Six Days on Vancouver Island: A Calgarian's Guide to Victoria, the Island Highway & Butchart Gardens
If you've been debating a trip to Vancouver Island, let this be the nudge you needed. We flew out of Calgary on an early morning flight and, six days later, drove back to the airport wondering why we don't do this every year. From Victoria's charming streets and iconic houseboats to castle gardens, roadside goats, fresh-off-the-boat seafood, and one of the most spectacular botanical gardens in the world — this island has it all. Here's how our trip unfolded.
Day 1 & 2 — Victoria: Where History Meets the Harbour
Getting There: The Easy Way In
We caught an 8am flight from Calgary — quick, painless, and honestly one of the most effortless travel days we've had. Getting our rental car was equally smooth. Pro tip: skip the rental counters inside the airport. Alamo is located just outside, reachable by a free shuttle, and the savings are very real. It took maybe 5 minutes and we were on our way
Exploring the Inner Harbour
Victoria's Inner Harbour is one of those places that just feels alive. We spent our first afternoon wandering Government Street, popping in and out of shops, and stumbling upon the evening craft markets that seem to materialize out of thin air as the sun starts to dip. The Parliament Building — technically the BC Legislative Assembly, a stunning piece of late-1800s Romanesque architecture, is especially dramatic at dusk when it begins to light up along its roofline. Don't rush past it; take the time to walk the full exterior.
For dinner, we landed at the Flying Otter, a waterfront gem with food that matched the view. If you're planning an evening out in the harbour, book ahead.
Fisherman's Wharf: Houseboats, Oysters & Soccer
One of the most memorable parts of our Victoria stay was hopping a water taxi across the harbour to Fisherman's Wharf. The ride itself takes about five minutes and costs $20, but it feels like an adventure. What awaits on the other side is unlike anything you'd expect: a floating neighbourhood of brightly coloured, artfully decorated houseboats that have made this wharf world-famous. Locals live here year-round, and you can walk the docks and take it all in — just be respectful, as these are real homes.
We grabbed deep-fried oysters from one of the waterfront stalls (absolutely worth it), caught a FIFA match on an outdoor patio with locals who clearly took the game far more seriously than we did, and soaked up the whole vibe for a couple of hours before reluctantly taking the taxi back.
✈ Insider tip: The water taxi is the way to go. It's cheap, fun, and drops you right at the wharf docks.
Day 2 — Hatley Castle & the Esquimalt Lagoon: A Must-See Combo
Hatley Castle
If you take nothing else from this blog, let it be this: go to Hatley Castle. Situated on the grounds of Royal Roads University in Colwood, just a short drive from Victoria, this 1908 Edwardian-era castle was built by coal and railroad baron James Dunsmuir as a private estate. Today it operates as a National Historic Site of Canada, and its grounds are open to the public, free of charge.
We didn't book a formal castle tour on this visit, but we ended up spending nearly an hour chatting with a knowledgeable security guard who turned out to be a walking encyclopedia of the building's history. He walked us through the castle's origins, its role as a military college, and even some of the architectural quirks you'd never notice on your own. We left already planning our return trip to do the full interior tour. The basement also houses a small museum you can visit at no cost — tuck that one away.
The gardens are the real showstopper. Sprawling, meticulously maintained, and completely free to roam, they include formal Italian gardens, Japanese gardens, rose gardens, and forested trails. You can genuinely spend hours here without feeling like you've seen it all.
✈ Highly recommend: Budget at least two to three hours for Hatley Castle and its grounds. It's one of those places that keeps revealing itself the longer you wander.
Esquimalt Lagoon
Five minutes down the road from Hatley Castle lies the Esquimalt Lagoon, a serene coastal lagoon that's as peaceful as it is beautiful. The drive along the approach is its own little attraction — a narrow road flanked by driftwood-strewn shoreline and, if you keep your eyes open, some wonderfully quirky hand-carved wooden figures tucked into the landscape by local artists. It feels like a little scavenger hunt.
We stopped for a picnic after our castle exploration, watching the sun shimmer off the lagoon while a handful of shorebirds worked the tideline. It's the perfect way to decompress after a morning of history.
Day 3 — Coombs: The Little Town with Goats on Its Roof
Heading north on Day 3, we made our first stop in Coombs, and honestly, it's hard not to smile the moment you pull into the parking lot. This tiny community on Highway 4A, about 10 minutes west of Parksville, has built an entire identity around one very charming fact: there are goats living on the roof of the market.
Here are five things worth doing while you're in Coombs:
See the Famous Goats on the Roof at the Old Country Market. The market started as a roadside fruit stand back in 1973 and has since grown into one of Vancouver Island's most beloved stops. Inside you'll find local food stalls, an ice cream parlour, a garden centre, a clothing boutique, and plenty of artisan goods. The goats are on the roof from the May long weekend through late October and, yes, they are exactly as entertaining as advertised.
Explore Butterfly World & Gardens. Just a short distance from the market, Butterfly World lets you walk through tropical greenhouses where hundreds of exotic butterflies from around the world fly freely around you. There are also koi ponds, reptiles, and birds on the property, a great stop if you're travelling with kids, but genuinely magical for adults too.
Wander the Coombs Village Centre. Cross the little bridge near the market and you enter a different kind of Coombs, eclectic boutiques, artisan collective shops, a fairy castle photo op, and a relaxed, off-beat energy that feels nothing like a tourist trap. Browse locally made jewellery, art, and clothing, and chat with the shop owners who are often the makers themselves. TRY THE DONUTS!
Walk or Cycle the Rail Trail. A 7-kilometre gravel path follows an old railway bed between Coombs and Parksville — wide, flat, well-maintained, and perfect for a relaxed walk or a bike ride. It's a lovely way to connect the two communities at a slower pace and takes in some beautiful rural scenery along the way.
Day-trip to Englishman River Falls or Little Qualicum Falls. If you have extra time, both provincial parks are within easy driving distance of Coombs and offer short, rewarding hikes through old-growth forest to dramatic waterfalls. Englishman River Falls is about 15 minutes south of Parksville and features a stunning canyon walk, well-marked, family-friendly, and genuinely breathtaking.
Day 3 & 4 — Parksville: Sunsets, Mini Golf & the Best Beachside Chill
We based ourselves in Parksville for two nights at the Coast Hotel, a convenient five-minute walk to the ocean. The hotel also gives guests complimentary access to the famous mini golf course nearby, two 18-hole fantasy courses with waterfalls, fountains, and castle scenes. It's goofy fun, and the kind of thing you'll find yourself laughing through even as an adult.
Our first evening ended with a jaw-dropping sunset over the Strait of Georgia and a dinner on the beach that we're still talking about. Parksville is known for having some of Canada's warmest ocean swimming, and even in the evening the whole seafront has this golden, unhurried quality.
Beyond the beach and mini golf, three more things worth building into your Parksville time:
Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park. Just south of town, Rathtrevor is consistently ranked among the best beaches in Canada. At low tide the water retreats an extraordinary distance, leaving behind vast flat sands filled with tidal pools, tiny crabs, and jellyfish you can safely examine up close. Bring your gumboots and plan to walk far out. It feels like a different world.
Horne Lake Caves. About 30 minutes from Parksville, this provincial park offers guided caving tours through genuine wild cave systems — no paved paths, no lighting, just you, a headlamp, and an expert guide leading you through underground crystal formations and ancient geology. It was recently awarded a 'Remarkable Experience' designation by Destination BC. Book in advance, especially in summer.
The Summer by the Sea Farmers Market. Every Tuesday evening from early June through August, over 150 vendors take over downtown Parksville from 6 to 9 pm. Local produce, handmade crafts, live music, artisan food — it's an excellent way to spend an evening and pick up a few memorable souvenirs while supporting the local community.
Day 4 — French Creek Seafood: Dinner Straight Off the Boat
One of the best decisions we made on this entire trip was stopping at French Creek Seafood Ltd., tucked away on Lee Road just outside Parksville. This is a family-owned commercial fishery with a retail store attached, no frills, no fuss, just an outstanding selection of fresh and frozen Pacific seafood at prices that will genuinely make your jaw drop.
On any given day you can expect to find fresh halibut, sockeye salmon, Pacific cod, oysters in the shell, live Dungeness crab, mussels, spot prawns, albacore tuna, and more. Everything is sourced as locally as possible, and when something is in season, it's genuinely as fresh as seafood gets outside of pulling it out of the ocean yourself.
We picked up sockeye salmon fillets, a bag of prawns, and some shucked oysters, and made dinner back at the hotel that evening. There's something deeply satisfying about cooking a meal that started as a catch out of BC waters just hours earlier. French Creek packages purchases well for travel — they even wrap things in newspaper and a freezer bag — so don't hesitate to stock up even if you're still a day or two from home.
✈ Don't miss: the candied smoked salmon. It disappears fast and makes a perfect gift to bring back to Calgary.
Day 5 — Qualicum Beach: A Quiet Afternoon Well Spent
Just 15 kilometres west of Parksville along the coast, Qualicum Beach has a completely different energy — quieter, more refined, with a beautiful walkable downtown full of art galleries, boutique shops, and excellent cafés. We spent an afternoon here and it felt like exactly the right pace after a few days of activity.
The beach itself is lovely, wide, sandy, and far less busy than Parksville. There's a picturesque promenade and a bandshell in the park where local musicians sometimes perform. The village has a wonderful selection of independent restaurants and a craft brewery, Fern + Cedar Brewing Company, which is worth a stop if you're a beer lover. Little Qualicum Cheeseworks is also just a short drive away at Morningstar Farm, they do free self-guided tours and offer tastings of their artisan cheeses, which are exceptional.
Qualicum Beach is the kind of place that rewards slowing down. Bring a book, find a patio, and let the afternoon drift by at the pace of the tide.
Day 6 — Butchart Gardens: The Crown Jewel of Vancouver Island
Our last day brought us back to Victoria, and we spent every minute of it at Butchart Gardens, and still felt we could have stayed longer. Situated in Brentwood Bay, about 30 minutes north of downtown Victoria, Butchart Gardens is one of those rare destinations that fully earns its reputation.
The story starts in 1904, when Jennie Butchart began transforming an exhausted limestone quarry behind her family home into a garden. Over the following decades, what began as a personal vision became a 55-acre masterpiece. Today it is a National Historic Site of Canada, welcoming over a million visitors annually, and still owned and operated by the Butchart family.
The centrepiece is the Sunken Garden, built directly in the old quarry pit. Standing at the viewing point and looking down into five acres of lush, layered planting — roses, dahlias, begonias, and hundreds of other species climbing the quarry walls in every direction — is one of those travel moments that quietly takes your breath away. Climb the old kiln for a 360-degree view over the entire garden; it looks like something from a fairy tale.
Beyond the Sunken Garden, there are four other distinct areas to explore: the Rose Garden (over 2,500 roses in 260 varieties, peaking in summer), the Japanese Garden (serene stone pathways, maples, and ponds), the Italian Garden (installed behind the original Butchart family residence), and the Mediterranean Garden. Each has its own character, and the transition between them is seamless.
Plan a minimum of three hours, more if you want to eat on site. The Dining Room inside the original 1904 residence is excellent — book ahead if you want afternoon tea or a sit-down meal. There's also a Blue Poppy counter-service restaurant and a coffee shop for lighter options. The on-site gift shop is dangerous if you're trying to keep your luggage under the weight limit.
✈ Summer tip: Fireworks are set off on Saturday evenings in July and August, choreographed to music and reflected in the garden's ponds. If your trip lines up with a Saturday, stay for the show.
Why Vancouver Island Should Be on Every Canadian's List
There's a version of Canada that many of us from the Prairies have never properly explored, and Vancouver Island sits right at its heart. It's not far — a short flight from Calgary puts you in Victoria before the morning is done, and yet it feels genuinely unlike anywhere else in the country.
The island moves at its own pace. It has a warmth, both in climate and in character, that makes you feel immediately welcome. Whether you're wandering the houseboats of Victoria's Inner Harbour, standing in a field of roses at a 120-year-old garden, picking up fresh halibut from a harbourside market, or watching goats graze on a rooftop in a village of a few hundred people, there is a quality of life here that is simply undeniable.
Six days felt like enough to see a meaningful slice of what the island offers, but we left with a list of things we still want to do: the full Hatley Castle tour, a guided cave exploration at Horne Lake, a longer drive up-island toward Tofino, whale watching out of Victoria. The island keeps giving.
If you're a Calgarian who hasn't yet made the trip, put Vancouver Island on your list for this year. You'll be back the following one.
— Safe travels, from one Albertan to another