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.

I've visited Victoria more times than I can count and somehow the Parliament Buildings still manage…read moreto stop me in my tracks every single time. The exterior alone is one of the most beautiful pieces of architecture in British Columbia. During the day, the grand dome, and maintained grounds make it feel like something you'd expect to find in a Europe than in BC. I highly recommend taking one of the free guided tours. Stepping inside reveals craftsmanship with soaring ceilings, beautiful woodwork and historic artwork. The tours are informative without feeling overwhelming and offer a fascinating look into both British Columbia's political history and the building itself. One of my favourite aspects of the tour was seeing the various royal connections and items related to the monarchy. As someone who enjoys learning about the Royal Family, I loved seeing portraits and hearing stories about visits from members of the royal family over the years. I honestly think it becomes magical at night. When all of the lights illuminate the exterior, the entire building seems to glow against the harbour. It feels almost storybook-like.

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!!

Friends told me I had to visit this place and boy am I glad I did. Our downside was that it was…read morerainy. :( However, you can still walk around. They do offer umbrellas for you to use which is nice. Beautiful garden with different areas. Spend however much time you want. It's just beautiful. You really can't go wrong.

Happy June 1st, Oh my goodness, My heart is filled with…read morehappy tears & Joy, I finally get to cross The Butchart Gardens off my bucket list, also it will be one of those places that I have to add back on the bucket list. I always wated to visit the Butchart Garden, a dream of mines since 2019, when we first visited Canada but there wasn't time. I keep requested to the hubby to take me back to Canada every time we visit PNW but he kept saying the weather has to be good. ( We normally visit PNW during Spring and Winter) Welp, if finally happened after 7 years, I planned our trip in May and the weather was so perfect, it was meant to be! Thank you to my wonderful love, he drove 6 hours, 3 hours round trip ferry ride, not including the drive from Richmond- Ferry, & Ferry to Butchart Gardens. hehe. Who does this? but this is all to make me happy which I so grateful. I have to say, this visit was an expensive one, round trip Ferry ride on the BC Ferries, plus admission to gardens, came out to $300. but it was all so worth it as I cared more for collecting memories vs. things. I loaded 100+ plus photos on Yelp, went crazy! About Butchart Gardens, some quick notes/facts from researching before my trip: *located in Brentwood Bay, near Victoria BC on Vancouver Island *55 arces of display gardens *started in 1904 by Jennie Butchart *National Historic Site, family owned for 4 generations with 1 million visitors/year. 5 main gardens you will see: Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Italian Garden, Mediterranean Garden. My thoughts: Where do I begin, when I saw my other half taking photos too of the plants/florals, ( & this is not something he would do) this filled my heart with joy even more, hehe. The Butchart Gardens was sooooo Amazing, I had such a great time strolling the gardens with the love of my life, enjoying and taking it all in, seeing all the florals, plants, trees, every thing, just too much leave in my review. Things that make me so happy! I just love the happy place vibe so much! Our visit was during late May and it is Rhododendrons and Azaleas are in season, the trees are so beautiful and such nice colors! So happy to see the Peonies blooming, thinking of my sister. Thinking of my momma and I wished she was here to see this. I've asked the staff about Cherry Blossoms trees and he mentioned there are a total of 2 in the gardens. I didn't see any Hoya plants growing here. As usual, I wish we got more time here, like I would spend the entire day here not, just 4 hours. Check out the map, explore the garden, take your time, wear comfortable shoes, ask all the questions you have at the information center, check out the Butchart Garden book, if you like to know more about the owner and history of the Gardens, its at the information center. There is also a boat ride but that is additional fee. Overall, I LOVED my visit and hope to be back again not soon but I will plan to be back, if the hubby will take me again. hehe. Happiness blooms from within, enjoy life and these precious moments!

love visiting victoria, and one of my favourite things to do is simply wander along the waterfront…read morewith nowhere in particular to be. for me, the inner harbour and the david foster harbour pathway have always felt like the same experience. i honestly couldn't tell you where one ends and the other begins, and i don't think most people walking there care much either. you're not following a trail so much as soaking in everything that makes victoria feel like victoria. you start near the parliament buildings and the empress, surrounded by overflowing hanging baskets bursting with colour. horse drawn carriages roll past, double decker buses glide through downtown, and tourists stop every few steps to snap photos from every possible angle. everyone seems to be moving at their own pace, with nowhere urgent to go. out on the water, there's always something happening. seaplanes skim across the harbour and lift gracefully into the sky, while others drift back in and settle onto the water as naturally as birds returning home. little harbour ferries weave back and forth between fisherman's wharf, songhees, and the inner harbour, their captains waving to people along the shoreline. the path itself quietly ties everything together. one moment you're listening to a busker, the next you're leaning against the railing watching pleasure boats and kayakers pass by. maybe you grab an ice cream, maybe a coffee, or maybe you simply stop because the view across the harbour is too beautiful to rush past. and if you stay long enough, one of the best moments comes after sunset. the parliament buildings slowly light up, every dome, window, and architectural detail outlined with incredible precision. i've always found myself admiring not just how beautiful it looks, but the patience and craftsmanship it must have taken someone to get it exactly right. thousands of lights, perfectly placed. by then, people are lingering on benches, couples are strolling hand in hand, and visitors are still taking photos as the sky turns from gold to deep blue. it's one of those places where nobody seems to be in a hurry, and honestly, that's exactly the way victoria should be experienced.

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.