Getting the Most Out of Your Time in Victoria
When you need a break from teaching or learning English, make sure to see some of these sights while you are in Victoria.
Butchart Gardens
Victoria lives up to its nickname, the "City of Gardens," with this acclaimed garden setting. It features seasonal displays and natural foliage year-round. Reflecting Victoria's status as an international destination, the garden's website has guides available in 21 languages.
Whale Watching
Victoria is a terrific place to go for whale watching. Orcas, nicknamed "killer whales," congregate around Haro Strait near the Inner Harbour of Victoria. Many services such as this one, Five Star Whale Watching from Clipper Vacations, will take groups of tourists out to photograph and marvel at these impressive marine animals. Fodor's travel guide says that you can sometimes spot whales on the cheap by taking the ferry from Victoria to another nearby city.
Hiking
The range of natural surroundings around Victoria is breathtaking, from snowcapped mountains to the pounding surf of the sea. Within the Greater Victoria area are at least 60 parks, at the provincial, regional and municipal levels, according to the Tourism BC website. The trails range from difficult to easy, often within the same park. And you can actually hike year round, due to the area's mild climate.
Outside Victoria
If you get the chance, make sure to go outside Victoria and take in some of the other major destinations within British Columbia. At the top of your list should be Vancouver, a cosmopolitan city which recently hosted the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Vancouver is known for having fantastic food, such as the Indian restaurant Vij's, which has been featured on the Travel Channel show "No Reservations" with Anthony Bourdain. It also has art galleries, live entertainment and opportunities to take part in outdoor sports like white water rafting.
There are also many impressive national parks in British Columbia to explore, such as Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The name comes from an expression of wonder used by the Cree tribe. The park may have you saying "Yoho" as well, with its abundant hiking trails and rock climbing opportunities.
British Columbia is one of the most geographically diverse provinces in Canada, and it has made an effort to protect its natural resources for Canadians and visitors. So be sure to take advantage of all of this when you are living in the province's capital, Victoria.