I visited a Canadian province that felt like a dreamy, walkable mix of Europe and the Pacific Northwest

I enjoyed visiting Victoria, the capital of British Columbia.

benedek/Getty Images

I’m a Los Angeles resident who enjoyed visiting Victoria, Canada.
In the capital of British Columbia, the locals I encountered seemed very happy and friendly.
Victoria felt like a unique mixture of the UK and Portland, and I’d love to return in the future.

Photographs of Victoria make the city look like it’s straight out of a fairy tale. And I, a Los Angeles resident, wasn’t disappointed when I visited the capital of British Columbia for the first time.

It was immediately clear to me that Victoria was special. From its historic architecture to its well-manicured gardens, there were charming sites everywhere I looked.

Here’s what my summertime visit to Victoria was like.

I went to Victoria, Canada, from Los Angeles.

Visiting different buildings and landmarks was a great way to learn about Victoria’s past.

Molly O’Brien

British Columbia was a royal colony under British rule before it became the sixth province of Canada in 1871. Today, the region’s ties to the UK are reflected in Victoria’s impressive, stately architecture.

But the city’s history stretches much further back than the British settlers’ arrival in 1778.

The Lekwungen people had already lived there for thousands of years. I learned about the Indigenous groups’ cultures and histories by visiting some of the city’s longstanding landmarks, like the totem poles and the Signs of Lekwungen.

Elements of Victoria reminded me of two very different places: the UK and Portland, Oregon.

Hotel Fairmont Empress offered a lavish spread for afternoon tea.

Molly O’Brien

Victoria’s atmosphere felt similarly progressive to where I live in Los Angeles, but people in the capital city seemed so much nicer and happier.

Everyone in town who I interacted with was genuinely friendly, which immediately stuck out to me.

Downtown Victoria was very accessible by bike and on foot.

The flower baskets marked the start of summer.

Molly O’Brien

It seemed like there were flowers blooming everywhere I looked in Victoria.

Each June, the city marks the start of summer by hanging hundreds of flower baskets around town. The tradition dates all the way back to 1937.

Though I didn’t make it to the iconic Butchart Gardens on this trip, I’ve heard its beautiful blossoms are legendary.

The logistics of traveling between the US and Canada were more straightforward than I expected.

I ordered a pizza at Spinnakers, Canada’s oldest licensed brewpub.

Molly O’Brien

The food I ate in Victoria was fantastic, and the prices were on par with what I would pay in Los Angeles.

Victoria had a ton of restaurants, bars, and breweries — including Spinnakers, Canada’s oldest licensed brewpub.

I’m used to bars in the US being strict about only allowing people 21 and older inside. So, I thought it was funny that Spinnakers had a sign saying patrons had to be at least 19, the legal drinking age in Canada, to enter.

I had to get used to using the international metric system during my trip.

Victoria is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island.

Molly O’Brien

Because of Victoria’s friendly locals, tasty food, and abundance of outdoor activities, it’s definitely a place that I’ll return to explore more in the future.

This story was originally published on September 12, 2022, and most recently updated on August 28, 2024.

Read the original article on Business Insider

source:https://www.businessinsider.com/best-place-visit-canada-victoria-feels-like-europe