| Situated on the southern tip of Vancouver
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| | both gourmet and unique, visit Sooke
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| Island, Victoria is a beautiful coastal
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| | Harbor House. Set against a spectacular
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| city of more than 300,000 people. The
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| | backdrop of the Olympic Mountains and
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| capital city of British Columbia, It
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| | Juan de Fuca Strait, this is the original
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| boasts many historic buildings and some
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| | and most authentic of west coast cuisine
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| of the most fascinating museums in
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| | restaurants. Sooke Harbour House uses
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| Western Canada. The city benefits from
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| | only BC ingredients in its dishes,
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| one of Canada's mildest climates, which
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| | sourced as locally as possible. Savour
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| allows its residents to pursue outdoor
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| | seafood unique to Pacific Northwest
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| pleasures all year round. Often called
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| | waters, tender meats from nearby farms,
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| the "Garden City" Victoria also enjoys
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| | local berries as well as fresh herbs,
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| some of the country's most exhilarating
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| | vegetables and flowers grown on the
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| scenery: there's an ocean or mountain
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| | grounds. Sip wine from one of the most
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| vista around every corner, while the
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| | magnificent wine cellars in the world,
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| city's flower gardens are famous the
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| | recipient of Wine Spectator Magazine's
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| world over. Whether your taste runs to
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| | Grand Award in 2003. Sooke Harbour House
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| hiking, biking and fishing (appropriate
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| | is 40 minutes by car north of downtown
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| license(s) required) or you're more the
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| | Victoria via Highways 1 and 14. We can't
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| shopping, dining and theatre type, there
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| | leave Victoria without mentioning the
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| are no end of delights for you and your
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| | custom of afternoon tea in Victoria,
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| family in Victoria.If, as the late
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| | introduced by the British in the 19th
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| Victorians believed, gardening is
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| | century. Tearooms all over the city
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| physically, morally and psychologically
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| | serve afternoon tea in quaint, intimate
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| uplifting, then Victoria must have the
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| | environments. For a grand experience in
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| world's healthiest population! Mild
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| | the most British of traditions, nothing
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| temperatures, occasional rain in summer
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| | surpasses the Fairmont Empress Hotel's
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| and frequent sunshine create ideal
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| | exquisite, silver-service afternoon
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| growing conditions for a vast variety of
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| | tea.Never experienced the delights of
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| flowers, shrubs and trees. You'll find
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| | afternoon tea? It's a dainty and
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| flowers in bloom here year-round: lilacs
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| | delicious between-meals repast, generally
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| and rhododendrons in spring, alyssum and
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| | served with china cups and plates. Some
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| heliotrope in summer, roses and goldenrod
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| | of the most popular menu items are tea
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| in fall, as well as cherry blossoms,
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| | that is often an exclusive "house" blend,
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| daffodils and pansies in winter.More than
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| | fresh berries, finger sandwiches and
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| a million people visit Butchart Gardens
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| | scones topped with preserves and thick
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| each year to enjoy floral displays and
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| | cream.After sampling all that good food,
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| themed gardens on a scale seen in only a
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| | there's still time to visit one or more
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| handful of places in the world. Seven
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| | of Victoria's museums. The Royal British
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| hundred varieties of bedding plants
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| | Columbia Museum, Helmcken House and the
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| provide continuous bloom over 22 ha (55
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| | Maritime Museum of British Columbia are
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| acres) from March through October. In
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| | all within walking distance of the city's
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| summer, multi-hued "Night Illuminations"
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| | downtown core. They cut a wide swathe
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| make strolling through the gardens a
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| | through the history of the province, from
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| magical experience. The Gardens are a
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| | prehistoric times to the present day.
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| 30-minute drive north of downtown
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| | Outside the city, but still within easy
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| Victoria via Highway 17.Butchart Gardens
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| | reach, are the Sooke Region Museum and BC
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| has grown in size gradually over 100
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| | Aviation Museum. There's something to
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| years. It is still operated by
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| | interest everyone in Victoria's engaging
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| descendents of Jennie Butchart, who
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| | museums.And finally, if you don't like
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| started it all when she attempted to
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| | flowers, food, or museums, how about
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| beautify a worked-out cement quarry near
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| | whale watching? Few experiences compare
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| her home with a few blooms. There is an
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| | to witnessing a 5,000-kg (12,000-lb) Orca
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| admission fee in effect and you should
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| | arcing out of the water and landing with
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| allow 1-3 hours minimum for your
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| | a splash that can be heard for several
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| tour.Victoria's oldest municipal park
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| | kilometres. No wonder, then, that whale
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| with 200 acres, Beacon Hill, handily
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| | watching has become such a popular
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| accommodates both nature lovers and
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| | activity in Victoria. Tours leave from
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| sports enthusiasts. The park's paved and
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| | the Inner Harbour, the community of Oak
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| cedar-chip walking trails wind past
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| | Bay, Sooke and Sidney. You may also spot
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| manicured lawns, picturesque bridges,
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| | seals, porpoises, eagles, sea lions and
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| quiet lakes and ponds as well as themed
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| | marine birds along the way. Get ready
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| gardens that are in full bloom from
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| | for a real adventure! Most tours take
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| mid-May through October. The
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| | about three hours. The best time for
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| recreational venues at Beacon Hill Park
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| | whale watching is during the feeding
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| are many: soccer fields, baseball
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| | season, May through November.Victoria,
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| diamonds, tennis courts, putting green,
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| | British Columbia is a truly blessed city.
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| 100-year-old cricket pitch, petting zoo,
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| | Great views are just a happy fact of
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| spray pools and playgrounds.If you have
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| | life in Greater Victoria. Mountains,
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| worked up an appetite after all that
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| | sweeps of island-dotted ocean and
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| walking, with over 600 restaurants in the
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| | beautiful gardens are just par for the
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| Victoria area, there's a dining
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| | course on urban, waterfront walkways.
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| experience to suit everyone's tastes.
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| | And you needn't travel far for sweeping
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| Surrounded by the Pacific Ocean and
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| | vistas of the whole region: a number of
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| bordered by the farms of the Saanich
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| | trails to mountain summit viewpoints are
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| Peninsula, Victoria chefs specialize in
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| | less than a half-hour's drive from city
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| using local ingredients, with worldly
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| | centre.
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| results.For a dining experience that is
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