As I mentioned last week, I fell in love with Victoria, British Columbia, on my recent trip there in early May. I described my first reason for loving Victoria was the access to water sports. This place is a mecca for any water sport enthusiast, ranging from mellow sea-kayaking to dragon boat racing and even adrenaline filled kiteboarding. There’s something for everyone. The other two reasons I love Victoria?
2. Beer.
Did you know that Victoria is the craft brewing capital of Canada? There are more than 20 breweries on this island, including the highly touted and very popular Spinnakers. One of the original brewpubs, Spinnakers has been making beer for almost 30 years and has an excellent farm to table menu.
I had a chance to visit some of the smaller breweries, such as Hoyne Brewing and Moon Under Water Brewpub, and was impressed with the quality and variety of beers that I found.
**Hot tip for future travelers: The Pedaler, a new biking tour company opening this summer, will feature a number of day trips around Victoria, including a beer tasting bike tour. These bike tours will be a perfect afternoon activity for those wanting to see a unique view of Victoria that’s off the beaten path and sure to wet your whistle. Also offered will be a city bike tour and coffee roasting tour-YUM.
3. You can walk or bike nearly EVERYWHERE.
I came over to Victoria on the Clipper and was car-less my entire trip to Victoria, and not once did I feel like I needed one. I walked all over town, and enjoyed an absolutely beautiful run on Dallas Road on a paved bike path that stretched all over the city. As I left The Inn at Laurel Point where I was staying, I asked the receptionist for a recommended jogging route. He did me one better, handing me this handy map of various routes:
Which led me to this incredible view while running:
Awesome.
Speaking of biking, there are over 15 miles of paved bike paths in Victoria, and it is THE best way to get around town. The Galloping Goose trail, almost 40 miles long, links Victoria to Sooke, a quaint town to the south of the city. A major part of this trail runs through downtown Victoria, and is used by hundreds if not thousands of people everyday.
I loved my visit to Victoria, and look forward to returning to explore more of this area in the future. With my luck, my list of reasons to love Victoria will only grow longer.