This post goes out specifically to my fellow Northwesterners. Victoria, BC- it’s a great place. I highly recommend it as a little getaway. It is frosted with British charm, but still obliges the wonderful American traditions of bottomless iced sodas and cold beer. There are some great restaurants and bars, a range of activities available based on when you visit, and my favorite hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
We went up to Victoria last fall for a mini-moon. (See previous post for excuse on why it has taken me so long to write this.) From Seattle, it’s pretty quick, all things considered, and the best way to get there is to grab the Clipper in the morning bright and early. It takes off from Pier 69 (near the Edgewater Hotel) in the morning and it will get you to Victoria in roughly 3 hours. Departure times fluctuate depending, again, on when you visit as does the price (between $109-150 for adults). Note that should you catch a late Clipper on the way home, as we did at 6 pm, you will need to either pack very light or arrange to leave your bags with your hotel so you don’t have to cart them around all afternoon.
On to the fun stuff. Below is a roundup of the best places to eat, drink, and stay.
Where to Stay: The Empress
Stay in The Empress. It is my absolute favorite hotel in the world, and I’ve stayed in quite a few. It combines old world charm with upscale comforts. The location is wonderful, the staff is friendly, it has great restaurants and bars- it’s just a win all around.
Below is the view from our room.
Where to eat
The Blue Fox: Highly recommend thebluefoxcafe.com
We went here for breakfast and it was delicious. A true hole in the wall type of place with funky decor and a clear local following, we ate here at 10am on a Monday in October and it was packed. We had to wait 15 minutes or so for a table, so be warned if you want to try it on the weekend. I had the pancakes and, per most good breakfast joints, the portions are extremely generous and I left feeling full and happy, yet slightly disgusted with the amount of food I had just consumed. The carbs just go down so easily! It’s a little bit of a walk from the main area we were staying in, which was good as Lord knows I needed the walk after that.
Famoso: Highly recommend famoso.ca
This is me. I was clearly not ready for the photo to be taken.
The Local: Recommend thelocalvictoria.com
Located right in the downtown core, this was our Sunday lunch spot. It sits near the water and has an outdoor patio with a decent view of the water if you are visiting when the weather is nice. They have feel good food- mac n cheese, burgers, fish & chips, etc.- and they do it well. Great spot to grab lunch or dinner.
One quick note on what to do
Visit the Royal BC Museum: Highly Recommend royalbcmuseum.bc.ca
It is open daily from 10am – 5pm. I have been there almost every time I’ve visited Victoria. My favorite exhibit is the Modern History Gallery. I may be slightly biased- I was a history major and I love museums- but even if you aren’t an avid museum goer, this one is different. This interactive exhibit allows visitors a peak inside the life of turn of the century Victoria. You can walk down Victorian style streets, view the inside of a 1900s doctor’s office, wander through a middle class Victorian home, visit Chinatown, view the fashion of the times, and so on. It’s a great way to spend an afternoon.
Thank you, have a great trip.
A Guide to the Rest of the World 