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July 28, 2006
Taking the less-beaten path
Victoria offers many unexpected treasures for summer visitors.
CAROL SOKOLOFF
It's B.C. Day and what better way to celebrate than a visit to
our provincial capital, Victoria?
Tourists flock to the city from around the globe, especially in
summer, when flower baskets dangle from the lamp posts and the town
takes on a festive air. For British Columbians, Victoria can be
an easy and inexpensive getaway. B.C. Ferries' scenic 90-minute
cruise from Tsawassen sails frequently, but make a reservation to
avoid unexpected delays if you plan to bring a car. Or perhaps consider
whether you really need a car at all.
Victoria is one of the most walkable cities in North America, with
a compact downtown and attractions easily accessible on foot. It's
also a great town for biking. The Lochside and Galloping Goose trails
take you from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal right to downtown –
and transit buses also carry bikes, if you don't care to cycle the
whole way.
Victoria's reputation as a "little bit of olde England"
is definitely outdated. Summer is festival time and the Folkfest,
Jazzfest, Luminara, Afro-Caribbean festival and Latin-Caribbean
music festivals all celebrate diverse cultures and sounds in outdoor
concerts and dances at the harbor or Market and Centennial squares.
Still, many visitors will wish to experience traditional English
afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, the historic dowager on the
inner harbor. Those watching the waistline, as well as the pocketbook,
might prefer to skip this costly carb-fest and head instead to the
hotel's exotic Bengal Tiger Room, where the ambience and views are
equally engaging. In the atmosphere of a gentlemen's club straight
out of colonial India, complete with antique fans swaying back and
forth overhead, you can order a fine pot of tea or a good stiff
drink, though no minors are permitted.
If nothing but traditional afternoon tea, with scones, preserves
and Devon cream, will do, there are some charming and less expensive
alternatives to the Empress. Behind the Legislature, you'll find
the quaint James Bay Tea Room, its walls crowded with pictures of
the royal family, where the teapot comes wrapped in a homespun cosy.
Try tea in the garden at historic Point Ellice House (on the Gorge
waterway) or at Murchie's on Government Street, next door to Munro's,
one of Canada's great bookstores.
Victoria is truly a city of gardens. Butchart Gardens in Brentwood
Bay is an outstanding but pricey attraction. There are other gardens,
mostly free, to be enjoyed right in town. Government House on Rockland,
the residence of the B.C. lieutenant-governor, has exquisite grounds
with terraces, ponds, fountains, waterfalls and rose gardens open
to the public each day until dark. A popular backdrop for wedding
portraits, it's also perfect for a picnic on the grass. Beacon Hill
Park downtown has formal gardens, ponds and wild places. Stroll
its lawns and lanes to the Dallas Road footpath beside the Strait
of Juan de Fuca, where the snow-covered Olympic Mountains shine
from across the water. Wooden stairs take you to sandy beaches and
rocky coves. Nearby Clover Point is the place to fly a kite.
Many visitors try whale-watching in zodiacs, but there are other
ways to get out on the water or see marine life. A fleet of small
boats traverse the harbor regularly or you can rent a kayak or canoe
and paddle the tranquil waters of the Gorge, the city's inland waterway.
The Coho ferry sails four times daily between Victoria and Port
Angeles on Washington state's Olympic Peninsula. For the small walk-on
fare, you just might spot a pod of Orcas riding the swells. Harbor
seals are often seen from the breakwater, a stone embankment stretching
into the sea near the cruise ship docks. While there, stop at the
Ogden Point Café for a snack with unparallelled views.
Don't miss the extraordinary Royal B.C. Museum and the totem poles
of Thunderbird Park. Catch a free tour of the ornate buildings of
the provincial Legislature and wander the causeway beside the inner
harbor, lively with street performers. Up Fort Street (or "Antique
Row"), the Art Gallery of Victoria has outstanding collections
of Asian art and Emily Carr. Nearby Craigdarroch Castle features
antique woodwork and stained glass. Stroll the historic neighborhoods
of Fernwood and James Bay.
Visit Canada's oldest synagogue in continual use, the 1860s red
brick Congregation Emanu-El, and other historic houses of worship.
Shop in colorful "Old Town" (Johnson and Yates streets,
Market and Bastion squares) and Chinatown (Fisgard Street and narrow
Fan Tan Alley). Wander the Cook Street Village and pick up a challah
or snack at Bubbe Roses Bakery. Other vegetarian spots include the
renowned Rebar and Green Cuisine.
For night life, check the listings in Monday magazine, a
free weekly. Head to Hermann's Jazz Club, the Central Bar and Grill,
Swans, Pagliacci's or the Superior for live music most evenings.
Concerts, readings and art shows, theatre and dance performances
abound in Victoria's stimulating cultural scene.
On the way home, leave time for a stop in Sidney, a charming seaside
village with many unique shops. And consider a return journey via
Saltspring Island for fabulous crafts and cheeses. By the time you've
done all these things, you'll be so tired, you may need another
vacation. Luckily you can easily return to Victoria again soon!
Carol Sokoloff is a Victoria freelance writer.
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