Victoria is the capital of British Columbia, Canada's westernmost province.
Many consider its climate the best in Canada.
I lived here during the summer of 1998!
During that time I learned a bit about the Garden City.
General Information
Victoria BCTravel BC: Victoria Provincial government's travel website
Tourism Victoria
City of Victoria Municipal government website. Pay your parking tickets!
News
Monday Magazine Victoria's News and Entertainment Magazine - edited by my high school classmate!
Attractions
The Royal British Columbia MuseumFeatures great standing exhibits which chronicle the history of British Columbia and show that the west coast's status as a site of international commerce is far from new. The current special exhibit is "Whales: The Enduring Legacy", which mostly deals with the history of whaling on the west coast.
The Butchart Gardens
In 1904, Jennie Butchart, the wife of a Victoria cement magnate, began planting flowers
around her house. She later expanded the garden into a nearby exhausted limestone quarry.
Today, nearly one million people come every year from all over the world to see the floral beauty
of her creation.
Special Events
Victoria Harbour Festival Spans the Victoria Day and Memorial Day long weekends in May.Swiftsure An annual international offshore sailing race, held in late May.
JazzFest International A 10-day, late-June festival of jazz, blues, gospel and worldbeat music, in its 14th year in 1998
Latin-Caribbean Festival 31 July - 03 August 1998
First Peoples Festival, 07-09 August 1998 "Promoting awareness of aboriginal culture"
Dragon Boat Festival, 15-16 August 1998
Fringe Festival of Victoria, 27 August-07 September
Transportation
BC Ferries When you live on an island, there always comes a time when you have to figure out how to get off. This website helps!
Recreation
Oak Bay Recreation Centre.Ice rink, indoor swimming pool, water slide, jacuzzi, gymnasium, covered tennis courts and more.
Oak Bay Recreation Centre, 1975 Bee Street, Victoria BC, (250) 598-4625.
Films
CinecentaThe only theatre Victoria that shows foreign and independent films.
Cinecenta, Students' Union Building (north end) at the University of Victoria, (250) 721-8365. Admission $4.50 UVic students; $5.50 other students, UVic alumni and Cinemagic members; Non-members $5.50. Ten-film pass $35.00 students / $45.00 Cinemagic members
Street Markets
The Government Street Market every Sunday 1000 h to 1600 h, May to September. Crafts, woodworking, clothing and jewelery.
Shops
Starfish Glassworks Part workshop, part gallery, part store. Beautiful creations.Starfish Glassworks, 630 Yates Street (at Broad Street), Victoria BC, V8W 1K9 (250) 388-7827. Free glassblowing demonstrations 1200 h-1800 h Wednesdays through Sunday.
Nihonshokuryouhinten (Japanese Food Stores)
Fujiya Foods of Vancouver has a store in Victoria. They carry everything you need to prepare and serve all kinds of Japanese food, from the ingredients to the cookware to the dishes and ohashi (chopsticks)! They also have Japanese newspapers (Vancouver Shimpo community paper and Asahi Shimbun - American Edition), magazines and videos. There is a take-out sushi counter at the rear of the store. Fujiya used to be the only source for Japanese food in town, but they got some competition when Sakura Japanese Grocery opened its doors in mid-May 1998.
Fujiya Foods, 3624 Shelbourne (1/2 block south of Cedar Hill Cross Road, across from Shelbourne Plaza),
Victoria BC, V8P 4H2, (250) 598-3711
Sakura Japanese Grocery, corner of Quadra and Yates, (250) 588-3636
Pubs
Christie's Carriage House 1739 Fort Street, Victoria BC, (250) 598-5333
An excellent pub in a big old "Queen Anne"-style house, with two secluded patios. Great food - many delicious, low-fat, non-beef burgers (chicken, halibut), 27 varieties of draft beer (mostly from local microbreweries) and always-friendly service. Dartboards as well as numerous big screen televisions for watching sports events.
Spinnakers Pub and Restaurant
Catherine Street, Victoria BC
Features a number of good in-house brews and decent pub fare with which to enjoy
a spectacular view of Victoria's Inner Harbour and, on a clear day, the Olympic Peninsula mountains.
Service in the pub is British style, i.e. get it yerself!
Swans Brewpub 506 Pandora Avenue, Victoria BC, (250) 361-3310
One of the few restaurant kitchens in Victoria that stays open after 11 p.m.
Great food in ample portions. They also brew their own beer, ranging from novelties like
cherry beer (just ask for a taste) to versions of the traditional types
(the bitter was very good). The clientele is diverse, and a live band most nights
contributes to the lively atmosphere.
Restaurants
Topo's Ristorante Italiano 2950 Douglas Street, Victoria BC (250) 383-1212Delicious Italian cuisine at a reasonable price. Very friendly, efficient service. Live music on weekend nights (dance if you want to!). Away from the Victoria's downtown core but convenient to Motel Row along Highway 1.
Wharfside Restaurant 1208 Wharf Street, Victoria BC, (250) 360-1808
The best view of Victoria's Inner Harbour among the downtown restaurants.
Just two blocks from the Empress Hotel, they certainly make use of their location by offering
ample sheltered seating on large decks. Dine around sunset and watch as the lights outlining
the parliament buildings come on. The kitchen specializes in
seafood, oddly little of it local. Imaginitive sauces (orange chipolte was good on Digby scallops).
The service is friendly and attentive from the bar to the table.
Siam Restaurant 512 Fort Street, Victoria Street
A reliable source of delicious, reasonably priced Thai food in the heart of the downtown
tourist district.
Izumi Japanese Restaurant 739 Pandora Avenue (between Blanshard and Douglas), Victoria BC
(250) 995-8432
Slightly off the tourist beaten track and a bit expensive, but authentic Japanese taste.
Sushi bar, Western and tatami room seating.
Pluto's Restaurant 1150 Cook Street, Victoria BC
The breakfast menu features interesting variations on the standard eggs-and-toast formula.
The unusual location in a converted gas station is fun, but at the same time annoying,
as cars regularly drive through the middle of the outdoor seating area, serving up large
portions of exhaust.
Le Petit Saigon 1010 Langley Street, Victoria BC
Standard Vietnamese food in the downtown core. Friendly service.
Cafe de la Lune Douglas at Pandora, Victoria BC (250) 361-1450
In the historic Hotel Douglas. Offered 2-for-1 cafe latte special on presentation of a Fringe ticket stub,
so it became like a non-alcoholic Fringe Club. Open 24 hours.
Bean Around The World 533 Fisgard Street, Victoria BC (250) 386-7115
A former store/warehouse in the heart of Chinatown, now a Bohemian java space.
Doubles as an art gallery, thanks to the high ceilings.
Re-bar Modern Food 50 Bastion Square, Victoria BC (250) 361-9223
This visually interesting space just off the downtown pedestrian mall serves up
imaginitive, tasty fare for all levels of vegetarianism: vegan, non-egg, non-dairy,
and non-land-meat (i.e. fish O.K.). Their use of cilantro gives coleslaw new meaning!
They have an extensive list of health drinks and juices.
Murchies Tea Suppliers of a special blend for High Tea at the Empress Hotel.
D'arcy McGee's 1127 Wharf Street, Victoria BC (250) 380-1322
A pub named after a famous figure in Canadian history.
Great location at the foot of the Bastion Square steps, with a view of
the Inner Harbour, peoplewatching potential along Wharf Street, and
soothing traditional Andean music from a regularly present group of buskers from South America.
India Curry House 506 Fort Street, Victoria BC
Conveniently located just off the Inner Harbour, this family-run restaurant serves flavourful curries.
Extra basmati rice if you want it!
Garages
Hillside Esso Car ClinicHead mechanic Tom Martin and his team look after cars with a real personal touch. Tom was an NHL player with the Winnipeg Jets (now the Phoenix Coyotes) and the Hartford Whalers (now the Carolina Hurricanes) and is active in promoting sports in the community.
Hillside Esso Car Clinic, 1700 Hillside Avenue, Victoria BC, (250) 592-2455. Gasoline island, full garage, car wash, Autoplan inspections.
E-mail me thiruki@uvic.ca ! |
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Last updated 23 September 1998