What better way to spend a three-day weekend than visiting the beautiful city of Victoria, BC! A cheap Airbnb two night stay was the deciding factor and we were on our way. Typically, Victoria is a summer destination. Since it was Winter, we figured there’d be less tourism and we’d have more of a local experience. Good news: we were right.
Bad news: we had to tough out the freezing rain.
We caught an 11am ferry from the Tswassen Ferry Terminal in Vancouver, British Columbia that took us right through the Canadian San Juan’s. Once landed at Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, it was a 30min drive down South to Victoria. You could feel the history of the town as soon as you set foot in it. Older buildings caught our eye on every street. Daytime adventures: Sult’s Pierogi Bar was our first stop where we ordered gourmet pierogi’s.If you love pierogi’s, you’ll love this place. We had a couple hours before we checked into our room so we drove west for about 20min to check out the Fisgard Lighthouse on Fort Rodd Hill. $4 Canadian for admission wasn’t too bad for what was in store. It’s an old Canadian military fort that had been restored and filled with props. A refreshing change from the decaying bunkers we were used to in and around Washington. You could really imagine what it looked like when they were in use! Rounding the corner of the biggest bunker in the park emerged the monumental Fisgard Lighthouse, perched on it’s own piece of land almost entirely surrounded by water. We walked out to it and explored its history displayed on the inside of its walls.
The next day the rain had subsided so we stayed outdoors as much as possible. We attended the Chinese New Year lion dance celebration in China Town. Large lion costumes danced through the streets accompanied by local kung fu students and teachers. It was a fantastic experience I’d recommend to anyone headed to Victoria for next year’s Presidents Day Weekend. We then had brunch at Jam Café with a menu that’s to die for. I had the special that day, cheesecake French toast, but that was even a difficult decision. Did I mention they had amazing food? We then drove over to Beacon Hill Park and gazed at the Olympic Mountains across the Straight of Juan de Fuca. We could’ve stayed there all day. There is a beautiful pathway along Dallas Road that leads all the way down to a jetty stretching out into the harbor. Below the walkway you’ll find various beaches covered in driftwood, again with the Olympics in the distance.
HINT: if you walk straight down from Beacon Hill and go through the pathway that leads to the beach… stop before you hit the stairs and cut through the trees. You’ll find yourself on a grassy patch on top of a large rock. It’s a great place for a picnic, or simply to take in the beautiful scenery.
Down on the docks of the Fishermans Wharf are houseboats of every shape and color. They’re so unique; a truly exceptional sight. There are a couple food vendors at the beginning (sushi, fish and chips, Mexican food) and if you walk over to the edge of the dock, you’ll find a family of seals staring right back at you, close enough to pet.
Veneto’s restaurant is a fun place to start the night. Their menu consists of “shareable” items so bring a friend! Their duck poutine is absolutely amazing (A Canadian classic) and if you’re bold, their “Spin the Wheel” cocktails are enthralling. You pick the main ingredient but the rest is a surprise. The Flying Otter Grill has great seafood and good happy hour deals, Darcy’s is a fun pub with live music, but Fiamo’s was my favorite. It’s charming with outdoor seating (heat lamped and lighted) while indoors has a great ambiance with low lighting and a classy bar setup. Old-school advertisements hang on the walls. Some extra tips and tricks to consider on your trip: The ferries that run in the winter leave from downtown Seattle (a passenger only ferry that takes you straight to downtown Victoria), and Vancouver, BC. Prices are slightly higher than your typical Seattle commuter ferries (only saying this because we were surprised but it’s worth it!). The summer has a few more ferry options including the Anacortes Ferry and the Port Angeles Ferry. Reservations could be extremely useful if you are on a tight schedule!
