it was not on our primary itinerary. But on plan B. Having more time on hand we decided to take our…read morekid there so he could see farm animals and peacocks. It truly is amazing park. Very similar to Golden Gate but still very different. The ey don't charge fees but there is suggested fee ($7 for adults $6 for kids. Or you can donate Howe much ever you like. The farm animals and specially petting goats was the best experience. We saw many peacocks and peahens roaming freely. The ducks and geese in all the ponds were keeping children's entertained. They have multiple pathways and trails to walk or bike. We visited two of the children's playgrounds on two different days. Definitely plenty of parking all over. If you have little ones definitely recommend to visit to have their play time. It also is mini Butchart gardens if you missed the real one.

A huge public resource to the area; lots of manicured lawns and plants and wildlife surprisingly…read more We saw deer, heron, ducks, geese, and for some reason, peacocks. Fairly large sized area for walking as well.

A beautiful place to take a leisurely stroll and enjoy the pleasant smell of flowers and beautiful…read morediverse color variations of flowers. We came on a beautiful day with no rain and sunshine. It was hot but luckily we brought a hat. Very relaxing garden. Came here on vacation and took the ferry from Vancouver. Ate snacks on the boat as well as at the gardens. Pro Tip-make a reservation and buy tickets for the ferry and gardens at the same time. We made the mistake of showing up to the ferry and it being sold out. So we had to pivot our trip. We booked tickets for the ferry and Gardens for the following day and it worked perfectly.

It was a 45 mins drive from the cruise port to the garden. Luckily my friends are smart enough to…read moreuse the public transit route which cost us $6 and it dropped us off right at the entrance to Butchart garden. A short walk and we paid for the entrance which was approximately $45 pp. I think price is a bit steep for a self tour garden. I think it should've been $25-$30 pp but that's my opinion. There's no rides, no shows or attraction whatsoever beside the theme gardens. We entered and saw several souvenir shops and eatery and information desk. Further is the trail towards the flowers garden that lead us to the sunken garden a little to the left. The sunken garden is a beautiful sight from above and below complete with water fountains and pond. The beauty doesn't stop there. Further walk to the right outside of the sunken garden is the rose and dahlia garden. The dahlia is something else! I've never seen so many in quantity and so many variety in one place! Just gorgeous and they're huge! I tried to take photos with my hands for comparison. A little walk further is the Japanese garden and this is what I call serenity, peace, tranquility. It was so quiet except for the trickle of water and the pond. I can imagine meditating in the Japanese garden. At the end we walked through the English garden and stop at the eatery for their huge bowl of chili and a hot dog and refreshment. They do offer complimentary water fyi so bring your water decanter if you have it. I bought a Coke Zero instead Near the exit I stopped by their window garden which is like a greenhouse packed full of flowers. My only disappointment was that I was expecting to see a greenhouse of exotic, tropical flowers and plants. They have an abundance of flowers and plants but they were all common variety. Roses, dahlia, vinca, marigold etc... I was hoping to see tropical orchids, hibiscus, tropical bird of paradise, torch ginger, monstera deliciosa, passion fruit flowers etc... I was also hoping they have a fruit orchard but the only fruit tree I saw was apple tree.

Firstly, several of these reviews are for the wrong hot springs. If a review mentions a restaurant,…read moreor a resort, or a time slot, they are referring to the SOL DUC hot springs, not these ones. Also, the reviews that mention that the hike is easy are all outdated! It's a slog to get there! The Olympic hot springs are a 12 mile hike mostly uphill. It used to be a much shorter hike but about five years ago the road washed out and you now have to hike an extra 8 miles... 12 miles total... one way. It's a slog! The springs themselves, while pretty, are shallow, muddy, slimy, and overall pretty gross. The signs warn of fecal bacteria. If you're hoping to hike 12 miles to soak in pristine pools, think again. Nudity is common. If anyone is actually using the hot springs, they will likely be nude. Get over it!! Let the nudists have their place... and 12 miles deep in the woods is a nice place to be nude. You might also see nudists hiking or biking on the trail to the hot springs. It's not common but does happen occasionally. Just smile and say hi! The hike starts off easy on a paved road for about 3/4 of a mile. Then you have to use a single-track dirt bypass trail that is steep and rooty. If you're using a bike you'll be pushing and carrying it over things. Then you're put back on an old paved road again. It's another 2 miles to the Glines Canyon overlook which is fun to see. Then it's another 5 miles on the same road, but now 100% uphill and sometimes steep, just to reach the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, you're already over 8 miles into it and you have another 2.5 or so to hike... bikes not allowed. You have to park at the Madison Falls parking lot. You're supposed to have a National Park pass.

Enchanted springs in enchanted forest, I have camped here quiet a bit when in college…read more Most special hot springs on earth to me. Hike is fun not too strenuous

I visited Tongue Point, named as the narrow piece of land juts out like a tongue into the ocean,…read morefor tide pooling. For the best experience, make sure you time your visit when there is a "minus tide", or a tide that is lower than normal. Some low tides may be 3 feet, which is not great for tidepooling since it doesn't reveal much of the intertidal zone (so less critters to see). I unfortunately went on a cloudy day, so a lot of the animals were a little bit more difficult to spot. It was still really nice to look at the animals though! I saw crabs, endless sea anemones, and small fish. Be sure to wear a pair of sturdy, grippy boots as the walking surfaces are still wet, being constantly misted with sea spray. There's also a sea stack nearby that you can walk to during low tide if you're not having a fruitful time at the tidepools.

I've been lucky enough to come her twice in four months and even luckier that the second was during…read morelow tide. My daughter and I laughed that we were having enrichment time because there was so much to look at! We spent an hour alone looking at all the cool rocks and sea glass. The area is absolutely stunning!

This park has great grass, begging for barefoot frisbee! The playground is pretty new and our 2…read moreyear old has a blast on it.

Nice poop free, people free, wide open space. That being said, now that I write this review all you…read moreasshats who don't pick-up after your Dogs will go ruin it.

Pretty clean and cute lake. I will definitely recommend the stop when traveling from or to…read moreVictoria, BC, as it is a very nice and well-kept Lake.

Amazing park that is an easy find, right off of the 17…read more After my husband and I arrived into Victoria by ferry from Washington this morning, we just happened to pass this park and decided to stop by and take our little girl dog for a walk (yes we are that couple that travels with their pets). We were surprised that there was no entry fee for such a beautiful park. So much greenery, this park encompasses a large lake and has a trail that loops around it (rather a very long trail). The lake can be used for those interested in swimming, rowing, paddle boarding, fishing and canoeing. The trails that surround the lake are open to hikers, dogs (off leash is allowed), cyclists and horse back riders. Just be aware that since these trails are shared with horses, be very careful where you walk because riders do not typically pick up after their animals (although there are a few signs around that remind pet owners to pick after their dogs). The trail we were on was mostly shaded and had some great look out points with beautiful backdrops of the lake and Mother Nature at her finest. You can easily spend an entire day here. There are a few restrooms available at this regional park. Plentiful parking and friendly locals walling the trails. Definitely a must to visit if you are in the area, especially if you are with your little one(s) (4 legged or human, there is a playground here for the human kind and a few picnic tables).

I hadn't planned to visit Lime Kiln Point State Park while staying on San Juan Island, but our BnB…read morehost INSISTED we include a visit to the park in our itinerary. Lesson learned; always trust the guidance of locals when visiting a new place. This park is a gem! Visitors will find this gorgeous park located on the west side of the Island, perfectly situated to offer stunning views of the Salish Sea. The park is named for its historic lime kiln used by settlers in the late 1800s and early 1900s. An interpretive center has displays and activities about orcas and the area's lime kiln industry once important to the region. The coastline is incomparable! A five to ten minute downhill walk from the parking lot reveals remarkable views of the Olympic Mountains and an expansive view of sparkling water stretching far into the distance. It's said this site is one of the best whale watching locations in the islands, where visitors will most likely be able to see orcas! We weren't fortunate enough to find any during our visit, but the scenery was rewarding enough. The trail continues along the rocky shoreline, passing several pristine coves and thickets of madrones with twisted, curling red bark. The trail soon reveals a beautiful lighthouse on a rocky bluff, and the lime kilns in the distance. There is a well-curated gift shop back at the parking lot, as well as picnic tables, information kiosks, and public restrooms. There's a whole lot of beauty packed into this 42 acre park... something you won't want to miss!

Truly a picturesque park with beautiful coastal hikes. We certainly enjoyed walking along the…read morecoastline while taking in the scenery. Walking to the lighthouse was a perfect adventure and not strenuous if you are looking for a pretty easy hike. Stop and look out for whales (we didn't see any) and also check out the tide pools!

Super busy park - when I went last month, it was difficult to find parking on the south end of the…read morepark. There are two entrances so maybe the north end was better? Anyway, I went to Goldstream Falls and saw a huge group of salmon trying to jump up the falls. I'm not sure if any of them made it as it's very tall... The hike took a leisurely one hour, with the steepest part being right before the falls as there is a staircase leading down to the falls. There are huge trees and cool-looking fungi that dot alongside the trail. The trail follows the stream for a good bit so you hear the bubbling stream. The toilets are the composting/septic tank toilets without water, so be prepared. I wanted to go to Niagara Falls, but ran out of time. Maybe next time! At the time of this review, it looks like the trail to Niagara Falls is washed out and so inaccessible.

Beautiful! Maps made…read moreus drive an extra 5 miles when it was unnecessary, but we parked right off of 1 south in a tiny pull off (no official parking lot or even signs) and it was less than a 5 min walk to the falls. Just beautiful.

It's nice to walk on the boardwalk and later stop at the Boulevard Park for kids to have some fun,…read morewhile enjoying the bay breeze and some sunshine. Boardwalk and park area is very clean, with public restrooms available nearby.

We love this gorgeous, well maintained park! The pirate play area is really cute and has some…read moreunique features like a treasure tumble (you roll it to see shells) and a "plank" you can walk/jump on. Past the park and onto the boardwalk- there is plenty of unique wildlife to see- herons, seagulls, and star fish! The beach is rocky but easy to navigate and a great place to throw or collect rocks. This is truly a great walk for playing with toddlers, having a picnic or enjoying a walk.