Fisherman's Wharf - a Great Afternoon out for a Victoria Tourist

A ten minute walk from the BC Legislature is all that it takes to get to Fisherman's Wharf. An eclectic mixture of places to eat, a bounty of pirate treasures, fresh seafood, marine tours and unusual houseboats.


On this visit to Victoria's Fisherman's Wharf, we were seduced by the smell of the fish and chips at Barb's Place - Fish and Chips. Barb's is fish and chips is rather well known so be prepared for a bit of a wait. Order early and spend the time taking in the rest of the sights. Oh and one more piece of advice, order extra coleslaw it is fantastic.

For the young and young at heart, a set on board a pirate ship and help the crew look for solve the mysteries of a treasure map, find the loot and defeat an evil pirate with water cannons. It makes me wish I was 8 years old again.

If you want to take home a bit of the sea with you, there are numerous options for fresh sea food as well as crabs right off the boat.

Walk among the flowers in Victoria for FREE

Tourist flock every year to Victoria, and a great number of them head up highway 17A to make a horticultural pilgrimage to Butchart Gardens.  However, Victoria already has some of the most beautiful landscaped walks that you do not need a pass to enjoy.

I remember being taken as a child to Butchart Gardens and I will my new impressions of it in the future. Yet at this time of the year, why spend the money on an admission pass when there are so many flowers and trees in bloom? Sure there may not be the Latin names and descriptions to go with wild flowers, but if you look for botanical life you will find it growing in the strangest of places.  It is fantastic.

These are photos taken during a half hour walk along the edge of Esquimalt.  Come and visit, it is all here for you to enjoy.

Thetis Lake... actually lakes. Great stroll, paddle, swim or tan near Victoria, BC

We were looking for a place away from the typical tourist haunts and wanted to immerse in a bit of British Columbia wilderness.  Fortunately we remembered a sign for Thetis lake last time we drove up island and decided to take a look.

Thetis Lake Regional Park

A 15 minute drive (~10 kilometers) from downtown Victoria, what's commonly referred to as Thetis lake is actually a pair of lakes (Upper and Lower Thetis Lake).  There are a couple of small sandy beaches that were full of sun worshipers on the day we visited.  The smaller beach seemed like a popular spot for locals to bring their dogs to play in the lake.  If you forgot to bring a snack, there were two mobile food venders working this weekend, selling the typical burgers, fries and pizza.  Around the lakes are a network of very well maintained trails, though we stuck to the main ones bordering the lakes.  It's an easy stroll among the Garry oaks, firs and pine trees which make the 4 kilometers around the two lakes seem much shorter.

We'll definitely be going back.  Hope you will enjoy this gem too.

Note - if you are driving out of Victoria on the Trans Canada Highway #1 take Exit 10 onto the Old Island Highway, and then turn right at Six Mile Road (The Six Mile Pub is a good marker).

Summer = Festivals

Victoria International Buskers Festival 2011

 

To really appreciate how many things are going on in Victoria it would really help if you are unemployed. There is really no shortage of entertainment as you walk down the street of Victoria and this week is especially full of great entertainers.

This year Victoria host its inaugural Victoria International Buskers Festival.  For ten days large crowds of people peering over, under and in between their neighbors has become a very common site around the downtown harbor.  It's likely only a handful in the crowd came down specifically for this entertainment, but the performers managed to wow crowds ranging from bright eyed toddlers to seniors in their mobility scooters.

From the few shows that I have watched the variety included a rather affectionate juggler, a contortionist from down-under and soul moving guitarist.  Now this is an amazing line up of free acts.  I guess whether you tip or not depends on you and if you felt entertained.  By the looks of things, many people enjoyed themselves.

I hope to see this festival become an ongoing part of the Victoria calendar.