I have a love affair with gardening. Not only do I find digging in the dirt to be a very satisfying activity, I thoroughly enjoy visiting gardens for inspiration. The gardens in Victoria, BC in spring are exceptional places to visit. They're very much alive and bursting with colour while the rest of Canada may or may not be buried under snow. I think 3 of the best gardens in Victoria to visit include The…
Hiking in Victoria BC is a year round activity locals and visitors alike can enjoy. While I've done one standout hike in the area - the Coastal Trail in East Sooke Regional Park - I hadn't spent any time in the regional parks closer to Victoria. That all changed when I hooked up with guide Ryan Leblanc from The Natural Connection. According to my trip notes I was going to spend some time practicing Shinrin-yoku,…
April is an awesome time for cycling in Victoria. While the rest of Canada is under snow advisories (at least some years) or even worse, still buried under many feet of snow, you can head off for a bike ride on an extensive network of flower-lined trails around the city and the surrounding area. Cycling Victoria BC is a superb way to intimately visit the city as you get to experience it with all your…
Looking for an easy, reasonably priced weekend getaway that involves only a bike, a credit card and a Vancouver Island ferry ride? Try two days of biking the Galloping Goose Trail from Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal to Sooke and back via the Lochside Trail as described below. It's a great weekend trip from Vancouver and affordable since you can bike onto the ferry at a fraction of the price of taking a car. Updated February…
I always love to visit the Victoria area in spring, especially if Calgary is still blanketed in snow. There's nothing like arriving to a landscape of colour. On my wish list for my time in the area was an April visit to the Butchart Gardens. I'd been before but there's a timeless appeal to the gardens and April, with all the spring bulbs in bloom, is spectacular. The fall is also a stunner of a…
If you were to do a word association game and Victoria popped up what would you think of? I immediately think of tea and crumpets, The Empress Hotel, and the Butchart Gardens. But there's actually a whole lot more to the city. It's extremely popular with tourists - probably because it's such a pretty city with a lot to see and plenty going on. Restaurants are great and it's close to a number of wineries too.…
The 10 kilometre Coast Trail in East Sooke Park is a standout hike if you're looking for a day hike near Victoria. The trailhead is only about a 45 minute drive from downtown Victoria. The hike along the Coast Trail is a great one from start to finish. It’s a model in contrasts: spectacular and rugged coastal scenery is broken by temperate rainforest filled with massive cedars and firs, some draped in moss. Throw in…
If you're planning on sightseeing in Vancouver then these 30 activities will keep you busy for days. How often have you had visitors and wondered what in the world you were going to do with them short of sitting staring at each other across the living room?? Fortunately in Vancouver there's a great deal to do to keep even the most jaded visitor and host happy, especially in the summer. The best time to go…