How to celebrate Earth Day in Greater Victoria, BC
Experience Earth Day in Victoria, BC, where the vibrant city and stunning natural environment are yours to explore. A Biosphere certified destination, Victoria’s compact, walkable cityscape invites you to enjoy lush gardens, pristine beaches, and sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine—all within easy reach. Dive into an active lifestyle amid breathtaking landscapes and connect with a community that champions environmental stewardship. Let Victoria inspire your journey toward a greener future.
Some Earth Day tips
Here’s a few easy tips to help protect our environment this Earth Day:
- Choose sustainable accommodations, activities, shopping and dining
- Bring a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and shopping bag
- While visiting our parks, beaches, gardens, lakes, and forests, pack out your waste and dispose of it appropriately
- Bike, walk, or paddle when possible
Sustainable accommodations
Staying sustainably has never been easier in Greater Victoria, with 12 Biosphere Certified hotels and another seven on their path to certification, you can rest assured that your stay is almost certainly sustainable. Supported by a range of programs from waste diversion to pollinator gardens to reducing water consumption and more, there are so many ways that Victoria’s hotels are making each night’s sleep greener than the last.
What is Biosphere certification? It’s an internationally recognized certification awarded to businesses and destinations that demonstrate a commitment to environmental, social, and economic sustainability practices.
Whale watching
As an Island destination, Greater Victoria is surrounded by water, our beloved Salish Sea. Home to everything from orcas to ospreys, porpoises to Basking sharks and sea anemones, the Salish Sea is teaming with life and has been noted by famed oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau, as having the best temperate water diving in the world. Experience the majesty of our little pocket of the Pacific Ocean aboard a whale and wildlife watching tour with one of Victoria’s many sustainable providers. On your maritime voyage, you’ll explore our rugged coastline while searching for orcas, Grey whales, Humpback whales, Minke whales, and sealions, all backdropped by our mighty ancient rainforest and the towering mountain ranges of the Cascades and Olympics. A whale watching tour is an awe-inspiring way to connect with the natural world that surrounds us, and is sure to fill your memories, and your photo album, for years to come.
Whale watching
Gardens & parks
It wouldn’t be a trip to the Garden City without a visit to… well, a garden! Greater Victoria’s distinctive micro-climate provides growing conditions unlike anywhere else in Canada, and the city’s many gardens make the most of these blessed conditions by creating gardenscapes that feel as though they grew straight out of a storybook. Be enchanted by The Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada, that offers 55-acres of exploration through a range of elegantly manicured gardens including, a rose garden, Japanese garden, and the famed, Sunken Garden. Visit the garden that love built at Abkhazi Garden, where the Prince and Princess of Abkhazia, who fled from war a world away and created an urban oasis, here in Victoria, that is as peaceful as it is breathtaking. Or explore a community run garden like no other, at the Gardens at HCP. This volunteer run garden connects people with plants as you wander pathways through nine acres of gardens including the Takata Japanese and Zen Garden, the Mediterranean Garden, the Rhododendron Garden, native plant gardens, and much more. Earth Day isn’t the only day to enjoy Victoria’s gardens, our distinctive climate means you can explore our gardens year-round.
Local tip: Explore gardens footsteps from downtown. Beacon Hill Park is within walking distance from most downtown hotels and the Inner Harbour. An array of gardens, a children’s petting farm, Garry oak meadows, and the world’s tallest totem pole, are just some of what you can expect to find in this massive 200-acre park.
Bike rentals & tours
From our petal power to our pedal power, Greater Victoria is stitched together with a network of bike paths that make connecting to any community or neighbourhood on two wheels a breeze. Explore the city at your own pace by renting a bicycle from The Pedaler Cycling Tours and Rentals, Cycle BC, Oak Bay Bikes, or Sports Rent. Or join the folks at The Pedaler or Oak Bay Bikes for a guided biking tour. The Pedaler offers leisurely city tours, such as the Eat, Drink, Pedal tour for a taste of the city. Oak Bay Bikes offers guided mountain biking tours for those looking to get off the beaten path and out onto… a different kind of beaten path, exploring the region with a local rider.
e-Bike rentals
You’re on vacation, want to explore the region without working up a sweat? Consider grabbing an e-bike rental from Pedego Electric Bikes for a more leisurely approach to exploring the city by bike. Just because you’re on an e-bike, doesn’t mean you can’t get out into nature. Join the folks at Electric Alpine Biking Inc. for an unforgettable journey into our island’s rainforests, with trips leaving downtown Victoria along the famed Galloping Goose Regional Trail to Sooke Potholes Regional Park.
On the water
Get your toes wet Island style! Embark on a paddling tour of our tranquil waters exploring our rocky coastline, pocket beaches, and who knows, maybe even see a critter or two! Set off from the heart of downtown with Ocean River Sports, who offer both kayaking and paddleboarding tours of the Inner Harbour. Or if you’re looking to get out on the open ocean, join the Ocean River team at their Oak Bay Marina location for a shoreline or sunset tour. Hit the waves straight from Victoria’s most famous floating neighbourhood, Fisherman’s Wharf, with Kelp Reef Adventures. During your tour you might see Harbour seals, river otters, shore birds, and more. Find balance on the water with South Island SUP. This paddleboarding outfitter brings everything you need; all you need to do is choose the tour that’s right for you. Whether you’re looking for a bioluminescence tour, a full moon tour, or something as simple as learning to SUP, South Island SUP has a tour that’s just right for you to have a memorable day (or night) out on the water.
Local tip: July through September is pupping season for our local Harbour seals, a wonderful opportunity to see the bond between the pups and their mothers.
Sustainable dining
In Greater Victoria, fresh is never far away. The city redefines farm-to-table with our region’s top producers located just down the road on the Saanich Peninsula. Dining at places like 10 Acres Bistro, you might be biting into something that was just harvested from their own 10-acre farm on the Peninsula. At Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub, you can dig into to the flavour of the Island, whether that be fare fresh from our local farms, or ingredients straight from their onsite garden. Fiercely committed to our local food scene, Spinnakers believes if its not in season, it’s not on the plate. Get your greens in at Nourish Kitchen & Café, while not exclusively vegetarian, Nourish is a plant centred farm-to-table restaurant located in James Bay. Offering both a dining and café experience, you can choose whether you want to sit down for a full three-course meal or simply grab a Heartbeet Latte to go and fuel your exploration.
Hiking
Get away from the hustle and bustle of it all. Trade your office tower for the towering cedars of Vancouver Island’s mighty coastal rainforests and connect with the natural world around you. Whether you’re walking along rocky outcroppings along the beach at Dallas Road or climbing to the top of PKOLS (Mount Douglas), there’s a hike for every adventurer. With a near countless number of trails, from one kilometre to one hundred, the possibilities are endless. If you’re in need of a hiking buddy or simply want to know more about the forest that surrounds you, consider a guided tour with Rainforest Tours or Vancouver Island Hikes, Bites + Beers. With Rainforest Tours, you can get out of the city and explore the untamed west coast of the Island with a tour of East Sooke Park or Juan de Fuca Provincial Park. The folks at Vancouver Island Hikes, Bites + Beers will showcase some of the best hikes that are a little closer to the city, but every bit as wild, and then pair them with local food and brews!
Beaches & lakes
Sometimes the best way to celebrate Earth Day is to slow down, savour the moment, and simply embrace Island time. There’s no better place to unwind than one Greater Victoria’s beaches or lakes. Maybe you paint a pastel sunset, or watch for passing orcas with your binoculars, play frisbee with the family, or fetch with the dog; these wide-open spaces are perfect for enjoying the Island in your own way, at your own pace.
Bird watching
Take to birding in Greater Victoria like a duck to water. With over 400 recorded bird species that inhabit or pass through the region, you’re certain to see a wide range of our feathered friends with no need for a wild goose chase. While Earth Day is an extra special day for it, bird watching is a hobby that can be enjoyed year-round in Greater Victoria. So, grab your camera, your journal, or your sketchbook, and see how many birds you can count during Earth Day in Victoria. We’d love to see your best birding pics, tag #ExploreVictoria.
Local tip: Get up close and personal with our Pacific Northwest birds of prey at The Raptors. Get face-to-face and hands-on with eagles, hawks, owls, and falcons as you learn about the conservation of these amazing avians.
Saanich Earth Day Festival
Earth Day is bigger than any of us individually, it takes a community to make change. So, run, walk, bus, or pedal your way to the Saanich Earth Day Festival, and celebrate Earth Day with our community. At the Festival you’ll help celebrate our planet, fight climate change, and learn everyday ways that you can lessen your impact on our environment. While you’re there enjoy live music, visit the vendor village, enjoy lunch from local food trucks, and engage with a range of interactive elements.
Local tip: Valet bike parking is provided at the event.
Can't make it for Earth Day?
Check out our responsible travel itinerary and make your next stay in Greater Victoria one that helps preserve the destination for years to come. In a city that is as connected to the natural environment as ours is, every day feels like Earth Day. In our guide, you’ll find a great mix of places to stay, things to do, as well as recommendations to find responsibly sourced food and drinks.
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