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Cook Street Village
The city of Victoria is comprised of many quaint neighbourhoods.
Each one has a personality all of its own and is worth
a visit. Like so many of the neighborhood villages,
it primarily supplies locals with lovely foods, flowers
and serves as a friendly socializing area with several
restaurants. Cook Street itself is lined with a canopy
of almost 100 Chestnut trees and is a lovely area to
visit whether for a meal or just a nice leisurely stroll.
The village is bordered by Dallas Road on the South,
Beacon Hill Park on the west, Fairfield on the east
and Fort Street on the north.
» Oak Bay
To arrive in Oak Bay is to
step behind the Tweed Curtain, where afternoon tea is
served according to proper English Tradition and local
gentry slip into their local pub for a quiet pint. Along
Oak Bay Ave. we find Oak Bay Village known for its tea
rooms, such as the Blethering Place, as well as other
restaurants and unique shops.
Also in Oak Bay is the Oak Bay Marina where you can
stop and watch the seals splash around or have a great
meal at the Marina Restaurant. This area has some wonderful
Tudor style buildings as well as a couple of special
gardens; a native plant garden and a rose garden. Look
for the home of Mr. Ian Ross, who's family owns the
famous Butchart Gardens. The home is evident by the
spectacular display of flowers year round.
Oak Bay is also home to the Uplands area. This was one
of the first purpose built sub divisions in the Victoria
area. The famous architect, Samuel Maclure, was one
of the planners for this area. Home now to some of the
most expensive real estate in Canada, lots could be
purchased for only $10,000 in 1912, those same lots
today would sell for about $650,000.
» James Bay
James Bay includes the Parliament Buildings, waterfront
and everything south to Dallas Road. In 1903, part of
the bay was filled in to make space for the Empress
Hotel. In James Bay you will find many pristine older
residences that have maintained their original Victorian
flavor.
Many of these homes belonged to some of the original
settlers of the area. Famous artist Emily Carr's home
is located near Royal Scot Suite Hotel, as is the home
of the islands first doctor, Doctor Helmcken. James
Bay Village is just a couple of blocks behind Royal
Scot Suite Hotel and many of our guests enjoy this area
for personal shopping. Here we have a grocery store,
pharmacy, liquor store, hairdresser, coffee shops, banks,
and other interesting shops.
A stroll through James Bay down to the breakwater just
off Dallas Road is always a nice way to spend some time.
» Inner Harbour
Victoria boasts a very interesting & exciting harbour
with much to see and do. This is a working harbour with
up to 40 seaplanes departing or arriving daily, passenger
and car ferries, whale watching excursions, fishing
charters, local harbour & Gorge waterway tours as
well as local harbour traffic. On the Inner Harbour
you find the world renowned Empress Hotel, The BC Parliament
Buildings, as well as our Tourism Victoria Information
Centre, Royal BC Museum, several shops and restaurants.
The Inner Harbour is particularly beautiful at night
with the Parliament Buildings aglow with over 5,000
lights and the reflections on the water from the yachts
docked at the lower causeway. In the summer there are
beautiful hanging baskets on all the lamp posts in the
city and the Inner Harbour is a wonderful place to stroll
and enjoy our many street entertainers and artists.
» Saanich
The District of Saanich is unique for its ecological
diversity and leisure offerings and is only minutes
from downtown Victoria. Several of the area's loveliest
parks are located in Saanich. Mount Douglas Park is
a magnificent, densely forested park with walking trails,
a picnic area, and drive-to-summit lookout with a panoramic
360 degree view. The park is located just off of Shelbourne
Street and is about a 15 minute drive from the hotel.
Saanich's friendly residential neighborhoods are dotted
with many shopping plazas, stores, and restaurants that
serve visitors and the local community.
Mattick's Farm, in the neighborhood of Cordova Bay,
is a collection of specialty shops located right next
to the Cordova Bay Golf Course. Of course a day in the
country wouldn't be complete without a taste of the
fresh fruit, vegetables, and honey available at several
Saanich farms and markets. If you are interested in
visiting some of the local farmers markets, our front
desk or guest services agents would be happy to provide
you with maps.
» Beacon Hill
Park
Beacon Hill Park is Victoria's largest and oldest urban
park, covering 185 acres of relatively wild Garry Oak
Meadows and neatly manicured flower beds. This park
is very relaxing with lovely gardens, many ponds with
ducks and birds, an aviary, safe paths and many benches
to sit and relax. For the sports enthusiasts there are
cricket fields and tennis courts. Guests with us are
fortunate this park is only two blocks from Royal Scot
Suite Hotel. Children especially enjoy the park, as
Beacon Hill has an animal farm and petting zoo as well
as several playgrounds. The south side of the park borders
on the Pacific Ocean and houses the world's tallest
totem pole. The park also marks Mile 0, which is one
end of the 4,849 mile Trans-Canada Highway, the longest
national highway in the world. The highway ends (or
begins) at St. John's, Newfoundland.
» Downtown &
Olde Town
Victoria was born at the edge of the Inner Harbour in
the 1840's and grew outward from there. Thus the area
of most interest to visitors, including the Downtown
and Olde Town lie along the eastern edge of the Inner
Harbour. These two neighborhoods are usually listed
together as it is hard to tell where one leaves off
and the other begins.
Olde Town is generally from Fort Street to Pandora and
between Wharf and Douglas and Downtown is a three block
radius around the Olde Town area. These areas have been
the city's social and commercial focal points since
the mid 1800's when settlers first arrived by ship.
This area is filled with shops, museums, heritage buildings,
and many restaurants.
Downtown you will find the Eatons Centre Mall, the Hudson's
Bay Company store, Antique Row, Bastion Square and Market
Square as well as many unique shops along Government
Street. The downtown area is not only great for shopping
but a wonderful place for a leisurely stroll, some people
watching or to see some of the local attractions.
» Chinatown
The official entrance into Chinatown is marked by the
ornate Gate of Harmonious Interest, built in 1981. Highlighted
by two stone lions, legend has it that these lions will
come to life and roar when an honest politician walks
between them. The lions sit quietly today. Although
small, Victoria's Chinatown is the oldest Chinatown
in North America. Lined with Chinese restaurants, bakeries
and specialty shops, it is a wonderful spot to stop
for a dim sum or a full Hong Kong style seafood dinner.
Hidden within the block is Fan Tan Alley, the city's
narrowest street, which at one time housed opium dens,
but now houses shops and galleries.
In the early 1800's more than 16000 migrants arrived
to help build the Canadian Pacific Railway. Merchants
set up shop in the area now known as Chinatown. Today's
Chinatown offers visitors a unique opportunity to enjoy
the ambiance of an Asian themed market complete with
exotic foods and smells, gift shops, and a variety of
restaurants.
» Bastion Square
This is the heart of Olde Town and as the name implies,
this pleasant public space stands on the site of the
Hudson's Bay Company's original Fort Victoria. In Bastion
Square you will find the Maritime Museum, ReBars Vegetarian
restaurant, Dig This garden and gift shop, Darcy McGees
Pub, and several other shops, restaurants and a night
club.
» Ogden Point
Ogden Point is located at the entrance to the Victoria
Harbour and is one of the best walking areas, especially
on the half mile long breakwater that protects the harbour.
This area boasts great views of the Strait of Juan de
Fuca as well as the Olympic Mountains.
It is a nice spot to do some beach combing as well as
stop for refreshments at the Ogden Point Café,
or check out the cruise ship terminal to see what ships
are visiting Victoria.
A recent addition to the area has been a dive shop.
These waters offer some of the finest cold water diving
in the world. Everything you need for a day under the
water is available at the Ogden Point Dive Shop.
» Sidney
A day trip to Sidney is a fun and quick way to find
out what life on Vancouver Island is like outside Victoria.
Just 30 minutes from downtown Victoria, you can experience
small town Canada, with beautiful scenery. Browsing
along Beacon Ave., you find Fisherman's Wharf and Market
with the freshest local seafood available. Also at the
end of Beacon Ave. is the Port Sidney Marina and the
ever popular Mineral World where you can pan for gold
and scratch for gemstones. Also near the marina you
will find the tourist infocentre and the Sidney Museum.
The museum presents the history of the area, from Native
Coast Salish through pioneer times plus exhibits on
sea mammal ecology. From the Port Sidney Marina you
can take a harbour cruise or a ferry over to Sidney
Spit Island Provincial Marine Park where you find sandy
beaches and warm water, a great place for a picnic.
Sidney, although very popular with tourists, has kept
it's cozy small town atmosphere and is a lovely place
to visit.
|
~ Cook Street Village ~
~ Oak Bay at night ~
~ The Parliament Buildings ~
~ Victoria's Inner Harbour ~
~ Saanich BC ~
~ Beacon Hill Park ~
~ Downtown & Olde Town ~
~ Chinatown Victoria, BC ~
~ Ogden Point ~ |
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