When it comes to return visits to much-loved destinations, I’d like to make the case for how rewarding it is to choose the "path not taken."
What I mean is, if you're going back somewhere you've been before, why not do as many different things as possible the second (or third, or fourth, or umpteenth) time around?
For my most recent trip to Victoria, forging an almost entirely fresh-to-me way to the charming city began with how I got there.
Vancouver to Victoria by seaplane: Fast and scenic
Having watched the float planes glide gracefully in and out of Victoria's inner harbour, I'd always wondered what it would be like to descend from a sunny and clear blue sky to touch down and be steps from where I'd be hanging my hat for the night.
Harbour Air offers a staggering 20 flights daily in peak season between Downtown Vancouver and Victoria (though the route operates December to the end of September). I will cop to having flown that route once before, only it was so windy and overcast that upon landing in Victoria, I rearranged my return plans to walk-on the ferry.
This time around, things were much different. First, I took advantage of the increased seasonal service on Harbour Air's Richmond (YVR Airport South) to Victoria route, and it happened to be a picture perfect day for a seaplane flight across the Strait of Georgia. The flight is about 30 minutes all-in, offering breathtaking scenery from departure to landing.
It's hard to beat that for an arrival location, and as soon as you collect your bags and thank your pilot your car-free encounter with Victoria can begin.
A mini café crawl to start the morning
Breakfast is always a good starting point, and while Victoria has a solid rep for being the kind of city where brunch is a serious affair (usually involving waiting in line at reliably good spot that don't take resos) it also happens to have an impressive concentration of coffee shops and bakeries.
After dropping our bags off at the Michelin Guide-honoured Magnolia Hotel, I plotted a course for the day that began with a short Uber ride to the farthest point out to fuel up with baked goods before a long meander to shop and sip with an iconic waterfront spot as a lunch destination. Longtime Uber user, first time using the app in Victoria, where I found the wait time for a ride longer than in other cities.
We started at Working Culture, a popular five-year-old family-run bakery known for its sourdough bread, but I'd not been to the storefront before. The line moved briskly, giving us time to appreciate the quirky artwork, merch, and loaded pastry case. Like any A-student, I'd studied my options and knew I was at Working Culture for a cinnamon bun. There it was, a perfectly scrolled testament to butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon, and void of any frosting.
Should you find yourself, as I typically do, travelling with a companion (I gave birth to mine), you can do the old "get two, share both" method. With my cinnamon roll and a sugar-dusted lemon Earl Grey morning bun in hand, we posted up on a bench outside and had a sweet sidewalk-side feast.
The next stop on our mini café crawl was Torch Song, a hybrid coffee shop and record and book store. The high ceilings and counter seats keep the space feeling wide open. Though I'd only meant to peek in, after plucking a cold drink from the fridge, a miso sesame cookie basically said my name so we sat down to snack.
Since we were "crawling" in the old town/Chinatown zone, we couldn't make the trek further afield to try Wairua or Township, two places highly recommended for matcha. The traditional Japanese green tea is exploding in popularity right now, so I swapped my usual coffee-seeking for a matcha mission.
Luckily, a shop called Just Matcha on the south end of Fan Tan Alley (more on that famous street later) made a convenient stop for a shared iced mango matcha (two straws). And, trendy schmendy: Just Matcha has been around since 2013.
Spend some time shopping local
Lest it sound like we did nothing but eat and drink, it's a good moment to mention that there are so many wonderful shops in this part of Victoria to break up the noshing.
Be sure to stop and smell everything at Saltspring Soapworks, like Cedar Eucalyptus, Rhubarb, or Paprika Orange soap bars. The Saltspring Island-born business has been around since 1979, and the Victoria shop is one of three they operate.
If thrift and consignment is your jam, you're in luck, as this part of town is, dare I say, jam-packed with options, whether you're in search of vintage designer or plus size clothes, or just a wicked good deal on some secondhand stuff.
Collectors will also want to set aside time to check out shops like Cherry Bomb Toys, where nostalgia oozes from every shelf and display case to delight kids and kids at heart who love anything from Smurfs to Star Wars. Nearby, comic book fans get a two-fer with neighbouring shops Curious Comics and Legends Comics, while on colourful Johnston Street, anime enthusiasts will want to peruse Otaki (and even grab an onigiri or Japanese snack at Oni-Oni a few doors down).
Oh, more nostalgia, you say? I'll confess this was a repeat visit, but Quazar's Arcade is a fun stop for a few rounds of old school steering wheel and pedal Mario Kart or Ms. Pac-Man. Same for Munro's Books. I'm of the mindset that it's simply not a visit to Victoria if you don't roam their storied aisles, gape at the ceilings, and say hello to the Lego model of the store.
Meanwhile, on Government Street, the Makers store stocks items from regional artisans and small businesses, like art, jewellery, toys, and cards; souvenirs not aren't mass produced with "Victoria, B.C." slapped on the generic template.
Government Street was even more bustling than I'd seen it before, thanks to the throngs of folks on an excursion off their cruise ship. If you've never elbowed your way through these crowds before in the tourist zone, you know to pack your patience. Lesson learned!
What do you mean you've never been there?
In my quest to correct omissions of past Victoria trips, I made sure to make time to go inside the Murchie's tea room and shop, if only to get an Apricot Tea Latte to go and pick up a packet of their Apricot Black Tea sachets so I could make the latte at home.
If you were disappointed I'd never been inside Victoria's legendary Murchie's (which has only been around for, like, 130 years or so) you might also want to get your tsk-tsk finger ready when I confess on this trip I strolled into Rogers' Chocolates for the first time, too.
It's possible I visited these iconic Victoria-born businesses as a little girl, but considering how ancient my travel companion reminds me I am, I had to make some present-day memories. Those quick stops were also great reminders at how Victoria manages to blend history with newness so seamlessly.
A final never-have-I ever: Lunch was at Red Fish Blue Fish. Talk about of memories, the moment you take your first bite from this beloved waterfront fish and chips shack you will forget how long you waited in line. With harbour views and happy stomachs we devoured our pile of crispy fries, golden-fried tempura battered cod, and little cups of coleslaw. This was a first, but I guarantee not a last.
Never not full: More great Victoria eats
All this food and drink sharing was strategic, mind you; this ain't my first rodeo. I love a packed itinerary with lots of eating and walking. First up: Happy Hour at The Courtney Room.
The Courtney Room is familiar turf for me, and as I happily discovered, the award-winning restaurant a great HH menu offering a glimpse at what they do so well, particularly working with local ingredients and suppliers. We slurped some fresh-shucked oysters with a beguiling elderflower mignonette and enjoyed the lightly spicy Amberjack sushi bites on crispy rice.
Their cocktail menu is an ever-evolving surprise, and our server's eyes lit up when I chose the Snap Pea Swizzle from their "An Exploration of the Pacific Northwest Vol. 4" booklet. The slender volume holds many liquid adventures tied to the region's terroir, but I had to see and sip for myself how Pisco, snap pea, lime, and Fernet were actualized in a glass. It's a more vegetal drink, unsurprisingly, but also well-balanced and refreshing, and a great foil for our seafood nibbles.
The main event: Dinner at Ugly Duckling
After a much needed disco nap situation in our well-appointed room at The Magnolia Hotel, we hit the streets again for a stroll to Ugly Duckling. The restaurant, open since early 2023, has captivated hearts and palates with its tasting menu tribute to its milieu: A historic Chinatown in the coastal Pacific Northwest.
Chef/owner Corbin Mathany has built a name in Victoria with Ugly Duckling and his pledge to offer great service and carefully curated and expertly executed dishes. The five-course tasting menu began with the sweet, subtle flavours of B.C. spot prawns in a fluffy egg custard with corn and miso, before a punchy shout out to Chinatown with seared scallop paired with an XO sauce emulsion.
The butter-poached Haida Gwaii halibut with smoked potato and trout roe reminded me of the perfect smoky-briny-creamy balance of a New York deli whitefish salad (trust me, that's a compliment). My favourite savoury dish was the last, the tender charcoal-grilled ribeye with Vancouver Island asparagus and earthy morels...more, please!
The care Mathany and the Ugly Duckling team show their guests is unmistakable; it was a standout dining experience defined by gracious service and narrative-driven cooking, offered in a space that feels both personal and quietly electric. Truth be told, I'd earmarked Ugly Duckling as a must-visit for a future trip during my last time in Victoria, and am so glad I made good on that promise.
Uncovering "hidden" Victoria: Taking a walking tour
If on day one I was calling the shots, I gratefully let a longtime local expert take the reins on our second and final day of our weekend jaunt.
Having roamed the streets of downtown Victoria many times before, I'd never taken a proper tour. Though plenty of plaques and displays share insight into points of interest, the nearly three hours I spent on the Hidden Victoria Bites & Sights walking tour accorded me heaps of new info about many of the places I'd breezed by before.
There are far more sights than bites on this expertly guided jaunt, to be certain, so be sure to fuel up enough to keep you on your feet as you journey through time, down Canada's narrowest commercial street (Fan Tan Alley in Chinatown) and aboard a water taxi in the harbour.
Wooden roads, a "hanging" judge, the salacious love affair that tore apart the life of a prominent architect...all that juicy intel and a few tasty bites and sips inside some cool local spaces (where you'll also hear a lot of details about how they came to be) brings to light more details about the buildings and businesses you may have wandered by many time before.
Victoria has done a remarkable job of taking landmark spaces and adapting them for contemporary use. Munro's Books resides in the neo-classical Royal Bank of Canada building, while The Bard and Banker, too was (you guessed it) a bank.
From Bastion Square to the majestic Empress Hotel, the tour let me see familiar Victoria with a fresh appreciation. It also left us just enough time for a cheeky Caesar and a half dozen oysters on the patio at 10 Acres Bistro before picking up our luggage at The Magnolia and walking just a couple of blocks to the Harbour Air terminal for our ride home.
Oh, there was time for one more first: Acting on a tip from our tour guide, my 12-year-old asked the pilot if he could sit next to him in the cockpit, who obliged.
I know he got to see our half-hour flight home from Victoria to Metro Vancouver in a way I never have.
But that's okay. There's always next time.
Thanks to the following for support in facilitating portions of this story, including Harbour Air, Destination Greater Victoria, The Magnolia Hotel and Spa, The Courtney Room, and Ugly Duckling. All opinions and inclusions are those of the author and were based solely on personal experience. None of the businesses or entities featured were granted any previews of the story before publication or paid to be mentioned.
