Looking for a quick spring getaway with the fam? A visit to British Columbia will not only leave you and your crew refreshed, but a little smarter. Victoria, BC has a rich and rugged history that began with First Nations people, the original inhabitants of Vancouver Island, and later evolved into a popular trading post and site of the gold rush. So pack up your littlest travelers, leave your car behind and hit this popular tourist destination where you can see the influence of the people throughout the city.

Bug Out with The Victoria Bug Zoo

If you've got a little entomologist, he or she will likely bug out over The Victoria Bug Zoo. Stick insects, hairy tarantulas, beetles and scorpions will fascinate insect lovers big (and small). It's a mini-zoo, only two rooms, and the bevy of bugs are contained in tanks. Tours are always going on, so you might even get cuddly with one or two creepy crawlies. The Bug Zoo’s goal is to give visitors a unique experience and hopefully dismantle some of the negative bug stereotypes. An import-ANT goal. Psst... speaking of ants, be sure to check out the leaf cutter ant colony. You and your sidekick will likely be transfixed as you watch thousands of leaf cutter ants travel through tubes bedecked on a wall of the Bug Zoo.

631 Courtney St
Victoria, BC
1-250-384-2847
Online: victoriabugzoo.ca

Cost: $12/Adults; $8/Youth (5-17); 4 & under Free
Hours: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sat.-Sun., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

photo: Natalia Dotto Photography

Will you be planning a trip to Victoria, BC this spring? Where will you visit? Tell us in the Comments below.

— Natalia Dotto