts. The most common whale in the area is the Orca or “killer” whale; though it weighs up to 11 tons, the Orca's swimming speed exceeds 30 MPH. The shape of (and markings upon) an Orca's dorsal fin is unique to each whale, and researchers have identified and named many of the individual Orcas who inhabit these waters. They're most often seen from May through November while frequenting local feeding grounds. The much larger Gray whale (up to 45 tons) migrates through the region during March and April. While you’re out on the water you may also spot otters, sea lions, dolphins, and a wide variety of ocean-going birds. ~ Most of Victoria's whale adventures depart from the Inner harbor, where you'll also find ticket offices. Shop around to find the trip length, price, and type of seacraft that suits you. The small, double-decker ships are sturdy and you'll remain dry; but those high-speed, low-to-the-sea pontoon boats are thrilling as can be.

LoJo: In the late 19th century, Johnston Street was filled with hotels and and stores that catered to prospectors heading out to Klondike gold fields. For a while the area boomed, and then it gradually fell on hard times. Recently, however, "Old Town" has been revitalized into a hip area with a pronounced bohemian flair, all against a backdrop of beautifully-restored 19th century heritage buildings. Centered on and around Lower Johnston Street—hence the nickname LoJo—many stores feature local designers or products made on Vancouver Island. All-brick Market Square is a vital part of this "new" area. Built in the late 1800s and once home to saloons and sailors’ hotels, the Square now houses dozens of independent shops, galleries, and restaurants. ~ The hippest thing about this area? Despite the glitz, LoJo manages to retain the kind of "everyday necessity" shops that locals need and use. So alongside the fashionable boutiques and trend-setting eateries are shoe-repair stores, a place that sells inexpensive kids' shoes, and so on. Real people live here and love it, and you will too. »»Self-guided walking tour of Victoria

Vineyard & Related Excursions: The Cowichan Valley, 45 minutes from Victoria, is the second-largest wine region in BC. Thanks to the area's mild coastal climate, sun-drenched slopes, and rich soils, it's ideal for growing grapes. Crisp and clean white wines such as Gewurtztraminer, Bacchus, and Pinot Gris do quite well here, as do certain reds (Pinot Noir in particular). As you tour the vineyards, you'll be struck by views of rolling pasture backdropped by the ocean or mountains. »»Island wineries. ~ Beer's been brewed in Victoria since the early 1840s, so it's no surprise that breweries abound. You'll find the ol' familiar lip-smackers, but it's fun to sample unique brews like ginger-ginseng cream ale or oatmeal stout. »»Victoria breweries. ~ Who knew ciders could be so good—or so varied? Taste and compare at Merridale Ciderworks and Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse. Both are north of Victoria. ~ Perhaps the most unexpected locally-produced spirit is the handcrafted Victoria Gin produced by Winchester Cellars. Blending 10 locally-grown organic botanicals from juniper berries to orris root (and one secret ingredient), the gin is distilled in a handmade wood-fired copper pot still.

Read More about Canada: Provinces & Territories Overview • Montreal • Quebec City • Saskatchewan Driving Trip • Toronto • Vancouver • Vancouver Island • Victoria • British Columbia: Food Scene • British Columbia: Golf • Quebec City Wine Tour • Vancouver Island's Wines & Brews

Museums²: An 1889 mansion has blended beautifully with minimalist state-of-the-art exhibition galleries to form The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria. Permanent highlights include a renowned Asian Art collection, many works by B.C.'s own Emily Carr, and the only authentic Japanese Shinto Shrine in North America. Touring exhibitions are always first rate and thought-provoking. ~ The human and natural history of BC is the focus at the Royal British Columbia Museum, with artifacts, art, and specimens displayed in realistic settings to give a sense of "being there" to visitors. Founded in 1886, the museum owns a treasure trove of more than 7 million unique objects, including totem poles, masks, and clothing of Canada's native peoples. Touring exhibits are usually show-stoppers (Leonardo da Vinci, Genghis Khan, Egyptian artifacts), and an IMAX theater invariably features something you've just got to see. ~ The Martime Museum takes you on a fun-filled romp into the past, offering both the expected (pirates, shipwrecks, the Age of Exploration) and the surprising (a rickety ride in the continent's oldest birdcage elevator, a cedar dugout canoe that took a 3-year journey from Victoria to England in 1901).

Butchart Gardens: Simply put, 55-acre Butchart Gardens is one of the world’s botanic highlights, and every rave you've ever been subjected to about the place is true. Resist all you like: once you visit, you'll want to come back to view the landscaping at various times of the year. After all, each season here comes with its own unique set of splendors. In summer you'll encounter flowers at every turn, night-time illuminations, Saturday night fireworks, and concerts on the lawn. Autumn presents a dazzling parade of colorful trees and chrysanthemums. From December 1 into early January the Gardens are decked out big-time for Christmas, with tens of thousands of colored lights, evergreen wreaths and swags, winterberries festooning the lamposts, an outdoor skating rink, and "Twelve Days of Christmas" displays.

The remainder of the temperate winter at Butchart Gardens shows off background trees and shrubs, berries, and even flowers—Snowdrop, Crocus, and early Daffodil, for example. And then comes spring, with hundreds of thousands of flowering bulbs and trees set against a backdrop of bird song, fountains, lakes, statuary, meandering pathways, breathtaking overlooks. ~ The Dining Room Restaurant in the historic Butchart home offers views of the Private Garden, the Italian Garden, and Tod Inlet. Lunch and dinner are served seasonally, and a bountiful Afternoon Tea is available all year 'round. The seed/gift store stocks a wide variety of hand-packed Butchart seeds, as well as crafts, garden ornaments, and books.

Galloping Goose Trail: A former railway line transformed into a broad, flattish trail that runs from Victoria to Sooke—the Galloping Goose Trail is 34 miles of gorgeous wilderness, water, and city views. Stroll, hike, and bike as much of the trail as you like, perhaps stopping for a picnic in a quiet cove or alongside a serene lake. Next to the trail in Saanich you’ll discover Swan Lake/Christmas Hill Nature Sanctuary, home to everything from great blue herons to tiny finches—and, in spring and early summer, a spectacular collection of wildflowers (a 1.5-mile loop trail with a floating walkway provides access to the lake area). Galloping Goose eventually joins the 20-mile Lochside Regional Trail, which terminates at the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal—making for a great biking tour. You can download detailed brochures and maps for Galloping Goose and Lochside trails here.

The Empress: Reigning over the city's Inner Harbor, this century-old Grande Dame has welcomed royalty (Edward, Prince of Wales; King George; many others), movie stars (from Douglas Fairbanks and Tallulah Bankhead to John Travolta and Harrison Ford), and "just folks" (maybe the two of you?). ~ Afternoon Tea at The Empress is a tradition as old as the hotel itself. In the comfortable grandeur of the Tea Lobby, you'll be served with classic Edwardian flourish on Royal Doulton made specifically for the hotel: tiny sandwiches, scones, preserves, clotted cream, and, yes, tea. The service is hugely popular—800 people a day sit down for a cuppa at the height of summer, more than at any London hotel—so reserve your spot in advance. ~ Except for the top-tier suites, Empress rooms are definitely on the small side. But the hotel's stunning location—smack on the harbor, next to Parliament's buildings and the Royal BC Museum, across the street from whale-watching boats, a skip and jump from downtown shopping and restaurants—keep it a top favorite.

Craigdarroch Castle & Hatley Park: Victoria is home to two notable "castles" built by the same genre of pre-tax era millionaires who created Newport, Rhode Island. ~ Craigdarroch Castle was built in the 1890s by Robert Dunsmuir, who made a fortune in coal. Weighing in at 4½ stories and 39 rooms, it's plushly furnished in the style of the day and graced with 32 large stained glass windows. Climb 87 steps to the tower, and you'll be rewarded with an excellent view of the Strait, Victoria's harbor area, and the Olympic Mountains topped with snow. You can reach Craigdarroch after an easy, shortish stroll from downtown, but a parking lot makes it easy for those who prefer driving. ~ A 40-room Edwardian “castle” surrounded by 565 acres of old-growth trees and 10 formal heritage gardens, Hatley Park overlooks Juan de Fuca Strait and the Olympic Mountains. Located in Colwood, about 8 miles from downtown Victoria, this National Historic site is a frequent film location (among others, Little Women and the X-Men series were filmed here). Take a guided tour of the castle and/or gardens, stroll along one of the nature trails, and snap photos at the salt marsh estuary, which is home to numerous plants and animals. And be sure to visit the Park’s museum, where artifacts date from the ancient Salish Indians to the present.

For more information, contact the official Victoria Tourism website

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All written material ©WGH ~ Photos: Tourism Victoria and Nick Redding (Hatley Park), JoAnne Lacroix (whale watching), and Deanne Gillespie (Old Towne buildings); Fairmont Hotels & Resorts (Fairmont Empress); Suzanne Rodriguez (Butchart Gardens).