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Clover Point on the Dallas Road waterfront

Things to do

Scenic drives near Victoria BC: four routes with times and maps

Photo: Hannah Clover · CC BY-SA 4.0

Four drives from Victoria: the Dallas Road and Oak Bay waterfront (about 12 km, 24 minutes), the Saanich Peninsula to Butchart Gardens, Sidney and Swartz Bay (about 42 km, 55 minutes), Goldstream and the Malahat (about 32 km, 32 minutes) and Metchosin to Sooke (about 47 km, 77 minutes). Times are free-flow driving without stops, from OpenStreetMap roads, not live traffic or turn-by-turn directions.

Last updated October 19, 2026 · Prices and schedules checked October 19, 2026

Four scenic drives

Driving time without stops or traffic, from OpenStreetMap roads. Not turn-by-turn directions.

Clover Point on the Dallas Road waterfront

Dallas Road and the Oak Bay waterfront

  • 11.7 km
  • 24 min driving
  • 5 stops
  1. Ogden Point then 3.5 km, about 7 min
  2. Clover Point then 2.4 km, about 5 min
  3. Gonzales Beach then 4.5 km, about 9 min
  4. Willows Beach then 1.3 km, about 3 min
  5. Cattle Point

Main roads: Dallas Road, Beach Drive.

Beaches near VictoriaSunset times and spots

The Sunken Garden at The Butchart Gardens, with beds of flowers below a rim of trees

Saanich Peninsula: Butchart Gardens to Sidney and Swartz Bay

  • 41.9 km
  • 55 min driving
  • 4 stops
  1. Inner Harbour (Fairmont Empress) then 20.3 km, about 29 min
  2. The Butchart Gardens then 15.9 km, about 19 min
  3. Sidney (Beacon Avenue) then 5.7 km, about 7 min
  4. Swartz Bay ferry terminal

Main roads: Patricia Bay Highway, West Saanich Road, Wallace Drive, Benvenuto Avenue, Keating Cross Road, Douglas Street, Government Street.

The Butchart GardensDo you need a car?Lochside Regional Trail

Forest and river in Goldstream Provincial Park

Goldstream and the Malahat

  • 31.9 km
  • 32 min driving
  • 3 stops
  1. Inner Harbour (Fairmont Empress) then 20 km, about 20 min
  2. Goldstream Provincial Park then 11.9 km, about 12 min
  3. Malahat Summit rest area

Main roads: Trans-Canada Highway, Douglas Street, Government Street.

Hikes near Victoria

Still green water in the rock pools at Sooke Potholes

Metchosin, East Sooke and Sooke

  • 47.2 km
  • 1 h 17 min driving
  • 5 stops
  1. Fisgard Lighthouse and Fort Rodd Hill then 8.6 km, about 16 min
  2. Witty’s Lagoon then 10.5 km, about 17 min
  3. Matheson Lake then 19.9 km, about 29 min
  4. Sooke then 8.2 km, about 15 min
  5. Sooke Potholes

Main roads: Sooke Road, Rocky Point Road, Sooke River Road, Metchosin Road, Matheson Lake Park Road, Ocean Boulevard, Liberty Drive, Duke Road East.

Beaches near VictoriaHikes near Victoria

Road data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), checked 2026-10-19.

How the routes work

Each drive links stops we already cover on the site. The route between stops is the fastest road path on the OpenStreetMap graph, and the times assume free-flow speeds. Open a drive’s map to see the road line and the stops; the list above it has the same places.

Before you go

Summer weekends are busier at Butchart Gardens, Goldstream and Sooke Potholes, and the Malahat can slow with roadworks or crashes. Check DriveBC for conditions and see the car guide if you are deciding whether to hire one.

Frequently asked questions

How long are the drives?

Without stops or traffic: the waterfront drive is about 12 km and 24 minutes, the Saanich Peninsula about 42 km and 55 minutes, Goldstream and the Malahat about 32 km and 32 minutes, and Metchosin to Sooke about 47 km and 77 minutes. Allow more for stops, summer traffic and ferry queues near Swartz Bay.

Are these turn-by-turn directions?

No. Each route is the fastest road path between the stops on the OpenStreetMap road network, so a driver may choose a slightly different road. Use a navigation app for directions on the day.

Do I need a car for these?

The waterfront has buses and bike paths, and Butchart Gardens has a bus. Goldstream, the Malahat and the Sooke area are easiest by car. See the car guide for the options.

Where do the times come from?

From the OpenStreetMap road network with the same speed assumptions as the site’s travel-time matrix, shown in its notes. They are free-flow estimates, not measured trips.

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Sources

This is an independent planning site, not the operator or a government body. Prices checked on October 19, 2026; confirm with the operator before you book.