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Victoria Basics

Victoria--the City of Gardens--is located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, and looks out on the Juan de Fuca Strait. Often called the most British city in Canada, the city maintains the charm of a smaller city yet provides its population with first class services and amenities. Victoria is the provincial capital of British Columbia, and boasts a metropolitan population of about 380,000 inhabitants.

The mainstays of Victoria's economy are technology, tourism, education, federal and provincial government administration and services. Over 3.5 million tourists come to Victoria every year; in 2010, the Port of Victoria expects to host 215 cruise ship visits.

Victoria enjoys mild, damp winters and relatively dry and mild summers. The climate is temperate, as it is subtly influenced by warm Japanese currents. The rugged mountain ranges of the Olympics, Cascades, Coast Mountains and the Island Ridge protect the city from North Pacific rains and winds. Nonetheless, on-shore breezes are an ever present feature of Victoria's climate, making the weather unpredictable.

First Impressions

Victoria is a very pretty city, and like almost all Canadian cities, very clean. During the spring, summer and early fall, the city abounds with abundant flowers and their wonderful aromas.

The focal point of the city is the Inner Harbour, where you'll find the provincial Parliament buildings, the Fairmont Empress Hotel, museums, shops, pubs, restaurants and other attractions. One of the nice things about Victoria is that most everything that you may want to see and do is within easy walking distance of each other in the Inner Harbour/downtown area.

Your ship will dock at the Ogden Point Cruise Terminal in the Outer Harbour area of Victoria, which is located just over 1 mile from the Inner Harbour and downtown areas. At the Cruise Terminal, you can find gift shops, foreign currency exchange services and pay telephones. Tour and shuttle buses, taxis and other forms of transportation are readily available for passenger excursions to the city center and major tour attractions.

Victoria really comes alive from May through September. The weather is very pleasant, the days are long, street entertainers do their thing, and there are flowers everywhere. People are happy.

Time Zone

Victoria is on Pacific Time, eight hours earlier than Greenwich Mean Time during standard time, or seven hours during daylight savings time. Daylight savings time begins on the second Sunday of March, and ends on the first Sunday of November.

Language

English is universally spoken in Victoria. Some shopkeepers also speak French.

Currency

The Canadian dollar is Canada's official currency. As of August 23, 2010, the exchange rate is US$1 equals $1.03 Canadian dollars.

Banks and ATMs

ATM machines in Victoria are plentiful and can be found at bank branches, hotels, restaurants, drug stores and other establishments in the Inner Harbour area. Banks with ATM machines can be found at the following locations:

HSBC: 752 Fort Street is their main branch in Victoria.
CIBC: 1175 Douglas Street; 265 Menzies Street; and 904 Yates Street are the most convenient bank branch locations.
Bank of Montreal: 1225 Douglas Street is their main branch in Victoria; another branch is located at 230 Menzies Street.
Royal Bank of Canada: 1079 Douglas Street is their main branch in Victoria.

To see the locations of the above ATMs, see our Victoria ATM map.

Using US Dollars in Victoria

In Canada, one uses Canadian dollars. Since ATM machines are so plentiful in Victoria, it is easy to obtain Canadian dollars. Alternatively, you can charge your purchases on American-issued credit cards.

Weather

Located in a sub-Mediterranean zone, Victoria enjoys some of the most moderate weather in all of Canada. The climate is temperate, as it is subtly influenced by warm Japanese currents. The rugged mountain ranges of the Olympics, Cascades, Coast Mountains and the Island Ridge protect the city from North Pacific rains and winds. Nonetheless, onshore breezes are an ever present feature of Victoria's climate.

From November through March, Victoria is often gray and gloomy. The average monthly rainfall in winter is 2 inches (5 cm), but Victorians are seldom without an umbrella. Rainfall during the summer is less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) per month.

Humidity is generally pretty low in Victoria, and the almost constant offshore breezes keep summer days from becoming too hot. During the spring and summer evenings, the temperature becomes much cooler, so if you're out and about, don't forget to bring a sweater or a light coat.

Victoria Average Temperatures
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg High - F	43	47	50	55	61	66	71	71	66	57	48	44
Avg High - C	6	8	11	13	16	19	22	22	19	14	9	7
Avg Low - F	32	34	35	38	43	48	51	51	47	41	36	33
Avg Low - C	0	1	2	3	6	9	11	11	8	5	2	1

Victoria Average Precipitation
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Avg, Inches	5.4	4.2	3.1	1.8	1.5	1.3	0.8	0.9	1.2	3.0	5.8	5.9
Avg, mm	137	106	78	45	37	32	20	24	30	76	147	151

Victoria Weather Forecast, Canada

Keeping In Touch

Internet Cafes

You can find cyber cafes in the downtown area of the town. Starbucks also has several locations in Victoria, including at 1309 Government Street, at Yates, just a few blocks up from Wharf Street and the Inner Harbour; their telephone number is (250) 383-4448.

Stain Internet Cafe, located at 609 Yates Street in downtown Victoria, just a few blocks up from Wharf Street and the Inner Harbour. A nice place to hang out for an hour or two. The cost is C$3.50/hour for internet access. Tel: (250) 382-3352
James Bay Coffee & Books, located at 143 Menzies Street in the James Bay area (a very pretty part of Victoria), not quite a mile from the Cruise Ship Terminal. Tel: (250) 386-4700

To see the locations of the above internet cafes, see our Victoria Internet Access map.

Finding US Newspapers

US newspapers can be found in several locations in Victoria, including hotels and convenience stores, such as 7-11.

Kindle Connectivity

In Victoria, you can download your Kindle newspaper and magazine subscriptions, as well as books and selected blogs, through 3-G coverage provided by Rogers or Fido.

Local Holidays & Festivals

The following local festivals, holidays and events are slated to take place in Victoria in 2010:

New Year's Day, January 1.
Good Friday, April 2. Commemorates the Friday before Easter.
Celtic Festival & Highland Games, May 22 & 23. Activities include dance, bagpipe and drum competitions, pipe bands, caber throwing, heavy event championship, historical display, entertainment, and Celtic food. Takes place at Topaz Park.
Victoria Day & Parade, May 24. Celebrates the birthday of the current Canadian Monarch, Queen Elizabeth II. However, the date does not change with the change of monarch; instead, it is set on the birthday of Queen Victoria, the Canadian Monarch at the time of Canadian Confederation and establishment of dominion status in 1867. The Parade is Victoria's largest parade event, with marching bands, floats, clowns, etc.
Heritage Day, June 19. Celebrating Victoria's cultural diversity through Dance from noon to 9:00 pm. Takes place at Beacon Hill Park.
Spirit of Summer In the Square, June 27 to August 22. Activities include Lunch Time Concerts, JazzFest International, Festival Mexicano, Dancing in the Square, Victoria Electronic Music Festival, Tango Fest '10 and much more.
Canada Day, July 1. Celebrates Canada's 1867 Confederation and establishment of dominion status. In Victoria, they have an "Eh-rated" fireworks display that gets better each year.
British Columbia Day, August 2. Civic holiday.
Victoria Dragon Boat Festival, August 13 to 15. Come down to the Inner Harbour for exhilarating dragon boat races, cultural entertainment and crafts for the whole family.
Labour Day, September 6. Celebrates economic and social achievements of workers.
Thanksgiving Day, October 11. A day to give thanks for the things one has at the close of the harvest season.
Remembrance Day, November 11. Commemorates Canada's war dead. Anniversary of the armistice ending World War I in 1918.
Christmas Day, December 25. The most important Christian holiday.
Boxing Day, December 26. Commemorates the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Cruise Lines Making Port

Victoria is a very popular port for the seasonal Alaskan cruise ship trade, which extends from May through September. During the 2010 cruise ship season, the Port of Victoria expects to host a record 215 cruise ship visits. If you'd like to see what ships are in port, check out the 2010 Cruise Ship Schedule.

The following cruise lines make port in Victoria: