With another year behind us, it’s time to start planning for 2022! Maybe that includes tentatively booking some holidays abroad, maybe you’re gearing up for a career change or maybe it’s time to ask the love of your life to tie the knot. If it’s the latter, you may want to consider popping the question in one of the most beautiful cities in the world: Victoria, BC. With so much incredible architecture and stunning natural beauty, there are lots of hidden, and not so hidden gems where you can get down on one knee. We’ve made a handy list of the top ten places that you can propose that’ll make it a beautiful moment that neither of you will ever forget.
While this is arguably the most popular park in Victoria, there are a surprising number of private little spots where you can find a quiet moment and an ideal location if you have a photographer booked to capture it! Take a leisurely stroll through the gardens and along the paths, over the bridges and when the time is right, you’ll be in one of the most beautiful urban parks to pop the question.
There’s no doubt that Butchart Gardens is an absolutely stunning place to visit and takes top spot for most wished for proposal places in Victoria. The downside of Butchart for a proposal is that it draws huge crowds all year ‘round. If Butchart is the spot that will make or break the moment, and you want semi-privacy, there are a few things you can do: go early and head straight to the Japanese Garden as it is the last garden on the tour and less likely to be busy right at open or head to the pillar in the middle of the sunken garden, it’s unlikely that you’ll run into anyone and Ross Fountain, just below the lookout, is also less visited than other parts of the gardens. If you want an expansive, manicured garden setting and don’t want to risk the crowds of Butchart, Hatley Castle is a great alternative. Located in peaceful Colwood, the gardens at Hatley Castle were designed in a romantic, Edwardian style with lots of incredible sites for a romantic proposal.
If your person loves the outdoors, one of the best places on the South Island to propose is definitely East Sooke Park. With kilometers of beautiful forested trails, mountains to climb and a wild, windswept coastline to explore, East Sooke Park has the most incredible natural beauty and expansive vistas that you could hope to find on the West Coast. While it is a popular park, it’s so expansive that you’re unlikely to run into many people. If you do, just wait it out, most people are there to explore so they’ll move on quickly.
While this is a popular beach, especially in the summertime, Ross Bay is a pebbled beach and doesn’t draw the same crowds as some of the sandy beaches in Victoria but still has the incredible views. This is especially true of the shoulder seasons where the beach is practically empty but still enjoyable, peaceful and beautiful.
Built in 1914, the Observatory is a beautiful and unique structure perched atop Gonzalez Hill where you have unobstructed views of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Olympic Range Victoria and distant Sooke Hills. Especially impressive at sunset, this park is fairly quiet no matter the time of year and a breathtaking spot to get down on one knee.
If you want to propose at a gorgeous restaurant, you’ll want to book a table at Q at the Empress. While the entirety of the Empress is magnificent and would make an excellent backdrop for any proposal, Q is a distinctly elevated space where modern meets vintage in all the best ways. The decor, ambience and service is impeccable and the menu and wine list are impressive. It’s the perfect place to celebrate a life-changing night.
Just north of Victoria is the newly built Malahat Skywalk, an incredible lookout structure designed for kids of all ages. If you’re looking for a fun, playful, whimsical and beautiful place to propose, this is the perfect place for you! Beginning with a ten minute TreeWalk through beautiful arbutus trees, you’ll be led to a gentle spiral ramp that takes you up to a sightseeing platform high above the treeline. Here, you’ll have unmatched panoramic views of Finlayson Arm, Saanich Peninsula, Mount Baker and the distant Coast Mountains. With the Adventure Net trampoline that you can step onto and look straight down to the ground below and a huge, 20 meter spiral slide that you can take down to the bottom, the Malahat Skywalk is really a one-of-a-kind location for your one-of-a-kind person.
With majestic waterfalls, meandering trails and a lush green forest, Goldstream is an incredible place to propose if you’re looking for a hiking or outdoors style proposal location. Our advice? Hike up to the Niagara Falls and propose at the bottom of the fall for one of the most romantic and beautiful proposal settings.
If you’re looking for a high-end proposal site and a marvelous dinner, The Eyrie should be at the top of your list! With stunning views of the Saanich Inlet and Peninsula from the five star dining room and lots of beautiful places on the property to find a secluded spot with a stunning view, this is a location that will elevate the moment and make the memory magical.
One of the most beautiful gardens in the center of Victoria, beloved by locals and little known to visitors is the Gardens at Government House. The property is the official office and residence of the Lieutenant Governor of Canada and ceremonial home of all British Colubians. The property that surrounds the house is an expansive area filled with different gardens, orchards and terrain. Here you can find the voluminous Rhododendron Garden, the elegant Victorian Rose Garden, Winter Garden, Herb Garden, Iris and Lily Garden, English Country Garden and more. With minimal crowds and an incredible amount of gorgeous places to propose, this is an ideal location for privacy and beauty.