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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.

While a number of ships are scheduled to spend a full day in Victoria in 2011, more than two-thirds of the ships planning stops in Victoria will arrive at 6:00 pm or later. That rules out visits to most of the city's museums, as well as some shopping venues. But that means you'll have time to enjoy a fun culinary experience in the city, as well as the lights on the city's buildings. And the sun sets late during the summer, so at least some of your time in Victoria will take place during daylight hours.

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.

Travel Advisory

An advisory from the U.S. Embassy in Canada states that Americans planning to enter Canada must be aware that "anyone with a criminal record (including a drunk driving conviction) may be excluded from entering Canada. A waiver of exclusion may be issued but several weeks are required and a processing fee must be paid. Contact the Canadian Embassy or a Canadian Consulate in the U.S."

Currency

The Canadian dollar is Canada's official currency. It's sometimes referred to as the "Loonie," due to the loon depicted on the obverse of the Canadian one dollar coin. The current exchange rate for the US dollar is shown below.

US Dollar Exchange Rate

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.

Check out our Victoria ATM map to find the locations of the above ATMs.

Using US Dollars in Victoria

US dollars are accepted in Victoria, but at a discount to the bank rate. All change for US dollar transactions will be given in Canadian currency. Since ATM machines are so plentiful in Victoria, it is easy to obtain Canadian dollars. Alternatively, you can charge your purchases on credit cards and get a slightly better rate, but you may be charged a foreign exchange transaction fee.

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 Daylight Information
	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep
Mean Sunrise	5:33 am	5:11 am	5:28 am	6:07 am	6:50 am
Mean Sunset	8:47 pm	9:17 pm	9:11 pm	8:28 pm	7:27 pm
Mean Hours of Daylight	15.2	16.1	15.7	14.4	12.6

Victoria Weather Forecast, Canada

©istockphoto.com/lillisphotography

Keeping In Touch

Internet Cafes & Wi-Fi Access

You can find cyber cafes in the downtown area of the town, as well as a number of Wi-Fi access points. Starbucks, which offers free Wi-Fi, 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. Other coffee houses offering free Wi-Fi include Serious Coffee locations and Dolce Vita Coffee Art.

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.

Cellular Phone & Data Services

Travelers with American cell phones should be aware that their carriers will add a variety of international roaming charges when their phones are used in Canada. Check with your carrier for the precise details.

	Cell service: Verizon's CDMA service in the Victoria area is provided by local partners Telus or Bell Mobility. Data services: Through its partners, Verizon offers 3G coverage in the greater Victoria area. See details on cell and data services pricing and coverage maps.
	Cell service: AT&T's GSM service in the Victoria area is provided by Rogers, Fido, Telus or Bell Mobility. Data services: AT&T offers extensive 3G service in the greater Victoria area through its partners. See details on cell and data services coverage maps.
	Cell service: Sprint's CDMA service is provided by Bell Mobility or Telus in the greater Victoria area. Data services: Sprint offers data services in the greater Victoria area through its partners. See details on Sprint's cell and data services coverage maps.
	Cell service: T-Mobile's GSM service is available in the Victoria area through Telus, Rogers or Bell Mobility. Data services: T-Mobile offers 3G service in the greater Victoria area through its partners. See details on T-Mobile's cell and data services coverage maps.

Kindle Connectivity

In Victoria, you can download your Kindle 3G data through 3G coverage provided by Rogers or Fido.

Local Holidays & Festivals

Look for the following local festivals, holidays and events taking place in Victoria in 2013:

New Year's Day, January 1.

Good Friday, March 29. Commemorates the Friday before Easter.

Easter Sunday, March 31. The most important Christian holiday.

Easter Monday, April 1. Gives the people a 4-day holiday.

Celtic Festival & Highland Games, May 11 to 19. 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 20. 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 15. 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 22 to August 18. Activities include Lunch Time Concerts, JazzFest International, Festival Mexicano, Dancing in the Square, Victoria Electronic Music Festival, Tango Fest '11 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 5. Civic holiday.

Victoria Dragon Boat Festival, August 16 to 18. Come down to the Inner Harbour for exhilarating dragon boat races, cultural entertainment and crafts for the whole family.

Labour Day, September 2. Celebrates economic and social achievements of workers.

Thanksgiving Day, October 14. 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. Celebrates the birth of Christ.

Boxing Day, December 26. Commemorates the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr.

Cruise Port Schedules

Victoria is a very popular port for the seasonal Alaskan cruise ship trade, which extends from May through September.

Interestingly, in 2013, more than two thirds of the ships arriving in Victoria will do so at or after 5:00 pm. But because days are long in the summer, you'll have at least some sunlight in which to see the city.

For 2013, Victoria is slated to host 458,000 passengers sailing on 203 ships, down 1% and 6%, respectively, from 2012. For further information, see our Victoria Cruise Ship Schedule - 2013.