Parliament Buildings

#1 Inner Harbour The Inner Harbour is Victoria's primary tourist neighborhood. The harbor itself – home to various fishing boats and colorful floating homes – is framed by wide pedestrian streets, often frequented by ... Read more » S. Greg Panosian / Getty Images

#2 The Butchart Gardens These world-renowned gardens have impressed Victoria visitors since 1904. Resting on 55 acres about 15 miles north of the Inner Harbour, Butchart Gardens were carefully constructed by Jennie Butchart on ... Read more » bernson74 / Getty Images

#3 Parliament Buildings The British Columbia Parliament Buildings are hard to miss. These neo-baroque structures with their impressive blue dome face off against Victoria's famed Fairmont Empress Hotel and make an excellent backdrop for ... Read more » Courtesy of HikeVictoria.com and Tourism Victoria

#4 Royal British Columbia Museum The Royal British Columbia Museum offers visitors a comprehensive introduction to the region's history and culture. Exhibits include tribal artifacts from the First Nations, natural history displays and even ... Read more » Museum Front Entrance, Royal BC Museum / Photo courtesy of the Royal BC Museum

#5 Goldstream Provincial Park Located about 11 miles northwest of the Inner Harbour, Goldstream Provincial Park houses a stunning array of flora and abundant natural beauty across its nearly 1,000 acres. But the ... Read more » Emily Norton / Getty Images

#6 Mount Washington Alpine Resort Sitting on the eastern edge of Vancouver Island's Strathcona Provincial Park, the Mount Washington Alpine Resort is one of the region's most prominent ski areas. And it's ... Read more » Tony Radomi / Courtesy Tourism BC

#7 Fairmont Empress Challenging the Parliament Buildings from across the Inner Harbour is the elegant Fairmont Empress hotel. Built in the early 20th century, the Empress is one of the region's oldest ... Read more » Courtesy Tourism Victoria

#8 Whale Watching Tours Though you may be able to spot whales from the ferry, you'll have the best chance of seeing them during an organized whale-watching tour. Plus, you'll benefit from ... Read more » Courtesy Tourism Victoria

#9 Cowichan Valley British Columbia is peppered with vineyards. To snag a taste of BC vino (and maybe even a few bottles to bring home), spend a day or two in the Cowichan ... Read more » Andrea Johnson / Courtesy Tourism BC

#10 Craigdarroch Castle To sample the Victorian high life, head about a mile east of the Inner Harbour to Craigdarroch Castle, a National Historic Site. This impressive home was built in the late 1800s for ... Read more » gregobagel / Getty Images

#11 Sooke This little community on the southern tip of Vancouver Island makes for a quaint and quiet alternative to Victoria. Sooke's sheltered harbor is filled with fishing boats rather than ... Read more » Mark Lee / Courtesy Tourism BC

#12 Victoria Butterfly Gardens While you wouldn't normally relate Canada with the jungle, the tropical wetlands thrive in the Victoria Butterfly Gardens. As its name suggests, this indoor facility is home to thousands ... Read more » Courtesy Tourism Victoria

#13 Victoria Bug Zoo If you're traveling to Victoria with kids in tow (or even without), many recent visitors recommended a stop at the Victoria Bug Zoo. Located a block or so north ... Read more » Tjflex2 / Flickr

#14 Miniature World Miniature World continues to delight the young and the young at heart with its numerous tiny worlds. Sitting just a short walk from the Inner Harbour, this interactive museum houses ... Read more » necopunch / Flickr

# BC Aviation Museum Read more » Tjflex2 / Flickr

# West Coast Brewery Tours Read more » Courtesy Tourism Victoria

# Beacon Hill Park Read more » Courtesy Tourism Victoria