Vibrant Autumn: Amazing Destinations for Victoria Fall Sightseeing

Fiery orange leaves pop out against a brilliant blue sky. Early morning fog seeps between the trees, hinting at the spooky festivities to come. Clouds of mist slide away to reveal trees dressed for a pre-winter party in an array of vibrant colors. If there is one thing for certain during this transitional season, it’s that Victoria knows how to put on a splashy fall show. Bring your camera to catch this last hurrah of vibrant colors before winter begins.

Soak in Fall Colors

With a gust of crisp, fall air, Mother Nature works her magic at The Butchart Gardens, transforming deep, green leaves into glowing oranges, russets, reds and golds. Wander past the bright red Torii Gate that marks the entrance to the tranquil Japanese Garden.

Crunch through dry, fallen leaves carpeting the ground as you immerse into a stunning grove of Japanese Maples. The leaves on the trees awash in royal scarlets, deep burgundies and golds. Nearby, strands of beech trees burst with contrasting colors of bright yellow and orange.

As you enter the rest of The Gardens, fall flowers in a kaleidoscope of colors compete with the trees for your attention. Colorful dahlias that range from the size of tablespoons to dinner plates, as well as chrysanthemums, spring up to greet and amaze you.

Bright purple berries burst from the diminutive beautyberry shrubs and pendulous magenta flowers hang from euonymus trees. The sweet fragrance of the diminutive, white heptacodium flower wafts through the air, tantalizing your nose with a scent reminiscent of jasmine or honeysuckle.

As the year stretches toward chilly November, step into The Gardens’ production greenhouses to immediately be transported to an often undiscovered part of the gardens. Here you can learn the secrets of Butchart Gardens’ amazing year-round displays. Be sure to make reservations in advance, as these hidden gems are only open on weekends in November.

Bike Out of Town

Perhaps it’s the cool breeze warmed by glancing afternoon sunlight or the vivid leaves that drift down from the trees like multi-colored snowflakes, but there is something about fall that just calls for bike riding. Soak in this short, but glorious season before the trees relinquish all their leaves by popping over to the wonderful fully-stocked Pedaler shop to pick up some wheels.

The friendly team at Pedaler are a great starting point for advice on where to go, and even offer a wide range of unique tour experiences. Hop on the Castles, Hoods & Legends tour and roll through tree-lined streets, past landmarks such as the formidable Craigdarroch Castle, the historic Chinatown and Fisherman’s Wharf. If you have worked up an appetite, we suggest stopping by the floating Barb’s Place for some of the freshest fish and chips around.

As you ride back to Belleville Street, ask your guide to make a detour through the scenic Beacon Hill Park. The jungle-like park is beautiful anytime of the year, but come fall, this 200-acre urban haven bursts with vibrant colors. Red maples, yellow Gary Oak and orange Willows that sweep the surface of the ponds. If you are lucky, you may even encounter one of the peacocks that roam the park grounds.

If you want to just get on a bike and ride, the scenic, gentle slopes along the charming 37-mile-long Galloping Goose Trail that stretches from Victoria to Sooke are hard to beat. Saddle up and pedal under dense canopies of leaves, along rolling country farmland into the pristine wilderness of the Sooke Hills. Inhale the crisp, earthy fall air and listen to the gurgling music of the Sooke River. When you’ve reached the end of your journey, head back to civilization with the rustic sights and sounds of countryside still on your mind.

Discover the Mammoths of the Ice Age

Clear, beautiful blue skies are the norm for fall, the occasional rainy day does happen. Duck inside the popular Royal British Columbia Museum to explore the permanent interactive exhibits, giant totem poles and huge collections of First Nations art that are unique to the Northwest.

While in the building, be sure to check out the rare, temporary exhibition, Mammoths: Giants of the Ice Age, in partnership with the Field Museum of Chicago. Entering the exhibit is like getting into a time machine. Trek through the ancient landscapes where the mighty beasts once roamed. You can almost imagine the vibrations of the herd as they lumber by in their shaggy coats and curlicue tusks.

Get a close up look the wooly creatures (including a 40,000-year-old baby) and stand next to the skeletons of the iconic beasts, craning your neck upwards as you try to guess your relative size. Sadly, we no longer have these magnificent creatures roaming the earth, but this exhibition gives us an idea of what it was like to live in their time.

Simply put, is a fall visual playground. A gorgeous array of autumn colors at The Butchart Gardens. Beautiful, rustic countryside along the Galloping Goose Trail. Gigantic 14-foot-tall mammoths waiting to “meet” you at the Royal BC Museum. Spend a day exploring Victoria’s scenic sights and enjoy the feast for your eyes the city has prepared.