Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse NHS

Fort Rodd Hill is an incredibly beautiful and fascinating historical site that I highly recommend visiting. The combination of well-preserved military history, stunning ocean views, and natural beauty makes it a fantastic spot for all ages. The historic fort itself is interesting to explore, with old bunkers, gun batteries, and interpretive signs that bring the past to life. You really get a sense of Canada’s coastal defense history. The Fisgard Lighthouse is a highlight it’s the oldest lighthouse on Canada’s west coast and offers a picture-perfect setting. The views of the ocean and mountains are breathtaking, and the short walk to the lighthouse is easy and rewarding. There’s also a great beach area where you can relax, picnic, or just enjoy the scenery. The grounds are well-maintained, with plenty of open space and walking paths. Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover, photographer, or just looking for a peaceful day outdoors, Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse is a gem. Highly recommended!

These wonderful sits are the blend of military history, maritime heritage, and natural beauty, they offer a unique glimpse into Canada’s past. Whether you love history, coastal landscapes, or storytelling, Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse are unforgettable. Walk along scenic trails with ocean views. Picnic areas and viewpoints perfect for photography. Interactive exhibits and seasonal events (e.g., historical reenactments).

Just visited the oldest lighthouse on the west coast of Canada and learned about the history of this magnificent place. We were amazed by the condition of the lighthouse as it was so well kept. A great place for history, nature and military lovers. Check out their opening hours and programmes before you go.

Absolutely gorgeous! The contrast of the red and white against the coast was beautiful. We came on a Monday in february. There was no wait, plenty of parking, pretty much empty, and there was a bit of rain, but it didn't stop us. There was also a bathroom located at the entrance that was in good condition, considering it was a public park. They offer charging for electric cars in the parking lot.

We spent a wonderful Canada Day at Fort Rodd Hill. The events were engaging and very well organized. We particularly enjoyed the various gun displays run by the Fort Rodd staff. All staff members were extremely knowledgeable and friendly. They even helped us find a place to store our bicycles for the day (as there were so many people visiting the site that even bike parking was full!). The hamburgers that the Legion folks cooked up were a perfect lunch to a perfect day. Great job on making Canada's birthday a special day for all of us Fort Rodd Staff!

One of our favourite scenic places around Victoria! The fort is awesome by itself, you can also go in a lot of the buildings and see what it was like. Also, you can go around the fort to see the lighthouse, and you definitely won't regret going up to it. You can go inside and explore what life was like there and you'll get a great view of the ocean from its balcony. Also, you can just go behind the lighthouse and go up on the rocks to enjoy the view (they even have a couple chairs there). It was an awesome experience which kids would probably also enjoy (there were a lot of camp field trips there). The admission is cheap, there's big proper parking, good clean toilets and nice personnel. We came there right when they opened and we were the only ones there, but closer to noon people start coming since it's a pretty popular place. We also got to see some swallow chicks and they were adorable, but make sure not to disturb them!

You get a pretty view from the rocks around the lighthouse. I wish you could go inside (you can't) but it's worth a stop anyway. The water is clear, the beach pebbly and calm. There are nice restrooms available. The war memorabilia is interesting as well.

Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse is a fantastic destination that blends rich history with breathtaking views. Visiting here feels like stepping back in time, and it’s the perfect spot for anyone interested in Canadian history, coastal defense, or just wanting a scenic, peaceful outing. The fort grounds are well-preserved, with lots of informative displays that tell the story of its role in protecting the coastline. One of the highlights is definitely Fisgard Lighthouse, a stunning landmark that’s been guiding ships since 1860. Walking up to it, you’re treated to panoramic views of the ocean, with mountains in the distance on a clear day. It’s truly beautiful and makes for great photo opportunities.

Canada Parks and Lighthouses [Victoria BC] The beautiful grounds of Fort Rodd Hill was once an active 19th-century west coast artillery fortress from 1895 to 1956. We arrived with just enough time to explore before they took the last visitors in at 4:30p (the grounds close at 5:00p). There is an $8.50 (CAD) admission fee which came out to U.S. $6.25. Wether you like history or not the Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site is worth a visit. I used to fall asleep in History class during high school but as I got older I'm more and more drawn to the subject. We explored all three gun batteries, underground magazines, command posts, guard houses, and barracks. The defensive walls with rifle slots in the Upper Battery were built to fight land assaults. And our self-guided tour was not even enough to cover the entire grounds. There are interpretive signs to read for each point of interests. Clear directional signs are sprinkled throughout to help guide visitors. We spent the last 30 mins at the lighthouse before heading back. One of the best landmarks in Victoria, it used to be in an island but now a causeway was built to join the lighthouse to Fort Rodd Hill. The short hike to the light tower presented beautiful coastal views. Fisgard Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse on Canada's west coast. We were able to go inside and explore but the stairs to the light was not accessible to the public. Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse was about 20-25-mins drive from downtown Victoria. Review #3171

A nice place to see and visit the lighthouse and the nearby military battery. It's a little walk down the hill from the military site to the lighthouse. We enjoyed both places but I really like visiting lighthouses.

This was great! More than we expected. A fort and lighthouse. Lots of buildings to go into. Beautiful views of the sea. Lots of historyy. Be prepared to walk a good deal, self guided tour. Reasonable fee to enter. Glad we stopped.

Free all year for Canada 150! We did a self guided tour. Lots to see and read about. Great views along the water. We were lucky enough to hear all about the Battery Station given by one of the guides. Walking over to the lighthouse we spotted a deer along the ocean edge. I made the boys jump onto the antiaircraft gun and took a cute video of them spinning around. Great for families and especially kids. When we were leaving a wedding party was walking in what a great spot to have a wedding. In the parking lot we saw another group of people getting ready to do some serious role-playing. There's a word for that group but I can't remember what it's called. Oh ya it's LARP! Overall it was a fun day at the Fort.

Loved visiting the oldest lighthouse in Victoria. Easy enough to find in you just get directions through yelp ;) Plenty parking, or seemed that way since we were the only ones visiting haha. There was a bit of light rain on and off but nice to walk nonetheless. There is a little trail you can take, or a straighter one more directly towards the lighthouse. There is a bit of history info in plates if you want to learn about it. Also some cool cannons and bullets displays. In the future there will be a totem, too. We saw it incomplete. The actual fort was been "touched up" so we couldn't go up there, construction tape was around it. Lots of wild geese roaming around that are not scared of people. Beautiful scenery and peaceful walk. The boys loved it.

For Rodd Hill is wonderful historical location and sightseeing location. This fort covers an expensive area. You can tell the Ford has been built during different eras in Canadian history. There are several interactive exhibits with a very interesting Park Rangers. While I was there they were currently undergoing renovations of one of the main areas but still allowed for tons of access to other places. They did a exhibit/demonstration of three firearms used in the Canadian military. They fired blanks and had discussions about the weapons. There's a wonderful/beautiful lighthouse connected to the fort and is definitely worth the walk. This is a very inexpensive, fun, and informative place and I encourage everyone to stop by if you get a chance.

Great look into the history of the west coast. It has gone downhill over the years but constant improvements and really neat areas to explore make this one of the best walks in all of Victoria. If you like military and nautical history, this is a must visit.

We spent way too little time here. There is quite a lot to see. We wandered around just a bit, but were hard pressed for time, so we bee-lined for the lighthouse. We were not disappointed. It's a gorgeous lighthouse and the history around it makes it even more special. Its honestly one of those picturesque lighthouses that you always see in photographs, but you're not sure actually exist. There is also a rich history here and they have people on site who are educated on the history and memorabilia. They also have times when they give free presentations on the Fort.

I wanted to love Fort Rodd Hill so much, and I was super encouraged by all the rave Yelp reviews before visiting. Unfortunately, I just don't see what everyone else is seeing. I love historic sites, so I thought this would be a home run, but the whole facility was out of date, and lacking in any interesting content. A significant number of the displays were damaged from sun or salt exposure, and most of the rooms I went into were empty. There was a special display about women in the first and second world wars, but the handout boxes were empty. The "games" in the lighthouse were all broken or out of service. I agree that the lighthouse is pretty, and that the views around the area are very nice. It's also a bonus that admission is free for Canada's 150th birthday. I visited with my husband, and we worked really hard to read and look at everything and we spent just over an hour. To be fair, a large section was closed for renovations, but their website said nothing about this when I looked prior to visiting. My visit was pleasant overall, but I did apologize to my husband for planning such a lame activity when we got back to the car.

So, I am trying to do a 48 hour tour of Victoria, so I take off on an adventure around the island. I found this site upon accident on my google map....So I arrive and I look and I go, Gezzz I really don't want to go way out there just to get a cool picture of this lighthouse.....So my debate is if it's over 5 bucks I am not going in.....Well it's 3.90 so of course off to the hike we go......Best decision I made all trip...Great little tour and Canadian fort, great history and of course my awesome selfie with the lighthouse...Killed more than 2 hours here just being at peace with nature, and the beautiful scenery. Highly recommended just to get back with your nature ways.

I'll start this review by saying this wasn't my idea. My wife wanted to see a lighthouse. I'm never against seeing Canadian history so I thought we'd give it a try. We pull into the parking lot and see some amazing guns on display. The parking was free by the way. It cost was $7.80 for 2 adults, cheap enough it definitely worth checking out! We slowly walked the grounds to one spot and admired the history involved. Fantastic picture opportunities. There is lots to see so I recommend to get there fairly early so you don't have to rush. It closes fairly early. We unfortunately visited while they were doing concrete maintenance so the lower battery was cordoned off. Regardless we had a great time checking out officers quarters and such. Then the best part though was the walk to the water and the view of the amazing Fisgard Lighthouse. Amazing opportunity for pictures. We spent hours here. It was peaceful and fun. I highly recommend this! Words don't even describe the views that my wife and I saw here!

Great educational walk on a weekend afternoon! Very cool stuff! Staff are friendly and helpful. People were doing wedding photos what a great little spot for it! Old buildings and interactive displays, we all enjoyed our trip!

Nice find. It's quite a drive from inner bay but definitely worth the time. We were able to get in for free while some of the spots were closed for Netflix to shoot Van Helsing. This place is full of history & gets really spooky at the lighthouse.

Fort Rodd is an extremely beautiful place to visit. The only problem I had with this place is most definitely how far it is form public transportation. Two bus rides, and a rather long walk later we arrived in Fort Rodd. Also 10 am - 5pm? Why Victoria? Why do you close everything so early?! But I must digress. The entry fee was $3.90 for adults in terms of attractions in Victoria this is extremely cheap. Fort Rodd is an extremely interesting piece of history that was built to defend the Victoria naval base. Areas of this exhibit are wheelchair accesible but many of the exhibits have stairs such as the light house and many of the beautiful side trails are really only available by walking. If you're interested in old arterily, vehicles, and the interior of old bases of operations (some of which are so creepy they would make for a good halloween attraction or a spooky video game) this place is for you. This place has many beautiful views if you walk along the side trails of the water, and the lighthouse is just gorgeous. And their are deer, and other critters running around the sight, as well as endangered species of plants. I also have to say that the lady at the front desk was super helpful. She gave us directions back to the bus (we kinda got lost on the way there) , as well as telling us the best trails go around on, and even gave us map directions.

This is one of our favorite spots :) The lighthouse museum is so well archived - we've visited a number of similar sites and this one is by far the most interesting. Letters, and bios of lighthouse keepers bring the place to life. Pack a picnic/snacks.... there aren't very many food options close-by and you could spend all day there.

Take an afternoon (or morning) and enjoy strolling through these beautiful grounds and soaking up the history and the views. Once you've toured the Fort Rodd Hill, walk out to the Lighthouse and see what it was like for those who lived there years ago. Beaches everywhere! During the summer they have great activities for the whole family.

Great place for families on Canada Day. If only it could be used to view fireworks. Lots of open space for things to do.

Big beautiful park, interesting historical exhibits. Nice little day trip, worth a visit!

These National Historic Sites are worth a visit. The entry fee is nominal and I was there for hours. I'm not into war history but checking out the fortress is still interesting. The views of the mountains and harbor make up for it even if you are just along for the ride. They have done a very good job of turning the lighthouse, the first built on Canada's west coast, into an info center/mini museum. It was nice to see they've preserved the land well enough that deer are still running around. Upon approaching the harbor shoreline, I found it to be really smelly, but so be it. This excursion makes for a lovely little day trip.

My family & I really enjoyed visiting these National Historic Sites. We spent 2 1/2-3 hours exploring the different buildings/batteries & walking around the large grounds. We even spotted a couple of elk. We had a beautiful sunny day in March to enjoy the stunning views of the Juan de Fuca Strait. The working lighthouse was very picturesque. The Park Ranger working there was friendly and informative. It was definitely a worthwhile outing and very affordable too.