The best walks and hikes around Victoria

This paved, multiuse path follows Bowker Creek for almost all of its 1.3 km length. For a longer adventure, link it up with other pedestrian-friendly trails around Oak Bay.

Royal Roads Bay is a sheltered inlet at the entrance to Esquimalt Harbour, where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the southern coast of Vancouver Island. It was once an important anchorage for ships in the late 1700s, and today its calm waters, surrounded by forested headlands, beaches, and views of the Olympic Mountains, make it a picturesque stretch of coastline rich in both maritime history and natural beauty.

This lookout offers beautiful panoramic views across Royal Roads Bay, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the distant Olympic Mountains. Perched on a rocky headland, it’s a great spot to watch passing ships, colourful sunsets, and storms rolling in across the Salish Sea. It’s one of the most popular lookouts in the park, and one of the best coastal viewpoints in Greater Victoria.

Established in 1882, Beacon Hill Park is Victoria's most famous urban park, combining Garry oak meadows, ponds, gardens, woodland trails, and ocean viewpoints within a single green space. The park stretches all the way to the shores of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and is known for its free-roaming peacocks, historic landmarks, and extensive walking paths. Despite being close to downtown Victoria, it feels surprisingly varied, with everything from manicured gardens to pockets of native coastal habitat.

Clover Point sits at the eastern end of Dallas Road in Victoria, overlooking the wide waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca. The grassy headland offers sweeping ocean views and is a popular place to watch waves crash along the rocky shoreline. On clear days you can see the Olympic Mountains in Washington across the strait. It’s also a well-known spot for kite flying, wind sports, and sunset views along Victoria’s waterfront.

The Marilyn Bell Monument at Clover Point Park honours Canadian long-distance swimmer Marilyn Bell. In 1954, at just sixteen years old, she became the first person to swim across Lake Ontario, completing the nearly 52-kilometre crossing between Youngstown, New York, and Toronto. The monument marks the starting point of a commemorative swim route and celebrates one of Canada’s most remarkable endurance achievements.

The Ogden Point Lighthouse marks the entrance to Victoria’s Inner Harbour at the end of the Ogden Point Breakwater. The bright red tower has guided ships safely into the harbour since the early 20th century and remains one of the most recognizable landmarks on Victoria’s waterfront. Walking the long breakwater out to the lighthouse offers wide views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, passing ships, and the Olympic Mountains in Washington on clear days.

This is the western terminus of the West Bay Walkway. It is a good starting point or turn around point for a walk along the walkway, as it is easy to reach and has roadside parking and benches nearby.