Spring break in Victoria!
March 17, 2007
Bastion Square
March 17-22, 2007
I hadn’t been to Victoria in ages (probably 15 years), so I treated this trip like I had never been before. My friend Heather (who went to the University of Victoria for two years and had lived in Victoria while doing so) and I played the role of tourists really well.
We left Vernon at around 8:30am. We were in for quite a long trip. The Vernon-Vancouver leg went smoothly for us. We made a stop for brunch at a truck stop diner in Hope (for about an hour), then hit the road again on full stomachs. We got to Vancouver and it was absolutely pouring rain (big surprise ;). We had to slow down not only because of the rain, but because of all the road construction along the route we were driving. We also made a wrong turn in Langley, so had to backtrack, causing us to lose time, too.
Looking up from the Inner Harbour
Parliament Building
We went to most of the major attractions in Victoria. A few of them, such as Miniature World, the Wax Museum, and Butterfly World, we decided to skip. Rather than writing about all these places on the blog, I’ll just write reviews about all of them. I will say this- Victoria is beautiful. The weather we had ran the gamut- we had warm, sunny weather some days, and rainy, windy, and cold weather on other days. Another great thing about Victoria is that the seasons seem to be a couple weeks ahead of other parts of BC, so when we were there, flowers had already started blooming. It was lovely.
Sidney, where we stayed, was also quite beautiful. It’s a quaint seaside town consisting of one main road. At the end of that main road is the Pacific Ocean with a nice, relaxing harbour. If you’re looking for an exciting nightlife scene, this is not the place for you. There was only one night that we actually went out here, and we ended up in a pub watching the Vancouver Canucks play the Detroit Red Wings on the TV. We had a really nice time, though.
Bastion Square
Looking up from the Inner Harbour
Parliament Building
A smoke shop
Another form of transportation
Parliament Building
A nice tree
Parliament Building...again
The Inner Harbour
A nice, pink building
A ship that sails into the Inner...
A dock in the harbour
Sidney
sidney
Sidney
Sidney
Sidney harbour
Sidney harbour
The view from where we were staying
The view from where we were staying
Driftwood on the beach where we ...
This is a fabulous place to visit. When you come, you have the choice of buying admission to just the museum, just the IMAX, or both. We decided to go through the museum, and then take in an IMAX movie, and it was well worth the moeny. The museum is very interesting. You'll see various animals (lifelike statues) and different BC scenes through history, as well as different BC art. WHen paying for the IMAX, you'll have a choice of 3-4 different films to watch. There is a different show every hour throughout the day and into the evening. We decided to see 'Mystery of the Nile', and it was great. if you've never been to an IMAX film, I suggest you do it when you get a chance. We had a really great time at the museum and movie.
BC Royal Museum
Me getting eaten by a mammoth
High-fiving a bear at the museum.
I came here years ago on my first visit to Victoria, and it has not changed at all. You'll find the Undersea Gardens on a boat flaoting in the Inner Harbour. Inside you'll see, closeup, different sea creatures, but the best thing to see here are the octopii (if they're not hiding).
Cost: About $10
Cost: About $10
Beacon Hill Park is gorgeous. It's busy, but big, so you'll never feel cramped. There are various paths and trails to follow, or you can leave those and wander on you won. I suggest following the path that overlooks the ocean, though, as the views are breathtaking. On your journey throgh the park you'll also see animals, the tallest totem pole in the world, and statue of Canadian hero, Terry Fox. It's free, so visit Beacon Hill Park and explore.
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park
Eating at Beacon Hill Park
The world's tallest statue, at B...
Ocean view from Beacon Hill Park
Beacon Hill Park
Terry Fox statue at Beacon Hill ...
The Maritime Museumm is found in Bastion Square and is quite interesting. Just like the name says, you are going to see a worl of maritime history- everything from explorers to pirates to model ships to a replica of a maritime courtroom.
Cost: About $10
Cost: About $10
The Maritime Museum
A Maritime courtroom
Because we were here in March, nothing was in full bloom yet. However, we were lucky enough to see some flowers, and the beginning of spring blooms, as Victoria seems to be a few weeks ahead of the rest of the province in that department. It was miserable and raining the day we went, but the gardens provided visitors with umbrellas, and, because the weather was so poor, we didn't have to share the gardens with many other people. No matter when you come here, though, it's worth it, as it is full of beauty, and you are sure to get some great photos. Years ago, I came here with my family in mid-summer at the height of all the blooming flowers, and I enjoyed it this time as much as I did then. It's beautiful.
Cost: Around $26 (for what you are seeing, I think it's a good price)
Cost: Around $26 (for what you are seeing, I think it's a good price)
Fort Rodd Hill is a coast artillery for built in the late 1890's to defend Victoria and the Esquimalt Naval Base. It was a really great place to see. Everything here is accessible to the public, so if you're interested in going into all the different buildings and rooms and seeing all the weaponry, you're welcome to do it. Videos make it an interactive trip, and when found, the staff are friendly and eager to share their vast knowledge of the grounds.
Cost: About $4
Cost: About $4
Entering Fort Rodd Hill
Me and Heather taking cover
One of the building on the site
THe view from a high building
The view from a high building
Fort Rodd Hill
I though I'd be strong enough to...
With admission to Fort Rodd Hill also comes access to Fisgard Lighthouse. I love lighthouses, so this excited me to no end. Built in 1860, this is Canada's oldest west coast lighthouse, and it still works! Visitors are welcome to go into the lighthouse and view all the displays inside. I recommend going in to see the views of the ocean. It is quite amazing!
Fisgard Lighthouse
Fisgard Lighthouse
Fisgard Lighthouse
Fisgard Lighthouse
View from the lighthouse
View from the lighthouse
View from the lighthouse
View from the lighthouse
Across the street from the Inner Harbour, and kiddie corner to the Parliament Building, is The Empress Hotel. It is, by far, the most famous hotel in Victoria. It's open to the public to walk through, however, when we went, they were setting up for a special event, so it was extremely busy with delivery people and hotel staff running around. Needless to say, we didn't want to get trampled, so we didn't stay long.
The Parliament Building is right downtown, looking over the inner harbour, so you can't miss it. It is gorgeous! We were right in time for the free guided tour, which was a surprise to us, because we didn't know they were doing it. It turns out that not only were we on spring break, but so were the members of Parliament. We got a really great tour of the building, as our tour guide was fantastic. She was very knowledgable and funny. And, when something is free, it makes it that much better!
The Inner Harbour and Parliament...
It's not very often that we see ...
The front door, up close.
Looking through the front door f...
This is where the House sits whe...
Parliament Building at night.
Cool shops and narrow alleyways make for pretty interesting exploration in this part of the city. my friend and I both bought teapots, but I wish I had bought something that better represents the culture. Of course, this is a pretty busy area, so try to be patient with everyone.
Late again, but nice to look at. It is open to the public for the price of admission, however I don't know what that is.
We got here late, so it was already closed for the day. However, it is open to the public (I don't know how much it costs to enter). This visit was more about saying that we had seen where Emily Carr, famous Canadian artist, had lived.
Fans of the X-Men movie trilogy will recognize this place as the school. Hatley Castle, built in 1908, is on the grounds of Royal Roads University and looks out onto the Pacific Ocean. After hanging around outside, we went in. For about $17 we got a guided tour, which was pretty interesting. However, it was way overpriced, and we weren't told we could take pictures while on the tour. We found out we were able to take photos once the tour was over, but they wouldn't let us go back through to do it. This was really disappointing.
Hatley Castle
Hatley Castle
Hatley Castle
Hatley Castle
Hatley Castle
Royal Roads University
Royal Roads University
Castle pets
The first question we asked on this tour was if we were allowed to take pictures. We were, so we did. This 'castle' is right downtown and was quite busy. It was a nice place to explore, and had quite a large staff that were easily visible if we had any questions. Seeing as it was a self-guided tour, that came in handy. Built in the 1890's, it is a great example of the finest architecture, craftsmanship, and materials the Victorian era offered.
Craigdarrouch Castle
Craigdarrouch Castle
Craigdarrouch Castle
Pag's, as locals know it, we went to this popular restaurant for dinner, and waited in line to get in. Lucky for us that it was a nice night, as we ended up waiting for about 45 minutes. We had a nice dinner, though, so it was worth the wait. This restaurant is very cramped, as they have crammed too many tables into the space. It is also very loud. Part of the problem is that they have left room for love entertainment. They should have forgot about that and spaced the tables out more. We had a good meal though.
Possibly the best breakfast I've ever had in a restaurant. It's a really popular, small place that does not accept reservations, so, most likely you will be waiting in a line-up (we waited about 30 minutes). The wait is worth it, though, as the food, and the service, is great.
If there's an Old Spaghetti in the city I'm visiting, I will eat there. I love it, and you probably will, too, if you like pasta. It's a hip, family-friendly restaurant, that's easy on the wallet, and has the best bellini's I've ever had. Your meal will start with warm, sourdough bread that comes with two little dishes, one with butter, and one with garlic butter. I always go for the garlic butter. YUM! Also, it's all-you-can eat bread, so it will keep coming as long as you want it to keep coming. Then will come your choice of Minestrone soup or green salad with your choice of dressing (for extra money you can have Caesar salad). Once done, your entree will come, and it will be awesome (and filling). Once done, your little dish of Spumoni ice cream for dessert will come, if you want it. All this is included in your dinner entree, along with coffee or tea. It's great!
