Oak Bay, BC

Know the town

About Oak Bay

Oak Bay is a small seaside municipality just east of downtown Victoria, known for tree-lined streets, carefully tended gardens and a slower pace than the city next door. Its gentle, traditional character earned it the old local nickname “behind the tweed curtain,” and it remains one of the most walkable and village-like corners of Greater Victoria.

Oak Bay Village

The heart of the community is Oak Bay Avenue, lined with independent shops, bakeries, galleries, bookstores and cafés. It feels like a small-town main street, and locals still do much of their shopping on foot. Seasonal events, from summer night markets to holiday celebrations, bring the avenue to life throughout the year.

Beaches and the shoreline drive

Willows Beach is Oak Bay’s classic sandy beach, with a promenade, a park and calm water for summer swims. Beach Drive follows the shoreline past rocky points and coves, looking out over Haro Strait to the American islands and, when the sky is clear, the snowy cone of Mount Baker. At Cattle Point, a rocky headland in Uplands Park, you can launch a kayak or simply watch the tide; the park also protects some of the region’s rare Garry oak meadows, which bloom with wildflowers in spring. Oak Bay Marina is home to sailboats, fishing charters and a waterfront restaurant.

Neighbourhoods

The Uplands, planned in the early 1900s with curving roads and large wooded lots, is one of the best-known residential areas in the region. Part of the University of Victoria lies within Oak Bay, and the neighbourhoods near the campus are popular with families and faculty alike.

Getting here

Oak Bay is about ten minutes by car or a short bus ride from downtown Victoria, and it borders Saanich to the north. The scenic drive along the water is a favourite for cyclists.

The verified local businesses of Oak Bay are listed below, with any events coming up in the area.

For council, permits, garbage and recycling, parks bookings and other local services, visit District of Oak Bay.