Discover Colwood

Colwood combines distinctive natural places with traces of its history. At Esquimalt Lagoon, the focus is on migratory birds and water, while Fort Rodd Hill recalls the area’s military past. Parks, hiking trails and historic sites offer different ways to shape your stay. If you’re looking for a vacation rental in Colwood, these varied highlights can help shape your idea of the trip.

Esquimalt Lagoon: Lagoon and Migratory Birds

Esquimalt Lagoon National Migratory Bird Sanctuary is a large, shallow lagoon. A sandbar encloses it, and a tidal channel connects the water to the sea at one point. The lagoon is one of seven migratory bird sanctuaries in British Columbia and an important stopover for birds migrating between North and South America. This makes both the lagoon’s distinctive shape and the area’s role for migrating birds central features.

Esquimalt Lagoon is also a popular spot for birdwatching and kayaking. Travelers who enjoy observing nature will find a different focus here than on a visit to Colwood’s historic sites. Both interests can be taken into account when planning, without combining them into a single experience.

Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse

Fort Rodd Hill is a 19th-century artillery fortress on the west coast. It was in active service from 1895 to 1956. Visitors can explore its three gun batteries, underground ammunition magazines, command posts, guardhouses, barracks and searchlight emplacements. The different sections show how many facilities a fortress of this kind comprised: in addition to the batteries, the grounds include magazines, accommodation and observation and searchlight positions.

Another historic landmark is Fisgard Lighthouse, considered the oldest lighthouse on Canada’s west coast. Together with Fort Rodd Hill, it offers a reason to take an interest in historic structures and their different functions during your trip. If you’re traveling with children, you can include these places as discovery destinations in your holiday plans and choose the day’s focus according to your interests.

Forest, Trails and Views

The parks also differ in the trail features described. Havenwood Park is a 40-acre wooded park with a network of well-maintained hiking trails. Within the park, Olympic View Trail climbs to a viewpoint above the forest. This gives the trail a clearly defined destination: the climb leads to a view over the wooded surroundings.

At Hatley Castle, on the shore of Esquimalt Lagoon in Colwood, the surroundings are shaped by gardens and mature forest. Numerous hiking trails run throughout the grounds. At Latoria Creek Park, well-maintained trails cross the creek over several bridges. These places offer different landscape experiences: forest trails, a viewpoint and paths that cross the creek several times.

Colwood on Foot and by Bike

The Galloping Goose Regional Trail runs through Colwood and connects the city on foot or by bike to downtown Victoria and the wider region, without requiring you to use a busy road. For 55 km, from Victoria to Sooke, the trail follows a former railway line. Its length and route make it a distinctive option for anyone who would like to include a longer walk or bike ride in their trip; they do not automatically imply a particular stage length.

History in the Cityscape

Smaller historic sites also add to the picture of Colwood. The city acquired St. John the Baptist Heritage Church in 1993, and the church received official heritage status. Some of Colwood’s founding families are named on the gravestones at Colwood Pioneer Cemetery. The area’s history thus includes not only the artillery fortress and lighthouse but also a church with heritage status and names that recall Colwood’s early families.

When planning your trip, you can consider whether you’d like to focus mainly on the lagoon and birdwatching, trails through forests and parks, or historic sites. Colwood offers a range of themes that can also help guide your vacation rental search, depending on the kind of stay you’re looking for.

Discover more destinations here: Port Renfrew, Saanichton, Langford, Saanich, Mayne, Saturna, Pender Island, North Saanich.

For the broader travel overview: Capital Regional District.