Okay, so I am writing this from the viewpoint of someone who has grown up in the United States. However, whenever I have heard about Canada, people will mention Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, Nova Scotia, and to a lesser degree, Calgary, and Saskatoon. I have visited a couple of these places and they are great cities.
On a recent trip to Canada, My wife and I visited Victoria, located on the southern portion of Vancouver Island. It is also the capital of British Columbia, which I was surprised to learn. I wasn’t expecting much when I went there, besides some pretty sites and some good nature. However, again to my surprise, Victoria is truly a hidden treasure filled with many great restaurants, museums, aquatic activities, hiking, and many other things. Oh, and the people are friendly too.
The inner harbor was a delight as there are numerous restaurants within walking distance, including some food trucks. The Royal BC Museum is also in this area. The Parliament building is very lighted at night and a beautiful site to see. Our hotel was right over the water, which provided a great view throughout the day, especially in the morning. It is burned into my memory and will use it as motivation to go further in life. Who doesn’t want a water view? Well, I guess some people don’t.
The downtown area also provided some great restaurants. There was a diversity of culinary treats, such as Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Indian, or just simple burgers, fries, and pizza. You may be surprised by the variety of food available. The weather was perfect while we were there. It remained in the 60s and 70s but felt warmer with the sun shining all day.
Anyways, all I can say about Victoria is that it has way more than I thought and I am very impressed. Vancouver Island, as a whole, is worth visiting. The region provides numerous small towns and access to great hiking, golfing, camping, eating, and numerous other exciting activities. I hope this does not sound like an infomercial, but I hope all of you get the opportunity to visit Victoria. If so, I don’t believe you will be disappointed.
My wife and I have traveled throughout the world and Victoria is definitely a place we will be returning to.
Nomadic Nurse Ankit 