While most of the paid attractions in Vancouver are quite often not worth it, the Vancouver Aquarium is definitely something that should be on your visit-list especially if you have kids. It is definitely nicer than the official "Zoo" and arguably more fun than Science World. The Vancouver Aquarium is also the first public aquarium in Canada (it opened in 1956) which conducts marine research, animal rehabilitation, and environmental conservation. 

Location and Accessibility

The location is ideal - it is nestled at one corner of Stanley Park and easily accessibly by bus, walking or biking from downtown Vancouver.  I would highly advise taking public transit to the aquarium due to the fact that the parking lot fills up, especially on the weekends. If you do find parking there, I would advise getting a day pass (~$15) instead of paying by the hour since you can easily lose track of time, and easily spend 3-4 hours in the aquarium. In terms of accessibility for wheelchair users, there are plenty of toilets throughout the museum, including accessible bathrooms for wheelchair users. You can also rent wheelchairs and walkers should you need it.

Ticketing and Membership

Even though it is a not-for-profit aquarium, the tickets are steep, at $45/person, but the aquarium has a lot to see in it. Children under 3 go free, and those aged between 3 and 12 years of age pay a lower amount. It is perhaps best to buy tickets in advance as they are slightly cheaper. If you reside in Vancouver, it might be a worthy investment to get an annual membership which costs around 73.5 CAD for the year and you get unlimited entry as well as priority access to special events. This is in fact an excellent deal, especially since the aquarium can be visited on rainy days as well and for those who don't know, it rains like 80% of the time in Vancouver.

We visited the Vancouver Aquarium during my birthday weekend, so my husband treated me there! It was one of the only attractions we hadn't seen in our four years in Vancouver and it was the last week for me and the kids in Vancouver before our imminent move to London. It will take atleast 2-3 hours with kids, and if you have patient kids, you can easily spend about 4-5 hours there. We maxxed out at 3 hours but still had a few exhibits we didnt properly see. 

Food

There are quite a few food and snack options at the aquarium that aren't unusually expensive. You can enjoy the Courtyard Cafe and Bar for lighter snack and fast food options, as well as coffee. The coffee isn't anything to rave about but you will get caffeine in your system should you need it (we did because we visited while we were caring for a newborn - read disturbed sleep.) For finer dining options, there is also the Upstream Bar + Grill, an environmentally-friendly restaurant that uses compostable plates and cutlery. There is even another option, the Bicycle Bistro, which stays open until 6 pm every day. 

Visit to the Aquarium

The exhibits are breathtaking and definitely get you excited about nature and marine life. The exhibits are not focused on purely Canadian marine life, but instead have tropical and other exotic wildlife which are marvellous. A few of the exhibits are:

The Tropics

This exhibit was our favorite. Even though one doesn't expect an exhibit from the Tropics on the Pacific coast, it is arguably the most colorful and interesting ones, especially for kids. This section is home to bright and flourescent colored fish, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals, including turtles, sharks, and jellyfish. You’ll get to see coral reefs and mangrove forests as part of this incredible exhibit that transports you far away from British Columbia and much closer to the equator.

The Graham Amazon Gallery

This is also a pretty cool exhibit where the focus is on the biodiversity of the Amazon rainforest, both in and out of the water. This exhibit is home to sloths, crocodiles, iguanas and so much more. You can even experience a thunderstorm simulation and get a sense of how intense the rainforest weather can be! There 

Pacific Canada Pavilion

This exhibit focuses mostly on Canada’s native marine life. To be fair, it wasn't our favorite mainly because most of the Pacific fish we saw weren't as colorful or exotic looking. If anything, they looked creepy:-|

B.C.’s Wild Coast Exhibit

This exhibit is part indoors and part outdoors and you can view marine mammals here, namely otters, seals, and sea lions. You can also learn about Vancouver Aquarium’s amazing conservation efforts and what you can do to help protect Vancouver’s coastlines.

Wet Lab

There was also a wet lab in the aquarium where kids can put on gloves and feel the fish. Quite often, it might be in use by schools and there is a ridiculously long line -up. We unfortunately did not have a chance to check it out but if you aren't pressed for time, this is something to definitely check out.

Wondrous Jellies

Oh my word! Who doesn't love jellyfish! I would spend hours just staying at them as they grace. This Wondrous Jellies exhibit is home to a huge variety of jellyfish from all over the world, and seeing these colorful gelatinous blobs floating around is surprisingly relaxing when you know they can’t sting you!

Besides these exhibits, there is an exhibit on frogs and on Canada's artic as well as a few others. However, we had already spend three hours there and by that time, our toddler and newborn were spent. So we had to call it a day! However, this aquarium would be best enjoyed in a series of visits.

Last weekend, the warm weather summoned us to be outdoors, and given that we were sick and tired of waiting for our second born to pop out soon, we decided to explore some new places nearby. In the mood for some South Asian cuisine, we decided to head to Surrey and also make a visit to the Historic Stewart Farm, situated in a large park called the Elgin Heritage Park.

The Stewart Farm is the only intact farm complex from the late nineteenth century remaining in Surrey. Unlike Burnaby Village Museum, the Stewart Farm does not have any fancy exhibits, but the main  two storey wood-frame farmhouse is quite an interesting visit! Outside of the main building, there are  seven other farm buildings: root cellar, wood shed, pole barn, bunkhouse, machine shed, threshing machine shed and garage. They aren't proper "exhibits" but its still nice to see the number of different structures in the farm complex. 

The main attraction, the two story house, is a fully furnished home, that demonstrates how a farming family lived. While the farmhouse is quite elaborate by today’s standards, it was not the largest or most lavish in local Victorian times. 

This farmhouse was the home of  John and Annie Stewart. John, who was from Scotland married Quebecois Annie Davidson in Nanaimo in 1884 and moved to Surrey to make a home here. Not alot is known about the two, but it has been pieced together from various sources. The Stewart were, however, certainly part of the growing community. With just two sons - a small family for the times - they would have rallied friends and nearby work crews to harvest their fields. The Stewarts owned 440 acres of land, including what visitors see now, as well as land across the river where the Stewarts had two additional barns.

Another building that had a small exhibit and visitors could walk through was the barn. It didnt really have much but some wall exhibits and writing.

 After having to cancel our US trip to Washington DC and New York over the winter storm, we decided to do something closer to home. Given that we live in North Vancouver and wanted to take a ferry from the Horseshoe Bay terminal, we decided to ferry ourselves to Nanaimo and explore some of the areas on Vancouver Island, including a quick visit to Denman Island where a colleague of mine also lives.

Victoria, the capital of British Columbia is on the Island and there is no dearth of activities to be found in the capital, but this time, we wanted to explore the northern part of the island, perhaps not as far as Tofina, but atleast Nanaimo, Parksville, Coombs and Port Alberni.

Our lovely Airbnb was located in Lantzville, right between Nanaimo and Parksville and was a splended location right next to the beach, so most of our trip was spent as a staycation. Still, we saw some amazing sights and ended up having a great long weekend.

The ferry to the island in itself is pretty fun. Unlike the ferry to Victoria, this one wasnt as large, but nor was it as crowded. The play area was quite fun and we ended up meeting some interesting people. One of them was a Professor who was moving from Oxford University, to University of British Columbia, so I had a chance to learn about doing a PhD in the UK (which is somewhere in my plans).

When we arrived in Nanaimo, we drove around downtown and realized it was fairly rough. That did indeed take us by surprise. It looked fairly industrial looking and polluted. We decided to quickly check out the Maffeo Sutton Park,  where we used the washrooms and did a quick stroll before we headed off to our next destination for lunch.

One thing we were impressed with was the playground in Sutton Park, which had some very unique swings. That's one thing they did right. After that, we decided to get out of the downtown area and head for some lunch somewhere, while also enjoy the views. 

We made our way to the Yellow Point Road further south, and discovered the Crow and Gate Pub, a well-known English pub that also served classic grub food. Given that it was lunch time, we gathered it won't be an issue to go with our daughter, but turns out that the establishment is strictly 19+. That was indeed a bummer for us, because the area where it was situated was beautiful and there was also excellent seating indoors and outdoors. Definitely left a bad taste in our mouth, but alas, we had to respect the wishes of this establishment.

Our search for lunch led us to another location, Coco Cafe, which despite the positive ratings, was quite average. Most of the clientele seemed to be elderly folk of the community, so I can understand why this cafe was popular. However, it was indeed nothing to rave about.

Following a somewhat disappointing start to the day, we drove to our Airbnb and checked in. We were wowed by the location and the place! The apartment we had rented out was right next to a beautiful beach, and the interiors were impeccable. We were treated by a selection of coffees and teas, as well as some sweet treats which our daughter adored. Given that all of us had gotten up at 6 am in the morning, we were all extremely tired and the comfortable warm bed(s) definitely were too enticing for us to want to head back out.

After settling in our weekend home, we all took a relaxing nap (which ended up being longer than we had anticipated), and we got up right before sunset to head out for some sight-seeing and dinner. Our first stop was Parksville Beach and it was gorgeous. 

Once it got dark, we headed out for dinner. Not a lot of places were open, and those that were seemed to require reservations. However, we lucked out with a place called  Extreme Eatery, a burger spot, but the food was indeed quite flavorful and delicious.

That was end of the day. The next morning was an early start where we headed off to Cathedral Grove. On the way, there were a few sights we saw, from Qualicum Beach and Cameron Lake, which was breathtaking.

In forty minutes, we were at Cathedral Grove. A bucketlist item, this old-growth forest is located in what is known as Macmillan Provincial park and preserved a small lush old-growth forest unique to Vancouver Island. The trees are 800-year-old giant Douglas Fir, Grand Firs, Western Hemlocks, and Western Red Cedar trees, reaching 80 meters high. One of the widest trees there had a 9-meter circumference!

Indigenous peoples find this forest to be sacred, and have a long history of stewarding this forest. These trees have provided the K’ómoks, Tseshaht, and Te’mexw, with raw materials to live their lives. It was shocking to hear that this powerful forest once covered the entire island, and now, only a small section of it remains. Still, the walks through this giants was powerful and breathtaking to say the least.

When Europeans settled on Vancouver Island, the land came to be owned by logging companies. Governor General Viscount Willingdon is credited with bestowing the name “Cathedral Grove” on the park in the 1920s, and even then, it was already a popular destination for tourists. For many years, the public petitioned the government unsuccessfully to preserve and protect the land for future generations. In 1944, a forester named H.R MacMillan donated 136 hectares and this site was formally dedicated as a Class A Provincial Park three years later.

This was definitely a highlight of our trip. On the way back, we stopped by Coombs briefly. It was a quirky looking town. Given that we had another ferry to Denman Island to catch, we didnt stay long but enjoyed what the town was.

Our ferry to Denman island was short and quick (10 minutes) and from there, we made our way to a friend's (farm) home. Though Denman island did not have much in terms of additional beauty, the farmhouse of our friends' was indeed wonderful. We spent the remainder of the day there, enjoying the animals, the walks in their farmhouse and their stories. 

After an early dinner, we headed back to the ferry back to Vancouver Island and back to our cozy apartment.

The next day was check out day. After some warm showers, we checked out, had a very heart breakfast at Tania's Restaurant (highly recommended) and then spent the remainder of the day at the beach, before we caught the ferry back to Vancouver.

No complaints on this trip. We were blessed with sunny and occasional overcast days, but it did not rain as per the weather predictions, and we spent most of our time outdoors and driving around the island.

Our family moved to North Vancouver from downtown Vancouver due to the pandemic, much like many other Lower Mainland families looking for space. This however, has required us to really search for entertainment which used to be at our fingertips. Still, it wasn't as terrible because Vancouver city life isn't the best to begin with, and secondly, North Vancouver made up for the multitude of kid friendly activities and outdoor hikes. With some searching, we also discovered some other entertainment gems. Here are some of my favorites.

Seymour Creek Mini-Golf

The name says it all. This underrated mini-golf is located right next to the Real Canadian Superstore, so on a weekend, you can get your fix of fun and chores at the same time. What's more is that it's not super crowded, nor is it difficult to get to. It is an 18-hole course, with some of the courses going over water and some are fairly tricky! However, it isn't too difficult to be disheartening for newbies, nor is it too easy to be boring! It is perfect for a fun family time and our 3 year old loved running around the course. Perfect for a nice warm day!

Edgemont Village

Edgemont Village is not just one place, but a neighbourhood that really takes you back in time. It's a quaint part of North Vancouver, with some really nice cafe's from BjornBar (with their delicious chocolate bars) to Delaney's. A number of cute stores and restaurants line in the road. However, the best way to spend time at Edgemont Village is to grab a treat from your cafe of choosing, and then take a nice walk through Murdo Frazer Park. You will also come across the iconic cottage of Melinda Monroe from Virgin River.  You also have two playgrounds you can enjoy: the Dudley Place playground, suited for smaller kids and the Murdo Frazer playground, that is your traditional playground of slides.

Laserdome Plus

Most people are already aware of Go Banana's which has a branch in North Vancouver (and a few other branches in the Lower Mainland) but few have heard of Laserdome Plus on Dollarton Highway. Laserdome is a family-owned business which has very affordable entertainment for kids. For one, they have a large laser tag arena with fog, black light, strobe lights which is great for groups. Then, if you have toddlers, they have a play jungle which is lots of fun and not too crowded (usually). You have the option to play for 15 minutes, 30 minutes or one hour and more so its perfect for even a short amount of time. Outside of that, they also have a cool auto-belay indoor rock climbing, which is small but fun.

One of the most well-known activities in the summer for almost all tourists in Vancouver is the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park. The Park features a number of activities for everyone, and if you are a resident of BC, it might be worthwhile to get an annual pass, which comes for the same price as a single ticket. It is definitely worth it!

As the name can tell, the park is centered around a suspension bridge which is 450 feet long and  suspended across the Capilano river.  The bridge is perhaps the least interesting of the attractions. The park features a number of other activities, from a cliff walk, a treetop adventure and various restaurants. Fun fact: The name 'Capilano' comes from the First Nation’s word Kia’palano, which means beautiful river.

Attraction 1: The Capilano Suspension Bridge

The Capilano Suspension Bridge was first built in 1889 with hemp ropes and cedar planks by a civil engineer. In 1903, it was upgraded to a wire bridge. It was again rebuilt in 1956.  The bridge has been featured in a number of media productions! While you are walking, you will definitely realize that it is a strong bridge, and the cable is strong enough to hold a 747 fully-loaded airliner! 

The best time to be able to enjoy the bridge without a swarm of people on it is really early in the morning, when the park opens, or at the end of the day, when the park is closing. Otherwise, it tends to be quite busy and you miss out on some amazing phot opps. Strollers are not allowed on the bridge, and to get to most of the attractions, you have to get past the bridge. Thus, it is advisable to not bring a stroller. We did bring one, but just had it parked.

Attraction 2. The Cliffwalk

One of our favorite parts about the park was the Cliffwalk, which is a suspended walkway going along the cliff face above the river. It is almost like floating through a rainforest. There are stairs here and there, but the walk is really enjoyable. We also went during the winter, where they had lights up for display. Fortunately, with an annual pass, you can enjoy special events such as Canyon Lights. During this time, the suspension bridge and the Cliffwalk is lit up!

Attraction 3: Treetops Adventure

The Treetops Adventure is a series of seven suspension bridges attached to eight ginormous Douglas-Fir trees, which happen to be more than 200 years old. My understanding is that they did not damage the trees while creating the bridges because they used a symptom of tree collars that would grow with the trees. 

Attraction 4: Cliffhouse Restaurant and other Eats

The Cliffhouse Restaurant is another attraction offering amazing seafood, and views. The restaurant is open from 11am to 5pm and overlooks the canyon, The menu consists of craft beers, clam chowder, burgers, and much more. 

There are a few more casual dining options however. There is Loggers’ Grill, open from 11:00am to 6:30pm. This is a quick service counter featuring things like burgers fries and fast eats. The Bridgehouse Cafe is located across the street from the main entrance and sells coffee, espresso, baked goods, and sandwiches.

Then, there is another very casual option which is the Cabin, located on the other side of the suspension bridge. Once you cross the bridge, you can treat yourself to a coffee or hot chocolate, and some baked goods. 

Attraction 5: Totem Poles

Much like all of Vancouver, the park is located on the traditional territory of the Coast Salish people, namely the Squamish (Skwxwú7mesh Nation) and Tsleil-Waututh Nation. In the mid-1930s, the owners of the park invited Native people to bring totem poles to the park. Since then, it has become the largest selection of privately owned totem poles in the world.

Attraction 6: Learning and Camps

There are a few other learning activities. For example, there is the Story Centre is filled with artifacts and antiques that speak to Vancouver’s early history. There is also a self-guided trail known as the Living Forest. Then, for the kids there is the Rainforest Explorers Program. This is a self-guided program scavenger hunt of the surrounding forest. Kids will learn all about the rainforest as they conduct their “research”, and they can get a prize when exiting after they have completed the program.

Getting here

The easiest way to get to Capilano Suspension Bridge is to drive here, if you have a car. However, if you are staying in downtown Vancouver, there are multiple buses that can get you close to this place, not to mention a free shuttle that can pick you up from several different locations in downtown. You need a valid park ticket in order to use the shuttle however!

Among the many things to do in Vancouver, the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park will be one of them (atleast based on TripAdvisor and Google). But if you don't want to shell out $50+ for the entry ticket, you could head on to the Lynn Canyon Park, a free park with its own set of suspension bridges and sights in the North Shore.

The Lynn Canyon Park officially opened to the public in 1912 and has been a popular destination among tourists as well as the local residents of Lynn Valley ever since. From downtown, you can take bus 210 that takes you directly to the park. It is pet-friendly so you can bring your four-legged furry friend if you want to do a hike with your dog.

There are a number of things to do here:

Suspension Bridge

The main attraction, the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge towers 50 meters (160ft) over the canyon.  Though it is free, it is not as dramatic as the Capilano Suspension Bridge. However, it does have its own charm!

Baden Powell Trail

This trail crosses the entire North Shore region and passes through Lynn Canyon Park. It is well marked and provides a variety of rugged and smooth sections for novice to advanced hikers. It takes approximately 1 to 1.5 hours to hike the section of the Baden Powell Trail that passes through Lynn Canyon Park.

30 Foot Pool & Beyond

On the North side of the suspension bridge the trail to the left leads you North West through the park. A short walk will take you to the popular 30-Foot pool. The 30-foot pool is one of the most popular locations among tourists and locals. It is a very large area with great spots for a picnic and it features a beautiful swimming hole. In the summer months you will find several visitors taking a quick refreshing swim to cool off. Take extra caution as the water is extremely cold, even in the summer months.

After the 30-Foot pool there is a very large stairway. This will take you to the Pipe Bridge, which crosses the canyon and leads to the North entrance of the park at the top of Lynn Valley Road. The stairs also lead you to the Northern region of the park, the Seymour Demonstration Forest and Rice Lake park entrance. If you do not wish to venture into these areas, the trail loops back towards the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge.

Twin Falls Trail 

Twin Falls is East of the Lynn Canyon suspension bridge and can be accessed from either side of the bridge. If you do not cross the bridge from the main entrance, proceed east past the Lynn Canyon Café and follow the trail down towards the river. A short walk will take you to the Twin Falls Bridge which offers a beautiful view of a waterfall and large pool below.

If you cross the suspension bridge and would like to get to Twin Falls, follow the boardwalk towards the right after the bridge and then follow the trail East to Twin Falls. There is a sign that will point you in the right direction.

Twin Falls is less accessible than the 30-Foot pool and not as popular among visitors. If you are looking for a quiet place to sit by the river, this is the spot. After the Twin Falls Bridge you can reach the river by climbing down a steep bank. If you cross the river there is a long riverbank with lots of sitting room. The sun will stay most of the day until it drops behind the trees. There are also other short trails further down that will take you to the riverbank.

Lynn Headwaters & Rice Lake

If you are looking for another hike along the river, Lynn Headwaters is nearby and is a nice leisurely walk. There are several great spots to stop along the water for a picnic. It is possible to swim, but is not recommended when the river reaches high levels.

Also nearby is Rice Lake which is accessible by Lynn Canyon Park and Lynn Headwaters. There is lots of parking and its a great place to spend a few hours. A trail circles around the lake and has several different viewpoints of the lake. You will often find that fishing is popular here as the lake is stocked with trout each year. Unfortunately swimming is no longer permitted in Rice Lake.

Lynn Canyon Cafe

What makes nature more fun is food (lol). Fortunately, this park also has its own concession spot. The Lynn Canyon Cafe, located right at the entrance to Lynn Canyon Park, is a great place to stop for a refreshment and a snack before and after you start your day of hiking. It’s a west coast style cafe with beautiful dramatic wooden beams that decorate the interior and exterior of the building.

It used to be pretty crowded pre-COVID, but since then, the cafe as well as the overall park are not as crowded and offer safe social distancing. The Cafe provides some delicious baked goods and excellent menu options including burgers with all the fixings. 

The Ecology Centre

The Lynn Canyon Ecology Centre is open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 4pm. It is a small center with some history on the ecology of the place and a few small exhibits. However, they do regular programming for children so give them a call to see what is going on!

When it comes to beautiful cities, Victoria probably bags the award. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is British Columbia’s capital and one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest.  A British settlement since 1843 and named after Queen Victoria, the city is home to a multitude of gardens, a variety of historic buildings, including the beautiful parliament buildings and the world-famous Empress Hotel. The city is also home to the oldest Chinatown in Canada and vibrant First Nations communities who have called this place home long before European settlement. It is also widely known as “The Garden City” due to its almost year-round gardens.

For someone who lives in Vancouver, I did not think much of Victoria, expecting it to be another West Coast city, but was I wrong! Not only does it have the nature and temperate weather, it has an amazing downtown and urban center.  In this post, I’ll share with you some of the best things to do in Victoria while also sharing some tips on saving money, how to get around, where to stay, and much more.

GETTING TO VICTORIA BC

If you’re a visitor looking for different ways of getting to Victoria, here’s some practical advice on how to get there. 

Plane: The first method is pretty straighforward, and that's by plane. You’ll most likely be flying into Victoria International Airport (YYJ). Although there are other smaller airports around the island, this is the one that gets used by most visitors. It’s located near the ferry terminal and is just 25 minutes from downtown and offers easy access to downtown Victoria, including by public bus or taxi. The public bus costs $5 CAD but space for baggage is limited.

Ferry:  Victoria is also a great place to visit by ferry, especially if you want to bring your car and plan on exploring more of Vancouver Island. If you’re driving to Victoria, you will need to take a ferry from the mainland to either Victoria or to Nanaimo. The crossing time is approximately 1.5 hours. The BC ferries leave from Vancouver’s Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay (Victoria). The other option is to take the ferry to Nanaimo, and then drive 2-hours to Victoria. The cost for car and driver is approximately $75 CAD for a one-way trip. Depending on timing, you want to arrive 1-2 hours earlier than the ferry departure as it can be very busy. Upon arrival, you will be in Sidney, BC, which is 32 km (20 miles) north of Victoria, taking approximately 30 minutes by car to reach downtown Victoria.  This method  is suggested for those who want to visit Vancouver. Otherwise, I would advise flying to Victoria. Another really cool feature about Victoria BC is that you can actually take a ferry right from downtown Seattle to downtown Victoria, sailing through some really beautiful coastal scenery. The journey takes approximately 3 hours and starts at around $110 USD.

Bus: Unfortunately, there is no bus that takes you all the way to Victoria from Vancouver. However, you can take a bus to the ferry, and then another bus from the ferry to Victoria. Within Vancouver, you can take the Canada Line to Bridgeport Station and then bus 620 from bay 11 to Tsawwassen ferry terminal. On Vancouver Island, catch the 70 express bus or 72 bus to downtown Victoria.

HOW TO GET AROUND VICTORIA

Victoria is not a huge city, and thus, there is no subway train system. There is, however, a pretty good public bus network, as well as taxis to get you around. You could also rent a car, or if not going too far, Victoria is also a great place to walk and even bike. If you’re only going to be exploring downtown Victoria, walking is the best way to do it and you won't really need to use a bus or taxi except for commuting to the airport or ferry terminal. Most of the sites are within walking distance of one another. 

WEATHER AND BEST TIME TO VISIT

Victoria is one of the mildest cities in Canada, receiving very little snowfall and rarely dipping below 0°C. It does, however, get quite a bit of rain during the winter months. Summer can get busy so that is why Spring and Autumn are great times to visit. In the Spring, which is from March to May, flowers are in bloom so the gardens are great to visit. Summer is also great but also the warmest, busiest and costliest time to visit. The fall from September to November is also a great time to visit the island, though you should expect more rain. It does get a bit cold mid October, so I would try to aim for a September trip!

TOP THINGS TO DO IN VICTORIA BC

Victoria is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Canada, which creates loads of attractions, activities, and other things to do. Below is a list of some of the best things to do when visiting Victoria.

1. THE BUTCHART GARDENS

One of the most visited tourist spots on the island, the Butchard Gardens is an iconic site, as well as a National Historic Site of Canada. The gardens are around 55 acres and home to 900 bedding plant varieties, 26 greenhouses, and 50 full-time gardeners! This is top attraction and though tickets are not very cheap, they are well-worth it. The gardens are not in downtown, so you should allocate a full day to this activity since you would want another day to explore downtown and its attractions.

2. THE ROYAL BC MUSEUM

Another spot to visit, especially if it is a rainy day, is the Royal BC Museum. Founded in 1886, the Museum offers three permanent galleries inside, including Natural History, Becoming BC, and the First Peoples Gallery. The natural history collection alone has more than 750,000 records of specimens that are almost exclusively from the province. The Royal BC Museum is also home to touring exhibitions, such as Titanic, Egyptian artifacts, and the Vikings. Among all the museums in BC, this one is by far the grandest. It’s also conveniently located within walking distance from the Empress Hotel and the inner harbour so is definitely not out of the way.

3. INNER HARBOUR AND VICTORIA PIER

Perhaps the most charming activity in Victoria is to simply stroll around and enjoy the inner harbour, which is one of the most beautiful harbours in the world and similar to the one in Sydney, though smaller. Most of the historic streets and buildings are near the harbour, as is the Royal BC Museum, the Empress Hotel and the Parliament building. 

4. VICTORIA PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS

Right next to the Inner Harbour is the impossible-to-miss British Columbia parliament buildings. Overlooking the stunning Harbour, these beautiful historical buildings are definitely remnants of a very European past. Though we did not have a chance to check out the inside, I believe visitors are able to do self-guided tours of the buildings or can go on a regularly scheduled 35-minute guided tour, which occurs seven days a week during the summer months. 

5. EMPRESS HOTEL AND MINIATURE WORLD

Right adjacent the parliament building, overlooking the harbour is the Empress hotel, owned by the Fairmont group. It happens to be one of the most historic buildings as well and as soon as you step inside, it would be like stepping back into time. This hotel was owned by the Canadian Pacific Railway, built between 1904 and 1908 and is famous for its afternoon tea, which is served in the lobby to more than 800 visitors per day. 

Besides the afternoon tea, the Empress hotel is also home to another top tourist attraction – Miniature World. This little world features many miniature dioramas and displays, including the world’s smallest operational sawmill, the Great Canadian Railway, one of the world’s largest model railways, and even two of the world’s largest Doll Houses complete with over 50 furnished rooms! The attraction is conveniently located within the Empress Hotel, though is a separate ticketed attraction, with adult tickets costing $18.

5. FISHERMAN’S WHARF

Not far from Victoria’s Inner Harbour is the lovely floating neighbourhood of Fisherman’s Wharf. This is a great place to eat food, shop at unique stores, and go on eco-tours. This place was busy with people eating fresh seafood when we visited, but our favourite part was touring the floating homes and just imagining what it would be like to live in a house that moves with the water.

6. BEACON HILL PARK

If you’re looking for a beautiful park to stroll around for the afternoon, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one better than Beacon Hill Park, which is conveniently located in downtown Victoria. Simply walk up Belleville Street past the Museum of Natural History and the Imax Theatre to Douglas Street, take a right, and then climb a short hill until you reach the top. Beautiful inner-city nature awaits you. However, do note that the park is a whopping 200 acres in size, so plan your visit accordingly.

7. CASTLES

Not only is Victoria home to some exquisite gardens, it is home to some gorgeous and grand castles, including Hatley Castle and Craigdarroch Castle.  Hatley Castle is a Classified Federal Heritage Building and since 1995, the mansion and estate have been used for the public Royal Roads University. From the 1940s to 1995, it was used for the Royal Roads Military College, a naval training facility. The gardens are definitely worth a visit!

Craigdarroch Castle is another castle that should be visited, especially since it offers more tours of its interiors. The castle was built between 1887 and 1890 on a hill offering impressive views of the area and you’ll find four floors of exquisite stained-glass windows, intricate woodwork and fabulous Victorian-era furnishings.

8. CHINATOWN AND GOVERNMENT STREET

It’s quite amazing how many cities around the world are home to Chinatown. But Victoria’s is unique in that it’s the second oldest Chinatown in all of North America, second only to the one in San Francisco. Created by Chinese immigrants more than 150 years ago, Chinatown has become a testament to the resiliency of the culture and traditions brought overseas long ago. From the Gate of Harmonious Interest to the bold colours of lucky red and gold throughout the neighbourhood, Chinatown is simply a place you shouldn’t miss when visiting Victoria. While there, don’t miss meandering down Fan Tan Alley as well, which is one of the narrowest streets in Canada.

9. ABKHAZI GARDEN

Victoria is full of gardens, besides the Butchard gardens, hence earning its nickname “The Garden City”. Among its gardens is the Abkhazi Garden, created in 1946 by Prince and Princess Abkhazi, with its own heritage home. It is a small garden, only one acre in size but features dramatic glaciated rocky slopes, magnificent native Garry oaks and gorgeous vistas, Japanese maples and rhododendrons. A nice addition to the trip, and is unticketed.

10. VISIT THE VICTORIA BUG ZOO

We didn't visit this since our kid isn't fond of critters but if your kid is at that age of marvel and wonder, this should be a must-see. All families with kids trek their way to this bug zoo, full of insects and spiders, and what not. It also is home to Canada’s largest ant colony, giant walking stick bugs, alien-eyes praying mantids, and even glow-in-the-dark scorpions. 

11. VICTORIA BUTTERFLY GARDENS

Another garden but this one has another thing to offer: Butterflies. And who doesn’t love butterflies? These gardens are very tropical looking and filled with thousands of butterflies fluttering about the place. Not to mention, lots of koi fish, turtles, poison dart frogs, parrots, flamingos, and many tropical flowers. Tickets are around $18, and definitely worth a quick visit if you have time.

12. DO DAY-TRIPS TO THE SMALLER ISLANDS

While Vancouver Island is quite big, there are actually hundreds of smaller Gulf Islands and inlets in the Georgia Strait around Victoria, BC. These make for excellent day trips. You could rent a boat, arrange a tour, or even take the ferry to popular islands such as Gabriola, Saltspring, and/or Thetis. Once on the little islands, you can simply relax in nature, go biking or hiking, visit local artisans and eateries, or find yourself a nice beach to whisk the day away. Ferry rates are about $10 CAD ($7 USD).

13. EXPLORE VANCOUVER ISLAND

While some certainly visit Victoria just for Victoria, we highly recommend taking another week or more and exploring more of Vancouver Island. It’s truly a special place and one of the most beautiful areas in the country. You’ll find gorgeous rainforest treks, mystical coastal beaches, jaw-dropping waterfalls, lovely little island towns, and the best surfing in Canada out by Tofino. There’s also whale watching and wildlife tours all over the island, the opportunity to go snorkelling with salmon around Campbell River, and some of the best multi-day hikes in North America. Where will you go?

If you follow me, you know that my most recent posts were about gardens. Well, no surprises there ! Since COVID-19, searching for gardens has been my past time. And no surprises, I made it to the largest one in Canada - the Royal Botanical Gardens. Ontario’s Royal Botanical Gardens is Canada’s largest botanical garden. Designated as a National Historic Site, the garden covers over 2400 acres of wetland, field, forest & escarpment ecosystems across the two cities of Burlington and Hamilton. Not to mention, the Gardens are a registered charitable organization.  The scale of the gardens is palpable even at the entrance when you are provided a map. We weren't able to see all of it, but did see some parts. 

The main building, which is known as the RBG Centre, is the place to start! An interesting fact is that a third of the building’s materials were sourced locally and almost 100% of the demolition/construction waste was diverted from the landfill. 

At the main entrance, there is also a gift store and restaurant at the indoor center. A number of halls can be seen throughout the building, and they are used for presentations or events, it seems. We went past these halls to make a visit to the main Hendrie Park.

As soon as you exit the center, you arrive at the gorgeous Hendrie Park, which has a number of things to see including the Rose Garden, which features a spectacular display of roses and companion plants. There is a cute little gazebo for photo opps. Right next to it is also the Turner Pavillion Teahouse where you can enjoy a drink or snack. 

Within the park, is a wood paved walkway known as the Morrison Woodland Garden, which has woodlanders and native plants. There is a Story Walk just before it. It reminded me a lot of my time in Korea, where most of the trails were wood paved.

Within the park, there is a small manicured section with lots of flowers and public art as well, which lies to your left as soon as you exit the RBG Centre. Its easy to miss it, but just make sure to go up all the stairs you see! This section is part of the Dan Lawrie International Sculpture Collection. In 2013 Dan Lawrie, Hamilton businessman and Burlington resident, made a 10-year commitment to donating sculpture to Royal Botanical Gardens which has created The International Sculpture Collection. Through Dan’s generosity, this permanent collection grows in Hendrie Park each year, with the addition of new works from around the world.