Saanich travel guide
Mount Douglas views, lake beaches and the Lochside Trail beside Victoria
The largest municipality in Greater Victoria, mixing suburbs with farmland, lakes, small mountains and a long shoreline. May to September brings the driest weather for beaches and trails. Base yourself here for a quieter stay and allow two or three days for Saanich and downtown Victoria together. Prices are very high, and visa-exempt air travellers need an eTA.
Saanich wraps around the north side of Victoria on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, and at about 103 square kilometres it is the largest municipality in Greater Victoria. It takes its name from the Saanich First Nation. Between its suburbs lie farms, lakes and nearly 30 km of sea shore.
There is no real centre to explore, so treat Saanich as the green half of a Victoria trip. Mount Douglas Park gives the widest view from its summit, while Mount Tolmie, beside the University of Victoria, is a quicker lookout. Elk and Beaver Lake Regional Park is the place for lake swimming and paddling. On the sea side, Cordova Bay and Cadboro Bay have beaches.
Cycling is the easiest way around. The Lochside and Galloping Goose regional trails cross the municipality on old rail lines, and Victoria's mild winters keep them usable all year. Butchart Gardens, in neighbouring Central Saanich, is a short drive north.
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Top things to do in Saanich
Hilltop lookouts, lake and sea beaches, a nature sanctuary and long cycle trails on Victoria's doorstep.
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Best time to visit Saanich
Month by month, so you can pick the weather and the crowds you want.
July sees about 11mm of rain all month and highs near 24C, so Elk Lake is warm enough to swim and Mount Douglas stays clear for sunset.
Highs of 14C, rain starting to return in October; good walking weather and the tail ends of the whale season.
Rarely freezing, with highs of 8C to 11C, but November brings over 120mm of rain; the trails stay open and the parks are quiet.
Whale-watching trips leave from Victoria's Inner Harbour all year, but April to October is the season for orcas and migrating humpbacks.
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Getting there
Route 88 to McTavish Exchange, Swartz Bay ferries and Inner Harbour floatplanes
Victoria International sits outside Sidney, and the Patricia Bay Highway runs south from it through Saanich; a taxi or rental car is quickest. By bus, take route 88 to McTavish Exchange and change to route 70 or 72. Mainland travellers mostly take BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, at the tip of the peninsula.
- Route 70
- Limited-stop bus from Swartz Bay and McTavish Exchange to downtown Victoria in about 35 to 45 minutes, passing through Saanich
- Route 72
- Same corridor with more stops, about 45 to 60 minutes from McTavish to downtown
- Floatplanes
- Harbour Air lands in Victoria's Inner Harbour from downtown Vancouver in about 35 minutes, and Kenmore Air flies in from Seattle's Lake Union; check seasonal schedules
- Route 70 makes fewer stops than the 72, so it is usually the quicker choice for downtown.
- If you land late in the evening, check the last 88 departure before relying on the bus; Yellow Cab serves the terminal.
- Harbour Air floatplanes land in Victoria's Inner Harbour from Vancouver in about 35 minutes; Kenmore Air flies from Seattle.
Where to stay
Cordova Bay, Cadboro Bay or downtown Victoria
Saanich is mostly homes, so beds are scattered and buses between areas are slow. Cordova Bay puts the beach and Lochside Trail on the doorstep, Cadboro Bay near the university is leafy and quiet, and Royal Oak suits the airport and ferries. Most hotels and restaurants are in downtown Victoria.
- Cordova Bay
- Beach walks and the Lochside Trail on the doorstep; quiet, but you will want a car or bike for evenings out
- Cadboro Bay and the University of Victoria
- Close to Mount Tolmie and the beach at Cadboro Bay; quiet and leafy, a bus ride from downtown
- Royal Oak and Elk Lake
- Handy for the airport, Swartz Bay ferries and lake swims along the Patricia Bay Highway, but suburban
- Downtown Victoria
- Most hotels and restaurants are here, around the Inner Harbour; you then ride or cycle out to the Saanich parks
Getting around
Lochside and Galloping Goose trails, then BC Transit
Cycle. The Lochside Trail runs north from Victoria through Saanich towards Sidney and Swartz Bay, and the Galloping Goose heads west; both follow gentle old rail beds and meet in Saanich. BC Transit buses cover the municipality with day passes, though peninsula fares differ. A car helps for the Mount Douglas summit road.
- BC Transit
- Victoria Regional Transit System buses through Saanich to downtown, Sidney and Langford
- Bike rental
- Shops in downtown Victoria hire bikes by the day; ride out along the trails
- Car
- Useful for the Mount Douglas summit road and for chaining parks together in one day
- Hilltop lookouts mean short, steep climbs; leave the Mount Douglas summit for the car or a strong pair of legs.
Know before you go
What makes Saanich worth the trip, and what catches visitors out.
Why travelers love it
- Sunset from Mount Douglas, looking out over Haro Strait toward the San Juan Islands.
- A swim at Elk Lake on a warm July afternoon.
- Cycling the Lochside Trail north past farm fields toward Sidney.
Good to know
- Butchart Gardens is not in Saanich but in Central Saanich, a separate municipality to the north.
- The airport bus needs a change at McTavish Exchange, so allow up to an hour or more to reach Victoria.
Trip fit
BookingMentor editorial ratings out of 5, based on a first-time visitor's experience.
Weather in Saanich, month by month
Measured at the University of Victoria, Saanich stays mild: January nights near 3°C, July highs about 24°C and only about 11 mm of July rain.
Climate figures are approximate long-term averages for University of Victoria (Environment and Climate Change Canada, via Wikipedia).
Cycling the Lochside Trail out of Victoria into Saanich
Saanich is best seen by bike. Hire one in downtown Victoria and follow the Lochside Trail out along an old rail line, across the Blenkinsop Lake boardwalk and past farm stands towards Cordova Bay, then turn off for a swim at Elk and Beaver Lake in July and August. Strong riders can continue towards Sidney.
Morning: hire a bike in downtown Victoria and pick up the Lochside Trail as it leaves the city on an old rail line. Within half an hour the houses thin out and you are riding a boardwalk across the Blenkinsop Lake marshes, then past hay fields and farm stands toward Cordova Bay. The grades are gentle, and you share the path only with walkers and other cyclists.
Around midday, turn off for Elk and Beaver Lake Regional Park. In July and August the lake is warm enough for a swim, and there is shade for lunch on the grass. Strong riders can continue up the peninsula toward Sidney and catch a bus back with the bike on the front rack; otherwise retrace the trail south.
For the evening, swap the bike for a car or bus and head to Mount Douglas Park. From the summit the view runs across Haro Strait to the San Juan Islands, and at sunset the water turns copper. On a second day, try the Galloping Goose west out of Victoria, or keep it short with Mount Tolmie by the university and a beach hour at Cadboro Bay.
Peninsula farm stands, vineyards and Victoria fish and chips
Saanich's food story is in its fields, not a restaurant quarter. In summer, roadside stands along the lanes near the Lochside Trail sell berries, eggs, vegetables and flowers, often on an honesty box, and the peninsula's vineyards make cool-climate wines that pair well with a day at Butchart Gardens. For dinner, head into Victoria.
The peninsula's vineyards make cool-climate wines, and a tasting visit fits well with a day at Butchart Gardens in Central Saanich.
For a sit-down meal, go into Victoria, which claims more restaurants per head than almost anywhere in North America. The English inheritance shows in the pubs around the waterfront: order fish and chips or shepherd's pie. James Bay, south of the Inner Harbour, has neighbourhood pubs in old Victorian houses. For something more west-coast, the streets around Chinatown have restaurants mixing Pacific seafood with Asian cooking. Take a cab or the bus home; Victoria's police are strict on drink-driving.
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How we research our Saanich travel guide
Trail routes, BC Transit fares and ferry links for Saanich were checked with the district website and Destination Canada.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Quick answers to the questions travelers ask most before visiting Saanich.
General
No. Saanich is a separate municipality wrapping round Victoria's north side, though the two run together and share a bus network.
Mount Douglas is higher and wilder, with the wider sweep over Haro Strait. Mount Tolmie, next to the University of Victoria, is lower but quick to reach, good for a short sunset stop.
In July and August, yes, and it is far warmer than the sea. Cadboro Bay and Cordova Bay have sea beaches, but the water there stays cold all summer.
Central Saanich, on the peninsula just to the north. It is a short drive from the northern edge of Saanich itself.
In Saanich, north of downtown Victoria. From there the Lochside runs north toward Sidney and Swartz Bay and the Galloping Goose heads west.
Often, yes. Three orca pods feed in the waters between Vancouver Island and the mainland, and tours leave from the Inner Harbour, a short ride south of Saanich. April to October is the best season; winter trips focus on other marine wildlife.
The northeastern half; the rest is in Oak Bay. Both Camosun College campuses and the Vancouver Island Technology Park are in Saanich too.
One day covers Mount Douglas and Elk Lake by car. With a bike, give it two, so you can ride the Lochside Trail without rushing.
Getting there
Route 88 links the terminal with McTavish Exchange, where you change to the 70 or the 72. Both run south through Saanich into downtown Victoria.
Victoria International sits outside Sidney, and the Patricia Bay Highway runs south from it through Saanich; a taxi or rental car is quickest. By bus, take route 88 to McTavish Exchange and change to route 70 or 72. Mainland travellers mostly take BC Ferries from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay, at the tip of the peninsula.
Timing & weather
June to August, when monthly rain falls to between about 11mm and 20mm. November to January is the wet season, with around 100mm or more a month.
The best time to visit Saanich is May to Sep. Dry, sunny summers for lake swimming and coastal trails, inside the April to October whale-watching season.
- Best overall: May - September (July sees about 11mm of rain all month and highs near 24C, so Elk Lake is warm enough to swim and Mount Douglas stays clear for sunset)
- Shoulder: April, October (Highs of 14C, rain starting to return in October; good walking weather and the tail ends of the whale season)
- Winter: November - March (Rarely freezing, with highs of 8C to 11C, but November brings over 120mm of rain; the trails stay open and the parks are quiet)
Booking
Base yourself here for a quieter stay and allow two or three days for Saanich and downtown Victoria together.
Visa & documents
Visa-exempt travelers, including citizens of the UK, the EU and Australia, need an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) to fly to or through Canada. US citizens need only a passport. Other nationalities need a visitor visa.
Health & safety
Canada's main risks are natural: wildlife, summer wildfires and extreme winter cold. Store food properly in bear country, check wildfire and road conditions before summer drives, and carry winter gear when driving in snow. Call 911 for police, fire or ambulance anywhere in the country.
