Classic Boat Festival On Labour Day Weekend

If you have never been to the Classic Boat Festival in Victoria's Inner Harbour, best you show up this weekend. It is held on the Labour Day Long Weekend during the early part of September every year. That usually puts it during the first week of September. Labour Day is usually the first monday in September. These grand old yatchs and boats that are put on show during this weekend are beautiful and worth a visit. Entrance is off the lower causeway in the Inner Harbour, see you there.

If you want to learn more about special events in Victoria, click here.

Squamish - the Stawamus Chief

Most people who visit Victoria feel the need to visit Vancouver. If you get there, take the highway north towards Whistler. It is a beautiful drive with so much spectacular scenery. One of the amazing things you will see along the way is the Stawamus Chief, the larges single slab of granite anywhere. It is a very popular climbing rock, probably the most famous in North America - as you will see in the pictures. Not far away is the beautiful Shannon Falls. You can see Black Tusk Mountain along the route. It is spectacular to say the least.

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Artichokes in Blume

We recently went to a special event at the Glendale Gardens and Woodlands in Victoria. During our walk through the Japanese Garden we discovered these beautiful looking plants. They really are artichokes in bloom. Pretty amazing! So is the Glendale Gardens and Woodlands. You might want to give it a visit when you are in Victoria next time.

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Amazing Park-Parksville's Top Bridge Park

If you go to Parksville, you need to check out one of my all time favourite places to go walking is Top Bridge Regional Park off Chattel Road in Parksville. The newly installed 81 metre suspension bridge now links Englishman River Park with Top Bridge Park adding more special trails and more chances for exploring. The suspension bridge crosses a small narrow gorge that has beautifully sculpted rocks. Although no young people were swimming in the river the day we were there, I suspect this might be a hot spot for locals and tourists that find this park. Check it out.

For more information on Parksville, Click Here.

Sand Sculptures in Parksville

Just a bit less than 2 hours north of Victoria is the picturesque community of Parksville. For years now they have been holding sand sculpture competitions. This years competition is over and the art work is now on display until September. If you are in Victoria and looking for something unusual to do check out the sand sculptures in Parksville. There are many talent people who have done work on these artworks. If you are travelling north on the Island, be sure to take it in. It is just a bit north of Nanaimo. There are a lot more like this. The theme this year was the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler.

For more information on Parksville, Click Here.

Live Like a Local - Swap Meet Western Speedway

When you come to Victoria, if you are looking for that something really different to take home, why not do what many locals do, go to a SWAP MEET. Every Sunday in Langford on the edge of Victoria, at the Western Speedway, hundreds of people converge on the Swap Meet. It starts at 7:00 am and those looking for the really good deals get there early. If you want to try something really different, give a swap meet a try.

For lots of really cool pictures of Victoria and Vancouver Island, check out my Vancouver Island Travel Guide Facebook Page. You will be glad you did.
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