This is SO worth your time if you want to see incredible views of the Washington Coastline. It's a…read morepretty easy hike with walkways, bridges, and foot paths. (Do stay on the main paths or you could risk falling in some areas) There's no charge. Just a winding drive up the mountain to get to the cape. Absolutely beautiful

Such a beautiful location! We visited on a day trip. I recommend staying a few days to enjoy the…read morearea. The area has the typical park style (outhouse) restrooms and garage bins just outside the restroom. The trail path was clean, muddy and recommend hiking shoes. Please keep on path as stated. Several slippery spots. The path has areas with wooden walkways, some with exposed roots and observation view points to keep you safe. Dogs were on trail and area clean. Parking could be scarce but we went on a weekday and was not busy. Cute large chair for photo (added in pictures) and walking sticks were on left side of trail from the chair. At the end of this trail: Right takes you to the beautiful rock formations and small cave image. Left takes takes you to several views of Caves and beyond that takes you to viewpoint of Tatoosh Island. I would not consider this an easy hike due to exposed roots and elevation. Would depend on your experience. Also extra cautious with little one due to end of trail has direct drop down. You will need to stop at the visitors center for a $20 pass. This covers this location and Shi-Shi Beach (no dogs allowed so we didn't go). You can purchase the pass at other locations but the center was super cute. Staff were so helpful and we plan on coming back.

Hatley Castle, tucked away on Victoria Island, was a serene and picturesque stop on a crisp…read moremorning. Even though the air was chilly and the castle didn't open until 10 a.m., wandering the grounds beforehand felt like a moment out of a storybook. The expansive, beautifully kept gardens and coastal views made the stroll well worth it, offering a quiet and peaceful way to take in the surroundings. Paid parking is available, making it an easy stop to add to a morning itinerary.

Cool to view but tours are closed in the winter, so we were able to wander the grounds only. Not…read morethe size expected for a castle, it's part of the university and classes are held in the winter which is why there weren't any tours available.

This trail leads from Lighthouse Point Rd down to Sheringham Point Lighthouse. Most likely you'll…read moreaccess it after walking down from the Sheringham Point Lighthouse and Trail Parking Lot onto Sheringham Point Rd, which ends at Lighthouse Point Rd. That's a lot o' Sheringhams, Points, and Roads! In any case, it is a little steep and not wheelchair accessible. Additionally, it will be slick because the area tends to be damp, even without rain. The trail itself zig-zags until the Lighthouse opens up among the trees. You'll be treated to a wonderful view of the water, waves, and wind surrounding Sheringham Point Lighthouse. It is a short trail, but will take 10 minutes to safely traverse. See my review of the Lighthouse for more info about it. This trail is a great place to take pictures from afar on the way down or back up. Even without the sun, it is quite spectacular!

I stayed in Forks when I was visiting Olympic National Park and the Hoh Rain Forest. It was kind of…read morea trippy town to stay in. Forks was big into the timber industry in its early days before the industry declined. They are also known for their abundance of steelhead trout and salmon in nearby rivers. Forks is one of the rainiest towns in the U.S. It is located on Washington's Olympic Peninsula and has a population of around 3,000 people. When I arrived in Forks, I began to notice two big obsessions in this town - Sasquatch and Twilight. Forks hosts annual festivals dedicated to both of these things. I have never read or seen the Twilight movies, but the town of Forks happens to be the setting of the series. Even though the movies weren't filmed here, a number of locations in Forks were used in some scenes. As I drove around town, I started to see Twilight gift shops, signs and merchandise everywhere. The visitor center has Bella's truck and a gift shop that sells merchandise. I observed groups of fans that traveled to this town just to do self-guided tours of Twilight filming locations. I didn't realize those movies were such a big deal. Forks was close proximity to many of the stops that I did in Olympic National Park. The beaches near Forks like Rialto and La Push are just beautiful. There are a number of good places to eat here too. Sully's Drive-In was a popular hang-out spot. I also found a couple of coffee shops that I enjoyed. Forks is a small town that can be driven through in less than ten minutes. Everyone that I encountered in town were really nice.

Small town feel with everything you need. If you are looking for a stop along your trip through…read moreOlympic national park this is a great place to regroup. The town is centrally located near several key areas of the park and about a half hour from the ocean. You could spend a day exploring checking out the twilight museum, getting a bite to eat, and shopping along the Main Street.

just a leisurely (maybe 36 minute) walk from downtown, or a quick, breezy ride across the harbour…read moreon one of the cute little water taxis, this spot feels like stepping straight into a postcard. the moment you arrive, the air shifts, sea salt mixes with the faint scent of fried fish, seagulls hover lazily above, and sunlight scatters across the rippling water like handfuls of coins tossed for luck. floating homes line the docks in a cheerful row of colour, each one reflecting softly in the water, like brushstrokes that never quite stand still. water taxis glide past, picking up and dropping off passengers, their propellers leaving slow, curling ripples behind. a whale watching group gathers near the pier, their chatter carried by the breeze, while the smell of seafood and freshly fried mini donuts drift from the stall nearby. barb's fish and chips, a local favourite, has its usual line, with diners perched at picnic tables, seagulls keeping hopeful watch. there's a small mexican food stand, a souvenir shop filled with nautical trinkets, and locals walking their dogs, exchanging smiles as they pass. everything here moves at its own rhythm, calm, relaxed, and quietly cinematic. it's the kind of place that doesn't just ask you to visit, it makes you slow down, breathe deeper, and really take in the view, the raw beauty, the smell of the ocean, and the lull of the water. this is victoria at its most picture perfect.

A cute little spot to see boats and colorful floating homes. Tons of food options. I wasn't here…read morevery long. We walked the pier, took some pictures, had some ice cream. I wouldn't say this is a place you must see, but it's nice pitstop if you're trying to kill some time.

Review #1 for 2026 I…read morewas determined to go to the Parliament buildings when we did a day trip to Victoria from Vancouver. The building itself is huge from the outside and does feel a bit smaller on the inside, but it is beautiful! They do free tours and I was afraid we would not be able to catch a tour, but during the summer, they do tours everyday of the week! The tour tickets are first come first serve. We managed to get tickets for the 12pm tour the day we were there. You just go towards the entrance and there will be volunteers passing out tour tickets for the next available tour. The tours are all done by volunteers. The parliament buildings are part of British history and now used for government business. We had roughly 30 minutes before our tour. So we went and took pictures around the outside of the building. To get the entire building, you have to take a picture from the sidewalk since the building is so big. There is a water fountain in front of the building as well as across the street. There is also a massive totem pole near the building. The tour was filled with information. Make sure you go to the bathroom before they start the tour. I think the tour is about an hour long, but it flew by as all of it was so interesting and there was so much so see. I enjoyed the tour. There is a gift shop at the end of the tour. The gift shop is TINY! I ended up getting some pins as I collect them and I also bought some Parlia-Mints! Get it? HAHA. My husband loved it and had a good laugh. I think I should had gotten some more to hand out to people when I got home. It came in a cute metal container. Apparently there is also a cafe here which I would had liked to try but it was not open when we were there. Also at night, the buildings are lit up. We had to leave before the lights came on as we had a ferry to catch back to Vancouver, but the pictures I have seen look absolutely stunning. Would I come back? Yes I would! I would love to see the buildings all lit up at night... and of course I have to buy some more of those ParliaMints!!

Take a stroll through history. Just walking the grounds is great with a lot to see…read more Monuments, grass, architecture, and a lot of people. This is a great place to stretch your legs before going next door to the museum.

Stunningly beautiful even on the rainy day we visited. The rain actually made it a little magical…read moreseeming. The flowers, the colors and the tidiness of the place was so beautiful and unlike anything I've seen. Little pockets of little gems like Japanese gardens, little water ways and bridges and the beautiful tea room where we had an impromptu afternoon tea with a Kir Royale. We sat outside on the covered patio and enjoyed more beautiful flowers and views while the steady rain fell. It was a great way to take a little time out and enjoy the views and the amazing tea. Which had some great mini sandwiches and lovely sweet treats and scones. The champagne cocktail was just perfect. This is an absolute must do if your in the Vancouver area. Take the day to spend at the island and enjoy this fabulous place and its history. We should all be so lucky to see places so pretty and stunning .

This trip was our Christmas gift to our adult children and for ourselves since we've wanted to go…read moreto the gardens for many years. This was our first time there. (Saturday 12/20/2025) I'll start off by saying that the gardens were offered as an add-on to our trip to Victoria on the Clipper. Transport to and from the gardens was also included in the package. There were two time slots available, one during the day and one in the evening. The bus ride took about an hour each way, and the bus driver was a delight. He was knowledgeable in the history of the area and kept us entertained with tidbits about its rich past. We went to see the Capilano Bridge Holiday Lights when we visited Vancouver a couple of years ago, and were excited to see the gardens for that reason. Unfortunately, we weren't met with the same experience. I understand that they are different places, but I wasn't expecting so many dark, empty spots. Sure, there were a lot of lights to see, but there were long stretches of walking areas that were just meh, or not lit at all. Certain areas of the park were closed, but I guess that didn't matter since pretty much everything in winter has died back. Again, I feel like Capilano Bridge had WAY more to do and see for both children and adults. My husband and I FELT like children climbing up and down, and on the sides, of the tree and cliff catwalks, and feeling the wonder and amazement of all of the light sets and lighted surroundings. Butchart Gardens didn't wow us like that one bit. We apologized to our children even though they didn't experience the bridge with us. However, they still enjoyed getting away from life. I would love to visit the gardens during the day in the spring or summer, but reading some of the reviews has me thinking we probably won't. If/when we travel to Victoria again, we'll probably pass on the gardens.

This is a fun place to visit on a Sunday morning around 10:15am when the water taxis do their boat…read moreballet. It last about 20 minutes and the little boats dance around the inner Harbour to music while the crowds gather along to dock area to watch. There is a nice marina too where there are big and small boats as well as a whale watching boat. On some days, there are vendors that setup along the harbour to sell there arts and crafts. There is no elevator to the lower level but there is plenty to see from to upper area too.

Amazing place to walk around and take boats. We took both a whale watching cruise and the in-depth…read moregorge tour. Red Fish Blue Fish is also an amazing fish stand you with some of the best food I have ever had for the price that you can take on a boat or sit there or nearby. They also have one of the world's only seaplane airports and you can see the seaplanes come and go from the Flying Otter restaurant. Looking forward to returning!