Low Budget Attractions in Victoria, BC
Inexpensive Activities for Thrifty Travelers to Canada's West Coast
Victoria BC is known as one of Canada’s top vacation destinations, loved for its mild climate and year-round displays of flora. Crowds of tourists flock to the city annually from around the world.
Victoria boasts numerous tourist attractions and activities, from tea at the Empress and a visit to the Royal BC Museum to whale watching and carriage rides. There have been complaints made in recent years about the outrageous costs of some such attractions, and while many people consider the cost worth the experience, it’s true that Victoria can be a pricey place to visit.
Some of the best attractions, though, are ones at low to no cost. If you’re looking to visit the Garden City without spending half your savings, here are a few things to check out:
The Victoria Bug Zoo
This place is worth a look, whether or not you’re particularly attracted to bugs. It’s a small facility, only two small rooms and a gift shop. Admission is just $8.00 for adults ($5.00 to $7.00 for kids and seniors), and the exhibits include stick bugs, stink bugs, beetles, giant cockroaches, tarantulas, scorpions and a massive ant farm.
The key to the Bug Zoo’s greatness lies in following one of the guides who walk through the rooms and talk about the insects. These experts are full of fascinating information about the insects. Did you know that cockroaches have germ-killing pads on their feet, and are the most likely creatures to survive nuclear war? You may even get to hold some of the critters, if you like.
Beacon Hill Park and Petting Zoo
Located just south of downtown Victoria, this extensive park houses multiple duck ponds, a playground, a petting zoo, a mini golf course, and a skyscraping totem pole (once the world’s tallest) erected in the park in 1956. The park extends all the way to the ocean, where a walking path hugs the coastline and offers stunning views. If you get hungry, The Beacon, an old-fashioned burger joint, is located at the park’s southwest edge.
The petting zoo, which accepts donations rather than a set entry fee, is full of rabbits, sheep, pigs, songbirds, and even peacocks. Its main attraction, though, is the goat pen, where visitors can go in and play with the goats. Brush them, let them climb on your back, and if it’s the right time of year you can see the newborns in their little pen.
Finnerty Gardens
Students and Faculty at the University of Victoria maintain these vibrant gardens, which surround the chapel at the edge of the University’s grounds. This is a good place to escape the busy streets of downtown. It’s about a 15 to 20 minute car trip from downtown, and numerous buses (including the 7, 14 and 11) also make the trip.
The gardens are open to the public, and simply ask that visitors keep the gates that lead to the garden closed. The gates are an attempt (with questionable success) to keep UVic’s abundant rabbit population out of the gardents.
If you are a fan of fluffy bunnies, it might be fun to pack along a bag of carrots or other rabbity snacks and feed some of these adorable UVic residents (outside the gardens, of course.)
Peacocks roam Beacon Hill Park
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Goats at the Beacon Hill Petting Zoo
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