Top Vancouver Island Historical Tours

Spin through downtown Victoria on two wheels and discover top city attractions with ease on this Victoria castles and neighborhoods bike tour. Hop onto your bike and follow your guide through the city streets. Learn of Victoria’s colorful past through its historic buildings, and explore districts including the Inner Harbour, Cook Street Village, and Chinatown. Enjoy fine views over the Dallas Road waterfront and admire the eery Craigdarroch Castle. Cycle through Moss Rock Park and Beacon Hill Park, and soak up the artistic atmosphere in leafy Fernwood.

Explore quaint Victoria on this guided walking tour with a local historian. Along the way, take in picturesque views of the city’s Inner Harbour and wander the streets, alleyways, and town squares of Old Town, Bastion Square, and Chinatown, while learning about Victoria's history. Plus, hear about its past scandals like opium smuggling.

Get a history lesson mixed with food as you wander around downtown Victoria on this walking tour. Explore historic areas of the city, which started out as a fur trading outpost, as you taste the local cuisine. Plus, Victoria boasts one of the oldest Chinatown sections in North America. The tour covers some of the oldest parts of the city, including the Victoria Public Market, Chinatown, Fan Tan Alley, and Emporium Dragon Alley.

Delve into the colorful past of Canada’s oldest Chinatown, in Victoria, British Columbia. This guided walking tour will lead you through the streets and storied allies of the historic neighborhood, as your historian/guide tells you the fascinating, sometimes tragic tales of the people who helped build the city and shape Canada as well as modern China.

Discover hidden alleys and local curios in Vancouver’s Old Town and Chinatown districts on this 75-minute pedicab tour. Head through Victoria's Old Town and Chinatown districts with your guide, where old shops and boutiques line the winding alleyways. Hear hair-raising ghost stories from centuries past and learn of the settlers, immigrants and colonists who have shaped the city we see today. Along the way, watch skilled street performers plying their trade the way they have for centuries. Admire Victoria’s traditional architecture and gain insight into the city’s colorful past.

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!

Take a sweet-smelling stroll through Victoria’s famous Butchart Gardens, spanning 55 acres (22.2 hectares) of beautifully designed flower beds, lily ponds, footbridges, and thematic landscapes. With a convenient pickup location and a flexible return shuttle schedule, it’s an easy way to experience one of Victoria’s most popular attractions. Visit during summer or holiday season evenings to witness special luminous displays that add an extra touch of enchantment to the gardens.

Go wine tasting in the Cowichan Valley without the worry of designating a driver. This private tour is for just you and your companions and takes you to several of the region's top wineries in a comfortable passenger van. Relax on the scenic drive and enjoy mountain and ocean views between tastings at three or four different wineries.

When you make port in Victoria, discover top city attractions in style on this 2-hour Victoria castles and neighborhoods bike tour. Follow your guide by bicycle through Victoria and gain insight into the city’s colorful past. Explore diverse districts such as the Inner Harbour, Cook Street Village and Chinatown. Take in panoramic views over Dallas Road’s waterfront and marvel at the creepy Craigdarroch Castle. Spin through pretty Moss Rock Park and Beacon Hill Park, and enjoy the creative buzz of leafy Fernwood.

Tour one of Victoria’s most stately and popular attractions in a unique way with a pedicab tour to Craigdarroch Castle. Enjoy the fresh air and leisurely pace from aboard a comfortable cab while a friendly guide pedals you from your hotel to the majestic, 19th-century baronial estate. Along the way, pass through the neighboring Lt Governor’s gardens and see some of Victoria’s most opulent churches and homes. Admission to the inside of the magnificent castle is included. 

Our professional historian is able to include many significant sites not offered in other tours. Enjoy the tour in our rare 1997 Bentley New Turbo R Exl built by Rolls Royce. Only 823 were built, all between 1995-97. Our Grand City Tour covers all the main attractions in Victoria, the city of flowers. This finely crafted tour includes more attractions than we can list in the "What to Expect" section.

Surrounded by rich coastal waters and fertile soils, Victoria is a foodie’s dream destination—with traditional Canadian dishes and speciality treats the locals love. On this tour, delve into Victoria’s culinary scene and visit top food stops including the Fairmont Empress hotel, Fisherman's Wharf, Government Street, and the Inner Harbour. With your guide shining a light on the city’s history and culture, sample diverse treats such as cocktails, pastries, seafood, and more.

The Capital Tour takes you through Victoria's history of becoming British Columbia's capital, also known as the Garden City Experience the melodic hoof beats as the your eyes indulge in the natural ecosystem of Vancouver island,along with a plethora of beautifully landscaped garden beds. Thru old town, the china town we proceed thru the inner harbour soaking in the views of the grand Empress Hotel and our Legislative building all while experiencing the time honored tradition of the gentle draft horse.

Our professional historian is able to include many significant sites not offered in other tours. Enjoy the tour in our rare 1997 Bentley New Turbo R Exl built by Rolls Royce. Only 823 were built, all between 1995-97. Our Butchart Gardens and City Tour covers some of the main attractions in Victoria, the city of flowers, and the world-famous gardens located 15 miles outside of the city. For over a century, Butchart Gardens has been the premier attraction for travelers visiting Victoria. Enjoy BUTCHART GARDENS, a one and a half hour stop for a unique and remarkable experience, including 900 varieties of flowers and 120 varieties of trees. This finely crafted tour includes more attractions than we can list in the "What to Expect" section.

Our professional historian is able to include many significant sites not offered in other tours. Enjoy the tour in our rare 1997 Bentley New Turbo R Exl built by Rolls Royce. Only 823 were built, all between 1995-97. Our Grand City and Butchart Gardens Tour covers all the main attractions in Victoria, the city of flowers, and the world-famous gardens located 15 miles outside of the city. For over a century, Butchart Gardens has been the premier attraction for travelers visiting Victoria. Enjoy BUTCHART GARDENS, a one and a half hour stop for a unique and remarkable experience, including 900 varieties of flowers and 120 varieties of trees. This finely crafted tour includes more attractions than we can list in the "What to Expect" section.

Come experience what makes Victoria special through our tour of the historic heritage neighborhood of James Bay and the spectacular Beacon Hill Park. Our guides will educate and entertain you with information about the history of our city, as it evolved from a small fur trading outpost to a booming gold rush town, to the present day capital of British Columbia. We have lots of stops for photos along the way, so be sure to bring your camera. Our guides are able to customize your tour based on what you want to see, feel free to inquire either before booking or while on tour about any wishes and we will do our best to make it happen. Contact us for other start times.

Discover the heart of British Colombia’s capital of Victoria as you embark on a self-guided walking tour through the city. Download the app on your phone and walk around town to hear about the story of the city, from its indigenous routes to the Victorian era to the present day. Sights you see include the Inner Harbor, the Empress Hotel, Bastion Square, and Chinatown.

Our professional historian is able to include many significant sites not offered in other tours. Enjoy the tour in our rare 1997 Bentley New Turbo R Exl built by Rolls Royce. Only 823 were built, all between 1995-97. Our Grand City with High Tea at Butchart Gardens Tour covers all the main attractions in Victoria, the city of flowers, and the world-famous gardens located 15 miles outside of the city. For over a century, Butchart Gardens has been the premier attraction for travelers visiting Victoria. Enjoy BUTCHART GARDENS, a two and a half hour stop for a unique and remarkable experience, including 900 varieties of flowers and 120 varieties of trees, as well as a classic British Style High Tea with mouth-watering scones, delicious pastries, savory chowder, exquisite tea sandwiches, sumptuous desserts, and a selection of fine teas. This finely crafted tour includes more attractions than we can list in the "What to Expect" section.

Together with the professional guide, you will visit the most charming places in the city. You will have a chance to explore the city while hearing fascinating facts and legends. Originally named Sluggett after an early settler, it was renamed Brentwood Bay for the town of Brentwood, Essex. The region also plays host to various wineries and restaurants, and also features hiking and a variety of wildlife in Gowlland Tod Provincial Park. You will be surprised how many stories are hidden in the streets, buildings, and corners of Brentwood Bay. Your charming guide will tell you what is special and unique about living in this city. Perfect for those who are visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most of it!

On This Spot takes people on guided walking tours through the history that surrounds them. Our unique then-and-now photos ignite people’s curiosity, while comprehensive walking tours examine a limitless range of historical themes. On This Spot makes history engaging, educational, and accessible to anyone with a mobile device. Join us for a guided tour of Victoria's most historic sights. In this tour, you will discover Victoria's rich history of multiculturalism, and learn about some of the different peoples that called Victoria home and what their lives were like. You will also learn about some of the challenges many of these groups faced--and continue to face--in achieving equality and acceptance in Victoria's society.

Together with the professional guide, you will visit the most charming places in the city. You will have a chance to explore the city, while hearing fascinating facts and legends . Want to get the best of your canadian experience? You will be surprised how many stories are hidden in the streets, buildings and corners of Victoria. What is so special about Peggy's Cove, Pier 21 National Historic Site, Victoria Harbour front and take the perfect picture with Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Your charming guide will tell you what is special and unique about living in this city. Perfect for those who are visiting the city for the first time and want to get the most of it!

An exclusive tour for all the romantics of the world! Together with the professional local guide, you will visit the most romantic places in the city. You will feel spellbound in a charming atmosphere. What is considered as one of the best places to have a date in the city? Where can you make lovely photos? You will be surprised how many historical love stories are hidden in the streets, buildings, parks of the city. From heartbreaking and tragic, to the hilarious or spicy ones. Do you and your sweetheart want to know how famous Victoria is? What about David Foster? Nelly Furtado? Famous people from Victoria include basketball star Steve Nash, director Adam Egoyan, artists Nick Bantock and Jack Shadbolt. This tour is especially recommended in the Saint Valentine period!

This fascinating audio guided tour will show you the beautiful west coast city of Victoria. You'll learn about the region's history with the native aboriginals and about its fur trading roots. Perfectly suited for discovery on foot, our self-guided audio tour allows you to set the pace and explore at your leisure as you uncover the stories of this exciting city. You will see wonderful examples of architecture by Francis Rattenbury throughout the city and buildings which have been regenerated and stood the test of time, such as the famous Empress Hotel. To discover this vibrant city in your own time and at your own pace just download this self-guided audio tour, pop in your headphones, open the map that comes with your download and start walking. The tour will take approximately two hours, but you can pause the audio guide when needed. Grab a bite to eat or do some shopping along the way. Please note that this tour is only available in English.

This tour is self guided by way of the On This Spot app. Take your own then/now photos with our camera feature and learn about the history of Ucluelet.