I was here once, on a day trip via a ferry from Seattle, back when I was probably 8 or 9. I went to Butchart Gardens, and if I did anything else, I don’t remember. Of course, that was back when a drivers license got you into Canada, and such a day trip was much more possible. Worlds change.

In any event, I haven’t been back since. I’ve spent time in Vancouver, loved it (how can you not, right?), and determined to spend more of my days in the beautiful land of British Columbia.

Well, now I get the chance. A has basically one whole side of her family here, and this will be a combination family and fun trip. And thanks to the amazing generosity of Tourism Victoria, I am armed with a Victoria Attractions Pass. I couldn’t come close to doing everything it covers even if I had a month, let alone the week that has to be shared with family events, but perusing it has given me some great ideas.

For trips like this, I form my thoughts and plans into a basic ordered wish list. If I have time for one thing, it will be x. If I have time for a second, then y. And so on. And I’ll get to as many of them as time, weather, and other logistical things allow.

So let’s talk a bit about Victoria, and what it seems to have to offer for us to learn about.

If I have time for one thing, it will be experiencing Victoria’s Inner Harbor. This is the centerpiece of the city, with maritime history sharing space with the provincial parliament (did you know Victoria is the capital of BC and not Vancouver?) and some of the cultural hubs. The maritime museum is included with my pass – score! – as well as a guided tour of parliament. And weather permitting, I’ll hop on a quick ferry to Fisherman’s Wharf, a floating community of seafood delights. (The Inner Harbor area also includes a bug zoo, the Royal BC Museum, and so much more, but I’ll likely focus on the historical aspects with my limited time.)

If I have time for a second thing, it will be Craigdarroch Castle. This magnificent looking building is close to my BnB, and will be our gateway into some of the magnificent Victorian architecture of the city, and that era of history outside of the maritime aspects.

If I have time for a third outing, as of this writing it is a toss up between Beacon Hill Park and its totem pole (and the First Nations of BC) or the small but historically important Chinatown here. It is also ok to therefore deduce that if I have time for a fourth thing, it would be the other of these. Of course, I’ll have to check with my Attractions Pass to see if anything connected to either of these is included to make for a more comprehensive look into these subjects.

Otherwise, I’m just excited to be somewhere pretty in fall. I am looking forward to eating some good food, finding a great coffee shop, and wandering a cool, basically new to me, city.

Below is a map showing Victoria and its place on Vancouver Island in the Pacific Northwest.