Victoria Express

For nearly twenty years, the Fairmont Empress Hotel in downtown Victoria is transformed into a magical forest of Christmas trees over the holidays. Bring your children to this winter wonderland – a fundraiser for the BC Children’s Hospital. Walk among 75 glorious trees, cast a vote for the one you like best, and know that while you do so, you are helping children. The trees can be viewed from mid-November through the first week in January. Perhaps while you’re there you’ll enjoy Afternoon Tea. Or head to the shops for one of the most exciting holiday shopping adventures you have ever experienced.

The city of Victoria is a magical place over the holidays. Always charming, when it is dressed in winter lights it is spectacular. For more great views of the city, head north from the Empress Hotel to the Johnson Street Bridge, where you’ll find the Westsong Walkway. This five-mile long path skirts the Inner Harbour and offers jaw-dropping views of the Olympic Mountains on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the Straits of Juan de Fuca, and the harbor. Good food and restorative drinks await at both ends of the trail.

December is a great time to cross the Salish Sea and visit Victoria. Prepare for a holiday in Victoria or consider treating yourself to your own private shopping expedition – We can make your travel arrangements. And remember, travel between the United States and Canada now requires an enhanced driver’s license or a passport.