Trafalgar Park

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An undeveloped natural area (1.4 hectare) with waterfront access, steeply sloping to waterfront with a scenic viewpoint from the parking lot at the top of the hill. Some imperilled plant species and ecosystems are present in the park.

This park provides an easily accessible (from King George Terrace) scenic viewpoint, from which to enjoy beautiful views of the ocean, mountains, and the oceanfront landscapes, with trails across a rugged area sloping steeply to the waterfront and beach access.

Trails are steep and rugged and proper hiking footwear is recommended.

 

Dog Information: 
No dog restrictions.
Accessibility Information: 
No access for wheeled apparatus of any kind beyond the viewpoint parking lot.

Historic Sites

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Heritage designation is a method of conserving places. The effect of heritage designation is to preserve the key features of a building and/or land that give it a distinctive heritage character. A formally designated municipal heritage site will remain a legacy to be appreciated by present and future generations. In Oak Bay there are presently 28 heritage designated homes and 7 heritage designated properties. The great majority of designated sites are also listed in the Community Heritage Register.

Click here for a list of historic sites. 

Walbran Park

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Often referred to by locals as “Gonzales Hill”

An undeveloped natural area (1.99 hectare) in a residential neighbourhood, accessible from Denison Road with limited roadside parking, with scenic views from a historical WWII lookout and from a historical marker cairn. There are unmaintained minor trails, not accessible by wheeled apparatus, and some imperilled ecosystems that are under threat from invasive species in the park.

This park provides viewpoints from which to enjoy magnificent views of ocean, mountain, and the surrounding urban and waterfront landscape, as well as opportunity to learn of the historical and conservation significance of the area via historical plaques provided by the Federal Government.

There is a short trail with steps to the marker cairn; otherwise the area is rugged and unsuitable for hiking.

 

Dog Information:
No dog restrictions.

Carnarvon Park

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A developed sports park (3.97 hectares), surrounded by residential housing, with playing fields for rugby, soccer, ball diamonds with score/concession building, tennis courts, tennis backboard and lacrosse box, with washrooms and change rooms.

The District of Oak Bay has engaged Lees & Associates to conduct a Master Plan process for the potential redesign and redevelopment of a portion of Carnarvon Park: Learn More

Tennis Courts

Five outdoor hard Tennis Courts are located beside the Lacrosse Box at Carnarvon Centre at the intersection of Carnarvon Road and Henderson Road.

Tennis courts are available on a paid-reservation system from April through September; free walk-on use is permitted if the courts are not otherwise booked.

Lacrosse Box

Call 250-592-7275 for rental information.

Rotary Water Park

Rotary Water Park is located right next door to Carnarvon Centre. Come enjoy the water and playground! The area is not staffed. Use of the area is “at own risk” and parental supervision of children is advised.

Hours:

  • 7 days/week: 10am to 5pm
  • June to mid September
  • Weather permitting

Lawn Bowling Club

Located next door to Carnarvon Centre, the Oak Bay Lawn Bowling Club has two greens (east and west) and two clubhouses. The Oak Bay Club was established in 1957, and is located in the northeast corner of Carnarvon Park. The street address is 2190 Harlow Drive. The club is one of 11 outdoor clubs in the Victoria, B.C. area and is affiliated with Bowls BC and Bowls Canada Boulingrin.

Operated by Bowls Oak Bay. Phone 250-592-1823 for inquiries.

Sports Field

Organized field use is by permit system, for more information click here. Casual, unorganized use of these areas is allowed during times that they are not used by permit holders or closed off for maintenance.

 

Dog Information: 
Dogs must be on leash at all times. Exception: No dogs are allowed in Rotary Water park area at any time.
Accessibility Information: 
With the exception of personal assistance devices, wheeled apparatus are not allowed in the park.

Lokier Gardens

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A small developed garden area (.142 hectare) with roses, shrubs, flowers, benches. This setting provides passers by the opportunity to sit and enjoy its ornamental garden display. The Park is named for former Hamiota Street resident Thomas Lokier, who built the iron entrance gates and donated funds for many of the initial plantings.

Dog Information: 
Dogs must be on leash at all times.
Accessibility Information: 
With the exception of personal assistance devices, wheeled apparatus are not allowed in the park.

Windsor Park

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A developed multi-sports park area (4.31 hectares) with playing fields, a park pavilion, wheel chair accessible children’s’ play area, rose garden (heritage designation) and accessible scented garden.

Windsor Park is an active multi-sport and recreational park where children and adults enjoy the benefits of sport competition for a range of activities including soccer, rugby, cricket, field hockey, tennis, baseball, and softball on safe, well maintained fields and amenities.

In addition to its sports focus, the park also provides for more passive enjoyment by visitors with its picnic and play area, sitting areas, Rose and Scented Garden, and indoor meeting rooms in a completely rebuilt building on the original site. This new facility (2006) houses a children’s program room, a main hall, and change rooms all on the first floor. The bright multi purpose rooms on the second floor can be divided into 4 meeting rooms by means of movable walls or used as 2 larger rooms. In addition to municipal recreation programming, the facility is available for rentals by community sports and cultural groups and also for private functions.

Casual, unorganized use is allowed during times that the fields are not used by permit holders or closed for maintenance.

The tennis courts use is on a ‘first-come, first-served’ basis and players must abide by the posted rules for play.

 

Dog Information:
Dogs are allowed to be off leash on the playing fields in the park if the field is not being used by permit holders and only during the following times:
  1. between sunrise and 9 o’clock a.m. on any day from July 1st to August 31st in any year; and
  2. between sunrise and 11 o’clock a.m. on any day from September 1st to June 30th provided, however, that the dog must nevertheless remain at all times under the full custody and control of a competent person.

Windsor Park is used by a very active and organized dog walking group that utilizes the fields in the early morning hours for off-leash exercise for dogs. This group has taken responsibility for assuring communication with other dog users of the park and created a website promoting responsible dog use of parks.

Dogs are not allowed in the Rose Garden, children’s play area, or in Windsor Pavilion at any time.

 

Accessibility Information: 
With the exception of personal assistance devices, wheeled apparatus are not allowed in the park. Except for municipal service vehicles, cars are not permitted in the park.

Native Plant Garden

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This garden is a landmark at the corner of Beach Drive and Margate Street, and the landscape is intrinsic in establishing the character of the neighbourhood. The site is also of great ecological value as a green space and nature reserve. It acts as a preserve for plants indigenous to southern Vancouver Island, many of which are endangered by development.

The Native Plant garden is closely associated with the founding settlers of Oak Bay. The original site was part of the home and garden of Arden, designed by Samuel Maclure for Ada and Hugo Beaven in 1908. Mrs. Beaven was the former Ada Pemberton, daughter of JD Pemberton, one of Oak Bay’s original four private landowners and Surveyor General of BC. The site of Arden was part of the Pemberton estate. Hugo Beavan was the son of BC Premier Robert Beaven (1882-1883), who also served as Mayor of Victoria.

In 1939 Mrs. Beaven donated 0.52 acres of her property to the Municipality of Oak Bay to be used as a native plant park.

In keeping with Mrs. Beaven’s wishes, the Municipality has maintained the property in its natural state, two ponds from the original Maclure plans still exist, and the fight against non-native invasive species by dedicated Friends of the Native Plant Garden is on going.

 

Location:
Margate Street & Beach Drive
Dog Information:
Dogs are not allowed in this park.
Accessibility Information:
With the exception of personal assistance devices, wheeled apparatus are not allowed in the park.

 

Ocean River Sports

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Located in Victoria, British Columbia on beautiful Vancouver Island, Ocean River Sports is a premier speciality kayak and outdoor gear store with over 35 years in the business.

Ocean River’s Oak Bay Paddle Shack at the Oak Bay Marina offers rentals, half-day, and full-day tours for paddler’s of all abilities with the highest quality equipment in Victoria. Oak Bay is the perfect place for experiencing some the best of pristine, west coast kayaking that Vancouver Island has to offer.

Discovery Island Kayak Tour

Our Discovery Island Kayak Tour, considered one of the top tours in Victoria, will take you to an amazing archipelago of islands where you will kayak and hike a remote island within a marine park. A short 10-minute boat ride and you will feel a million miles away!

Come out and experience some true west coast wild just minutes from downtown Victoria. Sitting just off Oak Bay, but across the treacherous Plumper Passage, Discovery Island was long a place people just looked at from a distance. But now, thanks to our “Discovery Shuttle,” paddlers of all ability levels can get out there! Enjoy west coast kayaking, hiking and a provided lunch on this unique full-day tour.

Oak Bay Shoreline Tour

Explore the nooks and crannies of the scenic Oak Bay ocean coastline and check out the marine life on nearby islets on Ocean River’s Oak Bay Shoreline Tour. This relaxing and fun half-day tour will bring you along historic Oak Bay’s coastline. With the Olympic Mountains to the south and Gulf Islands and San Juan Islands to the east, there is always a vista that will take your breath away. Oak Bay features pristine kayaking on southern Vancouver Island.

Rentals

From June 1st to September 15th, Ocean River offers rentals from Oak Bay Marina where you, your friends and your family can explore the nearby shoreline on your own. Rentals are open from 9:30am until 5:00pm with the last rentals going out at 3:00pm. Rentals are first-come, first-serve and are subject to weather conditions. 

Abkhazi Gardens Tea House

Abkhazi Gardens & Tea House

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The Teahouse at Abkhazi Garden offers four-star guest service and exceptional food in a beautiful setting, giving guests a memory to cherish.

Seasonal menus showcase regional or Abkhazi Garden-grown produce, complementing the garden’s appearance when it is in bloom.

 

The Garden that Love Built

Peggy Pemberton-Carter met Prince Nicholas Abkhazi, in Paris in 1922, a prince from a surviving line of kings from the Black Sea region. They found themselves visiting art galleries and conversing in French but were eventually torn apart during World War II.

Peggy met her prince in New York in November 1946, married him and became the Princess Nicholas Abkhazi. They settled in Victoria, where they built their home atop a one-acre property. For over 40 years they cultivated their garden.

In 2000, The Land Conservancy purchased the property to preserve the Garden, the legacy of the Abkhazis.

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HOURS

October – March | Wed-Sun | 11 am – 5 pm 

April – September | Every day | 11 am – 5 pm 

Last entrance at 4 pm​

McNeill Bay Oak Bay

McNeill Bay

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This beautiful peaceful beach is rocky and more appropriate for beach strolls than swimming. It’s considered one of the great off-leash dog beaches. Although you will see locals from time to time paddle boarding or windsurfing in McNeill Bay.

Also, known as Shoal Bay, McNeill Bay was named after Captain William Henry McNeill, Master of the Hudson’s Bay Company steamer SS Beaver. This bay is the spot where SS Beaver anchored while scouting for a suitable place for Fort Victoria.

Along the bay is a beautiful esplanade and along Beach Drive, there are plenty of benches to stop and enjoy a nice view of the bay – in the summer, you just might find someone playing the piano!