There is a hidden gem inside Langford, somewhere that few people know of its existence, and fewer have visited. Florence Lake Cave is truly a mystery yet to be solved. It is not exactly a cave for beginners, it's tricky and somewhat dangerous, and it needs special caving equipment. This cave is challenging and exciting for a professional caver because there are many things to be discovered, and exploring it would be sensational. If you ever visit this uncharted territory, please share your experience with others. There are few rumours about this cave being the largest cave in Greater Victoria. When you get there, remember not to miss the cave located in an underground passageway, chamber or cavity on the side of a cliff. Florence Lake Cave is one of few caves with natural limestone caves on Vancouver Island.
Florence Lake Cave is located at Langford, BC V9B 2Z3, Canada. The closeness to Victoria gives many exciting opportunities to visit places like Miniature World or Victoria's Chinatown and many other tourist attractions.
Whether you want to stay in Langford, there are many options. For golf fans, the Royal Colwood Golf Club is a proper choice. If you have a thing for history, then visit Hatley Castle, a stunning historic landmark. To relax and enjoy the natural surroundings, go to CRD Regional Park. Since the cave is between Langford Lake and Florence Cave, you can hike to the lake and enjoy a nice walk.
From Victoria:
The fastest route from Victoria is via Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N. It is 15.6 km (9.6 mi) and takes about 17 minutes.
Take Government St to Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N for 1.2 km (0.74 mi). Follow Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N to Leigh Rd in Langford. Take exit 16 from Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 N. After 13.4 km (8.3 mi), continue on Leigh Rd and Drive to Donna Ave. By going 1.1 km (0.68 mi) more, you will reach Florence Lake Cave.
From Nanaimo:
The fastest route from Nanaimo is via Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S. It is 97.2 km (60.3 mi) and takes about an hour and 12 minutes.
Take Wallace St. to Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1. After 550 m (1804.4 ft), continue on Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S to Leigh Rd in Langford. Take exit 16 from Trans-Canada Hwy/BC-1 S. Drive 95.7 km (59.4 miles) and continue Leigh Rd. Drive to Donna Ave, and after 900 m (0.5 mi), you will reach Florence Lake Cave.
Unfortunately, there are no trails designated to Florence Lake Cave, mainly because you are pretty much at the cave entrance after you reach the end of Donna ave. From Donna ave to the cave, there was only a 10 to 15 meters (42-50 ft) distance, which couldn't take longer than 5 minutes. It could take longer if you park your car further. For example, if you were to park your car at the Langford Parkway Parking Lot, which is the closest parking lot, it takes about 15 minutes to get there because it's 1.4km (0.86 mi) away. After visiting the cave, if you crave a hike and stretching your legs, start hiking to Langford Lake.
The city of Langford was built on December 8, 1992. Langford's European people settlement history dates back to 1851 when Captain Edward Langford made one of the four Hudson's Bay Company farms in Victoria.
As a tourist, you can count on having a good time in Langford. The city has a lot to offer; activities and places like City Centre Park - Family Fun Park, a sports complex close to Langford Lake and fun games and bowling and mini-golf. It's an excellent place to spend time with your kids, but it may be a little expensive.
You can also visit Cineplex Odeon Westshore Cinemas 2.1 km (1.3 mi) to the southeast and watch a movie with your family.
Flynn VR is 3.6 km (2.2 mi) to the east and offers you an exhilarating experience with VR goggles.
If you want to get relaxed, you can visit a spa. There are many good spas in Langford, such as Da Vinci Spa and pure element wellness.
Langford Lake offers recreational fishing, which is perfect because it's close to the cave, and you can go fishing after caving.
You may have limitations for yourself, but if you are not a beginner at cave exploring, overcome your own limits. Find a hidden gem in Langford, somewhere that few people know. Florence Lake Cave is a mystery waiting to be discovered for professional cavers. Some believe that it is the largest cave in Greater Victoria. Don't waste your time hesitating and pack your bag for a challenge.
.jpg)
Wear decent hiking boots for a moderate hiking trail near Sooke. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is an enjoyable trail that leads you to Grass Lake and featuring Monument Mountain makes it possible to have amazing views from the top. Doing the Grass Lake Trail overnight and camping by the lake turns it into a memorable trip. Enjoy the trail in warmer seasons and get a dip into the lake.
.jpg)
It is time to put your heart into hiking and step into a moderate multi-use trail with some great views along the way and on top. Mount Manuel Quimper has a beautiful summit worth the climb, which gives you excellent vistas of Sooke Harbour and a chance to visit one of the last fire lookouts left on the island.
.jpg)
Here is a highly recommended and well-marked trail for challenges enthusiasts. Hiking on Mount Empress from Sooke Potholes via Mary Vine and Todd Creek Trails offers you insane 360° views of the Sooke Basin, Victoria, and San Juan Islands.
.jpg)
Hiking on the entire East Sooke Coastal Trail is an experience not to be missed! This beautiful trail is a mix of the fantastic coast and beautiful greenery. Hiking boots are required! The route takes you along bluffs and cliffs by the Pacific Ocean that worth it for the views. This well-marked trail can take full-day hiking in East Sooke Regional Park.
.jpg)
The East Sooke Coast and Interior Trail Loop is a well-marked trail with beautiful scenery. It is a combination of an easy access road and a more challenging coastal pass, which offers you incredible viewpoints. This excellent trail is along the Pacific Ocean and allows you to see marine life such as whales from a distance.
Extraordinary opportunities to make your diving experience memorable in the heart of Greater Victoria, including high-ranked spots for diving. These spots provide you with inevitable diving opportunities which allow you to explore the alien underwater world of Victoria's waters saturated with magnificent creatures. Do not miss it for the world.
Looking for a reliable place to go whale watching for the first time on Vancouver Island? Why not starting with Sidney North Saanich Yacht Club, one of the famous Yacht Clubs on the island. You will have the opportunity to observe these gigantic creatures and probably other sea creatures in the waters of the Salish Sea.
Start your whale watching journey with Van Isle Marina, a critical marine zone on Vancouver Island, capable of serving 200 boats simultaneously, which has made it an ideal destination for the fans of whale watching. There is a high chance to observe other sea creatures other than whales.
While exploring Sooke Area, if you happen o take a long calm walk on the Otter Point shoreline, you may see whales from the beach. Otter Point Park provided you with other activities, too, such as hiking, wildlife and birdwatching, and also a scenic nature to appreciate.
As one of the best tourist attractions of Sooke and Vancouver Island, West Coast comprises many outdoor excitements that cannot be denied. You are provided with different wildlife to watch and various food to eat, not to mention that you observe a rare nature that is outstanding. So, chances are high to see different whales and other marine creatures.
.webp)
You would better plan a visit to Cabin Point Coastline between April-September. It is the best time for those preparing for Sooke Whale Watching in one of the famous coastlines for it in the Salish sea. You are given adequate opportunity to gaze upon these marvellous sea creatures.
.webp)
Beechey Head and its loop are two of the hot spots for whale watching in Sooke. In addition to fantastic opportunities for whale watching, Beechey Head is a hiking and nature trip location that offers you excellent activities, such as birdwatching.
.webp)
Spirit Bay has a rich community offering settlings for whale watching lovers beside incredible wildlife; therefore, it would be an excellent point to start your Sooke Whale Watching. Plus, it has a cute beach. You cannot get over the beauty of it and its scenic views.
Featuring wildflowers and fantastic sceneries, Creyke Point Trail is a suitable spot for whale watching, bird watching, and nature trips with splendid beaches and forests. So if you are having a great time in Sooke, remember to stop by Creyke Point to have more fun.
.webp)
Located in the heart of Victoria and adjacent to many whale watching operators, Victoria Harbour Ferry is a starting point for your whale watching tour. Many visitors come here to watch whales annually; not only whale watching but open waterways of Salish make Victoria Harbour Ferry a remarkable place for anglers, wildlife followers and daily tourists.
Spiral Beach in Victoria is where the blue of the sea and sky and the Olympic Mountains at a distance is situated in a perfect picture. There are hills along the beach to stand on for a wide view. Walk on the sands and pebbles with the driftwoods around on the beach. Listen to the waves, walk on the shoreline, and have the storm watching pleasure in the fall and winter.
McNeill Bay has plenty of benches along the seawall to sit and enjoy the landscape of Trial Island, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Olympic Mountain. Do exciting water activities on McNeill Bay Beach and experience its wonderful esplanade and photogenic scenery. It is considered one of the fantastic off-leash dog beaches in Victoria.
Langford is a city on the south coast of Vancouver Island and heaven for golfers. You can stay at lodgings and play at challenging hillside courses and enjoy yourself at luxurious advantages like the Amatista Spa. Beautiful parks surround the city, so go hiking through scenic forests or have peaceful moments beside lakes. Langford offers shops, family activities, sheep farms, and a bike park.
Gonzales Bay is a small scenic bay with a crescent-shaped beach. Its sandy beach is often quiet and peaceful. Walking on the Gonzales Bay beach near the ocean can help to release the world's anxiety. Lie on the beach and see the peaks of Olympic Mountain and enjoy the Mediterrane climate. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the beach from September through May.
A trail leads you to Fisgard Lighthouse NHS, the first lighthouse on the west coast of Canada. This historic lighthouse is still operating, but the entrance is not allowed. The keeper's house is open to the public which comprises wonderful exhibitions. There you can see shipwrecks, far-flung lights, storms, and the working equipment the lightkeepers used about a century ago.
Sooke is known as the Tall Tree Capital of Canada. The area's popularity is mainly based on tourists visiting the wilderness parks, hiking the West Coast Trail and the extremely popular Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Sooke is also famous for its beaches and is a destination for cycling and mountain biking. The arts community of Sooke is vibrant and hosts the annual Sooke Fine Arts Festival.
Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens is a place for history enthusiasts and gardens and interior design lovers. It is a 19th-century Victorian home and garden full of everything nostalgic to you. As one of Victoria's oldest homes, it is located overlooking the scenic and historic Selkirk Water/Gorge Waterway. It includes vegetables, cut flowers, a small fruit orchard, and a greenhouse.
The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria or AGGV is home to artworks from talented artists of Canada and Asia. The building complex of the gallery includes the Spencer Mansion and the exhibition galleries. It also has gardens with a Japanese Shinto shrine. The art gallery is kid-friendly, and the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. The gift shop has gorgeous merchandise.
Located in Victoria, the Royal BC Museum is one of Canada's most significant cultural and historical treasures. It showcases natural wonders and includes artifacts, documents, specimens, and everything slightly relevant to British Columbia's natural and human history. The museum also provides a dynamic forum and a safe space for discussion and reflection.
Miniature World is among the top ten attractions in Victoria. It is the World of Smallness, the World of Story Books, and the World of Fact, Fiction, and Fantasy. It presents villages with different themes such as Camelot or the World's Smallest Operational Sawmill or Space 2201 AD and Avian 1 Spaceship. Miniature World is so unique that you may want to visit it every time you're in Victoria.
If you are a fan of sun and beach, Victoria has the warmest weather in Canada to take a sunbath and swim, and Willows Beach is located in this area. This white sandy beach is south of Willows Park and has protected water suitable for a family vacation. Get the most out of your visit when you are at the park. Have a meal or drink in its cafe with a view of the sea.
Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established to preserve intertidal and subtidal communities that became very rich due to strong tidal currents. It features marine mammals like whales, sea lions and seals, birds like ducks, cormorants, black oyster-catchers and bald eagles. Fish species, marine invertebrates, and animals like marine algae and seagrass are among other inhabitants.
Sitting Lady Falls or Witty's Lagoon Falls with a wonderful forest around, and the moss-covered rocks is a magical place, something out of a fairy tale but near Victoria. The waterfall with 100 m (328 ft) height is divided into two parts, like a fork, making a unique shape worth visiting. The good thing about Sitting Lady Falls is the variety of birds living in the area.
Gallery Merrick is home to many native artists. The purpose of the gallery is to appreciate beauty everywhere we look. The priority of the gallery is to help working artists who make their livings out of their art. Many artists from Vancouver Island, surrounding islands, and across the country exhibit their talents here.
You may have limitations for yourself, but if you are not a beginner at cave exploring, overcome your own limits. Find a hidden gem in Langford, somewhere that few people know. Florence Lake Cave is a mystery waiting to be discovered for professional cavers. Some believe that it is the largest cave in Greater Victoria. Don't waste your time hesitating and pack your bag for a challenge.