Rainy Days in Victoria, BC
Go on a Craft Brewery Tour
Victoria and Vancouver Island are known for their great craft beer. The best way to indulge yourself in all the goodness is to do a brewery tour! You can enjoy lots of beer samples from notable breweries around Victoria and get a unique look behind the scenes. Transportation is also taken care of as a mini-bus will get you from brewery to brewery. When the fun comes to an end, you’ll be conveniently dropped off in downtown Victoria so you can get home safe & sound!
NEW: Canadian Craft Tours now offers Ocean Island Guests a 10% discount on brewery tours and 20% discount on winery tours. See our Front Desk Superstars for the promo codes before booking online!
Canadian Craft Tours
Explore the Royal BC Museum
Royal BC Museum
www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
See a movie
Ocean Island is close to many cinemas, with the Odeon Theatre and Capitol Six Theatre just 2 blocks away. Both cinemas screen the big movies together with new independent releases. Their large comfy seats with reclining backs and extending footrests help you unwind and enjoy your movie. For people on a budget: All tickets are 50% off on Tuesdays!
Interested in the crème de la crème of cinematic experiences? From big blockbusters to beautifully shot documentaries, the IMAX theatre in the Royal BC Museum has got it all. The IMAX screen offers a total immersion in image, sound and motion which makes it feel like you are part of the movie, rather than just watching it. Travel from the home planet to the outskirts of the universe in Search for Life in Space or come aboard the Rocky Mountain Express, which takes you on a fantastic journey through the breathtaking Canadian Rockies.
Odeon Theatre
https://www.cineplex.com/Theatre/cineplex-odeon-victoria-cinemas
Capitol Six Theatre
www.capital6.ca
IMAX | Royal BC Museum
www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/visit/imax
Bounce around at the Flying Squirrel
You might know Supertramp as the rock band from London your dad is always talking about, but it’s time to ditch that association and check out the Supertramp at the Flying Squirrel. In this indoor trampoline park, you can bounce, bound, leap, jump, spring, bob, hop, skip, trip and prance around until you run out of energy. But not to worry, they have snacks (pizza!) and drinks readily available so your energy levels can bounce back. Have fun!
Flying Squirrel Victoria
www.flyingsquirrelsports.ca/victoria-british-columbia
Tour the Parliament Buildings
Although already magnificent from the outside, the inside of the Parliament Building is also worth discovering. Free guided tours are offered throughout the year, where you will learn about the history of the province, architecture of the building and BC’s parliamentary process. It’s also possible to do a self-guided tour, with tour booklets available in thirteen different languages.
Public Tours
https://www.leg.bc.ca/content-peo/Pages/Public-Tours.aspx
Self Guided Tours
www.leg.bc.ca/content-peo/Pages/Self-Guided-Tours.aspx
Check out an Art Gallery
Although Victoria might not be the biggest city, we do have some great art galleries to visit. Even better, they are all within walking distance from Ocean Island Inn.
The Greater Victoria Art Gallery possesses works by artists such as Emily Carr, and has one one of Canada’s greatest collections of Asian art. An Asian garden with a authentic Japanese shrine (the only one in North America) is also located on the gallery grounds.
The Robert Bateman Centre exhibits collected works of Canadian painter Robert Bateman. His work is primarily inspired by nature which is realistically and beautifully depicted on acrylic paintings.
Greater Victoria Art Gallery
www.aggv.ca
Robert Bateman Centre
Open Space Art Gallery
Play some board games
Victoria has two board game cafes where you can eat, drink and play! Both are located within 2 blocks from Ocean Island, have hundreds of games to choose from, and serve tasty treats and drinks! Get 10% off at Board With Friends – Victoria’s newest board game cafe located just around the corner on Johnson Street! It’s a great way to spend a rainy day and night. Don’t want to walk? Ocean Island also has some board games if you rather stay in.
Board With Friends
Interactivity Board Game Cafe
Get your game on at Vic VR
Interested in exploring the world of Virtual Reality? Vic VR offers rentals of VR-headsets together with a large selection of games so you can experience virtual reality at its best!
Vic VR was the first VR-arcade to open in British Columbia and offers single and multiplayer games. They also offer virtual hikes, museum, painting, google earth and much, much more! Go check them out on Hillside Avenue, near Long & McQuade.
Vic VR – Virtual Reality Lounge
Check out Victoria’s famous bookstores
Don’t like the rain, but like to read? Victoria has two magnificent bookstores where you can get all the books you want. Munro’s Books has been in business for more than 50 years and is located in a beautiful heritage building on Government street. Munro’s also hosts several author events and sometimes even live classical music. Just as well-known is Russell Books. This place offers a lot of rare, out-of-print and used and new books together with a selection of cards, journals, and calendars. You can find Russell Books on Fort Street, in between Douglas & Blanshard and on View & Douglas.
Munro’s Books
Russell Books
Or.. just get outside!
Put on your rain boots and go out to explore beautiful Vancouver Island. Mount Douglas is just a short bus ride away and offers you fantastic views of Victoria and the Southern Gulf Islands. If you have a car, drive to Goldstream Park where lush rainforests await to be explored. The Gold Mine trail takes you from the scenic forest to the spectacular railway trestle bridge, from where you have an amazing view of the park.
