Victoria Butterfly Gardens

Vancouver Island


These gardens offer a kaleidoscope of thousands of fluttering critters, from around 75 species, in a free-flying environment. As well as watching them flit about and land on your head, you can learn about ecosystem lifecycles, and eyeball exotic fish, plants and birds. Look out for Spike, the long-beaked puna ibis, who struts around the garden trails as if he owns the place.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Vancouver Island attractions

1. Butchart Gardens

1.28 MILES

Far more than just another pretty flower arrangement, Butchart is a national historic site and a triumph of early-20th-century gardening aesthetics. With…

2. Sea Cider

3.31 MILES

A rustic farmhouse and cider producer where tours, samples and ocean views are available, this is a tasty pit stop if you're a red-nosed cider fan. The 10…

3. Seaside Sculpture Walk

6.21 MILES

A dozen or so photo-friendly sculptures are dotted around the town's waterfront. Look out for a graceful gymnast, a hollow eye made out of whale bones and…

4. Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea

6.22 MILES

Sidney's kid-luring highlight, this aquarium is accessed through a dramatic Disney-style entrance that makes you think you're descending below the waves…

5. Victoria Distillers

6.26 MILES

The ambitious manufacturers of Victoria Gin have branched into vodka, whiskey and beyond. The distillery relocated to Sidney in 2016 and now inhabits a…

6. Goldstream Provincial Park

8.31 MILES

This swath of temperate rainforest a 20-minute drive from the city is bisected by the Trans-Canada but squeezes a lot of nature into its 4.5 sq km. A…

7. Merridale Estate Cidery

9.57 MILES

One of BC's earliest exponents of craft cider-making, Merridale has since gone from strength to strength. The rustic-chic cidery site is lined with trees…

8. Johnson St Bridge

9.92 MILES

Victoria’s much-loved bascule bridge across the Inner Harbour reopened in March 2018 with a handsome new streamlined structure replacing the steel-and…