Victoria Travel Guide

By Author: Bonny Kominek
Total Articles: 230
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Anyone that has been to Canada will know that it is one of the most beautiful places on earth. So then, to claim that British Columbia on the west coast is the most stunning part of Canada you can imagine just how special this place really is.

The towering peaks of the Olympic Mountains stand tall beyond the lush green coastline and cool Pacific waters, the Juan De Fuca Strait and the Strait of Georgia. Victoria, on Vancouver Island is a little bit of America and Canada with a heavy does of colonial history thrown in for good measure.

If for some unfathomable reason you find yourself getting bored of the region''s natural wonders, there are plenty of museums, galleries, shops and restaurants to amuse you and provide shelter during the cold and snowy winter months.

Most people know about Vancouver, but less is known internationally about its nearby neighbour, Victoria. First things first, for lovers of statistics, apparently it is 65% sunnier in Victoria than it is in Vancouver. But aside from this, it is smaller and more manageable and has a provincial town feel rather than a large, impersonal global city ...
... atmosphere.

Victoria is known as Canada''s ''Garden City''. This means there are flowers everywhere creating a colourful rainbow throughout the city. But be warned, with as much lush and green foliage as this, you can be sure there is a good amount of rain too.

But if the weather is bad, there is plenty to inside, particularly for history buffs. Western Canada''s oldest Maritime Museum is found in the heart of Victoria. It is housed in a stunning 19th century building in equally as historic Bastion Square.

The installations describing seafaring life, from the navy to the pirate-ship, can make this a great place to take the kids. There is also the Tilikum, which is a dugout canoe that was used to sail from Victoria to England. The museum also has North America''s oldest operating birdcage lift.

Lack of pollution and location-specific weather conditions means that you can see a vast amount of stars when you look up at the night sky in Canada. At the Centre of the Universe you cannot only marvel at breathtaking view of Victoria, the straits, the Olympic Mountains and Vancouver Island, but being an observatory, you can also gaze at the stars. You can tour the 1.8 metres Plaskett Telescope and travel through the constellations at the Starlab Planetarium. This is a great place for kids to learn and have fun. Bonny Kominek is a travel expert and freelance writer. They recommend Octopus Travel for Victoria hotels.