Health and wellness travel continues to gain steam, and I am here for it. A few weeks ago, I set off on my own wellness getaway in Victoria, BC. The challenge? Could I tour through a city famous for afternoon teas (my absolute kryptonite) and actually come home healthier?
Spoiler: Yes! Turns out Victoria is one of those destinations that makes wellness feel almost effortless.
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Wellness Getaway in Victoria, BC
Surrounded by greenery, bike lanes and spa options around every corner, Victoria has wellness baked into its core. My mission was to hit the city’s best wellness experiences and eat well while I was at it. I didn’t want to feel deprived, but I also didn’t want to come home heavier, as I so often do on vacation. Here are my top picks for a blissful wellness getaway in Victoria, BC.
Spas in Victoria, BC
Victoria has no shortage of ways to decompress. The city has several hydrotherapy spots alongside more traditional spa offerings. These are the spas in Victoria, BC I’d happily go back to again.
Aerth Saunas
What sets Aerth apart is the setup. It’s entirely outdoors, covered with sails to shield you from sun or rain. I went with the Steep and Steam experience, which was part of the Intentional Wellness programming in January (more on that below). That experience paired a saunas-and-plunge-pools session with a wellness tea flight at the Pendray Inn and Tea House, a charming 19th-century manor overlooking the Inner Harbour.
My flight was mostly herbal teas and left me feeling centred and rehydrated. I didn’t even finish my energy ball, delicious as it was. Who am I?
HAVN
One afternoon, I boarded a ship in Victoria’s Inner Harbour. But instead of setting sail, I steamed, soaked and surrendered to the rhythm of the tides. Set on an actual barge, HAVN offers a hydrotherapy circuit that includes saunas, cold pools, hot tubs, outdoor showers, a garden patio and a relaxation cabin for when you’ve thoroughly wrung yourself out.
I don’t know if it was the salt scrub or the sea air, but my skin felt incredibly smooth afterward. So supple and hydrated I didn’t even reach for body lotion. That never happens.
Ritual Nordic Spa
RITUAL puts a modern spin on Finnish sauna house traditions, and the vibe is refreshingly social. You’re allowed to talk here. No getting shushed.
The space sports traditional cedar and basswood saunas, infrared saunas, a eucalyptus steam room and a cold plunge pool dialled to a balmy 9°C — the same temperature as the ocean. Nordic bucket showers, a salt lounge and three outdoor patios round things out. Book a massage, or raise a glass of local kombucha, beer or Prosecco alongside a Scandinavian snack.
Fairmont Spa
For a super swish experience, book a treatment at the Fairmont Spa at the Fairmont Empress. Better yet, do their famous afternoon tea first. I sampled their gluten-free and dairy-free tea menu. (No butter, no wheat, no complaints.)
At the spa, I went with the Blue Ritual, a 90-minute treatment combining a massage, tea scrub and bath. My only regret is not budgeting time to make use of the whole spa facility.
Boathouse Spa
Tucked into the tony Oak Bay Beach Hotel, the Boathouse Spa sits right on the ocean. Massages and facials are all on offer, along with some treatments you won’t find everywhere like a hot oil head massage and cryo gua sha sculpting.
The real standout, though, is the two-hour pool experience. These heated outdoor mineral pools and hot tubs look directly out to the Salish Sea and Olympic Mountains. This add-on includes access to both indoor and outdoor saunas. Worth every penny.
Floating Sound Bath, Victoria, BC
Yes, you can do a floating sound bath in Victoria. And yes, it’s as dreamy as it sounds. The experience is called Drift, a floating sound meditation available exclusively at the Parkside Hotel and Spa.
The 75-minute session involves being guided onto an inflatable air mattress and set adrift in a pool while crystal bowls, gongs and rain sticks fill the air. You won’t get wet (just your feet and ankles as you settle in). But you might fall asleep. Within minutes, I was somewhere between waking and dreaming. Highly recommend.
Other Wellness Experiences in Victoria
Beyond the spas, Victoria is packed with green spaces and experiences that do good things for body and mind. You likely know about The Butchart Gardens and Beacon Hill Park. Both are worth your time. But here are a few you might not have on your radar.
Bilston Creek Farm
A short drive from Victoria, Bilston Creek Farm sits between the forest and the sea, and the moment you step out of your car, the lavender hits you. The farm has a heritage apple tree orchard, two saunas, glamping tents for overnight Farm Stays, farm tours and a super fab gift shop. All products are made using the farm’s own organic lavender, apples and honey.
The lavender festival runs from June to mid-August, but the farm is worth visiting year-round. In winter, you can reserve a fire pit and order s’mores and hot drinks.
Island Elixir Tea
Tea, whether it’s green, black or a herbal, packs some impressive health credentials. At The Station in nearby Langford, Island Elixir Tea blends over 45 varieties. Pick up a few to take home, or better yet, sign up for one of their tea workshops, which is a super lovely way to spend an afternoon.
Silk Road Tea
At Silk Road Tea, one of Canada’s OG tea emporiums, it’s easy to tap into the wellness benefits of both tea and aromatherapy. Situated in Victoria’s historic Chinatown, the retail shop offers a Tea Tasting Bar and knowledgeable staff who know their stuff when it comes to recommending teas for specific health and goals, including stress management.
Healthy Restaurants in Victoria, BC
The abundance of delicious and healthy restaurants in Victoria, BC, is impressive. I was able to indulge fully and feel like I was on vacation without going up a clothing size. Here’s the spots I’d point you toward.
Shuck Taylor’s
You know you’re in a legit seafood spot when the chandelier is made of oyster shells. Go for steamers, peel-and-eat shrimp and fresh oysters for a satisfying low-cal protein fix. If you want to push the boat out, the crab roll is worth the calories, and the girl dinner snack and drink combo looked fun.
Tre Fantastico
I had the healthiest breakfast ever at Tre Fantastico, inside the Parkside Hotel. I went with braised greens and poached eggs (both dairy and gluten free) and felt so smug afterwards. The lunch menu is equally appealing, with share plates, bowls and handhelds.
Six Mile Pub
For a surprisingly healthy meal with a heavy dose of atmosphere, Six Mile Pub delivers. Located less than 30 minutes from downtown Victoria, this is the oldest pub in British Columbia, and travellers have been stopping here for over a century.
Everything is made from scratch, with local ingredients, ethically raised, hormone-free proteins and ocean-wise seafood. The menu leans vegetable-forward, alongside the pub classics you’d expect.
I had a Burmese curry noodle bowl on a rainy day, and it was exactly the right call. The noodles came coated in a spiced but not fiery coconut curry sauce with mushrooms, carrots, edamame, sprouts, tofu and broccoli.
Plant‑forward Dining Victoria
I’m not vegan, but I try to dodge cow’s milk dairy. Be Love makes that very easy. This vegan, gluten-free restaurant downtown serves up creative, comforting dishes.
Predictably, the menu is loaded with vegetables, but it also comes with surprises like puffed tofu and fries that you dunk in a miso ginger dip. With sides of quinoa, brown rice, multi-seed crackers, steamed greens or lentils for only $5, hitting your daily fibre goals has never been this easy.
Wellness Events in Victoria, BC
If you like a little structure to your wellness getaways, consider timing your visit around the annual Intention Wellness Getaway each January. Mark January 4 to 17, 2027 in your calendar for a curated lineup of guided workouts, cooking classes and a speaker series.
What’s cool about this wellness event is it’s completely self-curated in a build-your-own-adventure style. The only schedule you need to follow is your own.
Wellness Hotels in Victoria
Several properties in the city make wellness a genuine focus. These are the wellness hotels in Victoria where I like to stay.
Fairmont Empress
Nothing quite compares to Fairmont Empress, right on Victoria’s Inner Harbour. If you love luxury, location and surroundings that feel properly grand, this is where to rest your head.
It was also recognized as the No. 1 Canadian City Hotel in Travel + Leisure’s 2025 World’s Best Awards, which is not nothing. The 24-hour fitness centre includes an indoor heated swimming pool, hot tub, children’s wading pool and two saunas.
Parkside Hotel and Spa
The Parkside is where the floating sound meditation occurs. It’s ideal spot to spend the night so you can float back to your room afterward.
Rooms have kitchenettes, European-style washer/dryers, fireplaces and private balconies. There’s also a rooftop garden, fire pits, a full spa and a large indoor pool on-site. Complimentary bike rentals are yours for the taking.
Oak Bay Beach Hotel
The outdoor mineral pools are the main event here, with direct views of the Salish Sea that are hard to beat. Guest rooms at Oak Bay Beach Hotel are air-conditioned with fireplaces, kitchenettes and spa-inspired bathrooms with heated tile floors. The Oak Bay neighbourhood around the hotel is also worth a wander, with boutiques, traditional pubs, smart delis and galleries.
The Magnolia Hotel & Spa
A short stroll from the Inner Harbour, The Magnolia Hotel & Spa is elegant without being fussy, with spacious rooms and plush furnishings. I particularly love their Curated Trails, which are themed itineraries for guests to explore independently, with the hotel’s favourite local recommendations built right in.
Have you ever been to Victoria, BC? What are your favourite experiences to do there?
