Vancouver Island Attractions
There are Vancouver Island attractions for families, for couples and for young athletes who love adventure!
With so much to choose from, you can include activities for everyone in the family, when planning a family vacation.
Here on our naturally beautiful island paradise, you’ll find family vacation ideas for adults, as well as tourist attractions for the young and the young at heart.
The little ones can enjoy family fun activities for kids.
The young adults will love the many adventurous recreational activities for teens that our island boasts.
And, if you only have a few days, you can still find great Victoria attractions, without even leaving the city!
So, if you plan ahead, there is no reason to have even a moment of boredom on Vancouver Island...
Totem pole in Port Alberni
Photo courtesy of blacky hs
Tourist Attractions
for Everyone in the Family
Island Markets and Fairs
- Enjoy our outdoor markets and farmers markets or take in one of the fairs--some even run year-round!
Dominion Astrophysical Observatory - A fantastic outing for families with kids who love space ships and rockets! They also have special events from time to time, such as viewings when a comet passes by!
The Royal BC Museum
Photo courtesy of firepile
Royal BC Museum - Learn about First Nations cultures, step into past history (with sight, sounds and smells) or see what changing environments (ice age, etc.) did to the animals and plants in this area.Vancouver Island Wine Tour - Visit a winery and taste some of our Vancouver Island wine. With perfect weather and fertile soil, this region is fast becoming Canada's foremost wine growing region!Butchart Gardens Victoria BC - over 50 acres of absolutely fantastic gardens. If you enjoy beauty, you’ll love Butchart Gardens! Make sure you visit the Sunken Garden while you're there...Empress Hotel Victoria BC - Even if you don't stay here, make sure you stop in for afternoon tea! This is one of the Vancouver Island attractions that you simply cannot miss...
High tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria BC
Photo courtesy of Erin hs
City of Victoria BC Shopping - You'll find lots of little shops, coffee houses, book stores, galleries and patio restaurants. Many of the shops are housed in old English architectural buildings, located near the harbour.Craigdarroch Castle - Built in the late 1800s, the castle’s 20,000 square feet reflect the immense wealth of its owners. Climb the tower for an awesome view of Victoria and the surrounding areas!
Craigdarroch Castle is one of the more popular
Vancouver Island attractions.
Photo courtesy of Draco2008
Comox Glacier - Beautiful to look at, the glacier appears to be a pillow in the sky. Industrious souls can climb to its summit to see the glacier up close--it takes 9-12 hours to get to the topFloathomes - Houses on water. This is a compromise between living on a boat and living on land. Floathomes offer a leisure lifestyle for a modest cost--with a million dollar view!Belfry Theatre - Located in Victoria, this theatre is located in a 19th century church. The Belfry will transport you back into time, and you’ll sit on velvet seats and under high ceilings, reminiscent of a royal court house!Totem Pole Carving
- You’ll see totem poles on Vancouver Island—everywhere! Totem poles are carved and maintained by First Nations residents, and you’ll see quite a variety of styles…Milner Gardens - Voted one of the 10 best public gardens in Canada (Canadian Geographic Travel), Milner Gardens is a seaside garden located in the Qualicum Beach area. The garden has been visited by British royalty. And, if you are visiting between 1 and 4 p.m., you can enjoy afternoon tea here…
Little Qualicum Cheese Works - Morningstar Farm is a working dairy farm with handcrafted cheeses in their retail shop. You can visit their gift shop or take a tour of the farm and the newly added winery, MooBerry Winery…Cowichan Theatre - Located in Duncan, the Cowichan Theatre is a community theatre that brings in professional artists on tour—and it also serves as a conference and convention center…Vancouver Island University - Vancouver Island University offers courses at a number of levels—from high school equivalency to undergraduate or graduate degrees. You can visit the main campus in Nanaimo…
These Vancouver Island Attractions
are Not Just for Kids!
Victoria Butterfly Gardens - Enjoy thousands of exotic butterflies, tropical ducks, flamingos, and other rare tropical birds--up close! If you live close by, you can even get a season pass to this awesome attraction.Llama Farms - This is your chance to see llamas up close and personal. There are 40 llama farms on the island, and many are close to Victoria.
Vancouver Island Attractions
For the Romantic
Fisgard Lighthouse - the first lighthouse on Canada’s west coast. The lighthouse is located in Esquimalt harbour on the southern tip of the island. It is still in operation, and you can go inside the lighthouse to have a look around. Bring a picnic lunch!Vancouver Island Weddings - There are so many enchanting spots on the island for a wedding. Why not plan to have yours here?
Get married outdoors on Vancouver Island
This is just the beginning. There are so many wonderful Vancouver Island attractions that I can’t list them all here. But I’ll tell you about as many as I can--as I tell you about the various towns and locations around Vancouver Island BC.
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