Sitting across from the elegant Empress Hotel, Westbay Marine Village provides RV camping spaces in the heart of Victoria. Fronting the western end of the Inner Harbour, Westbay has campsites with full hookups, many with water views. It’s the perfect spot to catch a sunset or watch the lights of the city vie with the stars for attention. The Parliament Building, to the right of the Empress, is covered in tiny white lights, adding even more charm to the city skyline. Westbay is home to the Princess Mary Restaurant, a convenient dining option, as well as a full-service marina. Also in Victoria is the Fort Victoria RV Park, located along the Island Highway less than 5 miles from downtown. Its signature fort-like tower is visible from the highway, making the RV park easy to find. The family-owned business has 300 sites with full hookups and charges daily, weekly and monthly rates. Tent camping is now allowed at either of these RV parks.
Head 13 miles north of downtown Victoria to the Saanich Peninsula and you’ll find the Oceanside RV Resort in the community of Saanichton. This rural campground has tent and RV campsites, all within steps of the sand. The beach fronts Haro Strait, known as a spot to sight killer whales, seals and eagles. RV sites have either full or partial services, while the tent sites, though closest to the beach, have no services. This back-to-nature campground provides the best of two worlds: You can sleep under the stars while being within 5 miles of the shops of Sydney and the flower displays of Butchart Gardens.
Metchosin sits across from the lights of downtown Victoria, separated only by the the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Facing those lights is the waterfront Weir’s Beach RV Resort, a full-service, RV-only park that’s a 16-mile drive from Victoria’s city center. Hidden behind a line of trees, the entrance leads to a beachfront campground able to handle even the largest RVs. Even if you don’t score one of the waterfront spaces, it’s just a few steps to the waterline and impressive views of the Victoria skyline. Roughly 2 miles farther south on the peninsula is Pedder Bay RV Resort and Marina, which welcomes tents and RVs. This is a more rustic camping experience with sites spaced along the shores of Pedder Bay. You'll find fishing charters at the adjacent marina, as well as rental boats for those wanting to set off on their own. Or bring your own boat and use the boat launch. A coffee shop, bait and tackle store and showers/restrooms are on site. The campground section is open from the beginning of March until the end of October.
Goldstream Provincial Park is only 10 miles from the core of citified Victoria, but it is still a very wild place. From October through December the salmon come to spawn, bringing visitors from around the Greater Victoria area. Not all those visitors are of the human variety. Bears come to eat their fill, as do eagles and other carnivores. The park's 167 campsites are available year-round. Make reservations through the BC Parks Discover Camping Reservation Service for visits during the summer season, May 15 through Sept. 2. Visits during the rest of the year are first-come, first-served. Tents and RVs up to 32 feet long are welcome. Pets are allowed in the campground as long as they are leashed, not left unattended and are kept inside the RV or tent at night.
