Planning a day trip as a part of our 9 day Seattle vacation. Will most likely leave from Port Angeles to Victoria in August during the week. Open to suggestions for family of four (boys 8 and 10). The kids really want to go "out of the country" and thought this would make a nice day trip. Need ferry advice, food (kids will eat anything or at least try it!!) and not to miss activities. We will have a car. Thanks!

Hi in downtown Victoria the wax museum is usually a hit for kids[ one of the wax figures jumps out at you as you walk through} The inner harbour usually has buskers and other entertainers. The ferry ride is also one of the main attractions for kids. In the few blocks around the Empress hotel/inner harbour you can park your car and walk to most sites. On the way back take the route around Beacon hill parks and along the ocean through Oak bay, it's very pretty on a nice day.

Do you have tine to spend the night in Victoria? The Victoria Regent http://www.victoriaregent.com/ is a great place to stay. Ask for a balcony waterfront and you will have seaplanes landing in front of you and all the boats and ferry's of the Inner Harbor below you. So much is within walking distance. Walk to the ferries and take a Harbor Tour. You can get off at Fisherman's Wharf and view all the houses on the water and have lunch at Barbs which is a shack on the dock with picnic tables. The hotel is not cheap but they do have free parking and the staff is great. Their 2 bedrooms suites are huge with kitchen, living, and 2 baths. Perfect for a family.

Also, Burchart Gardens are a 30min drive away and just beautiful.

PS When I say houses on the water, I mean floating houses, not houseboats, but houses that float on the water.

We were in Victoria with our kids this past March. Our daughter enjoyed Butchart Gardens, but our son was just ok with it. I still think it would be a must stop even if you didn't linger.

The Royal BC Museum was a huge hit. We spent several hours there.

Drive out to Mt. Douglas. Amazing views from there!

Take a floatplane tour. This was one of our favorite things. In the morning we did Butchart Gardens, then in the afternoon we did the plane ride. The plane flew over the gardens and so that was fun to see. We did the tour through Hyack Air and were very pleased.

Since the kids want to get out of the country, take them to one of the English candy shops. Our kids stocked up on their favorites that they discovered in England and were thrilled to be able to do that.

Beacon Hill park is a fantastic place. There is a small pettying zoo, the worlds largest free standing totem pole, and then the beach. We were there for a week and spent at least some time at Beacon Hill Park each day.

If there is anyway you can swing staying for the night instead of just a day trip, that would enable you to see/do so much more. I think a day trip would be awfully long, IMO.

How long of a drive to Mt. Douglas??

Not very far - maybe a 20 minute drive from the harbour downtown. You can drive to the top, but then have to walk up a bit of a steep path to the best viewpoint. Drive a few miles further along Cordova Bay Road and you'll come to Mattick's Farm, a small complex with stores (clothes, candles, rubber stamps, riding gear, cards, etc.), ice cream counter, tea room, and mini golf.