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Post by Scott on Nov 6, 2011 14:25:16 GMT -8
There's a specific question I have in mind, but perhaps we can keep this thread open to any questions or advice about visiting the city or area of Victoria.
My specific question has to do with the BC Ferries headquarters. Unless you have any business with the company, is there anything to see there? Are there displays or something like the vacation center in Vancouver? Or is it just a front desk?
As a family, we love to visit Victoria and go every year for a night or two, usually this time of year or close to Christmas. There are so many fun and interesting places to visit in Victoria it's hard to say what my favorites are, but I would put Beacon Hill Park and Hately Park at the top.
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Post by WettCoast on Nov 6, 2011 21:04:31 GMT -8
John, If you are going to Victoria a little before Christmas consider a visit to Craigdarroch Castle, the 'home' that Robert Dunsmuir built in Victoia in the late 1880's for his family. His son James built Hatley Park (now Royal Roads University) more than 20 years later. I understand that they do the castle up very nicely in a Victorian Christmas theme. I think that you and your family would enjoy this. It could be a little pricy, though. |
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Post by Scott on Nov 6, 2011 22:39:56 GMT -8
Like this:  I agree! It's a really nice place to visit. We went there last year just before Christmas (for the second or third time!) and the girls enjoyed it. The family and building have a really interesting history... the place was used as a military hospital at one point. The above photo only shows minimal Christmas decorations.. inside it's all done up really nicely. To tell you the truth, we've hit most of the major attractions in Victoria multiple times. Fisgard Lighthouse and Fort Rodd Hill are definitely worth a visit, but like Hately Castle you probably need a car to get to it. Downtown we like to visit the Parliament Buildings and every couple years the Royal BC Museum, the Maritime Museum, and the Empress Hotel (not to stay, but for the Christmas tree display). And Capital Iron.. haha... it is a neat store to wander through! Miniature World is a big hit with the kids and I enjoy it too. I really love the "cross-Canada" model train that operates on a rotating daytime/nightime setting. One place we haven't been (and I'd be interested in any reviews you guys have because I haven't read very good reviews) is the Undersea Gardens right downtown. We've hit the Sidney Marine Discovery Center a couple times in the last few years and really enjoyed it. Another hit with the kids is the double-decker transit buses from Swartz Bay to Downtown. We usually wait for the second bus after the ferry crowd so we can get a good seat up top. We're planning to go by transit this year, later on this week for Remembrance Day. |
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Post by Ferryman on Nov 7, 2011 1:22:27 GMT -8
My specific question has to do with the BC Ferries headquarters. Unless you have any business with the company, is there anything to see there? Are there displays or something like the vacation center in Vancouver? Or is it just a front desk? The Atrium itself is a very neat building to visit. There are a few businesses there, such as a cafe, restaurant, hairdressers on the main floor. You have free roam in the main lobby. On the I believe it's the 5th or 6th floor that has the "Front Desk" with minimal items on display. Mostly just advertising and a TV screen featuring the AIS map of where most of the South Coast ships currently are. Otherwise the second and third floor are vacant, with the rest of the floors (up to 7) housing BC Ferries which is all restricted access. If you call a couple of days in advance, you might be able to get a tour. But no guarantees.   |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 9, 2011 7:02:16 GMT -8
Butchart Gardens in December is very nice. We have always enjoyed the lighting, the twelve days of Christmas theme and the entertainment. From 5-9, the entertainment is carolers and Festive Brass alternating every half hour. The Japanese garden is very beautiful right now with the fall colors.(Japanese Gardens are closed during the evening, due to safety reasons.) There is also an old fashioned merry go round as well--it costs extra but the children will love it. It takes about an hour to walk the gardens. If you have never seen them before, I would suggest going about an hour before dark-so that you could look at the Japanese Gardens. The Skating rink is back again this year, it will be bigger than previous years. (cost to skate and skate rentals are extra)
Butchart Gardens has a web site, so you can look up other information such as costs.
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Nick
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Post by Nick on Nov 9, 2011 7:17:32 GMT -8
Butchart Gardens in December is very nice. We have always enjoyed the lighting, the twelve days of Christmas theme and the entertainment. From 5-9, the entertainment is carolers and Festive Brass alternating every half hour. The Japanese garden is very beautiful right now with the fall colors.(Japanese Gardens are closed during the evening, due to safety reasons.) There is also an old fashioned merry go round as well--it costs extra but the children will love it. It takes about an hour to walk the gardens. If you have never seen them before, I would suggest going about an hour before dark-so that you could look at the Japanese Gardens. The Skating rink is back again this year, it will be bigger than previous years. (cost to skate and skate rentals are extra) Butchart Gardens has a web site, so you can look up other information such as costs. The Butchart Gardens at Christmas has been a tradition for our family for a number of years. It is a spectacular sight to see, particularly if you can time it for a little bit of snow. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 21, 2011 21:38:06 GMT -8
The Laurel Point Inn is having the Gingerbread Houses again this year. They were very good last year. The Empress and the Victoria Convention Center always has a Tree decorating contest. At both places, for a donation, you can vote for your favorite one.
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Post by Blisswood on Dec 2, 2011 20:39:19 GMT -8
A couple of other ideas: Bear Wear 2011 at the Victoria Best Western Hotel. This goes until early January and is just down the road from the Empress; not far from the Laurel Point Inn. "Come check out 25 well-dressed teddy bears on display at 463 Belleville Street until January 3rd, and vote for your favourite (by donation)." Mid-December (usually the 15th to 24th), CFB Esquimalt decorates many of their major ships and buildings in the annual Navy Lighting Contest, daily from 6 to 9 PM. Cut-and-paste this link into a browser: www.navy.forces.gc.ca/marpac/3/3-w_eng.asp?category=19&title=282It's a lot of fun, takes around 25 minutes and you get a ride in a National Defence bus with a volunteer tour guide who tells you a bit about the base, its history, and the buildings and ships involved. We give you a ballot with some info about the base, and lists of the ships and buildings in the competition. You choose your favourite, then give your completed ballot to one of the Commissionaires after you get off the bus. The results are announced in early January. I think each category winner gets a plaque. It's one of the biggest fundraisers (donations of non-perishable food are also welcome) for a local food bank and many people have made it part of their Christmas traditions. Usually the destroyers or frigates win the contest among the ships, but last year a tanker almost took first place: HMCS Protecteur (part of the 2-ship Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment class) is about the size of a Spirit-class ferry: well over 500 feet long. |
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Post by dofd on Dec 2, 2011 21:06:31 GMT -8
There's a specific question I have in mind, but perhaps we can keep this thread open to any questions or advice about visiting the city or area of Victoria. My specific question has to do with the BC Ferries headquarters. Unless you have any business with the company, is there anything to see there? Are there displays or something like the vacation center in Vancouver? Or is it just a front desk? As a family, we love to visit Victoria and go every year for a night or two, usually this time of year or close to Christmas. There are so many fun and interesting places to visit in Victoria it's hard to say what my favorites are, but I would put Beacon Hill Park and Hately Park at the top. On a side note, the Canada Border Services Agency is moving to this building in or around February. |
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Post by Kahloke on Dec 11, 2011 14:29:54 GMT -8
I love visiting Victoria. It's a beautiful city. I just booked a Clipper Vacations Package for my wife and I on the last weekend in February, during her mid-winter break. It's a pretty good deal. For $265 USD, we get a round trip passage on Victoria Clipper from Seattle to Victoria, and one night's stay at Hotel Grand Pacific. We're looking forward to this little getaway. Butchart Gardens is most definitely on our list of places to see this time around. Both of us have been to Victoria lots of times, but we always enjoy it.
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Post by Dane on Aug 4, 2012 21:00:52 GMT -8
Is there ever foot passenger waits on route one anymore, or is this gone with the awesome only better fares?
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Post by ferryfanyvr on Aug 5, 2012 8:58:33 GMT -8
Is there ever foot passenger waits on route one anymore, or is this gone with the awesome only better fares? So far this summer, I've seen passenger overloads on both the 0900 and 1000 sailings from Tsawwassen on a Saturday morning, so it does still happen occasionally. |
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