School’s out next week—teachers and students are ready for their much-needed break!
Take advantage of all the family-friendly fun planned throughout Victoria in celebration of Spring Break and all of its promise.
The Malahat SkyWalk is offering free passes for kids, West Shore Town Centre is throwing a silent disco, there’s set of country-themed Victoria Royals games and much more!
If you’re looking for something that can be done at your own leisure, Thetis Lake is always a nice place for a walk or let the kidlets burn out their energy at the Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park.
For all of this and more, here’s 14 things to do in and around Victoria to make the most of Spring Break:
LEGO Exhibit at the Sidney Museum
If you haven’t gone already, now’s your chance!
Visitors and residents alike can head over to the museum and immerse themselves in the wonderous and imaginative world of LEGO!
Hundreds of LEGO sets are expected to be on display, including an array of new additions that will encourage guests who’ve seen it in previous years to come and enjoy it once again.
- Where: Sidney Museum, 2423 Beacon Avenue
- When: On now until Monday, April 1st during museum hours
LaserCity Fun Centre
Great exercise and family fun!
Offering fun for all ages, LaserCity has shared countless memories with families, friends and co-workers for years.
Their industrial techno laser tag arena can accommodate up to two teams of 8 players—16 people total.
Match scores are tracked to compare your rank against players on both team!
- Where: LaserCity Fun Centre, 749 View Street
- When: Tuesday to Sunday—book your reservation today!
Bug Zoo Adventure
Described as a hands-on experience you’ll never forget, the Victoria Bug Zoo offers a close-up look at some of the most wonderful (and often horrifying) creatures in the world!
Marvel over the blending abilities of certain insects, gawk at the hairy legs of tarantulas, and admire the strength of ants.
You may even get the opportunity to hold something, if you dare!
Admission varies depending on age—$16 for adults, $8 for children aged 5 to 17, and free for 4 and under.
- Where: Victoria Bug Zoo, 631 Courtney Street
- When:
- Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Family-Friendly Nature Walk
Thetis Lake offers the perfect opportunity to get out into nature while still remaining fairly close to town.
Take in the gorgeous lake views and breathe in the fresh forest air as you walk around the loop with your family and/or pets!
The trail gets a bit muddy after it’s been raining, so prepare for that if you intend on going on a wetter day.
- Where: Thetis Lake Regional Park, View Royal
- When: Whenever it’s convenient for you between dawn and dusk!
Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park
Escape the winter weather and fly or bounce through your evening.
Flying Squirrel Trampoline Park is a family-friendly place with plenty of activities for everyone!
They have trampolines, climbing walls, a cafe, and consider themselves the premiere entertainment destination!
- Where: Flying Squirrel, 808 Viewfield Road
- When: Open seven days a week—hours vary
Victoria Butterfly Gardens
Humid, naturally-lit, filled with tropical animals and plants, the Butterfly Gardens is the perfect place to spend a couple of hours out of the drizzle.
You begin by browsing their collection of exotic bugs and slowly move towards their vibrant jungle adventure that’s been beautifully crafted for visitors and animals alike.
The ceilings are high to allow for spacious flying zones and growing trees. There are also multiple water features and plenty of gorgeous flowers to peek at.
Their newest edition includes the world’s smallest crocodilian species, a Cuvier’s Dwarf Caiman!
Ticket prices vary, but a general adult ticket is $18.50 and tickets for children between the ages of 5 and 7 is $7.50.
- Where: Butterfly Gardens, 1461 Benvenuto Avenue, Brentwood Bay
- When: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Go Cherry Blossom Gazing
As the weather continues to warm up, Victoria’s beloved collection of cherry blossom and plum blossom trees are reaching their full peak.
Already we’ve seen some early washes of floral colour from our early bloomers and the vibrancy will only continue to grow as we dive deeper into spring.
If you’re looking to find your own special spot, the City of Victoria features an interactive map that lists all of the trees and their blossom dates.
For now, we’ve chosen some of our favourite spots around town to see the blooms.
Full article: Here’s where to find the best cherry blossoms in and around Victoria (PHOTOS)
Malahat SkyWalk
Swap screen time for family time and take in the beauty of the outdoors!
This popular tourist attraction presents a natural west coast setting, an immersive experience along an elevated TreeWalk, plus the epic views from the 10-storey Spiral Tower.
In honour of Spring Break and all things family, they’ve launched a “Kids Visit Free” promotion that kicked off on March 9th and will run until April 1st. Enjoy your visit plus all of their organized Easter events at an affordable price!
Children and youth 17-years-old and under will receive free admission when one adult ticket is purchased!
Tickets and more information can be found here.
- Where: Malahat SkyWalk, 901 Trans-Canada Highway
- When: Kids Visit Free: Kicked off March 9th and runs until April 1st
Axe and Grind
Teachers, this may be of interest to you…
Need to let off some steam or are just looking for something fun and different?
Axe and Grind is where you’re actually encouraged to throw things and put a little aggression into it, so you can have fun and release the tensions from a difficult day.
Staff are there to guide you through technique and perhaps teach you a trickshot or two as well!
They offer knife throwing as well as axe throwing—customize your experience and have a blast. Check out their website for all of the different offerings and rates.
- Where: 910 Government Street #107
- When: Open seven days a week from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Old Country Market & Goats on the Roof!
If you live on Vancouver Island, you’ve most likely heard of or been to Coombs’ Goats on the Roof.
The famous market draws in Vancouver Island locals and tourists from all over to see the spectacle of goats grazing on top of a sod rooftop.
In fact, it isn’t just a popular stop for tourists on their way up the island, it’s a destination all on its own!
While you’re there watching the goats munch, consider going into the Old Country Market and take a look at all of the treats they offer—from merch to locally produced/farmed goods, they’ve got it all.
Plus, there are multiple neat shops around the market if you’re looking for a bit of a wander! Just be sure to check their hours ahead of time, as they’ll differ from Old Country Market.
- Where: Old Country Market, 2326 Alberni Highway, Coombs
- When: Open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Hike PKOLS (Mount Douglas Park)
As the largest park in the Saanich area, you’re bound to stumble across plenty of natural beauty.
Not only are you able to see all of Victoria—including glimpses of downtown Victoria and the harbour, you’re also surrounded by lush, moss covered forest floors, established trees, and varieties of shrubs.
You can choose to drive to the top or hike from the bottom (Irvine Trail). Note that this hike is considered moderate in difficulty and may be unsuitable for some as it gets steep at times.
There are plenty of leisurely strolling trails in and around the park though, if that’s more your speed!
- Where: East Saanich
- When: From dawn until dusk!
Dino Labs Inc.
Dino Lab Inc. is a high-tech, low-tech, all fun fossil restoration lab right in Victoria!
You can organize your own trip to take a look at their private gallery and prep lab to get a taste of what these incredibly dedicated individuals get up to.
It’s perfect for anyone wishing to learn more about the ancient beings that roamed before us—they even offer junior programs!
Prices will vary depending on the kind of tour you would like, but regular tours start at $40 and can be booked here.
- Where: 43 & 45 Erie Street Unit #100
- When: Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pacific Rim Whale Festival
The community favourite Pacific Rim Whale Festival is coming to Tofino and Ucluelet from March 16th to 24th and is to celebrate marine life while also raising awareness for our ocean pals, the Grey whales.
This unmissable opportunity will include a wide variety of events—separated into ‘ticketed’ and ‘button’ events.
Button events only require a one-time purchase of a button to access a multitude of incredible activities and ticketed events will require a new ticket purchase each time!
To view the full list of events, you can visit the Pacific Rim Whale Festival website.
- Where: Tofino and Ucluelet—exact locations vary
- When: March 16th to 23rd—event times and dates vary
Family-friendly Silent Dance Party at Westshore Town Centre
With Easter just around the corner, Westshore Town Centre wants to get you and all of your little ones hopping – and every-bunny is invited.
DJ Easter Bunny is hosting a family-friendly silent dance party on Saturday, March 23rd.
Each guest will be provided with special headphones to groove to WTC’s 24-carrot playlist of Easter tunes, chart-toppers and family-friendly jams.
Tickets to the event are only $6.50 per person and include the 45-minute dance party with the Easter Bunny, refreshments, activities and more! You can grab your tickets here.
- Where: Westshore Town Centre, 2945 Jacklin Road
- When: Saturday, March 23rd – dance party sessions as follows:
- 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m.
- 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
- 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m.
- 2:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
- 3:45 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
