Inner Harbour
Inner Harbour
4.5
About
This scenic patch of waterfront is the location of Victoria's many tourist attractions, recreational activities, restaurants and shopping. For a special treat, have afternoon tea at the grand Empress Hotel or board a ferry for a harbor tour.
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Top ways to experience Inner Harbour
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
764 within 3 miles
Attractions
170 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- 708RobinWest Sussex, United Kingdom1,474 contributionsWhat a beautiful downtownA great area to wander at your leisure. If you are here during a Saturday morning the small ferry boats do a musical ballet on the water. Great views all around, and I have never seen as many flowers as literally every lamp post has a basket of flowers hanging from it.Visited July 2023Written July 27, 2023
- RockiroadsOshawa, Canada1,312 contributionsThe sites sounds water people, views all were great.This was a great place to walk. Lots of stops. Small flea market. Buskers. Beautiful buildings. Sea Planes landing. Boats to look at. It will take you a long time to enjoy this whole path around the waterfront. It may surprise you as you pass a museum, parliament houses, ice cream places, water taxis. If your a walker, and like to see the sites on foot, everything about this is good.Visited July 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten September 12, 2023
- Lizsza20 contributionsSo much to see in the capital of Vancouver Island - VictoriaAbsolutely gorgeous town, so much to see within walking distance of the seaplane harbour. The local park is a beautiful place to wander through and then continue with a coastal walk. The historic buildings eg Parliament Building very Grand.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 7, 2023
- Dimitris LSydney, Australia48,859 contributionsWonderful placeThe Inner Harbour is a lovey area. We took a walk all around for a couple of hours and really enjoyed the place. Full of shops, restaurants, gift and tourist type of shops and the views are absolutely wonderful.Visited September 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten December 8, 2023
- Bohemian_me84Calgary, Canada1,958 contributionsNever disappointsIt just never disappoints . My trip to Alaska got canceled , 3 days into being stucked in a boat , so I came to Victoria . Always good choice . City is very pedestrian friendly , view is always incredible , food is good and blooming flowers smell amazing.Visited May 2024Traveled with friendsWritten April 30, 2024
- RobertMJThompsonVictoria, Canada761 contributionsTourism CentralEverything you would want for a day of pleasure is here. Indigenous vendors are here. Museums & restaurants are here. Excursions can be booked from here. This is Victoria's tourist hub. Take a walk and breathe in the colour of the city.Visited May 2024Traveled as a coupleWritten May 24, 2024
- Celeste26 contributionsBeautiful city, even at nightThe city is so clean and the people were extremely friendly. Our cruise only stopped in port for 3 hours at night, so we didn’t get to experience much of the inner harbor or any of it in the daylight. Additionally, it was about a 30 minute walk to the inner harbor from the cruise ships, so not the closets thing. However, we would come back in a heartbeat.Visited May 2024Traveled with familyWritten May 26, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
5,359 reviews
Excellent
3,840
Very good
1,346
Average
144
Poor
21
Terrible
9
Bridie G
9 contributions
Aug 2019
Lower Inner harbour area itself has lots of street venders selling their hand made items and buskers to keep everyone entertained. It is centrally located near the legislature, The Empress Hotel, the Royal Museum and the downtown core. It’s just a short walk from there to Fisherman’s wharf or Beacon Hill Park. You can spend an hour or a day wandering the harbour and surrounding areas. So much fun!
Written June 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Anders B
Olstykke, Denmark38 contributions
Sep 2019 • Couples
Inner harbor offers all the sightseeing facilities from hop on hop off, seaplane tourist trips and whale watching tours. Easy to find and a very cozy environment despite the noise from the planes coming in or leaving every few minutes.
Just off restaurant area by the harbor too.
Just off restaurant area by the harbor too.
Written January 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tony R
Jedburgh, UK141 contributions
Sep 2019 • Solo
A visit to the Inner Harbour at downtown Victoria is an incredible experience. It is colourful, busy, beautiful and fascinating. There is so much to see and do. From the Fisherman's Wharf with its quaint floating homes and businesses to the float plane terminal, from the marina with its million dollar yachts to the floral displays, from the immensely popular fish and chip shops to the Empress hotel, there is something for everyone to enjoy. The promenades and walkways are kept immaculately clean and there is colour everywhere. It is easy to spend many hours there and still want to come back and see more. Take in the great variety of attractions, enjoy the hustle and bustle of the harbour with its water taxis and sea planes, the yachts and the ferries. Marvel at the floral displays and art works and experience the mixture of nationalities enjoying the unique atmosphere of this place!
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Guy on a Bike
Coquitlam, Canada16 contributions
Sep 2020
The inner harbour is a pedestrian walkway protected removed, and below the roadway, you could almost call it an ocean side promenade. For a portion of the year it is home to buskers and vendors that are given a stage or booth area authorized by the city of Victoria which keep it from becomes an open marketplace.
It is an excellent place to stroll off dinner. It also shows off the BC Parliament building that are eliminated every evening.
It is an excellent place to stroll off dinner. It also shows off the BC Parliament building that are eliminated every evening.
Written October 15, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kim buay p
Singapore, Singapore12,827 contributions
Dec 2021
I did a guided live-stream tour by Elizabeth from Heygo. She started her walk near the Fisherman's Wharf Park taking us along David Foster Way. She gave us many lovely postcard shots of the inner harbour area with the twinkling lights. Victoria is the capital city of the Canadian province of British Columbia, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. As we walked past the statue of a young Queen Victoria, we learned that this city is named for Queen Victoria.
We saw two famous landmarks namely the Parliament Buildings completed in 1897 and the Empress hotel which was opened in 1908. Both buildings are lighted up in an outstanding way, making it hard to miss. Elizabeth also mentioned the iconic high tea at Empress Hotel. It was a great walk with Elizabeth and I wished that I was actually walking there.
We saw two famous landmarks namely the Parliament Buildings completed in 1897 and the Empress hotel which was opened in 1908. Both buildings are lighted up in an outstanding way, making it hard to miss. Elizabeth also mentioned the iconic high tea at Empress Hotel. It was a great walk with Elizabeth and I wished that I was actually walking there.
Written December 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kathleen S
6 contributions
Jun 2022 • Friends
Bucharest Gardens is my favorite part of part of Victoria Island. But there were so many additional attractions, it really is hard to pick:
The castles, the butterfly gardens, the harbor, the museum and its totem poles, a beautiful restaurant on the tiptop of a ravine, the waterways to and from Victoria -- "to" being west from Anacortes through the San Juan islands, and "from" being across the Straits of San Juan to the south, back into Washington.
Everything is worth your while! You mustn't plan less than a week, and more if you can afford it!
The castles, the butterfly gardens, the harbor, the museum and its totem poles, a beautiful restaurant on the tiptop of a ravine, the waterways to and from Victoria -- "to" being west from Anacortes through the San Juan islands, and "from" being across the Straits of San Juan to the south, back into Washington.
Everything is worth your while! You mustn't plan less than a week, and more if you can afford it!
Written August 3, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
708Robin
West Sussex, UK1,474 contributions
Jul 2023
A great area to wander at your leisure. If you are here during a Saturday morning the small ferry boats do a musical ballet on the water. Great views all around, and I have never seen as many flowers as literally every lamp post has a basket of flowers hanging from it.
Written July 27, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
gulfcoastbreezes
St. Petersburg, FL139 contributions
Feb 2020
We drove to Victoria from Sidney. Look for the parking garage by the library on Courtney street. The first hour is free. Daily rate seems to be $16. It was an easy walk down to the Harbour. It was a gray and cloudy day but that did not make the Harbour any less beautiful. Worth the trip. The museum is on the waterfront.
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SplendorSineOccasu
World3 contributions
May 2021
I visited the Inner Harbour last weekend with my family and we felt unsafe. There was a very large number of panhandlers, people doing drugs among the shrubs, and there was visible drug paraphernalia littered on the sidewalk and on benches. We were worried we'd get pricked by a used needle. A visibly intoxicated person approached us in an aggressive manner and we fled the area. Unsafe - avoid!
Written May 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
June Y
5 contributions
Jul 2020 • Couples
Victoria is a very walkable city. I always include the Inner Harbour as part of my journey. I like to see the sea witj the seagulls. This time I enjoyed this unique scenery from my hotel room, ate on a patio next to the harbour, then walked along the Inner Harbour to downtown and back to the hotel several times.
Written July 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The street performers are there for the summer months, and we love to watch them for hours. Can you tell me when the season ends? We’re looking at traveling mid-late September and we’re hoping there would still be performers.
Francina D
4 contributions
Sorry I do not know. Victoria harbour tourist info would know.
What night are the markets on at Ships point
Jason B
Victoria, Canada24 contributions
Looks like you got your answer.
Oak Bay hosts a market once a month on Wednesday evenings and Sidney hosts one also on Thursdays which can be googled also. Not related to your question but I wanted to share
Beth G
Arlington, VA90 contributions
ISO a certain personalized wire art vendor that has a booth in the Inner Harbor in Victoria, BC.
I know this is pretty random, but I'm hoping to find the vendor so I can buy something for my daughter for Christmas.
I regret not buying something from her when we were there in August and I didn't pick up her card.
Dave S
Peachland, Canada303 contributions
inspiredwireart
I found her. She is Karen Allan
majlund67
Hjorring, Denmark
Hej er der strande hvor man kan bade fra ? Eller er det bare ikke et sted for en badeferie ?
JP-hungryincalaveras
Angels Camp, CA13 contributions
Probably not the best place to go to the beach for sunbathing or swimming...very cold but beautiful scenery.
Princess Cruises offers a bus (free) from the dock to the Inner Harbor (presumably Government St.) : Do they discharge passengers at the western end or the eastern end first? We would like to visit shops first and work our way east to the Empress Hotel, the Legislative Assembly, and if there is time, the B.C Museum. It is very difficult to budget our time of just 4 1/2 hours in Victoria. We saw the lovely Inner Harbor in 1986 and want to revisit the highlights. Does the Princess Cruise bus pick up passengers to return to the ship from near the Empress pr B.C.museum'
CaliforniaFieldmouse
california9 contributions
Yes Princess does offer a Downtown Express Shuttle which will drop you off in front of The Empress Hotel right across the street from the harbor. Easy walk to the nearby stores and the B.C Museum, which is a must see. The Victoria Express is NOT free but is only $10 for an all day pass! A great bargain. Way way cheaper than a cab ride. You can buy this pass on board or online at the Princess website.
carol31352
Sedona, AZ4 contributions
When do the tubboats perform in the inner harbor?
foreverfree
Victoria BC6 contributions
Patricia answered correctly. Absolutely a wonderful must see !The harbour ferries take you on A wondrous tour through a colorful historic waterway. A must do on everyone's list. ,!!
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