More places to check out in Victoria, B.C.

by Keith and Heather Nicol

      It turns out that Victoria has an impressive number of things to do and we were only able to see a few places on our most recent visit. Our first stop was to the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre which is in Sydney. The centre is located on the waterfront and features information on the Salish Sea which is the large body of water just off shore. From salmon to many variety of sea stars and anenomies, here is your chance to see what resides below the nearby ocean surface. We were fascinated by the octopus which put on quite a show moving quickly around its enclosure. There is a touch tank- 1 finger only- that children will appreciate. See  http://www.oceandiscovery.ca/ for more information.

The Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre allows you to see what is beneath the ocean surface

        We also headed to Rodd Hill National Historic Site and adjacent Fisgard Lighthouse. This is a scenic section of coastline which is just outside of Victoria and we could see the rugged mountains of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington to the south of us. There are short trails around the historic site to various batteries and gun emplacements that were designed to protect Victoria from attacks from the sea. Also nearby is Fisgard Lighthouse which is significant since it was the first lighthouse built on Canada’s rugged West Coast. There are various interpretative displays in the lighthouse and it is well worth a visit. For more information see: http://www.pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/bc/fortroddhill/index.aspx

Fisgard Lighthouse has lots of history

        Our final stop was to the Butterfly Gardens which we took in while enroute to the ferry. The butterfly gardens have 3,000 butterflies flitting about as well as tropical birds like flamingos. The butterflies are easy to photograph so be sure to bring your camera and there are lots of photogenic flowers as well. Dress lightly since the enclosure is heated and humidified to simulate the tropics. This is the type of place that will appeal to all ages since it is a visual treat. See http://www.butterflygardens.com/  for more information. For more information on what to see and do in Victoria see: http://www.tourismvictoria.com/

Bring your camera to the Butterfly Gardens