Family Friendly Activities in Downtown Victoria
Looking for fun activities to do with your family? There are plenty of activities downtown for children of all ages and diverse interests!
- Games & Gaming
Board with Friends
Board with Friends offers stay and play for $5. With a huge selection of games and delicious eats, this is a fun spot to bring the family to try out a new board game.
Age: All ages!
Good to know: Bored with Friends rent games, too. This is a great way to try out new games during family game night at home!
Infusion VR Arcade
Infusion VR Arcade is a virtual reality arcade featuring a variety of games and rides. Since 2016, they have proudly offered in-store and off-site gaming services to customers, providing a safe space to try virtual reality technology.
Ages: All ages!
Good to know: As well as being a fun place to come in and try VR, this business also rents their VR headsets. You can bring the VR experience home and offer the whole family a new and dynamic form of entertainment.
Interactivity Board Game Cafe
Interactivity Café offers a $7 stay and play and a wide selection of snacks and drinks. With 800+ games to play, their game experts can help you find the best game for your group, and teach you to play!
Ages: all ages
Good to know: Interactivity is fully licensed, so you can enjoy a bevvie while learning a new board game with the family. Plus, they make their own ice cream for their legendary milkshakes!
LaserCity Fun Centre
This industrial techno laser tag arena can accommodate up to two teams of 8 players – 16 total. They track your score to compare your rank against players on both teams.
Age: Unspecified
Good to know: To visit LaserCity, you must book for a group of six. So, why not bring your kids and a handful of friends down for a fun activity to tire them out.
Pinhalla Pinball & Pizzeria
Enter this safe and inviting space crafted for a unique family-friendly experience. Enjoy a delicious spread of tempting pizza, refreshing beverages, and a diverse selection of classic and modern pinball and retro arcade games!
Ages: All ages
Good to know: Pinhalla is the sibling to Quazar’s Arcade. Their tokens work at both locations, so you could bring the family to both for an extended arcade day!
Quazar’s Arcade
This underground arcade offers a wide selection of arcade and pinball machines, and is free entry to all!
Ages: All ages (kids under 13 must be with adult supervision)
Good to know:
Quest Reality Games
Quest Reality Games is a premium interactive real-life escape room facility in Victoria offering incredible and immersive escape games.
Age: All ages!
Good to know: Teenagers 14+ can play without adults. If you are looking for a fun activity for your family while you run some errands, an escape room is a great, challenging, and collaborative option!
2. Museums & Educational
Chinese Canadian Museum
Located in Canada’s oldest Chinatown, this museum is a great place to learn about the unique journeys of Chinese Canadian communities and learn more about Chinese Canadian culture!
Ages: all ages
Good to know: Exhibitions are open to all guests from Thursday to Sunday, and guided tours of the museum are available twice a day.
Maritime Museum of BC
The Maritime Museum of BC (MMBC) offers a wide variety of opportunities for the public to explore our nautical history and ocean sciences. From rotating exhibits to special events, there’s always something happening!
Age: All ages!
Good to know: The MMBC is great for kids of all ages, they have some fun kid-friendly activities, like colouring, knot-tying, and anchor throwing.
The Royal BC Museum
The Royal BC Museum (RBCM) is a great place to visit if you’re looking for an inexpensive activity with the family that also teaches you a new thing for two!
Ages: all ages
Good to know: The Dinosaurs of BC exhibit runs every day until the 17th of April.
Victoria Bug Zoo
A unique learning experience like no other! Come to the Victoria Bug Zoo for a memorable day learning all about insects and a chance to hold unique insects for those of you who are brave enough! General admission is free for ages 4 and under, $8 for kids under 18, and $16 for adults.
Ages: all ages (16+ for workshops)
Activity: The Bug Zoo also offer Taxidermy and Insect Pinning Workshops for ages 16+
Greater Victoria Public Library – Central Branch
Spend an hour or two browsing through the wide selections of fantastic children’s books in this free public library! There’s something here for everyone-audiobooks, magazines, novels, and so much more!
Ages: all ages
Good to know: It’s opened every day of the week!
3. Movement
CragX Indoor Climbing Centre
Description: This climbing gym downtown offers youth lessons for those aged 12-15. The youth lessons teach participants the necessary skills needed to start climbing on their own, and comes with a 2-week free entry pass into the gym.
Ages: 12+
Good to know: Youth lesson registration must be done in pairs, or as a parent and child duo.
Forged Axe Throwing
Axe throwing is a really fun, social, and satisfying way to spend some time. Forged Axe Throwing prides itself on being open to all, no matter who you are or what your experience level.
Age: 10+
Good to know: Kids must be over 10 years old to participate and have a legal guardian accompanying if under 19. While the Forged team makes every effort to ensure young players are having a good time, it’s possible that your 10-year-old might not have the strength needed to throw.
Ghostly Walking Tours
Ghostly Walks tours weave together Victoria’s ghosts and the stories behind them, bringing the dark history of our city to life. It’s guaranteed to be spell-binding, entertaining, memorable, and most of all spine-tingling!
Ages: All ages, but the walk might be a little scary for some children.
Good to know: The walks last between 60-90 minutes depending on the type of tour and generally include 1.5 – 2 kilometers of walking around downtown Victoria.
4. On the Water
Ocean River Sports
Ocean River is one of the premier specialty kayak and adventure companies in North America. The unique location just north of the Johnson St. Bridge allows the opportunity to explore the wondrous Victoria Inner Harbour. If it’s windy or marine traffic is too busy, the Upper Harbour & the Gorge Waterway are also excellent destinations.
Age: Unspecified (likely not suitable for infants or toddlers.
Good to know: Ocean River offers family-friendly 2.5 hour tours daily at 1:30pm. If you’re experienced, they also offer kayak rentals.
Victoria Harbour Ferry
Victoria Harbour Ferry’s happy little boats have been connecting locals and visitors to Victoria’s waterfront neighbourhoods, parks, and communities for over 30 years.
Age: All ages (ages 0-5 ride for free!)
Good to know: This is truly a whole family activity! Dogs are allowed on the boats, too, provided they are leashed and remain on the floor.
Whale Watching
Downtown has lots of wonderful whale watching businesses! This is a really fun opportunity to act like a tourist and enjoy one of our coast’s treasures, the marine wildlife!
Age: 7+
Consider one of downtown’s whale watching tours. These three companies offer tours in March:
5. Other Family Fun
Miniature World
Miniature World offers dioramas and displays representing historical times and fictional worlds.
Ages: All ages!
Poppet Creative
Poppet Creative offers classes, camps and workshops. They also have a wonderful little store at the front of the studio that carries art supplies, art kits and many other delightful things.
Age: All ages!
Good to know: Poppet sells at-home art kits to get your kids flexing their creativity muscles and keep them occupied.
Cineplex
Cineplex is your premier family-friendly movie destination nestled in downtown Victoria, compete with cozy chairs, the best movie snacks, and the most important part of the movie experience-popcorn!
Age: All ages!
Good to know: Kung Fu Panda 4 and Hop – Family Favourites are a couple of movies for the whole family to enjoy during March!