Beautiful flowers even though we visited end of season. They had a wide variety of flowers/plants from different regions- Mediterranean garden, Japanese Garden etc. They had many roses of different colours and flowers I’ve never seen before! It was beautiful! The garden was smaller than I thought- people recommended 3 hours for the gardens but we covered it within 1.5 hours. Limited dining options with only one cafe but the food and coffee were good!

If you haven’t been to Butchart Gardens, don’t even claim you’ve been to Vancouver Island! The moment you step into the Sunken Garden, jaws drop all around 🤩😍🤩 It’s hard to imagine this was once a quarry — now layers of greenery and blooming flowers create a fairytale-like scene. Beyond the iconic Sunken Garden, I especially loved: • 🇮🇹 Italian Garden – elegant symmetrical fountains and charming water-side pathways. • 🇯🇵 Japanese Garden – flowing water, stone bridges, and soft moss create a serene, poetic atmosphere. In summer, the gardens stay open later into the evening. On Saturdays, there are fireworks 🎆, and on Sundays, live music 🎶 adds a magical touch. It’s like a paradise for slow living: couples strolling hand-in-hand, seniors walking their dogs, everyone moving at their own gentle pace. Sometimes, the best version of life is simply right in front of you. 🌸🧺✨

If I’m being honest, I wasn’t too keen on visiting The Butchart Gardens at first as we had a long journey ahead after leaving Victoria, but my partner insisted, and I’m so glad we went. What an absolutely stunning place! We arrived right as it opened, so it was peaceful and not too busy, giving us time to wander through the different areas - the Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, and more - each one beautifully designed and full of charm. Despite visiting in early October, there were still so many blooms, and the colours were starting to turn lovely shades of autumn. Definitely worth the visit!

We visited Victoria specifically to see Butchart Gardens and it was amazing! Go early to avoid what will be crowds. Take time to just enjoy as it’s hard to not keep taking photos and selfies given the views but you’re surrounded by nature’s beauty so take the time to breathe, stop and enjoy. A tip is to take your photos early and then, walk around your favorite areas a second time to just enjoy and relax. Fun gift shop for souvenirs and cafe to grab a bite and coffee. Give yourself at least 2 plus hours. There are tours that will take you from downtown but we took an uber as knew we wanted to spend more time. About a 30 plus minute drive. I would grab breakfast before you go.

Visiting Butchart Gardens was truly magical. Every corner of the gardens feels like a work of art, from the lush Sunken Garden to the vibrant Rose Garden and the serene Japanese Garden. The Italian and Mediterranean Gardens add even more charm with elegant statues and unique plantings. Walking through the grounds, you can feel the history and vision behind the space, making it both peaceful and inspiring. A beautiful and unforgettable destination on Vancouver Island, perfect for a leisurely stroll or a full afternoon of exploration.

My great aunt suggested we attend Butchart Gardens and we are so glad we when! Even though it rained a bit while we were there, the fall colors were so beautiful and it was such a wonderful experience. So neat to admire the creativity of those who started the gardens so long ago and those who continue to make this place so special. We also enjoyed high tea while there and highly recommend!

Butchart Gardens is absolutely breathtaking and a must-visit when in Victoria. Every corner feels like stepping into a painting, with colorful blooms, peaceful pathways, and beautifully maintained landscapes. The Japanese Garden and Rose Garden are especially stunning, offering so many perfect photo spots. It’s a place where you can slow down, take in the fresh air, and just enjoy nature at its best. Whether you’re walking with family, friends, or on your own, the gardens leave you feeling refreshed and inspired. Truly unforgettable!

I am so glad we stopped in here, we had time to kill and it was definitely a good place for that. It is really warm inside, so be prepared, but it is gorgeous and there's multiple little benches you can just sit and enjoy everything from, there were butterflies everywhere, I've been to butterfly gardens where they actually gave you sugar sticks to feed them and I swear there are never nearly as many just flying around. They might not land on you if you aren't being still enough but they will definitely be gliding past you and there were dozens that you could sit and identify at the food stations. They also have macaws and parrots and a flamingo named Mango, right next to the big koi pond, it was just amazing and a fabulous time that we would've missed if we hadn't been looking for something quick and easy and I'm glad we didn't it was 20 bucks for a ticket and no time limit. So if you enjoy butterflies this is a great past time!

Victoria Butterfly Gardens is such a magical place! The butterflies are stunning, the tropical plants are beautiful, and there’s always something new to notice every time you visit. It’s an amazing experience to walk through the warm, lush environment and have butterflies flying all around you. The staff are friendly and knowledgeable, and you can tell they care about the animals and gardens. The only reason I’m giving 4 instead of 5 stars is because I did notice some of the birds seemed a little stressed or unsettled. It made me wonder how happy they truly are in the environment. That said, the experience overall is unique, educational, and definitely worth visiting when in Victoria.

Beautiful place! It feels like you somewhere in tropical paradise: warm and colorful. Wonderful butterflies fly everywhere, turtles and birds hangout. Also, you will see here flamingo and frogs. Definitely, worth to visit

Incredible experience! The staff is very knowledgable and clearly dedicated to the care of the garden and it's inhabitants. Very educational, and incredibly beautiful. Truly feels like stepping into a magical scene. Lots of benches available in the room, accesable paths, with water fountain and washroom behind the gift shop. The annual pass is a very reasonable price, and tickets have no time limit. It does get quite busy on sundays, weekends, or school days off, and there are no barriers preventing parents from allowing children to print through the garden. It is kept quite warm and humid, but there is a coat rack near the washrooms as well. The only other thing to keep in mind is that there are truly no real barriers between you and the animals and insects, so caution when moving is very necessary, and attempts to touch the animals are not allowed. Overall, 10/10!

Amazing place. Could have spent hours taking in all of the plants, birds, insects, and reptiles. Fun for parents and children. Check out the beautiful jade plant just off the main entrance. Its extraordinary! Would recommend to all.

So cool! We had a blast here. It's quite warm inside so come prepared. There's so much more than butterflies to see here which was a huge surprise. My son loves turtles and was ecstatic to see them walking around (he apparently is an escape artist lol). The ants out front were the highlight for me, watching them cut the leaves and then carry them down across sticks to another area was so awesome. I've seen it on TV but never in person. There were several staff walking around as well who were very knowledgeable and loved sharing with guests.

After our wildly good visit to the Butchart Gardens, we thought we would be hard to impress. However, this place definitely delivered and impressed us! The insect exhibits were fascinating and well done, and the main room was nothing short of wonderous. From the gorgeous butterflies, the friendly parrots that wolf-whistle at you, to the life-cycle exhibits and even the flamingo...it was all magical and delightful. My youngest wouldn't stop talking about the flamingo. It is a bit small, but well worth the visit. The lady manning the register out front is absolutely the kindest person, we loved chatting with her while we checked out. I highly recommend this place if you have kids!

Great experience at the cider farm They say all of their apples are organic, which is very important for us. We picked few ciders to go, Im sure you will find something that you will like as their cider menu is quite big. Definitely a stop when exploring local wineries

Worth going a bit out of your way to seek out Sea Cider. So many interesting and unusual cider varieties; we had a Long Flight (6) of Canadian Invasion which was a fun ride. Great patio, lots of food on offer, and even a great gift shop with all of their ciders for purchase.

It was truly an excellent experience! My fiancée and I visited for the first time and ordered two long flights and a pulled pork flatbread. There were so many kinds of cider that it was hard for us to choose, but the male staff member(sorry, I don’t know his name🥲) kindly explained everything in detail. We were very satisfied and really enjoyed our time there! Highly recommend this place to anyone who wants to experience unique and diverse ciders!

A happy accident brought us here. We were off to pick up guests at the airport but their flight was delayed. We decided to stop at Sea Cider as we went north on the hwy. We lucked out and they had room. Each of us (3) got out one cider flight. And we shared two flatbreads. The ciders are outstanding as are the flatbreads. The dining area is outside with plenty of shade. The views are glorious and we can’t wait to return. Definitely a must do.

Hostess was able to change our table to a much nicer one on the deck, all of us for different flights and we tasted more than 20 ciders! Flatbreads Amazing to go with them. Amazing variety and we came away with 7 bottles between the 4 of us. Will definitely be back, sorry it took me 20 years for my first visit.

This was a surprise spot for GF food. It's impressive that everything on the menu is GF. The artichoke and Asiago dip is a must-try. The tasting flight experience is also a must. Cider is a bit overpriced, in my opinion, but I respect that the apples are not sprayed with pesticides (that’s what the writers told us). The service was excellent!

Gorgeous ocean views and orchard setting make this such a special spot. The cider flights were delicious, and the flatbreads and baked Brie were equally yummy. Service was fantastic from start to finish. Overall, a delightful place and absolutely worth the visit!

I cannot overstate how great our experience was at Church and State. The dining is absolutely first rate! We started off with grilled artichokes with burrata, and Mediterranean grilled flatbread, followed by the main courses of grilled lingcod and duck confit. Every bite was perfect. The duck was moist and perfectly tender and the smokey lingcod with those lemony highlights was stellar. We had no idea before coming here that the kitchen at Church and State would offer such an amazing dining experience. Our waitress could not have been nicer. She was very knowledgeable about the menu and the wines we ordered, and she was so sweet to my dog. We did not have room for dessert, but I have to say that this was one of the best dining experiences for me this year. This is a kitchen that really knows what it's doing!

As a Wedding Photographer and Wedding Videographer, I’ve photographed many Vancouver Island venues, but Church & State Wines continues to impress me every single time. It’s a stunning blend of modern architecture, sweeping vineyard views, and warm, natural light. Even on a rainy fall day, it photographed beautifully. The staff was incredibly accommodating, keeping everything running smoothly despite unpredictable weather. Guests stayed cozy and comfortable indoors, while the wine and ambience created such an elevated, West Coast-luxury feel. To be honest, there aren't a lot of great indoor venues on the island, but this absolutely is! The ceilings are high creating a spacious feeling, and there's tons of room for plenty of guests. The venue’s layout makes it ideal for both intimate ceremonies and lively receptions, with the perfect mix of indoor elegance and outdoor charm. As a photographer, I especially love how versatile the property is every angle offers a cinematic backdrop. Church & State Wines is one of those rare venues that manages to feel both high-end and relaxed at the same time, the perfect setting for any couple who wants an unforgettable Vancouver Island wedding.

I’ve lived in Victoria my whole life and can’t believe it took me this long to discover Church & State Winery—what an absolute gem! From the moment we arrived, I was blown away by how expansive and beautiful the vineyard is. The setting is truly breathtaking. The restaurant is equally impressive, with a spacious layout, high ceilings, and oak barrels that create a warm and inviting ambiance. The covered deck overlooking the vineyard and lake is the perfect spot to soak in the stunning views while enjoying a meal. The experience started on a high note when Paul greeted us with a glass of bubbly—a thoughtful touch that made us feel instantly welcome. The menu had a fantastic selection, with something for everyone, and the prices were surprisingly reasonable for such high-quality food. The wine was not only vibrant and beautifully crafted, but also fairly priced, making it easy to indulge in a few different selections. But what truly made our visit exceptional was the service. Paul went above and beyond to make us feel special and well taken care of. His attention to detail and genuine warmth made the experience even more memorable. Whether you’re a local or visiting the area, I can’t recommend Church & State Winery enough. It’s a perfect place to unwind, enjoy incredible food and wine, and take in the beauty of Vancouver Island. I’ll definitely be back!

Church and State Winery is truly one of my favourite wedding venues on Vancouver Island. Just minutes from downtown Victoria, it offers everything a couple (and a photographer) could hope for: sweeping vineyard views, beautiful natural light, and a perfect mix of elegance and West Coast charm. From intimate ceremonies in the courtyard to golden-hour portraits among the vines, every corner of this venue feels like it was designed for unforgettable wedding photos. The staff are warm, attentive, and genuinely care about creating a seamless experience for couples and their guests. As a photographer, I always look forward to shooting here. The scenery changes beautifully with the seasons, the sunsets are breathtaking, and every wedding I’ve captured at Church and State Winery has been a joy from start to finish.

My wife and I love going to wineries for tasting, we love the engagement with the staff and learning from their experience and knowledge. If you feel you are coming for that experience, think again. I booked a tasting session off their web site and all we were presented was a menu of pre-selected flights, you are stuck getting what they want you to have. Basically 4 1oz pours for $20. My wife and I chose a different path and went with the flight of 3-3oz wines still pre selected but we went with it. Merlot, Mertiage and Syrah. For $28 dollars. Additionally we ordered a cheese plate. The wines came with a simple slip of paper, zero staff interaction or product knowledge to pass along. Our cheese tray arrived and after eating a couple pieces of cheese my wife went to eat the strawberry and noticed it was rotten. I was about to eat the radish and noticed the radish had gone brown. We set aside the balance of the plate and waited for the server to come for a check in. We were nearly done our wine when she popped by to see how everything was going. (It was not busy there were three other tables being served). When we showed her she took it right away to the manager. A few minutes later they sent the server back out to apologize and removed it from our bill. Suddenly our server started cleaning up and presented me with a bill and the credit card machine ( I still had wine in my glass). She did not ask if we wanted to purchase anything else, like a bottle or two of wine. It seemed as they weren’t interested in additional sales. In so far as the wine, the three we sampled were good, but did not leave us wanting to take some home. Nice basic good drinking red wine. We did not try the bistro so we cannot speak about the food. We had friends recently try the bistro and they had a good experience. So over-all if you are looking for someplace to enjoy a decent wine without a staff interaction experience this place will provide you that. Very beautiful grounds and venue.

Even though I had heard wonderful things about this winery, my experience was disappointing. The service felt rushed and impersonal — the waitress seemed in a hurry to seat guests without considering our preferences. When I asked for a blanket, I was handed one that was clearly just used by someone else and not even folded. For such a beautiful place with a great reputation, I expected more care and attention to detail.

We recently held our wedding at Church and State and it was impeccable. The venue is gorgeous, so flexible for decoration options, and has an indoor and outdoor ceremony location (which was very important!!) Chelsey was so amazing to work with from the beginning. Her experience is obvious as we sorted out details and timelines. She was very responsive to our emails, and always made sure we were heard and that we were working together on the vision. Our wedding day was pouring rain, and someone from Church and State (I’m sorry I don’t know who) went out in full rain gear to get the arbor upstairs to the indoor ceremony location for us. The wine we selected was delicious and our guests enjoyed it throughout the night. A bonus was our estimate was bang on, so no surprise costs after the wedding! Thank you to everyone at Church and State for hosting us and curating a perfect day for us. We loved every moment.

It's a lovely lake with a good playground for kids. They have picnic tables. Pets are not allowed on the beach and picnic areas. They have clean washrooms.

That's what rocks about Victoria. You can live downtown and drive 15 minutes and be in the middle of a dense beautiful Forest. Elk Beaver lake regional Park is amazing for just going for a simple walk, to taking photos, or bringing your dogs to have a good play and run. Plenty of parking and easy accessibility make this groovy place a no-brainer.

I went on 10k trail of Elk and Beaver Lake. Started off early in morning on Sunday and completed the hike in a total of almost 3 hrs. Enjoyed every moment of the trail. Although we did just the hiking and walking around the lake but there are many other recreational activities that one can do such as cycling (only in multi-use trails), horse riding, swimming (in designated spots), canoeing and fishing (Rainbow Trout). It’s also an excellent location for picnics, beaches (sun bathing in summers) and there is also a nature centre (Working hrs are 1-4 pm on Fridays and Saturdays, July to August).The fishing float is accessible by wheel chair. The park is located by side of Patricia Bay Highway no.17 in Saanich and covers an area of 442.77 hectares. All in all a must do trek for everyone particularly for beginners. Thank you Victoria for such beautiful memories for life time.

Yet another great place to walk, run or ride in this beautiful province. We have been living on the island for a month now and have found all these parks to be in spectacular condition and well maintained. A bit cold yesterday but nothing that would interfere with our family outing. The island has so much to offer in terms of exercise, my kids would not be involved or interested in these types of walks and day trips if we were anywhere else. Plenty of great pictures to be taken here. Highly recommended and definitely worth repeating the trip several times. Hope to see you out there.

One of the most scenic places on way to Victoria from Swartz Bay, just beside the trans highway. Easy access, is less crowded and has beautiful parklands. Great place to have a family or friends picnic or outing.

I feel incredibly lucky to have a place like this close by. You can enjoy forest bathing while feeling the lake sparkling in the sunlight and the forest path full of phytoncide. The forest road is well-maintained enough to allow trail running.

This is a large park. The north end goes by the name of Beaver lake. The south is Elk lake. There are many well maintained trails, most are easy to moderate. The longest circuit is 10 k. Both beaver and elk lakes have beaches where swimming is pleasant.

Beach and seasonal Campground with great views of Mount Baker and the Gulf Islands of BC and Washington. A fun walk along the shore or a picnic on the shore or on the grass adjacent to the parking lot. Pit toilets on site.

great little campground. So beautiful. Great having the tenting camping separate from the RV's

Good beach vibes. A bit isolated from places to explore, but worth the trip all the same. Great views! A challenging ride in, quite the hill both ways coming and going, but makes the ride down that much more fun. Campground has a few hikes around it, but seems largely surrounded by private land so exploring is a bit limited. Great place for families, not a lot of privacy however.

What a beautiful spot to spend the night! Portable potty onsite. Sitting on The beach is a great way to wake up. Super quiet location Friendly attendants Great place for a day on the beach, camping or to unwind

On a sunny day, the park is quite hot. Pavillion has a roof with no walls. You get a breeze & on a windy day it can get chilly if you don't have a sweater or jacket. There are no trees to provide shade. No water to wash. The restroom has no taps either. I wonder if this wasn't figured out by the park authorities.

For the camping just be very aware of the conditions. Rv, trailer sites are wide open and some right beside the road and walking trailer. Absolutely no privacy The tent sites are slightly better but no proper tent pads. And bring a rake to clear all the fallen apples out of your site. And beware of falling apples on you and your tent in the night. As well fallen fruit means rodents and other animals.

We held a group gathering at the picnic table under cover to share vintage postcards. Its a great place to get together if the weather is unpredictable.