Victoria for 2 days
Feb 15th, 2014, 01:31 AM
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Victoria for 2 days
We have 2 full days to spend in Victoria. Would love to hear suggestions on how best to spend this time and what to see. We arrive into Victoria on Wed 10th September from Seattle and leave for Vancouver on Saturday 13th September. Will stay in a hotel somewhere close to the harbour and happy to walk. Have never been before. Thanks
Feb 15th, 2014, 10:24 AM
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Victoria is a city for walkers for sure- I usually stay at the Surf Motel- its kind of a funky place close to Ogden Pt. I like it because it is right on the water and you can lay in bed in the am, drink coffee and see the water, ships coming in etc. It has a small kitchen so we usually have breakfast in.
Across the street from the motel, there are great walking trails along the ocean and bluffs, some beaches to stop and enjoy- you can walk for miles. There is a small restaurant at Ogden Pt where you can stop for lunch - we usually go for a long walk and then end up there for a beer and a snack. Sometimes in the evening they have live music.
You can also walk to inner harbor from there.
Instead of high tea at the Empress, we usually go to the White Heather- food is excellent, they have a regular menu too.
I like going to the Bengal Room at the Empress for drinks in the evening- has an elegant feel to it .
The Royal BC Museum is a great place to visit.
Beautiful city!
Across the street from the motel, there are great walking trails along the ocean and bluffs, some beaches to stop and enjoy- you can walk for miles. There is a small restaurant at Ogden Pt where you can stop for lunch - we usually go for a long walk and then end up there for a beer and a snack. Sometimes in the evening they have live music.
You can also walk to inner harbor from there.
Instead of high tea at the Empress, we usually go to the White Heather- food is excellent, they have a regular menu too.
I like going to the Bengal Room at the Empress for drinks in the evening- has an elegant feel to it .
The Royal BC Museum is a great place to visit.
Beautiful city!
Feb 15th, 2014, 10:32 AM
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The most beautiful way to arrive is by ferry from Seattle through the Strait of Juan de Fuca (001 800 888 2535; clippervacations.com/ferry ); the trip takes nearly three hours and The Victoria Clipper has packages that include hotel! clippervacations.com
I highly recommend staying in the walkable downtown Inner Harbour area there is a wonderful staff at the Visitor Centre (1) at 812 Wharf Street (001 250 963 203) I loved the hotel Grand Pacific (Location and service) additionally the Red Lion is a good value.
Fisherman's Wharf south of the Inner Harbour, is a colourful community of float homes tethered to pontoons, and nothing like its touristy namesake in San Francisco.
Day one after the gardens visit the grand old Fairmont Empress Hotel which rises imperiously above the harbour (001 250 384 8111; fairmont.com/empress ), visit the hotel's Bengal Lounge for one of their signature martini's after dinner.
Butchart Gardens & City Highlights Tour
Royal BC Museum
Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress
For brunch next day Superior at 106 Superior Street (001 250 380 9515; thesuperior.ca ) in the old residential area of James Bay. Between 10am and 3pm at weekends you can feast on dishes such as truffled scrambled eggs, mushrooms, pecorino, potatoes and toast for $10 (£6.60) or flatbread with figs, prosciutto, goat's cheese and caramelised onions ($15/£10).
The Royal BC Museum (21) at 675 Belleville Street (001 888 447 7977; royalbcmuseum.bc.ca ) is a must see. The First People's galleries display tribal masks, bark capes, salmon fishing and drying equipment and totem poles from before Europeans arrived. Open 10am-5pm daily and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays in high summer; $15 (£10).
Whale watching is fun with A three-hour trip with Ron King (001 250 381 4173; seaking.ca ) should allow you to spot a pod of whales, humpback, killer or grey, not to mention sea lions and bald eagles. Sea King Adventures operates a small boat out of Fisherman's Wharf (4), which costs $90USD
I highly recommend staying in the walkable downtown Inner Harbour area there is a wonderful staff at the Visitor Centre (1) at 812 Wharf Street (001 250 963 203) I loved the hotel Grand Pacific (Location and service) additionally the Red Lion is a good value.
Fisherman's Wharf south of the Inner Harbour, is a colourful community of float homes tethered to pontoons, and nothing like its touristy namesake in San Francisco.
Day one after the gardens visit the grand old Fairmont Empress Hotel which rises imperiously above the harbour (001 250 384 8111; fairmont.com/empress ), visit the hotel's Bengal Lounge for one of their signature martini's after dinner.
Butchart Gardens & City Highlights Tour
Royal BC Museum
Afternoon Tea at the Fairmont Empress
For brunch next day Superior at 106 Superior Street (001 250 380 9515; thesuperior.ca ) in the old residential area of James Bay. Between 10am and 3pm at weekends you can feast on dishes such as truffled scrambled eggs, mushrooms, pecorino, potatoes and toast for $10 (£6.60) or flatbread with figs, prosciutto, goat's cheese and caramelised onions ($15/£10).
The Royal BC Museum (21) at 675 Belleville Street (001 888 447 7977; royalbcmuseum.bc.ca ) is a must see. The First People's galleries display tribal masks, bark capes, salmon fishing and drying equipment and totem poles from before Europeans arrived. Open 10am-5pm daily and until 10pm on Fridays and Saturdays in high summer; $15 (£10).
Whale watching is fun with A three-hour trip with Ron King (001 250 381 4173; seaking.ca ) should allow you to spot a pod of whales, humpback, killer or grey, not to mention sea lions and bald eagles. Sea King Adventures operates a small boat out of Fisherman's Wharf (4), which costs $90USD
Feb 15th, 2014, 10:42 AM
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I think a nice place to stay would be the Delta Ocean Point Hotel- its on the opposite side of the harbor from the parliament buildings, the views are great and they have a fabulous restaurant "Lure" The views at night are wonderful as you are seeing all the lights of the Empress and Parliament buildings across the water.
From the Delta Hotel there is another great walking path that goes along the harbor- there is a fun pub stop along the way called Spinnakers- I think the food was not great but it was still a fun stop for a beer while out walking.
From the Delta Hotel there is another great walking path that goes along the harbor- there is a fun pub stop along the way called Spinnakers- I think the food was not great but it was still a fun stop for a beer while out walking.
Feb 15th, 2014, 11:25 AM
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Hi, landor,
We were in Victoria early October last year. Fabulous little place, definitely great for walkers. We had one and a bit days there, not long enough. On our "full" day we visited the Butchart Gardens catching the first bus out there, then once back in Victoria we wandered around the waterfront, the shopping area and various side streets that looked interesting. We left Victoria at 6:00 pm, so only had 4 hours in which to explore the area. Wanted to go to the museum but no time. We stayed at Laurel Inn, which had lovely views of the water and all the activity going on there.
We were in Victoria early October last year. Fabulous little place, definitely great for walkers. We had one and a bit days there, not long enough. On our "full" day we visited the Butchart Gardens catching the first bus out there, then once back in Victoria we wandered around the waterfront, the shopping area and various side streets that looked interesting. We left Victoria at 6:00 pm, so only had 4 hours in which to explore the area. Wanted to go to the museum but no time. We stayed at Laurel Inn, which had lovely views of the water and all the activity going on there.
Feb 16th, 2014, 06:34 PM
#6
Maybe my trip report has some useful info for you
Mostly central Victoria plus Buchart Gardens
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...n-victoria.cfm
Mostly central Victoria plus Buchart Gardens
http://www.fodors.com/community/cana...n-victoria.cfm
Feb 21st, 2014, 02:26 PM
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Thank you for all those wonderful replies. Has certainly given us some ideas. We think we will stay at the Grand Pacific as it seems to be quite reasonably priced for a bit of luxury. Probably be the most spectacular hotel in our whole 8 week trip. It also seems to be convenient for arrival by the clipper from Seattle and leaving with Pacific Coaches for Vancouver. Looking forward to it.
Feb 22nd, 2014, 01:15 PM
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hi landor,
at the grand pacific you will be next door to the bc legislature and just a block to the royal museum, our city's star attraction imho. . you can access the water taxi system in front of the empress for crossing the harbour or heading up the gorge. the harbour side walkway will take you to the blue bridge and you can cross into songhess and walkk along the watre to west bay marina and catch the water taxi back.
the water taxi will also take you to point ellice house where i belive you can have a nice tea in season or continue onto glo a nice pub on the water.
having seen a lot of show gardens around the world , i personally find butchardt over rated as a garden, it's more of an attraction. however if you are here ojn a saturday you could go up early evening and stay for the spectacular fire works show.
craigdarroch castle is quire lovely, about a 20 minute walk from the grand pacific and near the art gallery of victoria, which often has better and more interesting shows imo compared to vancouver.
the seattle art museum is fabulous however as is the open air sculpture garden not far from the clipper dock. there is a gorgeous japanese garden up the slope from downtown
victoria is also a great bicycling town if you are cyclists
cheers
AndrewDavid
at the grand pacific you will be next door to the bc legislature and just a block to the royal museum, our city's star attraction imho. . you can access the water taxi system in front of the empress for crossing the harbour or heading up the gorge. the harbour side walkway will take you to the blue bridge and you can cross into songhess and walkk along the watre to west bay marina and catch the water taxi back.
the water taxi will also take you to point ellice house where i belive you can have a nice tea in season or continue onto glo a nice pub on the water.
having seen a lot of show gardens around the world , i personally find butchardt over rated as a garden, it's more of an attraction. however if you are here ojn a saturday you could go up early evening and stay for the spectacular fire works show.
craigdarroch castle is quire lovely, about a 20 minute walk from the grand pacific and near the art gallery of victoria, which often has better and more interesting shows imo compared to vancouver.
the seattle art museum is fabulous however as is the open air sculpture garden not far from the clipper dock. there is a gorgeous japanese garden up the slope from downtown
victoria is also a great bicycling town if you are cyclists
cheers
AndrewDavid
