Victoria #1 on Trip Advisor

[Luckysll]

Always knew I lived in a great place. :D

 

 

TripAdvisor has named Victoria the Best Travel Destination in Canada -- and the 24th best place to visit in the world -- in its 2010 Traveller's Choice Awards. The lofty praise from one of the world's most popular travel websites arrives as the tourist season gets underway and operators cross their fingers for more visitors.

 

The City of Gardens also finished No. 2 behind Quebec City for best culture and sight-seeing in Canada. Vancouver, Ottawa and Montreal followed.

 

Rankings were based on the reviews of travellers and a popularity index based on hotel reviews, travel stories and opinions gleaned from the web. "It's still one of the most British cities in North America, but there's more to Victoria than tearooms, antique shops and galleries (though there are plenty of those)," TripAdvisor editors said. "Driven by the younger generation, the city has sprouted a collection of cool shops, authentic coffee bars and unique restaurants. It also has more cycling routes than any other Canadian city, providing a great way to explore the picturesque location (and avoid an afternoon of antique shopping)."

 

Finishing 24th overall in the world put Victoria with some incredible company. To put this in perspective, Monaco was No. 1 and Capetown, South Africa No. 25. Rome was ninth and St. Petersburg 17th.

 

Butchart Gardens, the Royal British Columbia Museum and Eagle Wing Whale Watching Tours were mentioned as "don't miss."

 

Meanwhile, local tourist businesses also earned TripAdvisor rankings -- Abbeymoore Manor Bed & Breakfast Inn was first in Canada and No. 2 in the world under the Best B&B and Inns category; Royal Scot Hotel and Suites scored a No. 5 Canadian ranking in the Family Hotel category; and Brentwood Bay Lodge & Spa was eighth best in Canada under the Luxury Hotel Category.

 

Brentwood Bay also scored a AAA Four Diamond ranking for a third straight year and has been included in Expedia's Insider Select list, an elite group of hotels that represent the top one per cent of hotel's on Expedia's site. --

 

Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/Victoria+TripAdvisor/3003269/story.html#ixzz0nRHCe7PV

[LeftcoastBC]

Now if we could only get the water up to "Swimming Temp" and a little bluer :D

[Luckysll]

Now if we could only get the water up to "Swimming Temp" and a little bluer :D

 

True. If you swim in it now, YOU will be the one bluer. :D

[mycruz]

In my research just today I saw that the Conde Nast Travel Mag has Victoria in the top 5. So looking forward to our trip there in September. We're staying at the Bear Mountain Westin for 3 nights then driving up to the Whistler Westin for 5 nights.

 

So, please tell me what I must do besides the Gardens!

[scottbee]

In my research just today I saw that the Conde Nast Travel Mag has Victoria in the top 5. So looking forward to our trip there in September. We're staying at the Bear Mountain Westin for 3 nights then driving up to the Whistler Westin for 5 nights.

 

So, please tell me what I must do besides the Gardens!

 

What do you like? History? Shopping? Gardens? Hiking? Lots to do in Victoria, but off the beaten trail I think two of the more interesting things are the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory, and Fort Rodd Hill

[porsena]

Victoria is the home to Canada's main West coast naval base. Visitors to Victoria between June 9 and June 14 with an interest in ships might like to know of the International Fleet Review being held to help celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Canadian Navy this year.

 

The official website says:To mark the Canadian Naval Centennial (CNC) there will be an International Fleet Review (IFR) in Victoria British Columbia over the period 9-14 June 2010. More than 25 foreign nations from the Indo-Pacific Region have been invited to send ships to gather with our Pacific Fleet in Victoria for the International Fleet Review. Further details can be found at the Maritime Forces Pacific Website

[mycruz]

Interest are, not in any particular order of course, dining, shopping, easy hikes, history and local culture. The observatory sounds interesting as well, thanks for the recommendation. Sorry we'll miss the naval review, not traveling until Sept.

[Putterdude]

I would suggest a visit to the Royal BC Museum, perhaps a lunch in the Bengal Lounge of the Empress Hotel, a shopping trip on Government Street, a Whale Excursion, perhaps a horse drawn carriage trip and perhaps even a round of golf a Bear Mountain. Here are a number of links for your convenience.

http://www.princeofwhales.com/

http://www.orcaspirit.com/

www.victoriacarriage.com/

http://www.tallyhotours.com/

http://www.causewayartists.ca/[/url]

www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca

http://www.bastionsquare.ca/

 

http://www.mmbc.bc.ca/

http://www.marketsquare.ca/

http://www.oldchinatown.com/

http://www.victoriaharbourferry.com/

[porsena]

...to which I'll add, since you have three days, a recommendation for lunch or dinner at Spinnakers brew pub. This is one of Canada's oldest brew pubs with a long and changing assortment of beers, ales and stouts made on the premises. The view is good, the food is better and it's a favourite with many locals. http://www.spinnakers.com/

 

Easy hikes: Many residents like to stroll along Dallas Road between the cruise terminal and Clover Point. This stroll offers a great view of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Mountains, and is an entry point for Beacon Hill Park. You might see kites and parasailing on a breezy day. It has a coffee shop at the western end (Ogden Point) and an ice creamery a couple of blocks north of the Mile 0 marker, which marks one end of the Trans-Canada Highway. The walk is paved and level.

 

The walk around Rithet's Bog is charming, about 45 min at a stroll and mostly flat, gravelled path. The walk around Elk Lake is about 10 km and has scenery from woodland to pasture, also mostly level. There are also shorter loops at Elk Lake. Mount Douglas Park has several good trails and larger trees but the trails are a bit of a climb, say "moderate" for the main trails. You might spend one to two hours there. For good west coast scenery you could try the trail up Mount Work - best to go up and return to the same parking lot rather than cross over - also "moderate", also a couple of hours.

http://www.trailpeak.com/trail-Rithet-Bog-Park-near-Victoria-BC-1512

http://www.crd.bc.ca/parks/pick.htm

http://www.saanich.ca/webapp/parks/displaypark.jsp?mapNo=87

[mycruz]

Dude! and Porsena! what great recommendations, I am so excited. Thanks a million. :D

[porsena]

I almost forgot to recommend the yam fries in the Copper Rock Grill at the Westin Bear Mtn, since mycruz will be staying there. They're delicious. In good weather, the Grill has a patio to sit on with a pretty view out over part of the golf course. And I'll mention this is probably not a good golf course for the occasional player; you'd want to be better than that.

[mycruz]

I have another question.....which BC ferry route do you recommend? we are picking up a rental car at the Vancouver airport and should we make a reservation if we are traveling on 8/31? thanks!

 

I keep reading about yam fries, going to try them for sure and glad they are right there at the resort....no worries about the golf....I've only played one time, sad to say I live on a golf course too!

[Putterdude]

As you will be coming from YVR your best route will be from Tsawwassen to Swartz Bay. It is a very scenic route through the Gulf Islands. As for a reservation on 8/31...for the cost of a reservation, $15, it could save you an hour waiting in line...and that is a very heavy travel week leading up to Labour Day.

[mycruz]

Thanks Putterdude! I'll get that reservation made this week. Wasn't thinking about it being Labor Day weekend.

 

I am loving all this info from the pros up there, thanks!

[Putterdude]

Thanks Putterdude! I'll get that reservation made this week. Wasn't thinking about it being Labor Day weekend.

 

I am loving all this info from the pros up there, thanks!

 

Love your timer for retirement, I had the good fortune to be able to retire early, it will be 6 years ago come Monday and I can tell it is a very noble profession and I have enjoyed every moment of it.:D

[scottbee]

I have another question.....which BC ferry route do you recommend? we are picking up a rental car at the Vancouver airport and should we make a reservation if we are traveling on 8/31? thanks!

 

I keep reading about yam fries, going to try them for sure and glad they are right there at the resort....no worries about the golf....I've only played one time, sad to say I live on a golf course too!

 

Just say no to taking a rental car on the ferry. Labour Day w/e and ferries will be VERY busy, and you'll end up dropping an extra $20 (reservation fee) on top of the $46 it costs to take your car on board (on top of the passenger fare). Pacific Coach lines offer bus service from YVR to downtown Victoria, and you'll save time and money if you just rent a car in downtown Victoria the next day

[Putterdude]

you'll end up dropping an extra $20 (reservation fee)

 

I thought the reservation fee had been increased to $19 but when I checked the BDF website it shows still at $15, which was the reason for my edit.

[porsena]

You'll enjoy the Tsawwassen-Swartz Bay ferry trip, which is a mini (hour and half) version of the transit through the Inside Passage on a cruise up to Alaska. Scenic, and the possibility of seeing killer whales at that time of year.

 

The regular Pacific Coach Lines fare is $40.25 per adult from Vancouver to Victoria unless there's a sale on. They're not currently offering one for this period, so that's $80.50 for two. The cost for two adults plus a car on the ferry is $73.20, plus the $15 fee for the reservation that will probably be needed on Aug 31. The Labour Day weekend in Canada is Sep 4-6 this year, so Aug 31 will not be a holiday but, as Scott said, this is a busy time of year. IMO the small cost savings from taking the coach is not worth the inconvenience.

 

There's a much cheaper way of getting from YVR or the cruise terminal to downtown Victoria using public transit. We used it to get to our last cruise. Ask if you want details.

[mycruz]

Thanks Porcena, we're actually not going to downtown Vancouver at all. We get in very late and we're staying at the airport and will pick up our car in the am to make the trip to Victoria Island. Then we head back over and up to Whistler before flying home. The more I research the more I think we should spend the larger part of the trip on the island but I got voted down on that idea!;)

[Urban trekker]

If you are going from Victoria and then off to Whistler then I suggest that you drive up Island to Nanaimo and take the ferry from there over to Horseshoe Bay and then onto Whistler - that way you don't have to drive through Vancouver - you will save at least an hour that way.

 

The drive up along the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler is spectacular to say the least so enjoy it!

 

Hope this helps

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[scottbee]

I thought the reservation fee had been increased to $19 but when I checked the BDF website it shows still at $15, which was the reason for my edit.

 

I was sure I paid $17.50 actually last time, but either way. Taking a rental car on the ferry is a giant waste of time and/or money, when you can walk on and rent the car on the Victoria side, and not worry about having to make reservations.

 

Renting a car; Vancouver->Victoria;

Car Rental: $40

Car on Ferry: $46

Reservation fee: $15

Passengers on Ferry: $14/ea

Total: $129

 

Pacific Coach Lines; YVR->Victoria

$49/ea

Total: $98

 

Add on top of that, that the coach is FASTER (not having to arrive at the ferry terminal 30 mins in advance to get your reservation), it's a total no-brainer.

 

 

If you don't mind changing from the subway to the bus oncethe following also works, and is only a titch slower than the direct PCL bus, but you do need to be able to drag your luggage

Skytrain YVR-Bridgeport, #620 bus Bridgeport-Tsawwassen; $8.75/ea

Passenger on Ferry; $14/ea

#70 bus Swartz Bay-Downtown Victoria; $2.50/ea

Total $50.50

 

 

 

Putterdude is correct; on the return (from Vancouver Island), drive to Nanaimo and take the DEPARTURE BAY-HORSESHOE BAY ferry if you're heading to Whistler

[Putterdude]

 

Putterdude is correct; on the return (from Vancouver Island), drive to Nanaimo and take the DEPARTURE BAY-HORSESHOE BAY ferry if you're heading to Whistler

 

Actually it was Ut but I concur with his recommendation, even the drive over the Malahat Highway from Victoria is pretty spectacular.

[mycruz]

Putterdude is correct; on the return (from Vancouver Island), drive to Nanaimo and take the DEPARTURE BAY-HORSESHOE BAY ferry if you're heading to Whistler

 

Looking at the map, this makes perfect sense to me! I think we're going to stay with picking up the rental and taking it from YVR on the ferry. We won't have to worry about making connections and transferring luggage. For the amount of savings, my travel companion is fine with the cost. We aren't in any hurry either so the 30 minutes prior to leaving shouldn't be an issue with us either.

 

I did a price on the reservation and it is currently $15 each way for the reservation.

 

Dude, looking to take early retirement next July, let's keep our fingers crossed it works out the way I am hoping!

[scottbee]

Putterdude is correct; on the return (from Vancouver Island), drive to Nanaimo and take the DEPARTURE BAY-HORSESHOE BAY ferry if you're heading to Whistler

 

Looking at the map, this makes perfect sense to me! I think we're going to stay with picking up the rental and taking it from YVR on the ferry. We won't have to worry about making connections and transferring luggage. For the amount of savings, my travel companion is fine with the cost. We aren't in any hurry either so the 30 minutes prior to leaving shouldn't be an issue with us either.

 

I did a price on the reservation and it is currently $15 each way for the reservation.

 

Dude, looking to take early retirement next July, let's keep our fingers crossed it works out the way I am hoping!

 

I still think it's a bad move, and I say that from having commuted on that ferry route for 4 years (return each weekend). If you miss your reservation, you're just another car in the lineup with no special status, which on a holiday weekend can be a 4 sailing (4 hour) wait. Labour Day is traditionally one of the busiest weekends of the year on the ferries. If you grab the coach, you load your stuff at the airport on the coach, you get off in downtown Victoria, no worry about anything.

 

In fact, if you haven't booked your air yet, you'll likely find MCO-YVR is the same price as MCO-YYJ/Victoria.