Victoria Travel Guide (Victoria, Southern British Columbia)

The Victoria that's worth bothering with is very small: almost everything worth seeing, as well as the best shops and restaurants, is within walking distance in the Inner Harbour area and the Old Town district behind it. On summer evenings this area is alive with strollers and buskers, and a pleasure to wander as the sun drops over the water. Foremost amongst the daytime diversions are the Royal British Columbia Museum and the Empress Hotel . Most of the other trumpeted attractions are dreadful, and many charge entry fees out of all proportion to what's on show. If you're tempted by the Royal London Wax Museum, the Pacific Undersea Gardens, Miniature World, English Village, Anne Hathaway's Thatched Cottage or any of Victoria's other dubious commercial propositions, details are available from the infocentre. Otherwise you might drop by the modest Maritime Museum and think about a trip to the celebrated Butchart Gardens , some way out of town, but easily accessed by public transport or regular all-inclusive tours from the bus terminal. If you're around for a couple of days you should also find time to walk around Beacon Hill Park , a few minutes' walk from downtown to the south.

The best of the area's beaches are well out of town on Hwy 14 and Hwy 1 , but for idling by the sea head down to the pebble shore along the southern edge of Beacon Hill Park. For some local swimming, the best option by far is Willows Beach on the Esplanade in Oak Bay, 2km east of Victoria; take bus #1 to Beach and Dalhousie Road. Other good stretches of sand can be found on Dallas Road and at Island View Beach.