What Would You Do On Foot in Victoria BC?

[Jenny A]

We are headed out on a twentieth anniversary trip in a couple weeks to Seattle Washington (is there another Seattle?) and Victoria, BC. We're going by train as far as Seattle and then ferrying it to Victoria. We'll have just a couple days in each city. We won't rent a car either place. This is strictly a mass transit and foot powered expedition.

Anyone have any cool suggestions for things to do beyond the obvious Pikes Place Market, Art Museums, Space Needle, Aquariums, Butchart Gardens, and High Tea at the Empress Hotel?

[vorlon13]

When I was a kid the family took the ferry from Port Townsend to Victoria. Unfortunately, the tide was roaring through the Strait of Juan de Fuca and mom and dad had a miserable passage.

When we got to Victoria, I don't recall too much other than mom wanting to shop downtown, and that was fun. As for Seattle, don't forget the monorail, it's fun. As I recall, we also took the ferry from Seattle to Vashon Island and back, and that was FUN, the ship wasn't pitching and heaving.

(I grew up in landlocked Iowa, anything on the water was a novel experience!)

[c172]

I haven't been to Seattle since 1991. I do have an uncle and aunt there, but they are so busy. Good people, but we've lost touch. One of these days I'll fly up for a Sounders match, and maybe get dinner with them. I don't remember anything in particular I liked. Just the general vibe. Honestly, I love the whole PNW (Seattle, Spokane, Medford, Klamath Falls, Boise).

Another aunt and uncle moved from Seattle to Vancouver, BC. They're busy, too, and I've never been up to BC, so I have nothing to say on Victoria, but I love the pics I've seen. I've only ever been to Calgary, AB, which I liked as well.

[Jackalope]

Victoria is awesome. I've traveled through there when on my way to diving trips. Definitely sample the cuisine - much of it is European-inspired and quite excellent. I wish I could remember the name of this most excellent Italian place.

Be nice to the border guards at the ferry terminal. They have no sense of humor.

[CapnAwesome]

We are headed out on a twentieth anniversary trip in a couple weeks to Seattle Washington (is there another Seattle?) and Victoria, BC. We're going by train as far as Seattle and then ferrying it to Victoria. We'll have just a couple days in each city. We won't rent a car either place. This is strictly a mass transit and foot powered expedition.

Anyone have any cool suggestions for things to do beyond the obvious Pikes Place Market, Art Museums, Space Needle, Aquariums, Butchart Gardens, and High Tea at the Empress Hotel?

I used to live in Seattle and currently am in B.C. Pretty sure you can get out to Mt. Rainier and Snoqualmie falls via bus. What sort of stuff are you into?

[Jenny A]

I used to live in Seattle and currently am in B.C. Pretty sure you can get out to Mt. Rainier and Snoqualmie falls via bus. What sort of stuff are you into?

Mt. Rainier we've done recently. We're just 40 minutes south of Portland and we do a fair amount of hiking in Washington, Oregon and Idaho, but this is a city trip.

I'm into art and food and he tags along. We're both into science and history. He likes flight and space particularly, I don't mind going along. We like bazaar type shopping in a limited way, but neither of us shop for entertainment much. We aren't much for night life either one of us.

Is Victoria's China Town still worth a visit? I haven't been to Victoria in 20 years.

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Victoria is awesome. I've traveled through there when on my way to diving trips. Definitely sample the cuisine - much of it is European-inspired and quite excellent. I wish I could remember the name of this most excellent Italian place.

Be nice to the border guards at the ferry terminal. They have no sense of humor.

Boarder guards have their sense of humor surgically removed. It's part of their training--that a complex kind of stupidity.

[Whateverist]

We are headed out on a twentieth anniversary trip in a couple weeks to Seattle Washington (is there another Seattle?) and Victoria, BC. We're going by train as far as Seattle and then ferrying it to Victoria. We'll have just a couple days in each city. We won't rent a car either place. This is strictly a mass transit and foot powered expedition.

Anyone have any cool suggestions for things to do beyond the obvious Pikes Place Market, Art Museums, Space Needle, Aquariums, Butchart Gardens, and High Tea at the Empress Hotel?

We really enjoyed an anthropology museum in Vancouver. It has been more than 25 years so my memory is hazy.

If you had a car and 2 or 3 extra days I'd recommend Hot Springs Cove, but you'd have to drive to the Northwest side of Vancouver island to the end of the road at Tofino. Then get on a native american 'ferry' (motorboat is more than generous as a description) and go an hour further north until you come to this Provincial park. Divine for a natural hot springs which flow over a nine foot falls before weaving its way through pools which become tide pool right in the ocean.