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Victoria, the capitol of the Canadian province of British Columbia, is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada’s Pacific coast. Named after Queen Victoria, this gem is one of the oldest cities in the Pacific Northwest. Its ancient Victorian history, rugged shorelines, sandy beaches and ideal location close to Vancouver and Seattle has made it a thriving summer vacation destination. It is also popular with retirees due to its… Read More
The Chinatown in Victoria, British Columbia is the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America behind San Francisco’s. With beginnings in the mid-nineteenth century due to the mass influx of miners from California, Victoria’s Chinatown was apparently a maze of alleyways and courtyards where one could find everything from restaurants and opium dens to theaters and gambling establishments. Even though it still remains somewhat popular with Chinese-Canadians, today’s… Read More
Founded in 1886 under the care of the first curator John Fannin and located in a single room in the Capitol Buildings, the Royal British Columbia Museum has humble beginnings. In 1913, the provincial government proclaimed the Museum Act, giving the museum formal operating authority and defining its objectives. The museum bounced around from home to home, ever growing in its prominence and by 1961, estimated annual attendance had reached 100,000. The… Read More
Placed prominently overlooking the waterfront on land formerly belonging to the Lekwungen people, the Neo-Baroque giant domed structure of the main British Columbia Parliament Building is hard to miss from most of downtown Victoria. Captain George Vancouver overlooks the city from atop the central dome and a statue of Queen Victoria adorns the front lawn. These buildings are home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, thus making Victoria the capitol of… Read More
Located 20 km NW of Victoria in Brentwood Bay, BC, the Butchart Gardens is a stunning group of floral displays spread over 55 acres maintained by a staff that includes 50 full time gardeners. Over a million visitors wander through Butchart each year. The gardens which are still privately owned by the Butchart family, have been designated a National Historic Site of Canada since 2004.
Craigdarroch (means “rocky oak place” in Gaelic) Castle is a historic mansion built by the wealthy 19th century coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. It was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1992 and is a landmark of Victoria, fondly dubbed “Canada’s Castle.”
Part Time Vagabond 