| Situated on the southern tip of Vancouver | | | | unique, visit Sooke Harbor House. Set |
| Island, Victoria is a beautiful coastal city | | | | against a spectacular backdrop of the Olympic |
| of more than 300,000 people. The capital | | | | Mountains and Juan de Fuca Strait, this is |
| city of British Columbia, It boasts many | | | | the original and most authentic of west coast |
| historic buildings and some of the most | | | | cuisine restaurants. Sooke Harbour House |
| fascinating museums in Western Canada. The | | | | uses only BC ingredients in its dishes, |
| city benefits from one of Canada's mildest | | | | sourced as locally as possible. Savour |
| climates, which allows its residents to | | | | seafood unique to Pacific Northwest waters, |
| pursue outdoor pleasures all year round. | | | | tender meats from nearby farms, local berries |
| Often called the "Garden City" Victoria also | | | | as well as fresh herbs, vegetables and |
| enjoys some of the country's most | | | | flowers grown on the grounds. Sip wine from |
| exhilarating scenery: there's an ocean or | | | | one of the most magnificent wine cellars in |
| mountain vista around every corner, while the | | | | the world, recipient of Wine Spectator |
| city's flower gardens are famous the world | | | | Magazine's Grand Award in 2003. Sooke |
| over. Whether your taste runs to hiking, | | | | Harbour House is 40 minutes by car north of |
| biking and fishing (appropriate license(s) | | | | downtown Victoria via Highways 1 and 14. We |
| required) or you're more the shopping, dining | | | | can't leave Victoria without mentioning the |
| and theatre type, there are no end of | | | | custom of afternoon tea in Victoria, |
| delights for you and your family in | | | | introduced by the British in the 19th |
| Victoria.If, as the late Victorians believed, | | | | century. Tearooms all over the city serve |
| gardening is physically, morally and | | | | afternoon tea in quaint, intimate |
| psychologically uplifting, then Victoria must | | | | environments. For a grand experience in the |
| have the world's healthiest population! Mild | | | | most British of traditions, nothing surpasses |
| temperatures, occasional rain in summer and | | | | the Fairmont Empress Hotel's exquisite, |
| frequent sunshine create ideal growing | | | | silver-service afternoon tea.Never |
| conditions for a vast variety of flowers, | | | | experienced the delights of afternoon tea? |
| shrubs and trees. You'll find flowers in | | | | It's a dainty and delicious between-meals |
| bloom here year-round: lilacs and | | | | repast, generally served with china cups and |
| rhododendrons in spring, alyssum and | | | | plates. Some of the most popular menu items |
| heliotrope in summer, roses and goldenrod in | | | | are tea that is often an exclusive "house" |
| fall, as well as cherry blossoms, daffodils | | | | blend, fresh berries, finger sandwiches and |
| and pansies in winter.More than a million | | | | scones topped with preserves and thick |
| people visit Butchart Gardens each year to | | | | cream.After sampling all that good food, |
| enjoy floral displays and themed gardens on a | | | | there's still time to visit one or more of |
| scale seen in only a handful of places in the | | | | Victoria's museums. The Royal British |
| world. Seven hundred varieties of bedding | | | | Columbia Museum, Helmcken House and the |
| plants provide continuous bloom over 22 ha | | | | Maritime Museum of British Columbia are all |
| (55 acres) from March through October. In | | | | within walking distance of the city's |
| summer, multi-hued "Night Illuminations" make | | | | downtown core. They cut a wide swathe |
| strolling through the gardens a magical | | | | through the history of the province, from |
| experience. The Gardens are a 30-minute | | | | prehistoric times to the present day. |
| drive north of downtown Victoria via Highway | | | | Outside the city, but still within easy |
| 17.Butchart Gardens has grown in size | | | | reach, are the Sooke Region Museum and BC |
| gradually over 100 years. It is still | | | | Aviation Museum. There's something to |
| operated by descendents of Jennie Butchart, | | | | interest everyone in Victoria's engaging |
| who started it all when she attempted to | | | | museums.And finally, if you don't like |
| beautify a worked-out cement quarry near her | | | | flowers, food, or museums, how about whale |
| home with a few blooms. There is an | | | | watching? Few experiences compare to |
| admission fee in effect and you should allow | | | | witnessing a 5,000-kg (12,000-lb) Orca arcing |
| 1-3 hours minimum for your tour.Victoria's | | | | out of the water and landing with a splash |
| oldest municipal park with 200 acres, Beacon | | | | that can be heard for several kilometres. No |
| Hill, handily accommodates both nature lovers | | | | wonder, then, that whale watching has become |
| and sports enthusiasts. The park's paved and | | | | such a popular activity in Victoria. Tours |
| cedar-chip walking trails wind past manicured | | | | leave from the Inner Harbour, the community |
| lawns, picturesque bridges, quiet lakes and | | | | of Oak Bay, Sooke and Sidney. You may also |
| ponds as well as themed gardens that are in | | | | spot seals, porpoises, eagles, sea lions and |
| full bloom from mid-May through October. The | | | | marine birds along the way. Get ready for a |
| recreational venues at Beacon Hill Park are | | | | real adventure! Most tours take about three |
| many: soccer fields, baseball diamonds, | | | | hours. The best time for whale watching is |
| tennis courts, putting green, 100-year-old | | | | during the feeding season, May through |
| cricket pitch, petting zoo, spray pools and | | | | November.Victoria, British Columbia is a |
| playgrounds.If you have worked up an appetite | | | | truly blessed city. Great views are just a |
| after all that walking, with over 600 | | | | happy fact of life in Greater Victoria. |
| restaurants in the Victoria area, there's a | | | | Mountains, sweeps of island-dotted ocean and |
| dining experience to suit everyone's tastes. | | | | beautiful gardens are just par for the course |
| Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and bordered | | | | on urban, waterfront walkways. And you |
| by the farms of the Saanich Peninsula, | | | | needn't travel far for sweeping vistas of the |
| Victoria chefs specialize in using local | | | | whole region: a number of trails to mountain |
| ingredients, with worldly results.For a | | | | summit viewpoints are less than a half-hour's |
| dining experience that is both gourmet and | | | | drive from city centre. |