1) Vancouver and Victoria: First, if you have not visited this part of the world and have the opportunity, by all means add the area to your destination list. Obviously, many pages are written in guidebooks about these two cities. I only have room to list a few favorites.
Vancouver
A few places to spend part of a day: Stanley Park including the aquarium; Granville Is. (shops, restaurants, etc.), and Gastown in the evening for restaurants.
Restaurant: Water Street Cafe – (604) 689-2832 across from the historic Steamclock in Gastown. Very friendly service and superb food, especially enjoyed the salmon.
Hotel: Delta Vancouver Suites – (604) 689-8188 a block from Gastown. Spacious rooms and the friendliest service I have ever experienced - everyone seems to have a genuine interest in making your stay a pleasant one.
http://www.deltahotels.com/hotels/hotels.do?hotelId=21
Tour: A fun, cost effective way to see the city is via The Vancouver Trolley Company. To learn more, go to
http://www.vancouvertrolley.com
Victoria
A few places to spend part of a day: A drive to the beaches; walking Butchart Gardens (magnificent); strolling the harbor area, especially late afternoon and early evening; visit the Royal London Wax Museum (one of the best!) and tour a few of the wineries (good fun).
Restaurants: A local favorite among Victorians, especially for breakfast is John's Place at 723 Pandora – the food is excellent and the servers personable. We enjoyed breakfast so much that we returned for dinner which was also enjoyable and fun.
Just before departing, we discovered the Fusion Cafe (a block from the harbor at 8181 Douglas St.) run by Kathy Ajas. The ingredients are fresh, many organic, and the juices freshly squeezed. A great cup of coffee! A local favorite worth a visit.
Whale Watching Tour: A tour business that takes the environment and its responsibilities seriously is Orca Spirit Adventures, Ltd. – knowledgeable guides and naturalists. To learn more –
http://www.orcaspirit.com
For the Art Lovers: If you enjoy local art, be sure to visit Artisan's Lane at Belleville Park (harbor area) – 309 Belleville St. The works are exceptional and the prices reasonable. I purchased a beautiful watercolor by artist Theo Halladay. Ridge, the gallery manager, opens the displays daily from 10 a.m. - 6 P.M., May through September.
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