Victoria, BC is a beautiful place, and to make your visit even more beautiful here are some of the best cheap things to see and do.
4 Affordable Victoria, BC Hotels
Best Western Plus Carlton Plaza Hotel, TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner.
Chateau Victoria Hotel and Suites, TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner.
Royal Scot Hotel & Suites, TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence Winner.
Embassy Inn, 81% Approval Rating on Trip Advisor.
More ideas: Cheap Hotels and Places to Stay in Victoria
Check Groupon for Deals on Victoria Things to Do
One great way to save on local fun things to do in Victoria is to check Groupon, the money-saving website that features local discounts in 150 cities.
Visit the Victoria Groupon page and you’ll find savings of anywhere from 40-90% on attractions, tours, boat cruises, theatre tickets, dinner spots and accommodations.
The Groupon Victoria page is a smart place to check out when you’re first planning your trip and even when you’re in the middle of your Victoria visit because new deals get added weekly and even daily many times.
Get last minute tickets to a concert or game
You never know who might be in Victoria playing a concert or show, or what sporting event could be going on.
A great, reliable source for last minute tickets is Stubhub. You can often pay less than the face value of the ticket when you purchase it a few minutes before the show or event.
Take a Tour
Get your bearings by taking a tour of Victoria. It’s definitely one of the best cheap things you can do on your first day.
Toonie Tours offers a free walking tour of Victoria, of course tipping is welcome when your tour is over. two-hour tours with different themes.
Victoria is considered the most haunted place in British Columbia. See for yourself by booking a Ghostly Walks ghost tour. Check out all the spooky spots in Victoria for just $14 an adult, $12 for students and $10 for kids 6-11 years old.
The History of the Land
The best cheap things to do if you want to delve deep into Victoria’s past, is to visit the Royal BC Museum.
The natural history zone features artifacts from prehistoric times to present day, including a woolly mammoth.
The modern history area explores the last 200 years of BC’s history—there’s even a recreated Victorian village.
The third area of the museum is devoted to First Nations history and includes artifacts such as totem poles and masks.
Stepping back in time won’t cost you an arm and leg—adults are approximately $22, youths $16. A family of two adults and three kids can get in with a family pass for around $62.
The History of the Ocean
The Maritime Museum of BC takes you on a journey through the history of British Columbia’s rich marine heritage.
Learn about pirates, the coast guard and the BC Ferry system.
See a deep sea diver’s outfit, models of famous ships and a 30-foot, modified cedar-log canoe that sailed around the world.
Ride the century-old elevator up to the court room which some claim is haunted.
This cheap thing to do will make your wallet very happy–adults $12, kids under 12 are free, $30 for a family.
Creatures from the Sea
Get up close and personal with creatures from under the sea for cheap, at the Salish Sea Centre.
17 massive aquariums serve as your window to the underwater world. See wolfeels, jellyfish, a giant Pacific octopus and more.
Don’t forget to get even closer by stopping at the touch tank where you can “shake hands” with sea stars and sea anemones. Adults $15, youth $8 and kids $5.
World-renowned Art
Those who admire the work of renowned modernist and post-impressionist painter and author Emily Carr will appreciate a visit to Emily Carr House.
If you’ve read “House of All Sorts” a visit here will have extra-special meaning as this is the childhood home that Emily Carr describes in her book. The home is furnished with actual objects and furnishings the family owned—even Emily Carr’s typewriter.
Be sure to watch the 30-minute video about Emily Carr as well.
This wonderful cheap thing to do in Victoria is only $6.75 for adults, $4.50 for youths or $17 for a family.
Inspired to see some of the paintings of Emily Carr?
Make the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria you’re next stop. Admission is very budget-friendly–only $13 for adults, $2.50 for youths or $28 for a family.
Quirky, Creepy and Fluttering
Want to see the greatest little show on earth? Lucky for you, Miniature World is found right here in Victoria.
This is one of the best cheap things to see in do in Victoria.
80 mesmerizing, magical miniature scenes await you–many of them interactive—including the Great Canadian Railway, High Wire Acts, the Wonderful World of the Circus and the world’s smallest working saw mill.
The price of admission is fairly minute as well: adults $12, youth $10 and kids $8.
If you love bugs you can’t visit Victoria without checking out the Victoria Bug Zoo.
This quirky, two-room museum is home to the largest tropical insect collection in North America and Canada’s largest ant farm. You can crawl into this affordable thing to see and do in Victoria for only $10 an adult, $8 a youth and $7 per kid.
Go for a stroll in an indoor tropical paradise at the Victoria Butterfly Gardens.
Wind your way through the jungle setting as hundreds of butterflies from around the world flutter around you. Marvel at the exotic birds, creatures and plants. Located 15 minutes from Butchart Gardens, this intoxicating cheap thing to see and do is $15 for adults, $10 for students and $5 for kids 5-12 years old.
Tour a Castle
Constructed in the 1890s at a cost of $500,000, Craigdarroch Castle boasts 39 rooms and over 20,000 square feet of living space.
Its opulence must be seen to be believed.
Luckily for you it is one of the best cheap things to see and do in Victoria.
To cross its palatial threshold won’t break the bank. It’s just $13.75 for adults, $8.75 for students and $5 for kids.
Be thrifty and practical! This information was accurate when published, but can change without notice. We recommend you confirm all details with the provider in question before planning your excursion.
Photo Credits: Tracy O, Mt. Hood Territory, Will_89, infomatique, colchu, Maritime Museum of BC, Emily Carr House, minicooper93402 and alans1948.
