VICTORIA IN APRIL?
 

Am thinking of visiting Victoria and Vancouver Island in April. Can anyone provide some info on weather, are the flowers in Victoria in full swing by then, and where is a neat place to stay in Victoria (besides the Empress). Thanks!

I visited Victoria in March. It rained a few of the days, but it was generally nice, spring weather. We stayed at the Coast Hotel and loved it. It has a neat pool that is half inside- Half outside, with really warm water. It is on the harbor and there is a lovely boardwalk. Deffinitely go to the Buechard Gardens sp? if you like flowers. The spring flowers might be finished, but there will be something growing in April. Have a great time. <BR>

There is always something blooming in Victoria. My parents live near the inner harbor and there is a motel called Admiral Motel right next door and we have stayed there several times. Internet site is www.admiral.bc.ca The cost is reasonable and within walking distance of shopping, sights, whale watching excurstions, harbor cruises etc. There is also a hotel called Swans <BR>Hotel, actually I'm not sure of the name but it looks very interesting. We have had lunch there but thats it. It has a microbrewery on the premises. It is also down on the inner harbor. The Admiral Motel has suites and kitchens etc. which we found handy instead of eating out all the time. I' heading there next week for a week to do some shopping etc. with my parents. I hope you enjoy your stay in Victoria.. The parents get upset when we say "the land of the newly wed and nearly dead" We tell them we're only joking! Marilyn <BR>

I go to Victoria a couple times a year as we live up island from there. Victoria is a beautiful places on earth to go to. It has easy access to almost anything that you could imagine. As you are interested in the flowers make sure to go to the Butchart Gardens, plan to stay almost the whole day there. Also Beacon Hill Park is a very easy walk from the Inner Harbour/Parliament Buildings. Make sure to explore it there are many neat things there. One thing that Victoria has in the Downtown area is lots of hotels, (we usually stay in one on Gorge Rd, there's a whole strip of them there. One thing is that if you end up at a hotel you don't like it is always very easy to get one nearby. <BR>When you are in Victoria one of the first things I always do is visit the Tourism Information Center on the upper right hand corner of the Inner Harbour (across from the Empress Hotel)They are very helpful and they are able to access you to anything you are interested in, make sure to look around at all the brouchures you may find some thing that you find interesting. Have a wonderful time. I've typed out some addresses for you that hopefully will be of assistance. <BR>http://www.crd.bc.ca/tourism.htm<BR> This is the address for the Victoria Tourism Information Directory. This one is for the 1997 annual events calender. Hopefully the 1998 calender is out now. http://www.travel.victoria.bc.ca/coe97.htm<BR>

Victoria is a nice place to visit. <BR>Clean, civilized, friendly. <BR>If you like gardens, see the ones around the area, particularly Butchart Gardens. <BR>I am not much of a garden person, but I liked that place. But go early before the tours arrive. You will have a better chance to marvel at the talent that has gone into the displays. <BR>