Colleen’s guidebook
Sightseeing
Great family friendly nature experience close to town.
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Goldstream Provincial Park
Great family friendly nature experience close to town.
Great place for dog-walking. Also a historic site.
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Iphakamisa yeMacaulay Point
304 Clifton TerraceGreat place for dog-walking. Also a historic site.
Beautiful Park featuring Rose Gardens, Duck ponds, a petting zoo and a great place for a picnic.
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Beacon Hill Park
100 Cook StBeautiful Park featuring Rose Gardens, Duck ponds, a petting zoo and a great place for a picnic.
Beautiful historic castle and gardens, closer and much more intimate than Butchart Gardens.
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I-Hatley Castle
2005 Sooke RdBeautiful historic castle and gardens, closer and much more intimate than Butchart Gardens.
Just up the hill behind our house! A great place for dog walking, or just take in the view.
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Highrock Park
Just up the hill behind our house! A great place for dog walking, or just take in the view.
Izithunywa ze-Butchart
800 Benvenuto AveVictoria's world famous gardens!
Take a walk along the Inner harbour, check out the buskers and maybe have a cocktail in the historic Empress Hotel.
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Hotel Fairmont Empress
721 Government StTake a walk along the Inner harbour, check out the buskers and maybe have a cocktail in the historic Empress Hotel.
Take the Harbour Ferries to Fisherman's Wharf for fish and chips and ice cream cones!
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Iphakamisa Fisherman's Wharf
12 Erie StTake the Harbour Ferries to Fisherman's Wharf for fish and chips and ice cream cones!
Go on whale safari with local guides.
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PRINCE OF WHALES Whale & Marine Wildlife Adventures
812 Wharf StGo on whale safari with local guides.
Great views of the Inner Harbour, with great restaurants and easy to walk around and explore.
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Downtown
Great views of the Inner Harbour, with great restaurants and easy to walk around and explore.
Canada's oldest Chinatown, this historic district is easy to walk around and explore and has great food!
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Victoria Chinatown
500 Fisgard StCanada's oldest Chinatown, this historic district is easy to walk around and explore and has great food!
Discover British Columbia's history of First Nations Peoples and British and Spanish Explorers, the gold rush, fishing, logging and mining + There's a giant Woolly Mammoth!
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I-Royal BC Museum
675 Belleville StDiscover British Columbia's history of First Nations Peoples and British and Spanish Explorers, the gold rush, fishing, logging and mining + There's a giant Woolly Mammoth!
Walk around one of Canada's best Historic sites on the West Coast.
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Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse NHS
603 Fort Rodd Hill RdWalk around one of Canada's best Historic sites on the West Coast.
Walk along the water, explore and take in some of the best views in Victoria.
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Willows Beach
EsplanadeWalk along the water, explore and take in some of the best views in Victoria.
If it's hot and you need to go to the beach, let's go to Witty's!
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Witty's Lagoon
525 Witty Beach RdIf it's hot and you need to go to the beach, let's go to Witty's!
Looking for an adventure? Take the small Ferry from Sidney to Sidney Spit, part of the Gulf Islands National Park system.
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Sidney Island
Looking for an adventure? Take the small Ferry from Sidney to Sidney Spit, part of the Gulf Islands National Park system.
Walk along the river, and if it's a hot summer day, bring your swimsuit and take a dip in the refreshing water.
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Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
Sooke River RoadWalk along the river, and if it's a hot summer day, bring your swimsuit and take a dip in the refreshing water.
Take a walk in tranquil Swan Lake Park, feed the ducks and you'll probably see more wildlife here than in Pacific Rim National park!
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Swan Lake
Take a walk in tranquil Swan Lake Park, feed the ducks and you'll probably see more wildlife here than in Pacific Rim National park!
Food scene
Great views of the water and good food.
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Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub & GuestHouses
308 Catherine StGreat views of the water and good food.
There's a restaurant side and a pub side, the food's great and this historic restaurant is haunted!
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Four Mile House Restaurant
199 Island HwyThere's a restaurant side and a pub side, the food's great and this historic restaurant is haunted!
If you're into cider and food, check out the Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse.
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Sea Cider
2487 Mt St Michael RdIf you're into cider and food, check out the Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse.
Great Thai Food, and it's only a three minute drive away!
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Thai Green Elephant Restaurant
809 Craigflower RdGreat Thai Food, and it's only a three minute drive away!
Looking for good sushi that's really close? Sushi Story is only a four minute drive away.
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Sushi Story
612 Head StLooking for good sushi that's really close? Sushi Story is only a four minute drive away.
Ferris' Grill & Garden Patio
536 Yates StOne of the best places to eat downtown.
Located right on Fisherman's Wharf - The place for Fish and Chips in Victoria
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Barb's Fish and Chips
1 Dallas RdLocated right on Fisherman's Wharf - The place for Fish and Chips in Victoria
Don't want to go all the way down to Barb's? Salty's is only a three minute drive from here!
Salty's Fish & Chips
1008 Craigflower RoadDon't want to go all the way down to Barb's? Salty's is only a three minute drive from here!
If you're exploring past Sooke out to Jordan River, the Juan de Fuca Trail and Port Renfrew, make sure to stop at Shirley Delicious!
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Shirley Delicious
2794 Sheringham Point RdIf you're exploring past Sooke out to Jordan River, the Juan de Fuca Trail and Port Renfrew, make sure to stop at Shirley Delicious!
One of the better seafood places downtown.
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Nautical Nellies Steak & Seafood House
1001 Wharf StOne of the better seafood places downtown.
Don't want to head all the way into town for a great restaurant? Then check out Glo - it's only about a 7 minute drive from here.
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Glo Restaurant + Lounge
2940 Jutland RdDon't want to head all the way into town for a great restaurant? Then check out Glo - it's only about a 7 minute drive from here.
Fol Epi have a couple of places in town, but our favorite is on Harbour Road - we can ride our bikes to it.
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Fol Epi
398 Harbour RdFol Epi have a couple of places in town, but our favorite is on Harbour Road - we can ride our bikes to it.
One of our favorite restaurants in town for special occasions.
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Blue Crab Seafood House
146 Kingston StOne of our favorite restaurants in town for special occasions.
Devine makes both wine and spirits - red and white wines, whisky and gin and even a honey-based rum!
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Devine Distillery & Winery
6181B Old West Saanich RdDevine makes both wine and spirits - red and white wines, whisky and gin and even a honey-based rum!
Deep Cove Winery is one of the best wineries on the peninsula. They make a great Rose!
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Deep Cove Winery
11195 Chalet RdDeep Cove Winery is one of the best wineries on the peninsula. They make a great Rose!
Sometimes you just want McDonald's - and this one's only a five minute drive away (about a 15 - 20 minute walk)
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McDonald's
1567 Cedar Hill Cross RdSometimes you just want McDonald's - and this one's only a five minute drive away (about a 15 - 20 minute walk)
It's a hot summer day and you just need a Blizzard - this one is about 7 minutes from here.
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Dairy Queen Grill & Chill
3993 Quadra StIt's a hot summer day and you just need a Blizzard - this one is about 7 minutes from here.
Neighbourhoods
Home to Canada's Pacific Fleet, Esquimalt is home to some great restaurants, and special parks like Macauley Point, Saxe Point and High Rock Park.
Esquimalt
Home to Canada's Pacific Fleet, Esquimalt is home to some great restaurants, and special parks like Macauley Point, Saxe Point and High Rock Park.
Home to the Parliament buildings, Beacon Hill Park and the Ogden Point Cruise Ship Terminal.
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James Bay
Home to the Parliament buildings, Beacon Hill Park and the Ogden Point Cruise Ship Terminal.
Walk along the Inner Harbour Pathway, have lunch at Fol Epi, rent kayaks and paddle along the Gorge Waterway and then have dinner at Spinnaker's Brew Pub.
Victoria West
Walk along the Inner Harbour Pathway, have lunch at Fol Epi, rent kayaks and paddle along the Gorge Waterway and then have dinner at Spinnaker's Brew Pub.
Want to get around Victoria by Bike? Use the Galloping Goose Trail, which connects to both the Lochside Trail in Saanich, and the E&N Trail, which is right by our house!
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Galloping Goose Trail
Galloping Goose TrailWant to get around Victoria by Bike? Use the Galloping Goose Trail, which connects to both the Lochside Trail in Saanich, and the E&N Trail, which is right by our house!
Izeluleko zedolobha
Ukuzulazula
A car is the best way to get around
A car is the best way to get around, but we are on a bus route -
And our house is right by the E&N bike and walk path, that connects to the Galloping Goose bike trail in Victoria, Langford and Sooke and the Lochside bike trail in Saanich that goes all the way to the BC Ferry terminal at Swartz Bay
Bhukha ngaphambi kokuthi uhambe
Whale watching and Butchart Gardens
You'll definitely need to book before you go if you're planning on going whale watching. If you're heading up to Butchart Gardens, check out their website at www.butchartgardens.com to find out what their hours and ticket rates are (they very from season to season).
Also if you're heading out to the wineries, their hours also vary from season to season as well.
Ungaphuthelwa
There are always events happening
Victoria is a beautiful place just to wander around and explore, but if you happen to be here at just the right time, there are lots of great events and festivals happening - from Canada Day downtown to Esquimailt Rib Fest to Ska Fest at Ship's Point - check out https://www.tourismvictoria.com/see-do/festivals-events to see if you're visit coincides with one of our fun community events!
Okufanele ukupakishe
Bring a rain jacket and sunscreen and a camera.
We do live in the most temperate climate in Canada - but, our weather can be a little unpredictable at times. Remember that it's always a little cooler by the water, but the sun can reflect off it - wear a hat, bring sunglasses and sunscreen. And that rain jacket can cut down on windchill as well as protect you from a sudden squall. Summers are generally warm and dry with a light breeze off the Pacific. Winters can get a little bit moist - we do live in a temperate rain forest after all.
A result of which is that we Islanders generally dress a little more casually and for the weather.
Imishwana ewusizo
We speak English, but we do have a couple of slang terms -
Out here isolated on the left coast, we do have our own slang terms, some of which derive from the old Chinook jargon trade language of the Pacific Northwest. Here are a few examples of words still in use -
"Saltchuck" - the ocean
"Skookum" - big or large
"Tyee" - boss or leader, also a Chinook or King salmon weighing over 30 pounds
"Potlatch" - a ceremony among local First Nations tribes involving an exchange of food and many gifts