Moon Vancouver

by Carolyn B. Heller

  From downtown Victoria, take B.C. Transit bus 7 for UVIC (one-way $2.50) from Douglas and View Streets and get off on Fairfield Road at Foul Bay Road, opposite the garden.

  Craigdarroch Castle

  Like any good British-inspired city, Victoria has a castle, a grand stone Romanesque revival structure, complete with turrets, stained glass, and Victorian-era artifacts.

  Robert Dunsmuir, a Scottish immigrant who made his fortune mining coal on Vancouver Island, built the 39-room mansion, known as Craigdarroch Castle (1050 Joan Crescent, 250/592-5323, www.thecastle.ca; 9am-7pm daily mid-June-early Sept., 10am-4:30pm daily early Sept.-mid-June; adults $13.95, seniors $12.95, students $8.95, ages 6-12 $5), in the late 1880s. Sadly, Dunsmuir died before the castle was finished. His wife Joan lived here with three of her unmarried daughters (the Dunsmuirs had 10 children) from the castle’s completion in 1890 until she died in 1908.

  With more than 20,000 square feet (1,880 square meters) of floor space, the castle, now a national historic site, is decorated as it would have been in the Dunsmuirs’ time, with lavish Victorian appointments, including sculptures, paintings, books, and period furnishings.

  From downtown Victoria, any of the Fort Street buses (one-way $2.50), including B.C. Transit bus 14 for UVIC, bus 15 for UVIC, or bus 22 for Hillside Mall, will drop you near the castle. On foot, allow 30 to 35 minutes from the Inner Harbour.

  Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

  Built around an 1899 Victorian mansion that now houses the museum shop, the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria (1040 Moss St., 250/384-4171, www.aggv.ca; 10am-5pm Mon.-Sat., noon-5pm Sun. mid-May-mid-Sept., 10am-5pm Tues.-Sun. mid-Sept.-mid-May; adults $13, seniors and students $11, ages 6-17 $2.50) has a significant collection of work by Victoria-born painter Emily Carr and one of Canada’s most extensive Asian art holdings. The gallery’s changing exhibitions typically showcase Canadian or Asian works.

  The Art Gallery is 1.5 miles (2.3 kilometers) east of the Inner Harbour. B.C. Transit bus 15 for UVIC (one-way $2.50), which runs along Fort Street, will drop you at the corner of Fort Street and Fernwood Road, around the corner from the gallery. You can easily combine visits to the Art Gallery and nearby Craigdarroch Castle.

  Ross Bay Cemetery

  Many notable Victorians are buried in the historic Ross Bay Cemetery (Fairfield Rd. at Stannard Ave.; dawn-dusk daily; free), which stretches between Fairfield Road and the Dallas Road waterfront. The Victorian-era cemetery’s most visited grave is that of artist Emily Carr (1871-1945), near the intersection of Fairfield Road and Arnold Avenue. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Sir James Douglas, who served as British Columbia’s first governor from 1858 to 1864, and Robert Dunsmuir, who built Craigdarroch Castle. The cemetery includes sections for different Christian denominations, with separate areas for First Nations and Chinese people, and a potter’s field, where the poor were buried.

  Cemetery maps are available online from the Old Cemeteries Society of Victoria (250/598-8870, www.oldcem.bc.ca). The society offers tours ($5) focusing on different aspects of the cemetery’s history. In July and August, tours are offered every Sunday at 2pm, while September through June, tours generally run on the first and third Sundays; check their website for a schedule.

  From Douglas Street in downtown Victoria, B.C. Transit bus 3 or 7 (one-way $2.50) will take you along Fairfield Road to the cemetery. It’s a 35- to 40-minute walk from the Inner Harbour.

  THE SAANICH PENINSULA

  The Saanich Peninsula extends north of downtown Victoria to the communities of Saanich, North Saanich, Sidney, and Brentwood Bay. Partly suburban and partly a rural landscape of farms, forests, and fields, the peninsula is worth exploring for one major attraction—the popular Butchart Gardens—and for several smaller sights; it’s also home to several wineries and distilleries. The Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, with boats to Vancouver and several of the Gulf Islands, is at the northern tip of the Saanich Peninsula.

  S Butchart Gardens

  How did a cement factory and limestone quarry become one of Vancouver Island’s most popular garden attractions? Jennie Butchart and her husband, Robert, moved to the island from Ontario in the early 1900s, where Robert established a quarry and cement business, and Jennie became the company’s chemist. The Butcharts built a large manor nearby and began planting flowers around it.

  Butchart Gardens

  The Butcharts named their estate Benvenuto, Italian for “welcome,” and by the 1920s, more than 50,000 people were visiting their gardens every year. Now, nearly one million visitors annually come to ogle the floral displays at the 55-acre (22-hectare) Butchart Gardens (800 Benvenuto Ave., Brentwood Bay, 250/652-5256, www.butchartgardens.com; 9am-10pm daily mid-June-early Sept., 9am-5pm daily early-late Sept. and Apr.-mid.-June, 9am-4pm daily Oct. and Mar., 9am-3:30pm daily Nov. and, 9am-9pm daily Dec.-early Jan.; mid-June-Sept. adults $32.60, students 13-17 $16.30, ages 5-12 $3, reduced rates in other seasons).

  When the company limestone quarry was exhausted, Jennie had the former pit transformed into what is now known as the Sunken Garden. Other highlights include the Rose Garden, the Italian Garden, and the serene Japanese Garden. On summer Saturday nights (July-early Sept.), fireworks shows are choreographed to music. During the winter holidays, the pathways twinkle with thousands of lights.

  The Butchart Gardens are 14 miles (23 kilometers) north of Victoria and 12.5 miles (20 kilometers) south of the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. From downtown Victoria, B.C. Transit bus 75 (one-way $2.50) can take you to the gardens in about 45 minutes.

  Victoria Butterfly Gardens

  Don’t be surprised if a common Mormon or a blue morpho lands on your head inside this tropical greenhouse. More than 3,000 butterflies dart and flutter around the palm trees and exotic plants at the family-friendly Victoria Butterfly Gardens (1461 Benvenuto Ave., Brentwood Bay, 250/652-3822 or 877/722-0272, www.butterflygardens.com; 10am-5pm daily early Mar.-Oct., 10am-4pm daily Nov.-early Mar., extended hours Dec., last admission 1 hour before closing; adults $16.50, seniors and students $11, ages 5-12 $6), which houses about 75 different species from around the world.

  The Butterfly Gardens are 12 miles (20 kilometers) north of Victoria and 11 miles (18 kilometers) south of the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, near the Butchart Gardens. B.C. Transit bus 75 (one-way $2.50) can take you from downtown Victoria in about 40 minutes.

  Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

  A small modern aquarium on the waterfront in the town of Sidney, the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre (9811 Seaport Pl., Sidney, 250/665-7511, www.oceandiscovery.ca; 10am-5pm daily July-early Sept., 10am-4:30pm daily early Sept.-June, last admission 30 minutes before closing; adults $15, seniors $12, ages 13-18 $8, ages 4-12 $7.50) focuses on the marinelife of the Salish Sea, the waters surrounding southern Vancouver Island. More than 3,500 creatures, representing 150 different species, are typically on view. On Saturday and Sunday, marine-themed games, crafts, and other special activities add to the fun for kids.

  Along Highway 17, the aquarium is 17 miles (28 kilometers) north of downtown Victoria and four miles (6.5 kilometers) south of the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. B.C. Transit buses 70 and 72 (one-way $2.50) stop in Sidney en route between Victoria and the ferry terminal. Get off at 5th Street and Beacon Avenue, and walk down Beacon to the aquarium.

  Wineries and Distilleries

  You don’t have to go far from Victoria to go wine-tasting, with several wineries and distilleries across the Saanich Peninsula.

  One of the region’s more established wineries, Church and State Wines (1445 Benvenuto Ave., Central Saanich, 250/652-2671, www.churchandstatewines.com; 11am-6pm Fri.-Sun. mid-late Apr., 11am-6pm daily May-Oct., 11am-5pm Thurs.-Sun. Nov.-Dec.) launched with just 10 acres (4 hectares) on the island and now has a winery and vineyards in the Okanagan Valley as well. Try their wines at the tasting bar or with lunch in the Bistro (11am-3pm Wed.-Sun. June-Oct., 11am-3pm Thurs.-Sun. Nov.-Dec., $17-21).

  On a 10-acre (4-hectare) farm with more than 1,30
0 apple trees, Sea Cider Farm & Ciderhouse (2487 Mt. St. Michael Rd., Saanichton, 250/544-4824, www.seacider.ca; 11am-4pm daily May-Sept., 11am-4pm Wed.-Sun. Oct.-Apr.) produces traditional fermented artisanal ciders.

  The master distillers at the craft distillery Victoria Distillers (9891 Seaport Pl., Sidney, distillery 250/544-8218, lounge and tour bookings 250/544-8217, http://victoriadistillers.com; lounge 2pm-7pm Sun.-Wed., 2pm-9pm Thurs.-Sun., reduced hours in winter; tastings and tours 2pm-5pm Thurs.-Sat.; tours $7) infuse their signature Victoria Gin with a custom blend of botanicals. They make an aged Oaken Gin and an unusual hemp vodka, too. The 45-minute tours of the facility include tastings; you can reserve tour spots in advance, although reservations are not required.

  WEST OF DOWNTOWN

  Wend your way through the suburbs west of the city center to reach another of Victoria’s famous castles.

  Hatley Park National Historic Site

  Given that his father, Robert, built Craigdarroch Castle, perhaps it’s no surprise that James Dunsmuir (1851-1920) and his wife, Laura, wanted a castle of their own, particularly as the parents of 12 children. The 1908 Edwardian stone manor that they constructed, now known as Hatley Castle at the Hatley Park National Historic Site (2005 Sooke Rd., 250/391-2511, www.royalroads.ca; 10:15am-3pm daily; adults $18.50, seniors $16, ages 6-17 $11), has 40 rooms, including 22 bedrooms and eight baths.

  You can visit the castle, on the campus of Royal Roads University, on a one-hour guided castle tour (11:45am and 2:45pm Sat.-Sun. May-early Sept.) that takes you through the main-floor rooms and offers up details about the Dunsmuir family’s history. The castle’s upper floors, used as university offices, aren’t part of the tour. Another option is the one-hour guided estate tour (10:30am, 11:45am, 1:30pm, and 2:45pm Mon.-Fri., 10:30am and 1:30pm Sat.-Sun. May-early Sept.), which focuses on the castle’s exterior and gardens, along with the family’s story.

  If you don’t have time for a tour, or if you’re in town outside the summer season, visit just the manicured gardens (adults $5, seniors $4, ages 6-17 $3.50) or the small museum (free) about the Dunsmuir family.

  Hatley Park is 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) west of the Inner Harbour. While it’s possible to get here by public transit, it’s much faster to come by car.

  FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

  Honoring Victoria’s namesake queen, the city’s Victoria Day festivities (www.tourismvictoria.com, May) include a parade downtown.

  Aboriginal dancers, singers, and musicians perform at Victoria’s three-day Aboriginal Cultural Festival (www.aboriginalbc.com, June), which also showcases works by First Nations artists.

  It’s not just mimes aping visitors at the annual Victoria International Buskers Festival (http://victoriabuskers.com, July). Professional street performers from around the world, including magicians, jugglers, flame throwers, acrobats, and more, show their stuff on stages around the city.

  Food and wine lovers celebrate Vancouver Island’s bounty at Taste: Victoria’s Festival of Food and Wine (www.victoriataste.com, July), a weekend of wine-tastings, seminars, and dinners.

  The annual Victoria Symphony Splash (www.victoriasymphony.ca, Aug.) includes a live performance by the Victoria Symphony from a floating stage moored in the Inner Harbour.

  The Victoria Fringe Fest (http://victoriafringe.com, Aug.) is an 11-day festival of weird and often wonderful theater, comedy, and storytelling performances.

  The Victoria Classic Boat Festival (www.classicboatfestival.ca, Sept.) celebrates the island’s maritime heritage with boat parades, races, and other events.

  SHOPPING

  Shops line Government Street, stretching north from the Inner Harbour, many selling T-shirts, Canadian flag patches, and other souvenirs. Lower Johnson Street in Chinatown has more distinctive local clothing, jewelry, and shoes.

  CLOTHING AND ACCESSORIES

  In Chinatown, Lower Johnson Street between Government and Wharf is a mix of trend-conscious chains like yoga-wear maker Lululemon (584 Johnson St., 250/383-1313, www.lululemon.com; 10am-7pm Sun.-Wed. and Sat., 10am-8pm Thurs.-Fri.) and locally run boutiques, including Still Life for Her (550 Johnson St., 250/386-5658, http://stilllifeboutique.com; 10:30am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.) and its companion store Still Life for Him (560 Johnson St., 250/386-5655, http://stilllifeboutique.com; 10:30am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.), and Suasion (552 Johnson St., 250/995-0133, http://shopsuasion.com; 10:30am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.).

  Sneaker fans run into Baggins Shoes (580 Johnson St., 250/388-7022, http://bagginsshoes.com; 10am-6pm Mon.-Fri., 11am-5pm Sun.), which has one of the world’s largest selections of Converse styles. In the Atrium Building, Head Over Heels (1323 Blanshard St., 250/590-5154, www.headoverheelsvictoria.ca; 10:30am-5:30pm Mon.-Sat., noon-4pm Sun.) sells fashion-forward shoes.

  BOOKS

  Nobel prize-winning author Alice Munro and her former husband Jim opened Munro’s Books (1108 Government St., 250/382-2464, www.munrobooks.com; 9am-6pm Mon.-Wed. and Sat., 9am-9pm Thurs.-Fri., 9:30am-6pm Sun.) in 1963. Although the writer is no longer involved in its management, this well-stocked old-school bookstore in a grand 1909 former bank carries titles by Canadian authors and other books of local interest.

  GOURMET FOOD AND DRINK

  Stocking a mind-boggling variety of teas, with helpful labels about their ingredients, flavors, and caffeine content, Silk Road Tea (1624 Government St., 250/704-2688, www.silkroadteastore.com; 10am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.) also carries tea-related products and cosmetics. Take a seat at their tea bar to rest your shopping-weary feet over a freshly brewed cup, or book a massage in their on-site spa. They have a second location in the Victoria Public Market (1701 Douglas St., 778/433-9838; 10am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.).

  OUTDOOR GEAR

  If you need clothing or supplies for outdoor adventures, head for the Victoria location of MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op, 1450 Government St., 250/386-2667, www.mec.ca; 10am-7pm Mon.-Wed., 10am-9pm Thurs.-Fri., 9am-6pm Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.), Canada’s largest retailer of outdoor wear and sports gear.

  SPORTS AND RECREATION

  S WHALE-WATCHING

  The waters off Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands, and Washington’s San Juan Islands are home to several pods of resident orcas (also known as killer whales), particularly during the summer. Pods of transient orcas, as well as Pacific gray whales, humpback whales, and minke whales, migrate through the region.

  whale-watching boats leave from Victoria’s Inner Harbour

  Numerous Victoria-based companies offer three- to five-hour whale-watching tours from April through October, though summer (July and August) is peak season for both whales and travelers. Some operators use inflatable Zodiacs, which give you a rougher but more exhilarating ride. Others use larger boats for a calmer trip and more shelter from the weather, a better choice on rainy days or choppy seas. Victoria’s whale-watching tour companies include:

  ▪ Orca Spirit Adventures (250/383-8411 or 888/672-6722, www.orcaspirit.com; adults $115, ages 13-17 $85, ages 3-12 $75), with departures from two Inner Harbour locations: 950 Wharf Street, at the Harbour Air Terminal, or 146 Kingston Street, at the Coast Harbourside Hotel

  ▪ Prince of Whales (812 Wharf St., 250/383-4884 or 888/383-4884, www.princeofwhales.com; adults $105-120, ages 13-17 $95, ages 5-12 $85)

  ▪ Eagle Wing Tours (Fisherman’s Wharf, 12 Erie St., 250/384-8008 or 800/708-9488, www.eaglewingtours.com; adults $135, ages 13-17 $105, ages 3-12 $85)

  ▪ SpringTide Whale Watching (1119 Wharf St., 250/384-4444 or 800/470-3474, www.victoriawhalewatching.com; adults $115, seniors $105, ages 13-18 $95, ages 2-12 $85)

  FOOD

  AFTERNOON TEA

  The Fairmont Empress (721 Government St., 250/384-8111, www.fairmont.com; 11:30am-5:30pm daily, reservations recommended; adults $75, ages 12 and under $37.50) has been offering afternoon tea since the hotel opened in 1908. Upholding that tradition, the regal tea lounge still serves an estimated 500,000 cups of tea every year, along with tiered trays of finge
r sandwiches, scones with jam and clotted cream, and assorted pastries.

  afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress

  The Dining Room at Butchart Gardens (800 Benvenuto Ave., Brentwood Bay, 250/652-8222, www.butchartgardens.com; noon-3pm daily Apr.-Sept.; adults $35, ages 11 and under $20) serves traditional afternoon tea in spring and summer, with a mix of sweet and savory items. From October through March, the Gardens offer high tea (adults $36, ages 11 and under $120), adding warm dishes like quiche and Cornish pasty to the menu of sandwiches and desserts. Vegetarian versions of both afternoon tea and high tea are available.

  In the traditionally British neighborhood of Oak Bay, the White Heather Tea Room (1885 Oak Bay Ave., 250/595-8020, www.whiteheather-tearoom.com; 11:15am-5pm Tues.-Sat., last seating 3:45pm) offers a traditionally British afternoon tea in several sizes, from the Wee Tea ($20.50 pp) to the Not-So-Wee Tea ($26.50) to the Big Muckle Giant Tea For Two ($60 for 2, each additional person $30).

  For a less formal (and meat-free) tea, visit Venus Sophia Tea Room & Vegetarian Eatery (540 Fisgard St., 250/590-3953, www.venussophia.com; afternoon tea 11am-4:30pm daily; adults $34, ages 12 and under $24), a pretty-in-pink Chinatown storefront. Choose among their signature teas to pair with a seasonally changing assortment of sandwiches, baked goods, and sweets.