
10 of the Top Whale-Watching Experiences in North America
Find a unique whale-watching experience in North America.
Explore Victoria Bug Zoo independently or join a free tour, during which staff share lots of additional information about the little and not-so-little creatures kept here. During tours, visitors may also have the opportunity to handle some of the bugs under the supervision of staff.
The Victoria Bug Zoo is fairly small and will only take 1–2 hours to explore; many visitors combine a trip here with other Downtown Victoria tourist attractions such as Miniature World and Royal BC Museum.
*Victoria Bug Zoo is a must for families. *A gift shop sells t-shirts, bug collecting materials, and edible insect goodies. *Victoria Bug Zoo is wheelchair-accessible.
Victoria Bug Zoo is in Downtown Victoria on Vancouver Island. Walking from Victoria’s Inner Harbour takes about 5 minutes.
Victoria Bug Zoo is a firm favorite with families visiting Victoria and gets busy during school vacations and on weekends. Go on a midweek morning to beat the crowds. Tours take place continuously during opening hours, so you shouldn’t have to wait long to join one.
While the Victoria Bug Zoo is the ideal place to examine insects and arachnids, lots more creatures can be seen on Vancouver Island—many in the wild. Watch seals at Fisheman’s Wharf, spot Roosevelt elk at Green Mountain, or observe grizzly bears in the Great Bear Rainforest from the safety of a covered boat or riverside hide. Many whale-watching expeditions set sail from Victoria Harbour, venturing out in search of resident orcas in their natural habitat.