Victoria Express

Victoria's Chinatown

Are you feeling like catalogs and box stores just aren’t offering the perfect gifts for your friends and family? If so, travel to Victoria BC to explore the city’s diverse neighborhoods and shops.

There is no shortage of neighborhoods to explore. Be sure to wear good walking shoes and head to Antique Row and Chinatown, Lower Johnson Street and Cook Street Village. You’ll find an eclectic variety of shops where you are sure to unearth at least one treasure.

On Lower Johnson Street, you’ll find a row of colorful Victorian shops full of fashionable boutiques. This is the place to look for unique clothing items, as many of the stores showcase products made by local designers. If you are adventurous enough to squeeze into some of these tiny storefronts (claustrophobes beware!) you’ll be amply rewarded.

Look for exotic fruits and vegetables, and an enormous selection of Chinese imports in the shops and markets of Chinatown. Start on Fisgard Street, but be sure not to miss Fan Tan Alley, where you’re likely to find the perfect gifts for the young, spirited travelers in your life.

The place to search for antiques and collectibles is Fort Street, between Blanshard and Cook. If European high fashion is more your cup of tea, head to Trounce Alley; this pedestrian-only space between Government and Broad streets is reminiscent of Europe. Three-tiered Market Square is a good place to find a wide variety of shops featuring everything from toys to imports to local art.

You are guaranteed to work up an appetite, so it’s a good thing there are so many excellent restaurants, pubs and cafes in downtown Victoria. It has been said that Victoria has more restaurants per capita than any other city in North America, with the exception of San Francisco. If you are hungering for a particular type of food, you are sure to find it in Victoria.

While you plan your itinerary in downtown Victoria, let Victoria Express take care of getting you there and finding your lodging. We’ll arrange your travel and book your hotel. We are also offering a number of interesting overnight travel packages through January 2, 2010.

Call 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Craigdarroch Castle

There is much to do in Victoria year round, but at this time of year, the city is particularly engaging. Historic buildings are adorned with lights and garlands, making it easy for visitors to succumb to holiday good cheer.

It takes a good month to fill Craigdarroch Castle with authentic Victorian decorations, so it seems our duty to visit it and admire the efforts of countless staff and volunteers.

In addition, the events calendar at the Castle is jam-packed with a variety of interesting suitable for the whole family, and during the day, this entertainment is included with the price of admission.

Puppet theater, cello music, choirs, and a visit with Father Christmas are just a few of the offerings on hand this month at Craigdarroch Castle. A visit here is sure to be enjoyed by all members of the family.

If you are still missing a few gifts, the  gift shop at Craigdarroch Castle is a good place to find something unique.

Victoria Express is offering two travel packages to Victoria that include a visit to Craigdarroch Castle from now through January 2, 2010. Plan a trip to Victoria before Christmas, or surprise the family with a visit there over the holiday break. Let Victoria Express make all the arrangements, from travel to accommodations.

Call 360-452-8088 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it today.

Butchart Gardens is all lit up for the holidays. Thousands of lights make this normally beautiful place downright lovely. In addition to the lights, hundreds of evergreen garlands, holly, and winter berries adorn lampposts and line walkways. The Twelve Days of Christmas are displayed throughout the Gardens – impressive in the daylight but absolutely magical at night. Nightly evening entertainment at the Piazza includes traditional carols and Festive Brass.

Photo of Butchart Gardens compliments of, and copyright by Butchart Gardens

For many in the Pacific Northwest, ice skating evokes memories of childhood in a distant, colder climate. We remember warming our hands around steaming mugs of hot cocoa while we wait for our feet to thaw, not minding the cold because skating was such a special treat. Outdoor ice skating puts everyone in a cheerful mood, whether you gracefully glide around the rink or cling to your companions for dear life; and it is available everyday at Buchart Gardens during the month of December.

It is the joy of parents to make Christmastime magical for their children. Time spent at the Children’s Pavillion, and a ride on the Rose Carousel are moments your children will remember for the rest of their lives.

Victoria Express is currently offering a “Christmas at Butchart Gardens” special from now through January 2, 2010. Take advantage of this to make this holiday season extra special. All you need to do is contact us, and we’ll make all arrangements for travel to Victoria and lodging.

Call 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Travel between the United States and Canada requires a passport or enhanced driver’s license.

Gather together friends and family and welcome in the New Year from Victoria BC.

Victoria is a classy city with places to go and things to see on any day of the year, so it stands to reason that it will be a great place to visit and bring in the New Year.

There will be an All Ages New Years Party at the Pacific Fleet Club, at 1587 Lyall Street in Victoria, starting at 6:30 pm. Bring your dancing shoes and prepare to rock out to the music of THE KILTLIFTERS, FUNK VIGILANTE, Steel Beach and Crash.

At the Leonardo Da Vinci Centre, 195 Bay Street, you’ll find a delicious catered dinner by Melting Moments and live music by Richard Aloysis. Plan to dance in 2010 after you eat.

Jack’s Pub, at Bear Mountain Golf & Country Club, promises to be loads of fun on New Year’s as well. There will be door prizes, a DJ and the required champagne toast at midnight.

You can, of course, also plan to be spontaneous, dining wherever strikes your fancy and letting what happens, happen. The important thing is to be in Victoria. Victoria Express has a number of excellent travel packages to Victoria from now through January 2, 2010. We’ll get you to Victoria, book your hotel, and bring you back home. Call 360-452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Cinderella

Imagine the delight in your budding ballerina’s eyes when she finds tickets to watch Ballet Victoria perform Cinderella in Victoria after Christmas.

This is something the whole family will enjoy. Spend a few days in the glorious city of Victoria over the holidays, exploring the neighborhoods, sampling restaurants and museums, and attending the ballet.

Children find the ballet magical. The grand theater, music, costumes, and exquisite dancing transport them completely to a different world. The story of Cinderella will come to life on stage, with humor, evildoers and magic. This is a ballet, but it is also a dramatic performance, and the talented dancers are skilled actors as well.

Ballet Victoria presents Cinderella from Sunday December 27 through Wednesday December 30th at the Royal Theater, 805 Broughton St., Victoria. Tickets are available through the Royal Theatre.

If your budding ballerinas have the stamina for it, treat them to the Canadian Pacific Ballet’s Nutcracker as well, playing at the Mcpherson Playhouse, #3 Centennial Square, Victoria, on December 29th and 30th.

You take care of the Ballet, and let Victoria Express take care of everything else. We’ll make travel arrangements and book your hotel. From now through January 2, 2010, Victoria Express is offering a number of excellent special travel packages to Victoria. Call 360-452-8088 or contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

A Carriage Tour through the charming city of Victoria is worthwhile any time of year, but it is particularly fun during the holidays.

Let Victoria Carriage Tours Whisk You Away

Victoria Carriage Tours has been transporting its guests through Victoria and back in time for over thirty years – they know what they are doing, and they do it well.

Christmas Tours have already started. They run December 19th through the 29th, with the exception of Christmas Day. Snuggle into one of their blankets and spend 45 minutes enjoying the sites of Victoria in a horse drawn trolley. As you travel about, you’ll hear about what Christmas was like in Victoria many years ago.

If you enjoy carriage and trolley rides, you’ll be pleased to learn that Victoria Carriage Tours offers a number of tours year round, such as “By the Sea” and “Beacon Hill Park”. These can be a great way for folks with young children, or for those who have trouble walking long distances, to experience Victoria.

Tickets are available through Victoria Carriage Tours.

Let Victoria Express handle your travel to Victoria and your lodging. We are happy to make all the arrangements for you. We are currently running several special travel packages to Victoria. Call 360-452-8088 or contact us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it for more information.

Be sure to make visiting Victoria BC your one of your New Year’s resolutions.  There is no time like the present to plan your next Victoria BC vacation. The only problem will be deciding when to go.

The Splendor of Victoria BC.

Fascinating cultural events, incredible performing artists, and world-class museum exhibits draw visitors from around the world to Victoria, BC. The gorgeous Pacific Northwest setting helps, too.

Below are several upcoming events in Victoria that are worth planning for right now:

World Drums at the McPherson Playhouse on January 23.

The Victoria Film Festival will be bringing a wide variety of films to several venues around the city, January 29 to February 7, 2010.

GottaCon 2010, a gaming convention that is sure to be interesting to gamers, takes place February 5 – 7.

The Alix Goolden Halls presents the best of early music: The Toronto Consort will perform the Da Vinci Codex on January 23, and Tanya Tomkins and Adam LaMotte will perform the Splendor of San Marco on February 20, 2010.

An evening of Chinese Dancing, Singing and Pagentry to celebrate the Chinese New Year, February 20 at the McPherson Playhouse.

The list could go on and on. Suffice to say that you should start planning your travel to Victoria today.

Let Victoria Express make all of the arrangements for you, from getting you to Victoria to your lodging once there. We offer a variety of exciting travel packages throughout the year. All you need to do is decide when you want to leave and call 360 452-8088 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Travel between the United States and Canada requires a passport or enhanced driver’s license.

What, there is no such thing as a sea gull? On the evening of Tuesday, January 12 at 7:00 pm in Camp Orkila on Orcas Island where biologist and writer Thor Hanson will engage you in the interesting facts about these opportunistic birds. You might not remember all the fascinating details or identification features for the dozen or so gull species we have, but you should walk away more fond of these birds and probably will no longer make the faux pas of calling them sea gulls.

Gulls belong to the Laridae family. They will eat just about anything, from fish or small rodents to ferry French fries and potato chips and a salt excreting gland enables them to drink either fresh or salt water. They nest in large, densely packed, and noisy colonies where they lay two to three speckled eggs. Larger gull species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, while two years is more typical for small gulls. They can live to be 15 years old and some have been known to live to be over 25 years old. 

The 2009/10 Marine Science Lecture Series was created to inspire the general public and to highlight the amazing fish and wildlife of our region. Lectures are free and this lecture is held at the YMCA Camp Orkila in Eastsound on Orcas Island. Please park in the upper parking lot at Camp Orkila. Shuttle service from the parking lot to the talk is available before and after the lecture.

The SeaDoc Society is a non-profit program of the Wildlife Health Center, a center of excellence at the world-renowned UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine.

For more information: Jean Spalti * SeaDoc Society * 360-376-3910

YMCA Camp Orkila – A Branch of the YMCA of Greater Seattle – Mount Baker Road, Eastsound, WA 98245 – (360) 376-2678

December is a lovely time to travel to Victoria. The city is beautifully dressed in lights and decorations, and a number of special events are scheduled to celebrate the holidays.

Delve deep into the spirit of Christmas and winter with Winter Harp.

One such event takes place on Friday, December 11th, 2009, at 7:30 pm. Winter Harp will play ethereal music on a collection of harps, rare medieval instruments, stringed instruments and percussion. These talented musicians, dressed in fabulous medieval attire, will perform carols, medieval and flamenco music, recite poetry and tell stories of Christmas and winter. Their music will transport you to another era and touch your soul.

Winter Harp will perform at Alix Goolden Hall, 907 Pandora Avenue, in the heart of downtown Victoria. For tickets and more information, visit the Victoria Conservatory of Music.

Take time to enjoy Victoria while in town for Winter Harp. Victoria Express make all arrangements for you, from your travel to your lodging. Call 360-452-8088 or email us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it