Location
Victoria, Vancouver Island
Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, a quick hop from Vancouver or Seattle, the city of Victoria is consistently ranked among the world’s top destinations. A rough-edged boom town in gold rush days, Victoria evolved to become British Columbia’s seat of government and home to Canada’s western naval base, as well as a thriving high-tech and cultural centre. The city’s physical beauty and balmy maritime climate make it irresistible to retirees, and her British ancestry is apparent in the double-decker buses, formal gardens, and tearooms.
The city is wonderfully walkable. Scenic strolls along the Inner Harbour lead visitors to interesting pubs and restaurants, more per capita than almost anywhere else in North America. Antique shopping on Fort Street, boutiques for the fashion-forward on Lower Johnson, the world-class Royal BC Museum, and countless other stops of interest lure pedestrians from this block to the next; and an acre of park per every 20 residents makes the occasional bench rest beautifully green and serene.
Victoria’s history lives on today in the stunning heritage architecture; and throughout the city, the quaint co-exists happily with the current. On one street corner, a totem pole. On the next, a controversial piece of public art. In one berth, a tall ship. In the next, a sleek yacht. Here, cobblestones and horse-drawn carriages. There, light-emitting diodes on a jumbo monitor.
Victoria’s must-see attractions include Butchart Gardens, a botanical wonderland that hosts more than a million visitors each year; a speedway, a castle, and casinos. Further afield, the island’s fishing, camping, and hiking is unparalleled, and an emerging wine and cider industry adds agri-tourism to the many reasons to visit.
From old-fashioned traditions to modern-day magic, every visit is a new discovery, and a new opportunity to experience the good nature and sunny disposition of Victoria’s place and people.
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