Victoria, B.C. shouldn't be kept a secret

When faced with the question, "Where do you want to go on vacation?" comes up in a family discussion, Victoria, British Columbia is not usually a Top 10 choice.

Time to revamp your vacation list.

Spending five days in Victoria, B.C., on Vancouver Island in early June, weather-wise, is comparable to the five best spring days in the South: Daytime temp about 70, night temp about 50, day after day after day.

That is perfect weather for just about any activity, from seeing Butchart Gardens, one of the world's most elaborate, public floral displays; whale watching in the Salish Sea (sighting whales guaranteed); or sight-seeing on double-decker, hop-on, hop-off buses; or sitting on a bench at the wharf, listening to the haunting wail of bagpipes at Piper's Corner.

Getting to the city is half the fun. Visitors can fly into Seattle and take a regular ferry through the San Juan Islands (four-plus hours with several island stops), sign up for an exciting ride on a fast ferry (two-plus hours), ride a train or bus from Seattle to Vancouver and take a ferry to the island, fly directly to Vancouver and hook up with the V2V ferry or fly directly from Seattle to Victoria via pontoon-bearing sea plane, taking off and landing on the water.

(A head's-up on the fast ferry route: Pay $20 extra and move from regular "economy" class to "comfort." Reclining, leather theater seats at the bow of the ship, free snacks, soft drinks and assorted other beverages (orange, apple and grapefruit juice, flavored water, tea, coffee, espresso, cappuccino, macchiato, café mocha and various other frou-frou drinks) make this a traveling no-brainer.)

Before arriving in Victoria, we knew we wanted to go whale watching; we pre-booked with British Columbia Whale Watching tours. This firm guarantees you will see whales (or part of your money will be refunded), plus they extend your tour as long as possible and offer a second free trip within a year, including the next day.

You also get your choice of boats-a rubberized vessel as seen in movies about Navy Seals (comes with a full, bulky dry suit), or an enclosed boat recommended for older tourists and those traveling with children.

All boats in this business, including competitors, share information, being as it's in everyone's best interest if the paying public sees whales. On one particular trip, using radio information and heading to a small fleet of boats, our boat came upon four to five killer whales following a school of fish. Minutes later, the group spied frolicking females near one large alpha male (tagged and recognized by a clipped dorsal fin, according to the captain as N-14).

In order to help photographers on the boat (who doesn't want to return home with a picture of an orca?), the captain said that females surface quickly and then dive, while males tend to loll around on the surface longer.

After the excitement of a whale watching adventure, there are numerous ways to come down from the adrenalin high and relax.

•     One of the best museums in Canada is the British Columbia Royal Museum. Three huge floors of artifacts, permanent exhibits and traveling exhibits make this a must-see stop. It is complete with an Imax theater showing history and nature documentaries, and when we visited the museum it had a stunning exhibit on Egypt, including the sarcophagus of King Tutankhamun. The native tribal exhibits are exhilarating and awe-inspiring. Overall, one of the most interesting and educational of all stops on this trek.
•     Or, you can take high tea at one of the world's most famous hotels, the Fairmont Empress Hotel. Following the recent $64 million renovation, this extravagant hotel (rooms start at $450 a night) is a must-check-out attraction.
•     There are many micro breweries, starting with the first of many brew houses, the Horseshoe Bay Brewing Company, started in 1982. Eight of these breweries are within a mile of the wharf area.
•     Victoria is home to many beautiful parks and examples of turn-of-the-century architecture that rivals any of the old sections of West Coast cities.
•     Tour Victoria Bug House, a downtown mini-zoo with more than 50 fascinating species of bugs, including glow-in-the-dark scorpions, giant mantises and hairy tarantulas. Also, an excellent stop for adults and kids alike, is the Victoria Butterfly Garden and Insectarium.

Each has its own rewards, but the real reward awaits when you set footin the city.

Victoria is not only the capital of British Columbia government, it is the tourist hot spot of the province; global visitors flock here to take part in the diverse activities available.

Native craftsmen set up their wares-hand-woven rugs, crafted rings from local semi-precious stones, polished rocks that can be quickly made into one-of-a-kind necklaces, rings and earrings and woodcrafted items (miniature totem poles to wall hangings)-on the walkway and steps around the wharf area.

Then, there is the Butchart Gardens. It, alone, is worth the trip to Victoria.

This 50-area complex rivals the most famous gardens in the world. Started by the wife of a cement tycoon in 1903 as a hobby, the gardens now host about a million visitors a year. Listed as the third best public garden in North America by National Geographic magazine, it is impossible to list the tens of thousands of plants that are on colorful displays that change with the seasons.

The garden provides planted floral arrangements that are as eclectic as the tastes of their visitors.

Available for viewing by easily accessible walkways that are handicap accessible are more than 900 varieties of plants, including a Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, a garden with more than 300 different varieties of blooming roses, cliffs that were implanted with many varieties of cascading plants.

Getting around Victoria is simple, with many modes of transportation available: Hop-on Hop-off buses, regular city buses (one goes to Butchart Gardens every half-hour at designated stops), pedi-cabs, people-powered cabs, horse-drawn carriages and rented bicycles.

Many visitors choose to walk throughout the city, with the aid of an all-day bus pass. The city, like many West Coast cities, is pedestrian-friendly, with vehicles stopping for walkers at intersections that do not have stop signs or signals.

 

WHERE TO STAY

Accommodations in Victoria are, overall, expensive. If you are looking for a $55 a night Motel 8, good luck. A little research will show you the city has an abundance of bed-and-breakfast establishments, a large number of Airbnbs and older hotels that offer superb accommodations in an affordable range.

We selected the James Bay Inn, a 110-year old hotel that served as a veterans' hospital in World War I. With a super-helpful staff and quaint décor, it was the perfect spot for our four-night stay. (The 15 percent coupon off each meal for guests was an extra incentive.) Located within four blocks of the waterfront and downtown area, it had an English-style pub and excellent restaurant in the basement.

Locals told us the perfect time to visit was late May to mid-June. Before that, the weather is dicey, after that, the number of tourists grow exponentially and you have to stand in long lines to get a gelato or lemonade from a street vendor.

Regardless, put Victoria Island on your travel bucket list. You will make memories to last a lifetime. As they advertise at the whale watching kiosks: It's guaranteed!