Neighbourhood Walking Tours

VHF has an ongoing goal to produce Neighbourhood Heritage Walking Tour brochures for parts of Victoria’s historic neighbourhoods – eight to date. Click on the neighbourhoods to follow the map and view the houses. The self-guided routes describe many buildings not on the Heritage Register. The printed brochures are distributed at various locations including the Tourist Information Centre, Community Centres and Victoria City Hall.

There are two walking tours for the historic James Bay neighbourhood.
Heritage Walking Tour No. 1 - Emily Carr Walk begins and ends at the corner of Government and Superior Streets. The walk covers an area between Menzies Street and Beacon Hill Park. It includes many of the streets where writer and artist Emily Carr lived and members of the Carr family owned several homes.
Heritage Walking Tour No. 2 - Ogden Pt- Inner Harbour begins and ends near the breakwater and cruise ship terminal and covers an area west of Menzies Street. It takes you to the Inner Harbour before heading towards historic James Bay Village and then back to the Dallas Road waterfront.

The southwest corner of Fairfield is a picturesque neighbourhood with pedestrian-friendly, tree-lined streets. This self-guided walking tour briefly describes 78 of the buildings of interest along a route that begins & ends at the corner of Dallas Rd & Cook St, passing alongside Beacon Hill Park. The tour covers approximately 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) and takes about 2 hours to complete. You may want to break the tour into 2 parts or take time for refreshments in Cook Street Village, browsing through the shops or having a picnic in Beacon Hill Park.

This 1 1/2 - 2 hour walking tour covers over 60 heritage buildings and landscape features in a section of Fernwood, one of Victoria's historic residential neighbourhoods. The tour begins at the "flagship" Fernwood heritage site of the Belfry Theatre at Fernwood Road and Gladstone Avenue. Parking is permitted on Pembroke Street. There are several restaurants and cafés at the end of the tour in Fernwood Village.

This 1 1/2 - 2 hour tour details over 40 of the many heritage buldings and landscape features in the north half of North Park, one of Victoria's historic residential neighbourhoods. The tour begins at the southeast corner of Vancouver and Pembroke Streets (northwest corner of Royal Athletic Park) and ends at Princess and Quadra Streets. You may then take a leisurely stroll through Central Park, back to your vehicle.

Smith Hill is located in the northern portion of the Hillside-Quadra neighbourhood of Victoria. It is an area worth exploring for its views of the city, mature Garry Oaks and a variety of housing styles. This self-guided walking tour briefly describes some of the history and 53 buildings along a route that begins and ends across from Quadra Elementary School and passes through Summit Hill Park. The sometimes hilly route covers approximately 3.2 kilometers (2 miles) and takes about 2 hours to complete with the option of an alternate side trip. You may want to take a break at some of the excellent eateries in the Quadra Village, browse through the shops or have a picnic in Topaz or Summit Hill Park.

Burnside-Gorge is located in the northwest corner of Victoria, bordering Saanich and the Gorge waterway. This self-guided walking tour briefly describes some of the architecture, pathways and scenic waterways that provide a tangible link to the events and people that shaped this neighbourhood. The route is approximately 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles) long, with an alternate route of another 1.3 kilometer that takes in views of the Gorge waterway. The nearby Glloping Goose Regional Trail, the Selkirk Trestle and Cecelia Ravine Park offer several opportunites to pause.

Vic West lies across the harbour from the Downtown core. Many areas have retained their historical character alongside more recent developments. This self-guided walking tour briefly describes some of the historic buildings along the Gorge Waterway, beginning and ending near the Railyards at the end of Tyee Road. The route covers approximately 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles). You may want to take a break in Banfield Park or at one of the nearby cafés.

Explore a variety of 20th-century architectural house styles along the tree-lined streets of Oaklands in northeast corner of the City of Victoria. This self-guided 1.8 km (1.1 miles) walking tour briefly describes some history of selected houses either side of Fernwood Rd, between Ryan and Haultain Streets. The walk begins and ends near the Jewish Cemetery. Several streets lack sidewalks, creating a walkable, shared space with a unique, almost rural feel within an urban area.

North Gonzales is located at the eastern boundary of Victoria south of Oak Bay Avenue between Foul Bay Road and Richmond Avenue. The area includes a diversity of historic houses on quiet, walkable tree-lined streets. This self-guided walking tour briefly describes some of the buildings along streets beginning and ending at the commericial strip on Oak Bay Avenue. The route covers 1.5 km (1 mile), taking about one hour to complete.