by William Knowles

Created on: June 01, 2008   Last Updated: January 21, 2011

Vancouver Island: More than Just an Island.

So there you are. You are now crossing on one of our powerful Ferry Queens,(pun intended) ready to arrive at Victoria, or Nanaimo. Unless of course you decide to take the Northern route from Prince Rupert. However, I'll assume that you hopped off the boat (I know - Ship to you Seafarers), and now traveling down the Pat Bay Highway, en route to Victoria, which is the capital city of our great province of British Columbia. Don't forget to visit the Buchart Gardens, in Brentwood Bay, only 12 1/2 miles from the Swartz Bay ferry terminal . This national historic area boasts of 55 acres floral beauty for more than 100 years

Once in Victoria, you will be heading down Douglas Street, where the past still intermixes with the modern architecture, turn left on Bay Street, you can see the still in use Bay Street Armories. Turning right, down toward Government Street, you will find yourself at Victoria's Chinatown. Further along Government Street, you will find yourself at the Inner Harbor, where you can look across at our beautiful Parliament buildings, with the mighty Empress Hotel and Crystal Gardens further to your left. Wonderful to behold during the day - however their glory shines at night, in my book! Around this same area, you can visit the fabulous Undersea Gardens and of course the Royal B.C. Museum on Belville Street. a little further along on Douglas, you will find yourself at Beacon Hill Park, take some bread crumbs, the ducks, swans, and seagulls will gladly relieve you of them! You can also walk along the ocean front of the vast Pacific!

There are castles, double decker buses. and even carriage rides, So many things to list, but you would be better to check out a web site, or tourist information center, to find them all.

From Victoria, you can opt to head toward Sooke, and follow the ocean up to historic mining/logging communities, now long gone at Leechtown and Jordan River until you wind up in Port Renfrew. This town is the bottom end of the famous West Coast Trail. If you are adventurous, you can even follow the logging roads back to the communities of Lake Cowichan, Honeymoon Bay Youbou, and Caycuse. Heading further east you will find yourself back in Duncan, and back on the main island highway. You can even take a detour, at Honeymoon Bay, and wind up in Bamfield, Nitnat Lake (Famous for wind surfing and the Top of the West Coast Trail) and eventually Port Alberni. Do make sure you have plenty of fuel! I

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