Premier Listings for Greater Victoria
A rare combination of rural charm and elegant sophistication, the South Island region of Vancouver Island is home to Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. The city reflects its First Nations and British history in heritage buildings and totem poles alike. The picturesque Inner Harbour and downtown core explode with colour and charm. Victoria boasts the mildest climate in Canada and embraces its natural surroundings.
Victoria was originally established in 1843 by James Douglas as a fort for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Bastion Square marks the site where a portion of the fort once stood, although all that remains now are two iron rings set into the rocks at the foot of Fort Street, next to the old Customs House.
Victoria has always had a history as a stronghold of British traditions. Double-decker buses, horse-drawn carriages, meticulously kept gardens, and the tradition of formal afternoon tea have contributed to the city’s long-standing reputation. However, over the past decade or so, Victoria has earned a reputation as a mecca for adventurers drawn by the limitless outdoor activities available in the city and throughout Vancouver Island, Victoria, and the Gulf Islands.
Greater Victoria’s outlying suburbs are communities within themselves, with distinct atmospheres and interesting experiences. Beyond the city limits, pristine wilderness leads the visitor to other cities and towns, threading together the island from coast to coast.
The following communities are located in Victoria:
The following communities are located on the Saanich Peninsula:
- Saanich
- Central Saanich
- North Saanich
- Brentwood Bay
- Highlands
- Saanichton
- Sidney
- Swartz Bay
- Victoria International Airport (YYJ)
The following communities are located in the Western Communities:
Population: 326,000
Location: Greater Victoria is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, bordered to the south and west by the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separates Vancouver Island from the United States of America (Washington State). To the east of the South Island region lie the San Juan Islands of Washington (USA) and the BC Gulf Islands, which lie in the Strait of Georgia that separates Vancouver Island from the mainland of BC and Washington.
Greater Victoria is served by air links through Victoria International Airport (YYJ), and by BC Ferries from Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal (Vancouver) on the mainland. These ferries are huge, with a capacity of approximately 450 vehicles and over 2,000 passengers – getting here is half the fun!
Other ferries connect with Anacortes, Bellingham, Port Angeles, and Seattle in Washington State:
- Sidney (Victoria) / Anacortes, Washington
- Victoria / Bellingham, Washington
- Victoria / Port Angeles, Washington
- Victoria / Port Seattle, Washington
View maps of the area
- Map of Victoria
- Map of Victoria Downtown
- Map of Greater Victoria
- Map of South Vancouver Island
Premier Greater Victoria Business Directory – Local Businesses in South Vancouver Island
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Reel Obsession Sport Fishing Charters offers year-round, world-class, fully-guided BC salmon and halibut sportfishing charters on Vancouver Island on the west coast of British Columbia, fishing Zeballos, Nootka Sound, Esperanza Inlet, and Victoria. We offer a variety of charter fishing packages and are quite flexible in customizing your charter fishing experience to suit your needs. Our west coast BC fishing lodge is uniquely located in the migration path of the Pacific salmon, featuring career guides steeped in the local fishery, consistent big catches, world-class service and accommodation, and great fishing all summer long.
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Victoria Regent Waterfront Hotel & Suites is an exclusive downtown waterfront property offering luxury condominium styled penthouses and spacious suites that provide spectacular views overlooking Victoria’s picturesque inner harbour and the adjacent marinas. The Victoria Regent is amongst the most beautiful hotels in Victoria BC. We are located directly on the water, overlooking the scenic inner harbour. Step onto your balcony, and a bustling harbour with its colourful boats lies before you. Our choice location allows easy exploration of downtown Victoria’s shops, restaurants, theatres, museums and galleries. You will find that we provide unmatched luxury and service in perhaps the perfect downtown location.
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Nestled in the quaint seaside village of Sooke, just 35 minutes from Victoria, Sooke Harbour Resort & Marina is the perfect year-round oceanside getaway, surrounded by the rugged natural beauty for which Vancouver Island is known. Our resort vacation rental accommodation provides all of the comforts of home, giving you plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy your own space, under the same roof as your friends and family. Fully-furnished suites have fully-equipped gourmet kitchens, electric fireplaces, private balconies, and full or partial views overlooking our private 114-slip marina and the Strait of Juan de Fuca! Indulge in year-round sport fishing, world-class golf, kayaking, whale watching, winery tours, hiking and eco-tours.
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The Quality Inn Waddling Dog captures the heritage flavour of Victoria, while offering all the convenience, amenities and value you’d expect from a trusted name like Quality Inn. Olde England comfort and charm at this quaint 30-room English Tudor-style hotel near Butchart Gardens, BC Ferries, Washington State Ferry and Victoria International Airport. Also enjoy our pub and restaurant at Waddling Dog Bar & Grill.
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Set among award-winning gardens in a quiet, residential area of Sidney-By-The-Sea, The Cedarwood provides waterfront accommodation with a difference. We are close to the world-renowned Butchart Gardens and within walking distance to the San Juan Islands ferries. Enjoy spectacular views of the ocean, Olympic Mountains and Mount Baker. Just five blocks away, there are restaurants, cafés, banks, shops and grocery stores.
Cedarwood also boasts the unique Lasqueti Island Cottages, located on the Sidney property. These four log cabins were the original units at The Cedarwood in Sidney in 1949! Guests will enjoy the patina of naturally aged wood interiors and the views across our raised gardens to the ocean. The cottages have two TVs, an updated bathroom, fully-equipped kitchen, and one bedroom featuring a king-sized bed, with a queen-sized sofa bed in the living room.
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Orca Spirit Adventures is Victoria’s premier whale watching company, offering carbon-neutral covered vessel and zodiac tours led by certified marine naturalists whose knowledge and passion for Vancouver Island’s marine wildlife is unequaled in the industry.
Tours are three hours in length, with April through October being the ideal whale watching months. In this peak season, Orca Spirit Adventures boasts a greater than 95% success rate of spotting whales, including humpback whales, Bigg’s and resident orcas (killer whales), and gray whales!
Other wildlife you may encounter include harbour seals and elephant seals, sea lions, Dall’s and harbour porpoises, otters and marine birds such as cormorants and bald eagles.
Unlucky tour? Join us again using our WHALE GUARANTEE for a complimentary whale watching tour!
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Waterfront West is the first and only marketplace dedicated exclusively to buyers and sellers of waterfront and water view real estate in British Columbia. Advertising Realtors’ listings, private sales and developments, we are pioneering the market for this prime real estate. Featuring private and brokered sales, waterfront developments and a complimentary Buyers’ Club.
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Five Star Whale Watching helps you discover the picturesque southern Vancouver Island, Victoria, and the Gulf Islands, home to the largest population of Killer Whales (Orcas) in the world. Come aboard one of our two 40-passenger Expedition Catamarans, each of which combines comfort, speed, safety, and your choice of 3 viewing platforms. With 20 years experience watching whales we offer more that just a “point and photograph” tour.
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EMR is a fully licensed Travel Agency offering fully furnished vacation homes, condos, suites, and estates in Victoria, Vancouver, Tofino, Whistler, the Okanagan, and on Vancouver Island. We have a large inventory of unique properties to select from. This includes properties that feature oceanfront, beach front, breathtaking views, private hot tubs, luxurious settings and more.
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We have the keys to the seafood supermarket, right here in Tofino on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. If you’re here to fish for dime-bright Pacific salmon, the massive and delicious halibut, cod, snapper, or even albacore tuna, then you’ve come to the right place. Fishing also offered out of Victoria during the winter months.
Coastal Charters offers on and offshore fishing packages, coastal adventures, and your choice of tour activities. Explore the coastline of Tofino while fishing, soak in mineral rich pools of the Hot Springs Cove, or walk the boardwalk through temperate rainforest.
We always have our guests and our planet at heart and we relish in creating exciting, safe and unforgettable adventures. We get to know our guests, and go that extra distance to ensure that they are completely satisfied or just downright over the moon!
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Malahat Mountain Meadows RV Park and Campground is located 26 kms north of Victoria near the summit of the Malahat Drive. Our quiet and natural resort offers private and scenic campsites, and 63 spacious, fully-serviced RV sites nestled amongst giant cedars and seasonal creeks – either warm and sunny or deeply shaded lots. Amenities include clean washrooms with hot showers, and much more.
Our goal is to make campers as comfortable as possible during their stay in the Greater Victoria area. Head south to Victoria or north to explore the beautiful Cowichan Valley and the rest of Vancouver Island beyond. Come visit Malahat Mountain Meadows RV park and campground today! Quiet and natural!
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EXPLORE. INSPIRE. CONSERVE. Rated Victoria’s #1 whale watching company on Trip Advisor since 2007, Eagle Wing Tours guarantees adventure and the most transformative marine experiences on the Salish Sea. With four vessels, multiple daily departures, and our knowledgeable and passionate staff we consistently provide our guests with the marine wildlife experience of a lifetime!
Environmental stewardship and sustainability are core values of our family-owned, award-winning company. We are Canada’s first 100% carbon-neutral whale-watching company. We are certified Platinum with Green Tourism Canada. And we are proud to support 1% for the Planet and many other conservation initiatives that directly benefit the Salish Sea and its inhabitants.
You will come as a tourist but return with a deeper understanding and passion for this incredible ecosystem.
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BCJobs.ca enables job seekers and employers to connect with each other. Search for employment opportunities throughout BC or apply for and post BC jobs and resumes. Use the internet as a resource to find that dream job, including accounting jobs, administration jobs, construction, manufacturing, customer service, sales, marketing, financial, technical, technology, health care, tourism, retail and more… all in British Columbia.
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Bronco Tours provides safe, efficient ground transportation and unforgettable sightseeing memories in Greater Victoria, BC. We Are Unique! Bronco Tours is proud to be the first and only tour company in British Columbia to offer a vintage Bronco! Our goal is to exceed your expectations in one sweet ride, making your Bronco experience a blast, one you will never forget!
Bronco Tours owner and guide, Deanna, loves sharing her knowledge of local history and her enthusiasm for showing visitors to Victoria an awesome time. Deanna’s roots in Victoria date back over 100 years to her great grandfather who made his fortune in the Yukon Gold Rush and set his sights on bridge building in the early 1900s, including setting the 50-foot timber pilings on which the world-famous Fairmont Empress Hotel still sits today.
All of our tours include pick up and drop off at a hotel or location of your choice, bottled water, exclusively Canadian snacks and, of course, listening to your favourite music. Not to mention being able to see Victoria in a unique way from our Classic 74’ Bronco.
Bronco Tours is National Safety Code certified and Passenger Transport approved.
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This lovely hotel is perfectly situated in downtown Victoria’s best location, at the beautiful Inner Harbour, just a short stroll from the city’s best highlights, including the majestic Parliament Buildings, the award-winning Royal BC Museum, Beacon Hill Park, Fisherman’s Wharf, the Conference Center, and major attractions, shops and restaurants. The BEST WESTERN PLUS Inner Harbour offers great value, and room rates include a delicious and complimentary full breakfast buffet for our hotel guests. Elegant rooms each have a private balcony, a separate eating area with fridge and microwave, free wi-fi, DVD player and more. Amenities include an outdoor pool (in season), indoor whirlpool, sauna, steam room, fitness area and guest laundry. Gated and underground parking is available.
