Parks & Nature
Explore the great outdoors in Oak Bay! A paradise for nature enthusiasts, Oak Bay offers cycling, hiking, beach walks, wildlife spotting, boating, fishing, and paddling. It's a daily adventure for locals and visitors alike.
Ocean River Sports is a premier specialty kayak and outdoor gear store with over 35 years in the business. Ocean River also provides a world-class kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding school, tours, and rentals.
At Lokier Gardens you’ll find a small developed garden with roses, shrubs, flowers, and benches. This setting provides passersby the opportunity to sit and enjoy its colourful beauty. The Park is named for former Hamiota Street resident Thomas Lokier, who built the iron entrance gates and donated funds for many of the original plants.
A developed multi-sports park area with playing fields, a park pavilion, Windsor Park also offers a wheelchair accessible children’s play area, a rose garden (heritage designation), and a scented garden. In addition to its sports focus, the park also provides more relaxed activities as well, with a picnic and play area, sitting areas, and indoor (rentable) meeting rooms in a completely rebuilt building on the original site.
Trafalgar Park
An undeveloped natural area with waterfront access, steeply sloping to the ocean with a scenic viewpoint from the parking lot at the top of the hill. This park provides an easily accessible scenic viewpoint from King George Terrace to enjoy beautiful views of the ocean and mountains, with trails across a rugged area sloping steeply to the waterfront and beach access. Some endangered plant species and ecosystems are present in the park, so please stick to existing trails.
The Teahouse at Abkhazi Gardens offers four-star guest service and exceptional food in a beautiful setting, providing guests with unforgettable memories. Seasonal menus showcase regional or Abkhazi Garden-grown produce, complementing the garden's appearance when it’s in bloom.
Kitty Islet is located right along the east side of McNeill Bay. Not your typical park, this natural waterfront brings you closer to marine life and water vessels. Enjoy peaceful views of Trial Island and the Olympic Mountains on the wooden Adirondack chairs perched on the rocky bluffs, ideal for bird watching, fishing, and sea lion watching. Please note that access can be limited at times due to the tides.
Cattle Point
Cattle Point is a part of Uplands Park, runs along the coastline of Oak Bay, and offers spectacular vantage points of the Salish Sea. There is ample parking, picnic tables and benches, a boat ramp located at Cattle Point, as well as a paved walkway down to Willows Beach. In the evenings, Cattle Point is renowned for its starry sky views.
What makes Uplands Park so unique is that it features over 30 hectares of undeveloped, natural, protected parkland and provides views into the Garry Oak meadows. The park has one of the greatest concentrations of rare plant species in all of Canada. Folks will find well-used, informal trails, and a manicured area with an Oak Bay War Memorial.
This garden is a landmark at the corner of Beach Drive and Margate Street, and is an intrinsic part of the neighbourhood. The Oak Bay Native Plant Garden also serves an important ecological purpose as a green space and nature reserve for plants indigenous to southern Vancouver Island — many of which are endangered by development.
Willows Beach is one of the most popular swimming and beach spots in all of Greater Victoria. Enjoy long strolls along the sandy shore and wade in the protected waters all year round. Great for kids and families! The area features a playground and large grassy park, with washrooms, change rooms, picnic tables, benches, and evening outdoor concerts. There’s a popular concession stand called Willows Tea Room where you can find fries, hot dogs, sandwiches, beverages, ice cream, and poutine!
Walbran Park
This park is often referred to by locals as “Gonzales Hill." It is accessible from Denison Road with limited roadside parking and offers scenic views from a historical WWII lookout. This park provides viewpoints where you can enjoy magnificent views of the ocean, mountains, and the surrounding urban and waterfront landscape, as well as the opportunity to learn of the historical and conservation significance of the area via historical plaques.