Explore Vancouver Island

Start your journey at The Butchart Gardens (visit time 2-3 hours). Tip: Stop by the Gelateria in the Italian Garden to try house-made gelato & sorbetto.

After your visual senses have been satiated, drop by Victoria Butterfly Gardens – just 5 minutes from Butchart (visit time 1 hour).

With nine acres of demonstration gardens to enjoy, you’ll find plenty of inspiration for your own garden. A further 100 acres of conservation park is home to endangered plant species and host to many native bird species. Over 260 volunteers assist in maintaining and growing the gardens and were the first to establish this unique setting.  HCP is also home to Pacific Horticulture College, founded in 1987 providing yearlong professional horticulture education. Community Education programs run year around and our new Couvelier Pavilion provides a gorgeous setting for weddings and events, including our amazing Arts & Music Festival in August each year, definitely one to build your vacation around!

While in the Victoria area, take in Victoria’s iconic harbour, or saunter through the gardens of Beacon Hill Park. With roughly 740,000 square metres of parkland, Beacon Hill Park is the crowning jewel in Victoria’s public park system. There are natural areas, manicured flower beds, footpaths and many sports and play features for the whole family to enjoy.

Finish the day at one of Canada’s best museums, the Royal British Columbia Museum!

Head on over to Colwood and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Hatley Castle and Gardens, including a wonderful Japanese Garden, and like The Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada.

Next, make your way to Fort Rodd Hill, a Canadian National Historic Site and former naval base.

Adjacent to Fort Rodd Hill you will find an iconic Victoria landmark: The Fisgard Lighthouse.

Head north, out to the Cowichan Valley Lavender Labyrinth (visit time 30 -90 minutes).
Take a walk through the Cowichan Valley Lavender Labyrinth. In the words of owner Christopher Carruthers, “you won’t get lost”! Perhaps one of the most captivating features of the Cowichan Valley Lavender Labyrinth is the multitude of lavender cultivars represented. Featuring over twenty varieties, from the classic English and Mediterranean lavenders to the lesser known lemon lavender (whose scent is akin to rosemary), this diversity in colour, shape and scent is an experience not to be missed.

When you are ready, head over to the Nanaimo area and continue your adventure dining on Nanaimo’s inner harbour.

Another worthy stop on the drive to Tofino is the remarkable Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park — you’re going to need an hour here to walk the loop and take it all in.

Please note: Naa’Waya’Sum Coastal Indigenous Gardens are Closed for Renovations until 2025.

Welcome to the home of the Naa’Waya’Sum Gardens, the IISAAK Learning Lodge, and the Little Costa Rica Cafe.

The Tofino Botanical Gardens has entered a new phase of life. In 2021, the 10-acre site was sold to the IPCA Innovation Program – a project of MakeWay Charitable Society – and renamed the Clayoquot Campus. The unique space, established in 1997, has shifted to a focus on supporting Indigenous-led conservation.

The Naa’Waya’Sum Gardens and Little Costa Rica Cafe are now open to the public! Come by for a visit, witness the live carving of totem poles, explore the trails, sip a hot drink on the patio, and learn about Nuu-chah-nulth art and culture.”