Your low carbon guide to Victoria
Victoria prides itself on being an environmentally conscious, sustainability‑driven destination, ranking 3rd on the Global Destination Sustainability Index among small cities worldwide in 2025. Whether you’re savouring farm-to-table flavours, pedalling through our charming neighbourhoods, or shopping at local markets, there are countless low-carbon ways to experience our beautiful coastal city.
Eat in, Eat local
Victoria’s strong farm‑to‑table ethos and close relationships with regional farmers, fishers, and producers, makes it easy to eat locally, reduce food miles travelled, and enjoy seasonal flavours that reflect the Island’s land and waters.
Farm-to-table dining
Choosing farm and sea‑to‑table dining helps lower greenhouse gas emissions by keeping food production close to home. At 10 Acres Bistro, across from the Fairmont Empress, menus are shaped by seasonal ingredients grown just 30 minutes outside the city on their 10‑acre farm on the Saanich Peninsula. Along the waterfront in James Bay, Finest at Sea offers some of the freshest fish and chips in Victoria, with seafood caught by their own offshore fishing fleet and delivered directly to their waterfront shop, minimizing handling and transportation while supporting sustainable fishing practices. In Cobble Hill, you can sip and savour award-winning ciders and spirits at Merridale Cidery and Distillery, made from 100% pure juice from apples grown on their orchard. Their Biosphere Certified farm is committed to lowering their carbon footprint and using regenerative farming practices that focus on chemical free, all-natural products. Explore all farm‑to‑table dining experiences in Greater Victoria.
From nearby fields and waters
Choosing locally sourced ingredients is one of the simplest ways restaurants can lower carbon emissions by shortening supply chains while offering a truly local dining experience. In Greater Victoria, an abundance of fertile farmland and surrounding coastal waters makes eating local both easy and delicious. Waterfront dining spots like LURE Restaurant & Bar and Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub highlight seasonal, locally sourced ingredients that reflect the Island’s close connection to land and sea. At Aura Restuarant, local seafood, farm fresh meats and regional produce shape a menu rooted in West Coast flavours. In downtown Victoria, Whistle Buoy Brewing brings the same philosophy to the glass, crafting small‑batch beers with locally sourced ingredients from Vancouver Island and the surrounding region. Together, these experiences show how supporting local farms, fishers, and butchers helps keep food miles low, while celebrating the flavours that make Victoria’s dining scene so distinctive.
Eating well, wasting less
Across Victoria, restaurants are taking meaningful steps to reduce food waste and lower their carbon footprint, starting in the kitchen. At Pendray Inn & Tea House, a 5-minute walk from the Parliament Buildings, refined portion sizes, thoughtful menu design, and improved food‑prep practices have reduced food waste per guest by roughly 40%, equivalent to eliminating emissions from 249 long-haul flights. Across the city on Fisgard Street, The Art of Slow Food approaches sustainability with a hands‑on, hyper‑local mindset. Deliveries are made using a converted van powered by waste vegetable oil collected and filtered locally, while all takeout packaging is compostable and ingredients are sourced primarily from nearby producers. With everything made from scratch, seasonal wild foraging, and a tightly managed supply chain, the result is flavourful food with minimal excess.
Tap into local
Refill, refresh, and rehydrate while exploring Victoria. Free refill water stations at participating hotels and visitor‑friendly locations make it easy to stay refreshed while supporting a more circular, low‑carbon visitor experience. The drinking water comes straight from protected watersheds on southern Vancouver Island and is safe, delicious, and easily accessible throughout the city. By choosing tap water over single‑use plastic bottles, visitors help cut down on plastic waste and avoid the emissions linked to producing and transporting bottled water.
Shop with intention
With a vibrant culture of thrifting and hundreds of local makers selling handcrafted goods at markets and boutiques across the city, Victoria makes it easy to shop sustainably while supporting the people behind what you buy.
Canada’s resale capital
Victoria has earned its reputation as the resale capital of Canada, and it isn’t hard to see why. City streets are lined with second‑hand shops that extend the lifespan of clothes, shoes, and accessories. Choosing resale helps lower greenhouse gas emissions by avoiding the manufacturing, shipping, and packaging required for new clothing. House of Savoy, a fashion consignment boutique in the charming Oak Bay neighbourhood, is a go‑to for growing an eco‑friendly wardrobe, offering luxury resale apparel since 1978. For a broader mix of gently pre‑loved and new items, WIN Resale uses revenue from its stores to fund their five empowerment programs for local women, trans, non-binary and Two-Spirit people, so you can shop with both style and impact. Learn more about a handful of Victoria’s resale boutiques through the blog below.
Shopping local
Local, hand-crafted goods not only make for a great keepsake to remember your trip, but it supports the local economy and reduces transportation emissions. In Victoria, that can be as simple as browsing the ever‑changing shelves at Market Collective, a community retail collective that connects shoppers with local and Canadian makers and artisans. For a fun keepsake, Puzzle Lab produces puzzles made from locally-produced fiberboard. Unlike traditional plywood, their 6mm medium density fiberboard is made from sawdust and wood shavings left over from manufacturing processes, slashing their carbon footprint and supporting local suppliers. Choosing sustainably conscious makers and businesses helps keep spending circulating close to home while also avoiding the emissions that come with long-distance shipping and distribution.
Sustainable attractions
From net‑zero and nature‑positive experiences on the Salish Sea to low‑impact adventures on land, Victoria’s walkable, bikeable streets make it easy to explore sustainable attractions as you wander your way through our beautiful coastal city.
Adventures at sea level
Protecting Victoria’s oceans and coastline is a shared priority embraced by local businesses, tour operators, and a community deeply connected to the sea. Whale watching tour operators in Victoria lead the way in responsible marine tourism, focused on responsible wildlife viewing while actively supporting research and conversation efforts in the Salish Sea; all operators featured on Tourism Victoria are Biosphere Certified. For a quieter, low-carbon experience on the water, Ocean River Sports offers kayak, paddleboard, and water bike tours that follow a strict responsible tourism policy. Guides will often be seen picking debris out of the water while sharing insights into local coastal ecosystems. South Island SUP takes a similarly thoughtful approach, offering guided bioluminescence and marine wildlife paddleboard tours through Victoria’s pristine coastal waters, sharing their passion for ocean conservation along the way.
Let a local lead the way
Guided tours in Victoria offer a low‑impact way to slow down, explore on foot, and connect more deeply with the landscapes and stories that shape the city. Island Trails Eco Tours leads small‑group walking and hiking adventures that invite travellers to explore Vancouver Island’s forests, beaches, and hidden trails alongside knowledgeable local guides. Along the shoreline, Dakini Tidal Wild Seaweed Tours takes guests into the intertidal zone on foot, where marine biologist Amanda Swinimer shares insight into local seaweeds, their ecology, and sustainable harvesting practices. For urban exploration, Victoria Zero Emission Tours combines engaging storytelling with visits to historic and cultural landmarks, including The Butchart Gardens, Hatley Castle, and Victoria’s Chinatown.
Learning where our food comes from
Farm attractions around Greater Victoria offer a hands‑on look at how sustainable food systems support both people and pollinators. At Country Bee Honey Farm on the Saanich Peninsula, bees forage across neighbourhoods and farmland, producing premium honey with each jar labelled with the street where the hives are located; highlighting the connection between healthy landscapes and local food production. Visitors can explore pollinator gardens and meet farm animals while learning about the vital role bees play in agriculture. Next to popular Witty’s Lagoon, Bilston Creek Farm follows a similar farm‑to‑product approach, with heritage apples pressed into juice and cider on‑site as visitors wander fragrant lavender fields, or hop in the Wildwood Saunas located on the farm. Together, these experiences show how thoughtful farming practices help sustain ecosystems while creating memorable moments for all ages.
Getting around
Exploring Victoria’s compact city without a car is easy, thanks to a range of low‑impact options and well‑connected routes that make getting around both effortless and enjoyable. Walking, cycling, riding the bus, or hopping into an electric cart makes it simple to move between neighbourhoods while keeping emissions low.
Exploring on two wheels
With an extensive network of protected bike lanes and multi‑use trails, Victoria has earned its reputation as Canada’s most cycle‑friendly city by Compare The Market in 2025, making it easy, and enjoyable, to explore on two wheels. Biosphere committed, Pedaler Cycling Tours and Rentals is conveniently located in Victoria’s Inner Harbour and the perfect launching point for a cruise along Dallas Road, where ocean views stretch toward the Olympic Mountains and marine wildlife sightings are always a possibility. Alternatively, go electric with an e-bike from Pedego Electric Bikes Victoria, Located next to the Royal BC Museum, you can spend a day exploring the city centre on two wheels before following the Galloping Goose Trail towards making Banfield Park Dock where you’ll be can enjoy a refreshing dip in the Gorge Waterway.
Wander Victoria on foot
Named one of the Top 10 most walkable cities in the world in 2026 by Skyscanner, Victoria is perfectly suited to exploring on foot. If you’re interested in wandering through one of Victoria’s charming neighbourhoods, a leisurely 15‑minute walk from the Inner Harbour leads you into Cook Street Village, a lively neighbourhood known for its independent shops and cafés, where the local watering hole The Beagle Pub welcomes walkers with cold drinks and shareable pub bites. Continue on foot for another 10 minutes and you’ll arrive at Beacon Hill Park, a 200‑acre green oasis in the heart of the city, crisscrossed with winding paths, manicured gardens, and open lawns. Keep an eye out for the park’s free‑roaming peacocks, or stop by the Beacon Hill Children’s Farm, where visitors can meet friendly alpacas, chickens, and play with goats in their pen.
Rent an electric cart
If walking isn’t an option, HeyYa Cart Rentals offer a fun, low-carbon alternative to getting around Victoria without relying on a car. Their street‑legal, fully electric carts make it easy to explore the city at a relaxed pace, producing zero emission rides while helping reduce traffic congestion downtown. With comfortable seating and easy access to popular neighbourhoods and waterfront routes, HeyYa carts are an especially great option for visitors who prefers to cover more ground with less effort, all while enjoying an open‑air ride through Victoria’s compact city centre.
Take the bus
Public transit is another easy, low‑impact way to explore Greater Victoria. BC Transit operates a comprehensive network of bus routes that connect the city centre with nearby beaches, neighbourhoods, and even trailheads for outdoor adventures, making it simple to get around without a car. Travellers can download the Umo app to plan trips and pay fares digitally, or opt for cash payment when boarding.
Where to stay
Your choice of where to stay is an opportunity to support low‑carbon travel in Victoria. From independently owned hotels to thoughtfully run inns, the accommodations highlighted below are making meaningful efforts to reduce their environmental impact while offering comfortable, welcoming places to rest.
Inn at Laurel Point
Inn at Laurel Point is a leader in sustainable hospitality in Greater Victoria, known as British Columbia’s first carbon‑neutral hotel and a proudly Biosphere Certified accommodation. Sustainability is deeply embedded in the hotel’s operations. Staff training in minimizing energy usage and waste has led to an increase in total waste diversion from 48% in 2013 to 82% in 2024. The property is also recognized as a BC Green Leader, partnering with Soap for Hope to donate unused bath products, and works with local and regional suppliers to support the community. Sleep soundly overlooking the Inner Harbour, knowing thoughtful, low‑carbon travel can align seamlessly with comfort, care, and responsible tourism.
The Parkside Hotel & Spa
The Parkside Hotel & Spa, just a 10-minute walk from the Destination Greater Victoria Visitor Centre, is a standout choice for travellers seeking low‑carbon, values‑driven accommodation in the heart of downtown Victoria. The hotel is Carbon Neutral and Biosphere Certified, and is the first hotel in Canada to join Beyond Green, a global portfolio dedicated to intentional, sustainable travel. Built with sustainability at its core, Parkside works alongside Veritree to plant one kelp for every reservation booked and 10 kelp when guests choose to opt-out of housekeeping. Veritree’s kelp seaforestation program is an emerging conservation strategy focused on restoring marine environments in the Pacific Northwest. Staying here allows guests to enjoy a central, all‑suite hotel experience while actively supporting responsible tourism.
Huntingdon Manor Hotel & Suites
Huntingdon Manor Hotel & Suites offers a thoughtfully sustainable stay just steps from Victoria’s Inner Harbour, blending heritage charm with a strong commitment to responsible hospitality. The family‑owned hotel is Biosphere Certified, holds a 4‑Green‑Key rating, and was recognized in 2024 by the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce for Best Sustainable Business Practices. Sustainability shows up in thoughtful details throughout the property, including loft suites furnished with stylish pieces made from 100% upcycled wood, repurposing materials that would otherwise go to waste. Guests can enjoy a stay at this centrally located, garden‑filled property where sustainability is woven into everyday operations.
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