Victoria in March
Discover the Spectacular Things to See and Do During Your Visit

If you are planning a trip to Victoria in March, then you’ve probably got questions like:

what’s the weather going to be like
what to pack and what to wear while you are here
what’s happening in Victoria in March
what are some things to do
and what local food is in season

If you’re visiting in March, you'll notice that we can be rather smug about the fact that we are counting flower blooms while the rest of country is counting inches - or even feet - of snow! It's true, in early March each year, the entire region is encouraged to participate in counting flower blooms and recording the count on the Victoria flower count tracker. That's right - our flowers have their own website and in 2019, we counted over 44 billion (with a "b") blossoms!

Depending on the year, Easter may or may not fall in March. In 2020, Good Friday is in April. There are no statutory holidays in March 2020.

As of 2019, British Columbia still recognizes Daylight Savings Time although our Government has been engaged in public consultation and we may choose to abolish this tradition. For now though, the clocks are set to move ahead one hour on Sunday, March 8, 2020.

Spring is such a beautiful time here in Victoria. The days are longer and brighter and warmer and drier. People are anxious to get outside and with good reason. The grass is green, the trees are budding and the spring flowers are blooming. Find our favourite spots to see cherry blossoms. It is the calm before the storm. Soon the first cruise ship will arrive and the city will be bustling with activity until October.

Check out this awesome adult paint-by-number kit!

Weather in March

Things start warming up nicely in Victoria in March with average highs of 11 degrees and lows between 1 and 2 degrees. It is also considerably drier with average precipitation of 21 mm. The chance of snow in March is extremely remote.

Pine cones opening up in spring.

One of my favourite sounds at this time of year is the snap, crackle and pop of the pine cones opening up. I can watch the puff of pollen being released into the air and listen to the delightful sounds from my deck. It is a wonderful reminder of the new season unfolding. If you haven't heard this beautiful spring sound, get yourself to a park - such as Beacon Hill on a warm early spring day and listen to the trees come to life.

Dressing for the Weather

Most of us are ready to ditch the winter gear in favour of lighter jackets and sweaters. Those of us who wear a 3-in-1 jacket usually separate the layers at this time of the year and either wear the fleece by itself or the waterproof jacket by itself. You do not usually need both layers in March during the day although there is a good chance you may want both when it cools down in the evening.

Not sure what a 3-in-1 jacket is? Refer to Victoria in February for a description.

I personally wear a 3-in-1 by Columbia although if I could find one to fit, I’d likely wear an Arc’teryx jacket. They are stylish, functional jackets designed and tested here in British Columbia.

Mt Baker in March from Mt Tolmie

What's in Season

Several of our local restaurants take advantage of local seafood, meats, cheeses, breads, beers, wines and produce. March is still slim pickings for fresh fruits and vegetables but there is a variety of seafood available.

Fruits & Veggies

Cabbage (savoy and red)
Kale
Leeks
Mushrooms
Onions (red/yellow)

Apples

Seafood & Herbs

Clams
Cod: Pacific
Crab
Crab: Dungeness
Flounder/Sole: Pacific
Herring
Mussels
Oysters: Pacific
Prawns: Jumbo
Sablefish (Black Cod)
Scallops
Shrimp: Side Stripe
Shrimp: West Coast

Bay Leaves
Chervil
Cilantro
Fennel
Parsley
Rosemary
Sage
Savory
Sorrel
Thyme

Things to Do in Victoria in March

Locals love to get outside and enjoy nature at this time of year. We have a wonderful network of fairly flat and accessible trails throughout the region suitable for every member of the family.

The main trail is the Galloping Goose Trail which connects to the Lochside trail heading to Sidney and the E&N trail that goes through View Royal and Esquimalt. The entire network connects Sidney to Sooke.

You'll see families and people of all ages out and about on their scooters and bikes or walking or jogging.

The network of trails goes right through our downtown core and now includes easy access to our dedicated bike lanes.

There are several places to rent bikes if you want to join them. Check out our Adventure Tours Travel Guide for contact info.

In addition to getting outside, it seems we really like thinking about beer in March! Just check out all these beer-related activities below.

Festivals and Events include:

02-Jan-20 to 31-Mar-20 - Lego Exhibition, Sidney Museum
28-Feb-20 to 1-Mar-20 - Victoria Early Home Renovation & Decor Show, G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre
6-Mar-20 to 14-Mar-20 - Victoria Beer Week(s), Victoria Public Market
8-Mar-20 - Home Brewing Workshop, Moon Under Water Brewery
8-Mar-20 - Publican's Picks, Spinnakers
11-Mar-20 - Beer Cocktails Competition, Lure Restaurant & Bar
4-Mar-20 to 11-Mar-20 - Greater Victoria Flower Count
7-Mar-20 and 14-Mar-20 -Street Eats Brewery Tour, West Coast Brewery Tours
7-Mar-20 to 8-Mar-20 - Victoria Womens Expo, G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre
8-Mar-20 - Daylight Savings Time begins, clocks go ahead one hour
14-Mar-20 - Brewmasters Brunch, Swans Brewery, Pub & Hotel
10-Mar-20 - 55 + Lifestyle Show, G.R. Pearkes Recreation Centre
17-Mar-20 - St Patrick's Day
20-Mar-20 to 22-Mar-20 - Capital City Comic Con, Victoria Conference Centre and Crystal Garden