When you’re not busy studying at the University of Victoria, there are lots of other things you can do in your new, beautiful city. There are so many places to see and so many attractions to visit that you will never get bored of Victoria, a city that offers you an incredible range of beautiful and diverse locations to enjoy. Whether you’re more of an outdoor or an indoor sort of person, Victoria will have something in store for you, and if you’re busy with classes during the day, you can always enjoy the many night entertainment venues Victoria has.

Outdoors

Thanks to the mild, agreeable climate, there are very many things to do outdoors in Victoria, of which I will list just a few. No matter how much of an indoor person you are, you simply have to visit the Butchart Gardens, because they’re absolutely beautiful and because you would really be missing out if you didn’t. Admission is about 20 Canadian Dollars, and it’s worth every cent. Actually, the Butchart Gardens have been run by the same family ever since their creation, and did you know that Ian Ross Butchart, former family member in charge of the Gardens, received a doctorate in Law from the University of Victoria? And while you’re at it, the Butterfly gardens are just around five minutes away from the Butchart Gardens, and you can see hundreds of butterflies from around 35 species there, along with a bunch of beautiful exotic plants. If you feel like doing some shopping instead of taking in nature’s wonders, Old Towne, an area bordering Government Street in downtown Victoria, is absolutely perfect for this. In case you’re very curious and can absolutely not wait to see everything, why not go on a guided tour of Victoria get to know your new city better? Or in case all these things don’t appeal to you, you could do a quick online tour and then decide what you want to see and where you want to go.

Indoors

On the very few occasions that you won’t like the weather in Victoria, you can still get out and do things. In fact, a day like that would be the perfect opportunity to visit Victoria’s Wax Museum, for instance, and enjoy the collection of wax figures of historically and politically relevant figures. It’s a very nice journey back in time! Or, if you’re feeling like you deserve a special treat, why not have afternoon tea at the world-famous luxury hotel that Victoria is home to, the Empress? Prices are high, but afternoon tea at the Empress is a famous tradition and you should have done it at least once if you live in Victoria, so why not treat yourself to it for a change? It doesn’t have to be right away, though, as a student you will have times when you’re really broke and can’t afford any extra expenses. Why not take a free tour, then, and still have a good time and get to know Victoria? In fact, the British Columbia Provincial Legislature, the Victoria Estate Winery, and the Vancouver Island Brewery all offer free tours! You should try one, there’s literally nothing to lose!

Evening Entertainment

If you have too many classes during the day, there’s always the option of going somewhere nice in the evening. If you want to catch a movie, there are lots of theatres around Victoria that will allow you to do so. What are you waiting for? Grab a few new found friends and get ready for a night of movie fun! There’s also lots of nightclubs and pubs in Victoria, but if you want a casual night out, the most convenient for you would probably be Felicita’s, the pub right on campus for students and staff.

Get Out!

What with Victoria’s extensive offer of things to do and places to go, you really have absolutely no excuse to stay inside your dorm. Get up, get out, see and be seen, get to know the place you will spend a few years at, and enjoy every minute of it! Getting to know a new place is part of what makes university such a great experience.