From Butchart Gardens to Sooke Potholes to Dallas Road and Oak Bay, Victoria has some of the most enchanting tourist destinations in Canada.
And whatever age you are, there’s something for everyone!
That’s why we were interested in hearing what Francesca Scott-Filippin had to say.
Francesca is a local ten-year-old who posted a list of places to visit in Victoria on Reddit earlier this month. It’s become incredibly popular, with hundreds of upvotes and dozens of comments applauding her choices.
To make sure her friend had the best time possible, Franesca made a list of all of her favourite spots to eat, play, and have fun!
Destined to be a foodie, let Francesca be your tour guide!
Here are Francesca’s top seven tourist destinations in Victoria:
Bolen Books
“It’s got lots of stuff,” Francesca says, “Not just books, but if you look around you can even find games and stuff!”
She’s right!
Bolen Books is full of new reads, local reads, puzzles, games and more.
No longer are book stores just for bookworms!
Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe
Get yourself some sugar, sugar!
Olde Thyme Candy Shoppe is a fantastic shop full of retro and hard-to-find candy, chocolates, and sweets. Francesca saysOld Thyme Candy Shoppe is her favourite because it’s on Government street.
“If you go there, you can walk on the road and eat your candy, it’s really cool and nice.”
Open Monday to Sunday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m., get your fix every day of the week!
The Drake
Yes, yes, it’s a bar and she’s ten….but Francesca knows the tricks of the trade—bring your parents into the Drake and you can snag one of Victoria’s best pretzels!
“The Drake has a super yummy pretzel. It’s a pub though, so make sure you bring your parents,” Francesca says.
And hey, parents! While you’re there, you may as well grab a nice local craft brew while you’re at it.
Check The Drake Eatery out in Market Square any day all week!
La Taquisa
“I love the bean and cheese tacos from La Taquisa!” Francesca told Victoria Buzz.
We can’t argue with her. La Taquisa on Blanshard Street is a great spot for tacos, burritos, and a variety of salsas and fillings to keep you stuffed and coming back for more.
And it’s a good way to fuel before your next stop!
Quazar’s Arcade
You want pinball? They got pinball!
You want coffee? They’ve got coffee!
This all-ages classic video game arcade is a retro-inspired room located at Trounce Alley across from Bastion Square.
If you’re like Francesca and love pinball, this is the best place for you!
The Bubble Tea Place
Francesca is bubbly for bubble tea! Her love of the tasty bevvies is infectious, and she especially loves The Bubble Tea Place at 532 Fisgard Street in downtown Victoria.
So what kind of bubble tea does she get?
“I love to make my own mango and lychee bubble tea with extra bubbles,” Francesca says.
“There’s lots of really good bubble tea places, but The Bubble Tea Place always lets me have extra bubbles.”
And you thought Bubble tea was already bubbly enough?
Fisherman’s Wharf
To finish the trip, Francesca recommends one of the most beautiful places in town: Fisherman’s Wharf.
She says she loves looking at the float houses, eating all the food, and taking a nice water taxi to enjoy the nice breeze from the ocean. She also says it gets cold, so bring a sweater.
“I love the water taxi, the ice cream, and the sugar shack,” Francesca says.
“And I hope soon me and my mom will rent a floating AirBnB.”
We’re hoping that happens for you soon, Francesca!
Francesca’s final advice to anyone visiting Victoria:
“Go to Chinatown. They have lots of bubble tea places and they’ll usually give you extra bubbles if you ask nicely!”
Thank you, Francesca!
