Solo Travel with Renee
The boat rocked as we rushed back and forth to catch a glimpse of the huge dark shadow passing underneath. Suddenly off the port side, the waters exploded and the enormous humpback whale shot upwards, blasting a cold crystalline spray.
Bundled up against freezing rain, I was on a whale-watching tour in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Victoria, B.C. Forty-five minutes from port, we were rewarded with four mammoth mammals that rubbed against the boat to scratch themselves and surfaced so close I could look directly into an eye. I was awed by these gentle giants that took care to not capsize us as they gave us a great show, and gained a humbling awareness to their environmental plight.
Victoria, situated on Vancouver Island, is known as the City of Gardens as well as the capital of B.C. In all there are six botanical garden sites in the Greater Victoria Area. tourismvictoria.com
For over one hundred years, Butchart Gardens has delighted millions. Named a National Historic Site in 2004, it is a definite must-see for any gardening or nature devotees. I spent a glorious fall day wandering among jaw-dropping intense red, gold and orange foliage, later indulging in a sumptuous High Tea in the on-site restaurant.
I also toured the smaller but enigmatic Asian-themed Abkhazi Gardens on another drenching day, which didn’t
diminish the exquisite features of this pretty botanical garden. The Teahouse served afternoon teas, but also featured ‘elevenses’, with a smaller selection of finger foods and dainties as an alternative to the pricier High Tea. Abkhazi Gardens is an excellent substitute location for avoiding crowds, if you can’t earmark a full day at Butchart or need to decompress from travelling among its Zen like tranquility.
Snuggled into James Bay harbour, downtown Victoria is very walk-able with plenty to explore: from Fan-Tan Alley within Canada’s oldest Chinatown to Emily Carr’s childhood home, Fisherman’s Wharf with colourful floating shops and the iconic Barb’s Fish & Chips (a local favourite), Robert Bateman Gallery and several scenic parks including the totem pole studded Thunderbird Park and lush Beacon Hill. Restaurants, bars, cafes and bistros abound, with an emphasis on West Coast locavore cuisine – think B.C. wild salmon, foraged delicacies and local wines. Whale-watching tours, sport fishing, kayaking, sailing cruises and jumping on the Victoria Harbour ferry for a tour of the inner harbour all let you experience the coastal pleasures that are part of the Victoria lifestyle.
Travelling to Victoria from mainland B.C. by ferry is easy: many Vancouver hotels provide pick-up points for a free shuttle service that transports you to B.C. Connectors, a bus service that whisks you onto the ferry and deposits you in a central downtown Victoria location in one swoop. However, arriving from the airport is not as simple, as its YYJ Shuttle service is currently not operating. Taxi and airport limousine services are available, as well as local transit bus #72.
Note also that several pedestrian-only streets by the harbour are inaccessible by vehicles – your taxi may not directly drop you at the doors of your hotel, so be prepared to have to schlep your bags a block or two. Check this out when you book your hotel.
Munro’s books on Government Street, one of the main avenues packed with shops and restaurants, is a grand, old-fashioned bookstore where you can lose yourself for hours. It is brilliantly situated by Murchie’s Tea & Coffee, Canada’s oldest purveyor of teas. Here you can stop for a cuppa joe, lunch or afternoon tea; the coffee is excellent and there is an adjoining shop featuring an incredible assortment of coffee and tea blends to take home.
Cowichan Trading and its sister shop, Sasquatch Trading are treasure troves of authentic Indigenous art, clothing and stunning jewellery. Whether you are looking for gifts, mementos or coveting a genuine Cowichan Sweater for yourself, you will find it along Government Street and its surrounding area.
On my last night before departure, I went for a farewell stroll and stumbled upon Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in Canada and originally a Gold Rush cachet for opium and gambling dens. Now hole-in-the-wall artisan shops and boutiques provide the lure. Drawn into Turntable Records by a sign proclaiming ‘free dad jokes”, I wiled away an hour perusing new and vintage vinyl, kibbutzed with the friendly, knowledgeable staff and left with some choice finds and new corny jokes.
Travelling within Canada, especially in the wake of the pandemic, brings many rewards: greater affordability, relative safety, few language barriers and no currency concerns – plus local economies get a much-needed boost. Engaging and fascinating from coast to coast to coast, but still with the comforts and familiarities Canadians enjoy, solo travelers should definitely consider taking a trip within our amazing country. You just might find yourself looking into the eye of a giant humpback whale!