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South Vancouver Island Categories
Related Travel Information
Category: South Vancouver Island
Beacon Hill Park and its Petting Zoo
I had a free afternoon on a trip to Victoria BC and I was in possession of a restless four-year-old. The four walls of the hotel room were not conducive to joy and gladness so we made our way to Beacon Hill Park. Beacon Hill Park is located in downtown Victoria and is bordered by Douglas Street to the west and Cook St to the east. It ends at Dallas Road, but if you cross the road, you will see some amazing ocean scenery. There’s a perfectly fine playground in Beacon Hill Park where my child could climb and play […]
Gardens To See in Victoria BC
The world famous Butchart Gardens are often the first stop for anyone seeking out notable local gardens in the Victoria area. Butchart Gardens are a privately owned 22 ha (55 acre) estate that is now a National Historic Site. The gardens are located 23 km (14 miles) north of Victoria and their street address is 800 Benvenuto Avenue in Brentwood Bay. These spectacular gardens were begun over 100 years ago and today close to a million people visit them each year. Visit butchartgardens.com for more details on hours of operation, admission fees and the many featured attractions of the garden […]
Botanical Beach Park in Port Renfrew
For this particular side trip, we were based in Sooke. Port Renfrew is a slow 72 km (45 mi.) east of Sooke. I say slow because Highway 14, also known as the West Coast Road, winds a lot and is comprised of a mixed quality of roadway. It’s best to leave at least 90 minutes for the trip so that you can add on a couple of minutes to reach the Botanical Beach Park parking lot. To make our trip more challenging, we did this in March and the road changes elevations and also a couple of degrees in temperature. […]
Victoria Public Markets
Victoria, British Columbia, is a wonderful place to visit because it boasts the mildest climate in Canada. Therefore, visitors can enjoy many different outdoor attractions and shopping opportunities. One of my favourites is checking out the public markets. There are several different markets open between the months of April and October. Public markets are appealing because they offer a wide range of different items, sold directly by the artisan or grower, which makes it much more personal. Markets may sell a variety of local produce, meat, seafood, cheese, bread, bakery items, along with artwork, handicrafts and jewellery. Even when I […]
Victoria in a Hurry
The editors of this website asked local businesses for the essential recommendations for Victoria. We asked them: “If you imagine that someone has come to you and they are on a totally tight time line, and asked you these questions, what would you tell them?” 1. Where should I eat that I should not miss in Victoria? Answer:Pagliacci’s 1011 Broad Street Victoria, BC V8W 2A1 (250) 386-1662 2. If I only have time for one outdoor activity, what should I see or do in Victoria? Answer:Butchart Gardens 800 Benvenuto Ave Victoria, BC V8M 1J8 (250) 652-4422 3. Is there a […]
Sooke and area Activities
Coastal Sooke, just 35 minutes from Victoria, is a tranquil refuge from the bustle of city life. The area enjoys a relaxed casual lifestyle in a rural setting but still affords many of the amenities of city life. Sooke offers some of the mildest climate in Western Canada, with warm and dry summer months and wet and mild winter months. Sooke, the gateway to the West Coast Road, winds 74 km along the coast to Port Renfrew and the starting point for the world-famous West Coast Trail. This is one of the South Island’s most spectacular drives – it winds […]
Victoria BC Bed and Breakfasts – Something for Everyone.
Victoria BC has a diverse range of appealing attractions and activities so it naturally draws a wide range of visitors who stay at equally diverse bed and breakfasts. There’s something for everyone to do and somewhere for everyone to stay. This tiny part of BC on southern Vancouver Island offers a microcosm of the province including ocean beaches, pretty lakes, rainforest parks and mountain vistas. There are first rate attractions too such as the Butchart Gardens, the Royal BC Museum, Craigdarroch Castle and the Inner Harbour. Visitors enjoy enthralling activities such as whale-watching, kayaking, sailing, fishing, golf, biking and hiking. […]
Curious Victoria BC Street Names
In downtown Victoria many of the streets are predictably named after prominent historic figures – Douglas, Yates, Begbie, Blanshard – or obvious landmarks: Government St., Fort St. But every city also has at least a few curious street names and Greater Victoria is no different. If there is a “Cedar Hill Road”, where is “Cedar Hill”? Why would anyone name a short cul-de-sac “Long Gun Place”? What other city in the world has a “Foul Bay Road”? Cedar Hill is easily identified. It is located at the north end of Cedar Hill Road overlooking Cordova Bay with a commanding view, […]
