Top Vancouver Island Day Trips

Butchart Gardens is one of Victoria's most popular attractions—but if you don't have your own transit, getting there from the city center can be tricky. Instead, make logistics simple with this round-trip shuttle service. With multiple daily departure times and transit from a central meeting point, you can leave the logistics to someone else—and save more time for a self-led, sweet-smelling stroll through the 55-acre (22.2-hectare) garden (admission own expense).

If you’re hoping to catch a glimpse of nature on your trip to Vancouver Island, it can be tough to know where to start. On this full-day small-group guided tour, join your guide for a curated tour of Toba Inlet and take in the region’s crashing waterfalls, craggy cliffs, and dense forests. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the grizzly bears that call the area home.

See the best of the city of Victoria—and even visit the famous Butchart Gardens—on this time-saving, half-day tour. With just your private guide for company, travel with ease aboard a comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle. Have time to soak up the beauty of Butchart Gardens, stroll Victoria’s Chinatown and Inner Harbour, Fisherman's Wharf, and more.

Discover the wines of the Cowichan Valley on a wine tour from Victoria, and taste your way through part of Vancouver Island's fascinating wine trail. You’ll visit three wineries for tastings and tours, and enjoy lunch at a boutique winery surrounded by rolling vineyards. This wine tour includes round-trip transport from downtown Victoria, lunch, and tastings, for the perfect introduction to Vancouver Island wine.

Explore Vancouver Island's magnificent scenery on a full-day, private tour from Victoria to Englishman River Falls, Little Qualicum Falls, and Cathedral Grove, home to some of the tallest and oldest trees on the island. You'll visit a country market, hike through the rainforest and to the waterfalls, and make plenty of photo stops, while learning about Vancouver Island's nature and culture throughout the day. Traveling with a private guide means the trip can be tailored to you, and this tour is priced per-group for up to eight people.

Discover one dramatic landscape after another with the help of a guide on this full-day coach tour between Vancouver and Whistler: the Sea-to-Sky highway, the Sea-to-Sky Gondola, Squamish, and Whistler Village. From the gondola, admire Howe Sound, the Squamish River, and the coastal mountain range. Enjoy plenty of free time to wander about Squamish and partake in Whistler Village activities on your own. Round-trip transport from select locations included.

Experience nature’s majesty with this small-group half-day whale-watching boat tour off the coast of Vancouver Island. After meeting the team at Campbell River, head out onto the waters to witness a diverse range of wildlife, with a particular focus on whale spotting. Glimpse orcas, gray whales, humpback whales, minke whales, porpoises, pacific white-sided dolphins, seals sea lions, and even the occasional bear along the shoreline, all in their natural habitat.

Vancouver Island’s south west coastline is a landscape of great natural beauty—with soft-sand beaches, rugged cliffs, and old-growth forests hugging the shore. On this tour, travel from Sooke to Port Renfrew with pickup and drop-off in downtown Victoria included. Hit top natural attractions like French Beach and the Jordan River with your guide, and enjoy the freedom to plan your itinerary to hit the sites of most interest.

FOOD, WINE and SPECTACULAR SCENERY. We LOVE this revised tour to REFLECT COVID-19.Join Island Time Tours for a lovely relaxing adventure exploring the Cowichan Valley. We visit 3 (4 if time permitting) of the prettiest vineyards and do our own thing to avoid any line-ups. We offer you a wonderful experience at each vineyard.. First stop includes bubbly with orange juice (optional) w/ fresh warm bake goods. Relax, inhale and take in this beautiful countryside. LUNCH is filled with afternoon tea delights with WINE served weather permitting in the great outdoors. Dessert w/wine complete this tour at another picturesque vineyard. Great food, award winning wines and spectacular beauty. Let's go!

Vancouver Island is known for producing great wines in a beautiful environment. Visit well-regarded wineries on Saanich Peninsula on this tour from Victoria, which includes private wine tastings at each location, a behind-the-scenes tour of a local winery, and a guide with extensive knowledge about the industry. This small-group tour is limited to 15 passengers or fewer for a more intimate experience.

Spend a full day getting back to nature in the Johnstone Strait! The dynamic Johnstone Strait is home to everything from sea stars to orcas and is surrounded by incredible rainforested mountains. This tour is designed for all ages and ability levels, though you will be paddling for up to four hours, so a certain level of physical fitness is advised. Your guide will provide you with all the instruction and equipment you need to comfortably enjoy a day of spectacular paddling.

Explore Victoria's history and culinary scene on this two-in-one, small-group walking tour of the British Columbian capital. Follow a guide to highlights such as the Parliament Buildings, the Inner Harbor, Fan Tan Alley, the Harmonious Gates of Interest, and the Victoria Public Market. Along the way, stop for food tastings of local products.

Take to the skies on a short seaplane adventure over Victoria and its stunning surroundings, including the Inner Harbour, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Olympic Mountains. Enjoy breathtaking views of rugged coastlines, shimmering inlets, and landmarks as you soar above southern Vancouver Island. With thrilling water take-offs and landings, this small-group experience offers an unforgettable introduction to seaplane aviation.

Spend the day cruising the Salish Sea in search of bears, whales, and dolphins on this six hour, small-group tour. Learn about the region’s nature and wildlife from your certified naturalist guide and captain as you relax with complimentary snacks and drinks. This tour highlights the diversity of the coastal waters and marine life, and provides great photo opportunities before you take a break with an onshore lunch accompanied by homemade baked goods.

Search for Vancouver Island's marine wildlife on a whale-watching tour by Zodiac boat that takes in the Salish Sea, Discovery Passage, and Johnstone Strait. Since Zodiacs are more nimble than large vessels, you’ll be able to maneuver for views of animals such as humpback whales, orca whales, dolphins, bears, sea lions, and more. The open-sided boats also offer unobstructed vistas, ideal for photographing animals in their dramatic natural habitats.

Explore more of the Cape Scott Provincial Park than you’d be able to alone on this small-group guided tour. Witness the towering sea stacks in San Josef Bay—eroded by the ocean over thousands of years—learn the historic town of Holberg’s logging heritage, keep an eye out for the region’s diverse wildlife, and much more.

What makes this tour unique it that there are no crowds and we are not in bear stands. Viewing is from the boat only. Most often we are the only boat out there. Additionally, we do not book more than 8 guests on this adventure to ensure unobstructed views and a quiet setting for bears. Upon departure, we travel 2 hours north of Campbell River into the heart of bear country through vast fjords with whimsical waterfalls for you to enjoy while your guide keeps a keen eye out for intertidal Black bears! Shortly thereafter, we head to the estuaries in search of Grizzly bears. This is a spring bear tour and only books May & June when bears are emerging from hibernation and their spring foraging habits are predictable. They are not feeding on salmon this time of year. Note: Departure times vary due to tides. If your departure time changes we will contact you prior to the trip. Please check for our messages the day before, or contact us if you are going out of service.

It is a navigation APP with self-guided routes with audio guides through Victoria Everything you need to know about Victoria Points of interest linked to Google Maps geolocation Car routes through the city walking routes Access to Web Panel to customize your own route Access to Panel Web as a repository of travel documents Audio guides with 6 languages available (Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, French, English.)

Venture out to the sparkling waters of the Toba Inlet on this brand new, full-day tour hosted by our sister nation, Klahoose First Nation. Cruise alongside cascading waterfalls and scenic mountains as you scan the landscape for grizzly bears, majestic humpbacks and orcas, and a variety of other wildlife. Join us in Campbell River before crossing the Salish Sea, one of the world’s best whale-watching spots. You’ll soon reach Toba Inlet, an area densely populated by grizzly bears. The first of its kind, the TOBA BEARS AND WILDERNESS is a collaborative partnership between the Homalco and Klahoose First Nations. Join your Klahoose guides as they take you to their home Territory. Hear stories and learn about the vibrancy of the living Klahoose culture. The toq qaymɩxʷ (Klahoose) peoples have lived here on the west coast of BC since time immemorial. We invite you to see the beauty of Toba Inlet through our eyes and share in our traditions, which have been handed down through generations.

This small-group experience gives you the whole day to tour the Salish Sea, Discovery Passage, and Johnstone Strait in a speedy Zodiac boat. Stay cozy in provided floater suits, toques, gloves, and goggles as you spend the day searching for some of the abundant wildlife of the coastal waters, including humpback whales, bears, sea lions, and Pacific white-sided dolphins. Your tour will focus on finding orcas, but highlight the diverse beauty of the coast.

Experience the beauty of Southern Vancouver Island on a private, family-friendly tour designed to delight every generation. Whether you're traveling with little adventurers, teens, or grandparents, this tour is tailored to your family's interests and pace, ensuring a fabulous and engaging experience. For families with young children, a visit to a seaside petting farm offers hands-on fun with friendly animals. Wander along a beach of driftwood wildlife sculptures, then climb the staircase of Vancouver Island's oldest lighthouse to explore its fascinating maritime museum. Uncover the secrets of Canada’s oldest Chinatown by exploring its charming alleyways. This tour blends nature, culture, and local charm. It’s an ideal excursion for families arriving by cruise ship to Victoria or those enjoying an extended vacation on Vancouver Island. Your knowledgeable local guide will ensure a smooth and enjoyable tour, with flexible start times.

Get up close to some of the biggest marine animals around Vancouver Island on this full-day, small-group sightseeing tour by boat. Whale sightings are guaranteed as you cruise around the Desolation Sound and Salish Sea, while other potential animal sightings include dolphins, sea lions, seals, and seabirds. Lunch, snacks, and refreshments provided.

This is our flagship private Victoria tour - a full-day immersion into all things Victoria: its food, culture, history and architecture. Able to pick you up at your hotel or cruise ship, but this is essentially a guided walking tour. Tour includes: Chinatown, Old Town, Inner Harbour, Royal BC Museum, in-house Legislature Buildings tour and lunch. Tour runs daily. Max 4 pax Private tour - just you with our fun and informative guide!