10 Things First-Time Visitors to Victoria Always Say

Peacock in Beacon Hill Park, Victoria, B.C.

10 Things First-Time Visitors to Victoria Always Say
After welcoming more than 30,000 guests on our walking food tours over the past 10 years, we've noticed something interesting.
No matter where our guests are from — whether it's Canada, the United States, Europe, Australia, or beyond — many of them end up saying the same things after exploring Victoria.
Here are ten comments we hear again and again.
🚶 "I Didn't Realize Victoria Was So Walkable"
One of the biggest surprises for first-time visitors is just how easy Victoria is to explore on foot.
Many of the city's most popular attractions — including the Inner Harbour, Chinatown, Beacon Hill Park, Bastion Square, and Market Square — are all within walking distance of one another. There's very little need for a car once you're downtown.
🏮 "I Had No Idea Chinatown Was This Historic"
Many visitors expect Chinatown to be interesting, but few realize it's the oldest Chinatown in Canada and one of the oldest in North America.
Walking through Fan Tan Alley and the surrounding streets often becomes one of the highlights of their visit.

🍴 "The Food Scene Is Amazing"
Victoria's food scene regularly exceeds expectations.
Guests are often surprised by the variety of locally owned restaurants, cafés, bakeries, breweries, and specialty food shops packed into such a compact downtown. Many tell us they wish they'd planned an extra day just to try more restaurants.  And almost all of our guests are glad they took our food tour early in their visit.  

✈️ "Those Float Planes Never Get Old"
Locals sometimes forget how unusual this is.
Watching float planes land right in the middle of downtown is something many visitors find fascinating, and it's common to see people stop whatever they're doing just to watch another plane arrive.  Since we have spotted Orcas in our Harbour the last 5 seasons, our harbour air traffic controllers might be the only ones in the world who can say, “Harbour Air flight 590, you are going to have to do a go-around as you have an Orca on your runway!”

🌊 "It's Even More Beautiful Than We Expected"
Photos do a good job of showing Victoria's beauty — but most visitors still say the city is even prettier in person. The combination of ocean views, historic buildings, gardens, flower baskets, and mountain scenery makes a lasting impression.

🌸 "Everything Is So Well Looked After"
Visitors often comment on how clean and well-maintained the city feels.
From the hanging flower baskets in summer to the beautifully landscaped parks and heritage buildings, there's a noticeable pride in keeping Victoria looking its best.  Another reason for this: Victoria’s Clean Team.  This is a group hired by the Downtown Victoria Business Association to go around with carts, cleaning up messes and erasing graffiti. Be sure to give them a ‘thank you’ if you see them.

🦚 "There Are Peacocks... Just Walking Around?"
This is almost always followed by someone pulling out their phone for a photo.
The free-roaming peacocks in Beacon Hill Park are one of Victoria's quirkiest attractions and something many visitors never expected to see.

😊 "Everyone Is So Friendly"
One of the nicest compliments we hear isn't about the scenery at all.
Guests regularly comment on how welcoming Victoria feels. Whether it's chatting with local shop owners, restaurant staff, or simply asking someone for directions, visitors often leave with the impression that Victoria is one of Canada's friendliest cities.

⏰ "I Wish We Had Stayed Longer"
This might be the comment we hear most often.
Many cruise passengers arrive expecting to spend just a few hours in Victoria, only to realize there's far more to explore than they anticipated. It's one of the reasons so many visitors return for a longer stay.

❤️ "We'll Definitely Be Back"
For us, this is the best comment of all.
Victoria has a way of surprising people. What begins as a quick stop often becomes a favourite destination, with visitors returning to discover even more of the city's hidden gems, local food scene, and relaxed West Coast lifestyle.

Final Thoughts
After guiding more than 30,000 guests over the past decade, we've learned that Victoria leaves a lasting impression.
It's not just the beautiful scenery or historic buildings that people remember — it's the atmosphere, the walkable streets, the friendly locals, and the countless little moments that make the city feel special.
If you're planning a visit, we hope you'll discover why so many of our guests leave saying exactly the same thing:
"We'll definitely be back."