The capital of British Columbia, Victoria BC (Canada) is a wonderful location to visit. It is a popular destination for many travelers, and the headquarters of the navy’s Pacific fleet.
Victoria is nicknamed the ‘garden of British Columbia’ for its (in comparison) mild weather and many parks and green spaces. Many of its heritage buildings are maintained by law.
Victoria is located on the West coast of Canada (southern tip of Vancouver Island), west of Alberta, and a short ferry ride (1.5hrs) from the Vancouver Tsawassen Terminal.
The downtown offers great support for bikers with bike lanes that are protected, making this a preffered way of transportation for many locals. Other ways of transportation are the bus/ transit system ($5 for a day pass).
The best time to visit would be during the summer (April to September) as the weather is nice and warm, and there are plenty of events as per the vibrant arts and culture scene.
Some great locations : The Inner Harbour, The Legislature, The Royal BC Museum, Beacon Hill Park, Dallas Road, Swan Lake, Bay Centre Mall, Uptown Mall, The Empress, The Galloping Goose Trail (for bikers/hikers), the Public Market at the Hudson, Ogden Point, amongst others.
A bit of Victoria BC history :
What is now Vancouver Island was populated by the first nations until the spring of 1778, when James Cook and the navy arrived. Profitable fur trade with the Coast Salish people sparked interest in the region, and the British established a naval presence to prevent Russia or the U.S. to do so first. In 1843 British colonization began by the Hudson’s Bay Company (a British Fur Trade company backed by the British Government). In 1849 Vancouver Island became a British crown colony. The gold discovery on the Fraser River (1858) attracted many miners and adventurers, and prompted forward work on the canadian pacific railway. This gold fever transformed Victoria from a fur trade town into a busling centre of business (agriculture, forestry, coal). Victoria BC became the capital of BC in 1871.On the arrival of the 20th century, it was a capital of innovation , tourism and education.
General notes about the West Coast / BC : The BC West Coast experiences a temperate climate given to warm airstreams from the pacific ocean, and counts with approximately 600 provincial parks. Forestry , mining, fishing and wine are major industries in BC.
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