Victoria, BC, Canada  

British Columbia's capital city, Victoria, is located on the southernmost tip of spectacular Vancouver Island, just a short Helijet, floatplane, catamaran or commercial flight from BC's lower mainland region, Metro Vancouver, and Washington State. You can also reach this delightful, cosmopolitan island destination via car, coach, ferry, international flight, or even as part of an incredible whale watching adventure from downtown Vancouver.

British Columbia's beautiful capital city, Victoria, on Vancouver Island, is known for its old-world charm, decidedly British flavour, world-class hotels, decadent dining, wine, seafood, and some of the best microbreweries on the west coast. Dramatic architecture surrounds the world-famous Inner Harbour, designed by Francis Rattenbury near the turn of the 19th century, include the magnificent BC Legislative Buildings, the Crystal Garden, and the Fairmont Empress Hotel.

Other highlights include; a wide range of visitor attractions, the world-class Royal BC Museum, antique shopping, art galleries, great outdoor adventure travel, second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America and gardens, gardens, gardens! Check out the Destination Greater Victoria web site for the latest information: https://www.tourismvictoria.com

The rainbow flag is flown proudly in Victoria, front and centre on the Legislature grounds for Pride. A relatively small, but active LGBTQ2+ nightlife scene includes one main nightclub, Paparazzi, as well as an LGBTQ2+ lounge, Friends of Dorothy, which serves food and hosts events in the downtown core. Other venues are LGBTQ2+ friendly and host occasional events throughout the year.

Pride festivities in Victoria span over ten days, including a colourful parade with over 100 entries, and a large outdoor festival, with vendor booths, beer gardens, and live performance stages. A year-round calendar of events include community events, fundraisers, theatre, drag extravaganzas, and more. This year Pride events kick off on June 29 with the Youth Pride Kick-Off Party, followed by the Memorial Drag Ball Game July 1, Big Gay Dog Walk July 6, Pride in the Word July 8, and the Pride Parade and Festival on Sunday July 9, as they celebrate 30 years of Pride in 2023. Check out the Victoria Pride Society for more: https://victoriapridesociety.org