RV RENTALS VICTORIA
Victoria, BC is the capital city of British Columbia, and sits at the south end of Vancouver Island. Vehicle access to the Island from the Mainland is provided through the BC Ferry Authority, with departures from Tsawwassen, south of Metro Vancouver and arrive in Schwartz Bay, close to Sidney just north of Metro Victoria. To ensure timely voyages, you can book your traveling reservation ahead of time at bcferries.com.
Victoria is the historical center of the province and the cultural hub of Vancouver Island. The city plays host to the province’s waterfront parliament buildings, the Royal British Columbia Museum, the Royal Theater, Craigdarroch Castle, and the world-famous Empress Hotel. The Inner Harbour is very scenic, and Government Street leads to Beacon Hill Park, where Mile Zero of the Trans-Canada Highway is posted. Tour operators in the harbour can set you up with whale-watching excursions that follow the infamous ‘J-Pod’ of Orcas that make the area their home.
As the capital city of British Columbia, it would be an understatement to say Victoria is the most British of the province’s cities. Traditions, food and architecture rarely seen outside the UK are the norm here, and they combine to create a charm unique to The Garden City.
As a city that plays host to millions of tourists every year, parks and campgrounds are located throughout the outskirt areas of Victoria rather than directly downtown.
There is only one vehicle-accessible Provincial campground in the area. At the south end of the Malahat Drive is Goldstream Provincial Park, offering 159 vehicle-accessible non-serviced sites, group sites, picnic areas and the interpretive nature programs that specialise on the annual salmon run and local wildlife including the bald eagles who accompany the spawning chum salmon. There is a network of hiking trails that takes you through the 477-ha property, offering 600-yo Douglas firs, stunning Niagara Falls, and panoramic view from the top of Mt Findlayson. Reservations at Goldstream are recommended and accessed through the BC Government website. Flush toilets are available at the day-parking area, and hot showers are provided. A seasonal sani-dump is also on-site for the convenience of persons renting trailers or RVs.
There are also regional parks in the area that offer campground sites.
Spring Salmon Place Campground, in Sooke Potholes Regional Park has 67 non-serviced vehicle-accessible sites available for reservation, and it is adjacent to the Sea To Sea Regional Park Reserve along the Sooke River and the hiking trails that offer some wonderful river and waterfall photo opportunities. Drinking water, toilets and fire rings available on site, and use your generator during specified times to recharge your batteries for the evening. Reservations thirty days out are available at www.crd.bc.ca.
Island View Beach Regional Park Campground, 25 minutes north of Victoria, offers 47 sites ranging from tent sites in the trees to RV pull-throughs. Beach access is an easy walk and a beautiful hike that looks across the Haro Strait at the San Juan Islands. The park offers a boat launch as well, so you can head out on the water for sight-seeing or fishing in the chuck. Bring your downrigger to latch on to some of the larger fish varieties. Reservations thirty days out are available at www.crd.bc.ca.
Oceanside RV Resort is located near the Victoria International Airport, overlooking protected Saanichton Bay, with 69 full-service (water/sewer/power) RV sites. Wifi, laundromat, playground – even horseback riding and whale-watching tours – are available through the park. This is one of the most amenity-complete parks in the area, perfect for persons renting RVs or trailers to set up camp and take day trips into Victoria. Although this private campground is not directly on the waterfront, it is a short walk on Sa Su Rd to get to the water.
Fort Victoria RV Park is a family-run campground only 8km from downtown Victoria, with 300 full hook-up sites offering 50-amp service. Located near Thetis Lake, this campsite offers toilets, showers, Wifi, laundromat, playgrounds, walking trails and nearby golf courses making this a great choice for families exploring the area. However, this campsite does not allow fires of any description, including propane firepits. Sani dump is on-site so you can pump out before returning home.
LANDMARKS OF NOTE
As an area with historical significance, one with significant British influence, there are many different landmarks and must-see attractions while in the Victoria area.
Buchart Gardens has been amazing flower and landscape enthusiasts for over one hundred years. Only 30 minutes bus ride from downtown Victoria, this garden sanctuary sits on the shores of the Daphne Inlet just south of Brentwood Bay. Their immaculately-manicured 22-ha property offers over 900 species of plants, and the grounds play host to many events annually, including their ten Firework Saturdays that are choreographed to music – which are included I your admission.
Fort Rodd Hill is for military historians and enthusiasts alike. This 19th-century west coast artillery fortress remained in active condition until 1956 and is home to Fisgard Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse on the Canadian west coast. Looking out over Esquimalt harbor, this complex sits on Fisgard Island, and was ready to defend BC’s capital from enemy naval forces.
The Empress Hotel is one of the Top 21 Iconic Hotels in the world, according to National Geographic Magazine. It overlooks Victoria Harbour, a stone’s throw from the BC Parliament Buildings and the Royal BC Museum. Built in 1908, the Empress is the epitome of luxury and high-society service, which you can experience for yourself during their daily High Tea, enjoyed in the past by Queen Elizabeth herself on many occasions.
