The art of living well
From restful mornings in the spa to hands-on workshops and farm-to-table feasts, each experience is designed to provide you with exactly what you need to flourish in the months ahead. This is an invitation to connect through shared meals, creative moments, and uplifting practices. Let curiosity lead you through days filled with comfort, inspiration, and a sense of something very special.
Suggested accommodations | The pursuit of happiness | The serene self | The feel good flow | A day well savoured | From canopy to canvas
Suggested accommodations
The Parkside Hotel & Spa
Located in the heart of downtown Victoria, The Parkside Hotel & Spa is a visitor favourite escape for those looking to unwind. The property boasts premium furnishings and high-quality linens, offering the perfect night’s sleep, as well as additional amenities that include a wellness centre, private rentable movie theatre, and rooftop patio with fire pits, making Parkside the perfect place to hang out during lazy mornings and early evenings. During Intention: A wellness getaway in Victoria, opt for the Ultimate Spacation Package which includes a $150 spa credit, welcome drinks, late checkout, and more.
Inn at Laurel Point
Welcome to wellness right on the shores of Victoria’s Inner Harbour at the Inn at Laurel Point. Inside the Inn, you’ll find a warm, welcoming experience that blends art, gardens, and sophistication. As BC’s first carbon neutral hotel, it’s also a stay that you can feel good about. Book a Refresh & Restore package and enjoy a nutritious breakfast to kick-start your mornings, plus wellness inspired perks stocked in your suite on arrival. During your stay you can stop in for guided stretching, yoga classes, and more, for a truly restorative experience.
Jan 8 – The pursuit of happiness
Slow down, be present in the moment, and watch fresh perspectives emerge. With experiences that inspire both mind and spirit, this day promises laughter, thoughtfulness, and meaningful connections. All set against an atmosphere that feels both rejuvenating and effortlessly welcoming.
Arrival/Check-in
There’s something unforgettable about coming to the island. Whether you’re sailing along the coastline or flying in with sweeping views, the journey itself is a chance to let go of stress and settle into a lighter mood. When you arrive in downtown Victoria, you’ll notice how easy it is to stroll around and how naturally friendly the city feels. After you check in and unpack, life takes on a calm, gentle pace that feels far removed from the daily rush. Here, you can welcome the year ahead with genuine purpose, a renewed sense of passion, and a clear intention for what’s to come.
Evening: The Happiness Equation: Science-Backed Habits to Cultivate Positive Mindset
Join author Neil Pasricha, as he brings his #1 international bestselling book, The Happiness Equation, to the stage at the Victoria Conference Centre. The Happiness Equation takes a science-backed look at how to foster a positive mindset every day, helping you make each day a little bit better than the last. During this presentation, Neil will examine the way our world bombards us with change, expectation, and uncertainty and provide research-backed tools and practices to combat feelings of anxiety, depression, and loneliness, in a story-laden show that’s full of laughs.
Night: Wind Cries Mary
As we know, happiness is important, so let’s let our hair down and have a bit of a night out. One of Victoria’s favourite late-night eateries, also just so happens to be farm-to-table. Tucked away inside Victoria’s Bastion Square, Wind Cries Mary is serving up an ever-changing menu of cabin food for modern times inspired by the rustic riches of Vancouver Island. Centred around connection, everything is made for sharing, making Wind Cries Mary the perfect place to catch up with friends and family about their wellness journeys so far.
Jan 9 – The serene self
Step away from the everyday and settle into an inspiring journey that invites reflection, nourishment, and a little well-deserved self-care. Let curiosity lead you as each moment offers a chance to reconnect with what matters most, in a place designed for discovery and delight. Give yourself permission to slow down and savor experiences crafted to restore and uplift.
Morning: I Write to Know Who I Am: A Writing Workshop of Discovery and Celebration
Follow instructor Sue Scott through three one-hour guided writing sessions centred around writing for yourself. During the lesson, you’ll explore your own back-story, passions, talents, and possibilities, while peeking into the many corners of your own life. “I Write to Know Who I Am” is hosted inside Emily Carr House, the National Historic Site of Canada and childhood home of famed Canadian writer and artist, Emily Carr, a truly inspirational setting for this introspective written journey into ourselves.
Afternoon: Be Love
Nourish the mind, body and soul at Be Love, where everything is plant-based, made from scratch, and served wheat, gluten, dairy and processed sugar free. Be Love mindfully sources all their ingredients from local wilds and farms for a menu that shifts with the seasons and supports the health and sustainability of our community and our planet.
Afternoon: Japanese Head Spa at ecoChic Aveda Hair Salon and Spa
You’ve escaped the bustle of day-to-day life, but now it’s time to get into the right headspace. Using state-of-the-art equipment, ecoChic Aveda Hair Salon and Spa provides a modern twist on a wellness practice that has been around for over 3,000 years. The Japanese Head Spa includes a head massage and scalp cleaning that promotes the health of your scalp and hair, while also promoting deep sleep, stress relief, and full body wellness, leaving you feeling settled and ready for rest on your first night in Victoria.
Dinner: Ugly Duckling Restaurant
You’re here, away from it all, on the south coast of Vancouver Island. What better way to connect to the moment, and the place, than with an edible celebration of the local flavours. At Ugly Duckling Restaurant, nestled in the heart of Victoria’s Chinatown (the oldest in North America), you’ll find a menu that emphasizes the bounty of our region, and changes with the seasons and the whims of the culinary team. This dining experience is centred around two promises, one being to serve you only things that they’ve made by hand, the other is to make you smile.
Jan 10 – The feel-good flow
Ease into the morning with well-deserved rest, then treat yourself to comforting flavours and a little indulgence. Explore a community where wellness meets creativity before unwinding by the water and ending your day with good food, laughter, and shared stories.
Morning: Compass Mobile Therapeutics
Let’s start the morning off right, slowly. This is your day to sleep in, you’ve earned it. And when it’s finally time to roll out of bed, let’s not hurry, but rather take a moment for ourselves with a massage or acupuncture session from Compass Mobile Therapeutics. Compass provides a mobile service that comes right to you, offering on-site care, in your room, that supports relaxation, recovery, and overall well-being from one of their licensed practitioners.
Morning: Pendray Tea House
Today’s a day about feeling good, and we feel good when we eat good, so let’s not worry too much about counting calories and focus on a little bit of indulgence. Set inside a beautiful heritage building, the Pendray Tea House serves up one of Victoria’s favourite afternoon tea experiences. We recommend settling in for a West Coast Afternoon Tea, that’s loaded with all the baked sweet and savoury goods you might expect from a tea service, plus fresh BC seafood including smoked salmon, Dungeness crab, and rockfish. Blend the classical and the contemporary with this uniquely Victorian afternoon tea experience that celebrates the bounty of our waters.
Local tip: Not in the mood for seafood? The Pendray Tea House offers a range of Afternoon Tea experiences for you to choose from, including a vegan service.
Afternoon: Made with Intention Wellness Market
Visit a market crafted with intention. The Made with Intention Wellness Market brings together South Vancouver Island’s best makers and practitioners for a curated experience grounded in wellness, mindfulness and community connection. At the market you can expect to find everything from holistic health to natural beauty & skincare, nutrition, artisan goods, wellness coaching, and sustainable living, as well as an array of hands-on workshops and experiences. This is an opportunity to connect with our region’s best wellness professionals and find the elements you need to thrive in the year ahead.
Evening: Hydrotherapy Circuit at HAVN Saunas
Picture this, you’re lounging in a hot tub, floating on Victoria’s Inner Harbour, watching seaplanes come and go and harbour ferries scuttle across the water. During your Hydrotherapy Circuit at HAVN Saunas, you can expect this plus, sauna, cold plunges, and space to lounge both indoor and outdoor. While you soak in the moment, you can enjoy herbal tea, as well as premium organic HAVN skincare products to help your body feel every bit as rejuvenated as your mind. HAVN is a social space aimed at creating connection, what stories will you learn on your wellness journey from other travellers and locals?
Evening: Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio
It’s dinner by the water as you settle in for an evening where the twinkling lights of downtown Victoria’s iconic landmarks dance across the still harbour water. Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio, situated inside the Inn at Laurel Point, pairs brilliant views with a locally focused menu that celebrates the very best of our region. Sourcing the freshest seasonal ingredients from across Vancouver Island, you’re certain to find a memorable meal and a relaxing atmosphere to cap off a day spent around Victoria’s Inner Harbour.
Jan 11 – A day well savoured
Treat yourself to a day where every detail invites relaxation, connection, and a dash of delight. With thoughtfully curated experiences from sunup to sundown, you’ll find good vibes following you from your first bite to your last laugh. Step into day designed to lift your spirits and leave you glowing.
Morning: Let’s get a workout in!
Let’s get the blood flowing this morning! Pop into the Victoria Athletic Club at the Hotel Grand Pacific and reinvigorate with a great workout! Get your reps in at their fully-equipped weight room with Matrix strength training and cardio equipment, grab your racket and play a game of squash, and remember to bring your bathing suit, and cap it all off with saunas, steam, or hot tub session.
Morning: Q at the Empress
It’s a breakfast fit for a queen at Canada’s Castle on the Coast, the Fairmont Empress. Q is the embodiment of Pacific Northwest dining, using fresh ingredients from local Island farmers, with a focus on sustainably sourced meats and seafood. The space at the Q captures the elegance of this historic hotel on the Inner Harbour with a touch of modern refinement, making for a moment in which you’ll feel like royalty.
Afternoon: Victoria Butterfly Gardens – A Tropical Sanctuary for Renewal
Picture this, you step inside a warm, tropical jungle, butterflies flutter overhead and you hear the sounds of macaws and parrots from within the lush plant life. It sounds like an adventure a world away, but it’s one you can have right here in Victoria at the Victoria Butterfly Gardens. As you enter this massive living terrarium, you’ll settle into a place that invites you to slow down, breathe deeply, and reconnect with nature. You’ll wander past waterfalls, blooms, and 75 species of butterflies as you feel your stress melt away in the tropical warmth, leaving you recharged and ready for what’s next.
Evening: Gluten Free Sourdough Workshop
Souvenir trinkets come and go, so during your visit to Victoria, take something home with you that will really last, some knowledge! Join the folks over at The Art of Slow Food for a Gluten Free Sourdough Workshop, where you’ll get hands on (and a little flour dusted) while learning the ins and outs of making your own fermented, vegan, gluten free breads. When your workshop is over, you’ll even get to take home your own gluten free sourdough starter so you can keep your baking goals alive in the months, and even years, ahead.
Evening: Brasserie L’Ecole
Take a culinary tour of France without leaving the comforts of the city at Brasserie L’Ecole. Located in Victoria’s historic Chinatown, Brasserie L’Ecole brings together the freshest local, seasonal ingredients and prepares the in a classic country – French style. While you dine, you can pair your meal with a selection from their curated French wine or Belgian beer lists, for a true French Brasserie style experience.
Jan 12 – From canopy to canvas
Immerse yourself in a thoughtfully crafted day where relaxation, nourishment, and creativity flow easily. Enjoy soothing natural settings, mindful flavuors, and moments designed to spark joy and connection.
Morning: Nourish Kitchen & Café
Located just footsteps from the Inner Harbour, Nourish is a farm to table restaurant that works closely with local farmers and producers for a vegetable forward menu. During brunch, you’ll find a selection of thoughtful comfort foods that will fuel you with what you need to thrive.
Local tip: Be sure to try one of Nourish’s signature drinks, these warm (or iced) beverages are as full of colour and flavour as they are ingredients that are good for you. We recommend a Golden Sunrise, with turmeric, warming spices, maple, and your choice of steamed milk.
Morning/Afternoon: Coastal Forest Bathing at Malahat SkyWalk
Wander through the Island’s ancient rainforests on a journey through the treetops at Malahat SkyWalk. During Intention: A wellness getaway in Victoria, the SkyWalk invites visitors to take pause in the moment of a mindful wellness experience set amidst Arbutus and Douglas Fir trees. During this self-guided walking tour, you’ll receive a complimentary hot beverage and Forest Bathing Guide, filled with mindful prompts to guide you through the TreeWalk. Once you make your way to the end of the boardwalk, you’ll ascend the spiral tower and take in panoramic views of the Salish Sea from above, finding stillness amidst the moment. When you return to the Welcome Centre, you can enjoy 20% off wellness items for Forest Finds Gift Shop.
Evening: Art Night at LURE with Sit With Us Counselling & Art Therapy
It’s a night of mindfulness and artistic expression at LURE Restaurant & Bar. Hosted by Sit With Us Counselling & Art Therapy, you’ll settle in for a relaxing workshop led with breathwork and grounding meditation then moving into a creative workshop where you’ll paint your own canvas tote using paints and reflective prompts that spark personal insight. Your ticket to the event includes all the supplies you’ll need plus a welcome drink. If you choose to dine at LURE before or after the event, you’ll receive an additional 20% off your bill.
Evening: LURE Restaurant & Bar
Situated along Victoria’s iconic Inner Harbour, with sweeping views of illuminated landmarks, LURE Restaurant & Bar makes for a dining experience unlike anywhere else. Committed to local, LURE’s menu is a showcase to Vancouver Island’s bounty. In addition to breathtaking views and fresh, flavourful food, you can also indulge in a drink menu offering local craft beers, the best BC wines, and signature cocktails made from locally made spirits.
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