12 Things to Do in Victoria on a Rainy Day

12 Things to Do in Victoria on a Rainy Day
Rain in Victoria doesn’t mean you need to spend the day staring out your hotel window.
In fact, some of the best things to do in Victoria are perfect for a rainy day. Our compact downtown makes it easy to move between museums, historic buildings, restaurants, shops and cozy pubs without spending too much time out in the weather.
And while Victoria has a reputation for rain, we actually get considerably less precipitation than Vancouver or Seattle. When it does rain, it’s often the kind of weather where a good jacket and an umbrella are all you need.
So if the forecast shows rain during your visit, don’t worry. Here are 12 great ways to spend a rainy day in Victoria, BC.
1. Explore the Royal BC Museum
The Royal BC Museum is an obvious choice when the weather turns wet, and for good reason.
Located beside the BC Legislature and just steps from the Inner Harbour, it’s an easy place to spend a couple of hours learning about British Columbia’s natural and human history.
Its downtown location also makes it easy to combine with several other stops on this list without needing a car.
2. Take a Food and History Tour
A rainy day is actually a surprisingly good time to explore Victoria through its food.
Our Chinatown, Old Town & Inner Harbour Food and History Tour runs rain or shine and combines six food tastings with stories about Victoria’s history, architecture and neighbourhoods.
Although it’s a walking tour, much of the experience is spent popping into restaurants and food businesses along the way, so you’re never outside for too long.
The two-hour route takes you through Chinatown, Fan Tan Alley, Old Town and the Inner Harbour—some of the most interesting parts of Victoria to explore when the streets are a little quieter.
If you're visiting Victoria and the forecast isn't cooperating, come hungry and let us show you around.
Check availability for our Victoria Food & History Tour.
3. Wander Through Victoria’s Chinatown
Canada’s oldest Chinatown has a completely different atmosphere on a rainy day.
Walk beneath the Gates of Harmonious Interest, explore the shops along Fisgard Street and duck into narrow Fan Tan Alley.
There are plenty of places nearby to stop for tea, coffee, baked goods or lunch, making Chinatown easy to explore in short stretches between showers.
Don't forget to look up. Some of the most interesting details in Chinatown are above street level.
4. Visit the Victoria Chinatown Museum
While you're in the neighbourhood, head into the Victoria Chinatown Museum.
Located inside historic Fan Tan Alley, the museum tells the stories of Chinese Canadians who helped shape Victoria and British Columbia.
It's relatively small, making it an excellent addition to a day spent exploring Chinatown rather than an all-day commitment.
5. Have Afternoon Tea
There might not be a more classically Victoria response to a rainy afternoon than sitting down for tea.
The Fairmont Empress is famous for its traditional afternoon tea overlooking the Inner Harbour, but you'll find tea rooms and cafés throughout downtown if you're looking for something a little more casual.
Either way, tea, sandwiches and something sweet suddenly seem like an excellent idea when it's raining outside.
6. Explore the Shops on Lower Johnson Street
Lower Johnson Street—or “LoJo,” as you'll sometimes hear it called—is one of downtown Victoria's best areas for independent shopping.
You'll find clothing, gifts, books and locally owned businesses concentrated along a colourful historic streetscape.
Nearby Market Square gives you another collection of shops, restaurants and businesses surrounding one of Old Town's most interesting courtyards.
7. Discover Victoria’s Historic Buildings
You don't necessarily need blue skies to appreciate Victoria's architecture.
The BC Legislature, Fairmont Empress, Old Town warehouses and historic buildings around Government Street and Bastion Square are particularly atmospheric on a grey West Coast day.
If the rain gets heavier, use it as an excuse to duck into a café, pub or shop before continuing.
That's pretty much how Victorians do it.
8. Grab a Local Craft Beer
Victoria has one of Canada's oldest and most interesting modern craft beer scenes, making a brewery or pub an excellent rainy-day destination.
Downtown you'll find breweries, tasting rooms and craft-beer-focused pubs within easy walking distance of one another.
Rather than rushing around trying to visit as many as possible, pick a couple, order a flight and settle in for a while.
Rain problem solved.
9. Visit the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria
If you're willing to venture a little outside the downtown core, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria is another excellent indoor option.
Its collection includes Canadian, Asian and contemporary art, and the gallery offers a quieter alternative to some of Victoria's busier attractions.
It's also located near the historic Rockland neighbourhood, which is worth exploring if the weather clears.
10. Go for a Cozy Pub Lunch
Victoria does pubs extremely well.
That's particularly true around the Inner Harbour and Old Town, where historic buildings, fireplaces, dark wood and a pint somehow feel even better when it's raining.
A rainy afternoon is the perfect excuse to slow down, have lunch and experience a bit of Victoria's British heritage without worrying about checking another attraction off your list.
11. Catch Some Live Music Downtown
Don't automatically head back to the hotel after dinner.
Victoria has a surprisingly active live-music scene downtown, with several venues offering music throughout the week.
One of our favourite local tricks is to head out a little later in the evening. On busy cruise-ship nights, downtown venues can be packed earlier, but tables often start opening up as cruise passengers make their way back to their ships.
It's a great way to finish a rainy day in Victoria.
12. Just Embrace the Rain
Sometimes the best option is to stop trying to avoid it.
Put on a rain jacket, grab an umbrella and walk the Inner Harbour, Government Street, Chinatown and Old Town anyway.
Rain brings out reflections on the old brick streets, clears out some of the crowds and gives Victoria's historic neighbourhoods an entirely different feel.
And when you've had enough, you're never very far from good coffee, food, beer or somewhere warm.
Don't Let Rain Ruin Your Visit to Victoria
Victoria is a city made for exploring on foot, but that doesn't mean you need perfect weather to enjoy it.
Some of the city's best experiences—food, museums, historic buildings, independent shops, pubs, tea and live music—work just as well when the forecast is grey.
So don't spend your vacation refreshing the weather app.
Grab a jacket, head downtown and enjoy Victoria anyway.
And if you'd like a local to show you around, our Chinatown, Old Town & Inner Harbour Food and History Tour runs rain or shine throughout the season.
Check availability and book your Victoria food tour.