丨Victoria's summer travel guide - "Back to nature"
UVic students, if you plan to live in Victoria in the summer, you can enjoy everything here! The city is vibrant in summer, with beautiful warm weather and plenty of outdoor activities to choose from. These are some niche places to add to your bucket list this summer!
Fisherman's Wharf - Fisherman's Wharf
Located in downtown Victoria – Victoria James Bay, Fisherman's Wharf is a "floating city" where many locals live on unique yachts, multiple food and beverage vendors in the summer, and plenty of specialty restaurants. Spend an afternoon here, wandering around the floating city and exploring the unique architecture.
Beacon Hill Petting Zoo & Park Beacon Mountain Zoological Park
To the south of Victoria, there is a huge park called "Beacon Hill", which is home to many peacocks who roam around and show off their feathers! There is also a children's farm here that you can visit as you enter. When the peacock opens the screen, be sure to capture this moment! This petting zoo has pigs, goats, guinea pigs and other animals, which is really cute!
Thetis Lake
Thetis Lake in Langford is a 15-30 minute drive from UVic. The lake gets very busy in the summer, it is recommended to use transport or arrive earlier in the day to get parking!
There is an island in the center of this lake where many people swim. There is a beautiful trail around the lake, which is usually flat with some hills. You can swim, canoe, jump off cliffs, picnic, hike, or just sit and enjoy!
Sooke Potholes
Just about 40 minutes away from UVic is the famous Sooke Potholes, a long river of swimming holes and small waterfalls, and there is nothing more wonderful to do than cool off in the hot summer. In the warm summer, the cool river water is very comfortable and pleasant.
Kayak/SUP Rentals
While you can rent kayaks and SUPS in many areas of Victoria, the closest to UVic is Cadboro Bay, and they even offer student pricing to make it more affordable for college students! The bay is very beautiful with restaurants and cafes nearby to enjoy after exploring the bay.
Willows Beach
Willows Beach, located in the Oak Bay area, is a large soft sand beach with large grassy areas for activities and picnics. It's the softest sand I've ever walked on! You can run straight into the water without worrying about stepping on any rocks or barnacles. No need for water shoes or flip-flops! There are also food stalls with ice cream and chips, hot dogs and more.
Harbour Hot Tub Boats
Relax in the hot tub and explore the Shanghai Harbor and Canyon Waterways! For $70 per person, you can sit on a mobile hot tub boat for hours. There's even a built-in cooler in the boat, so you can sip and enjoy as you float on the water with your drinks. You can even jump into the sea for a swim and immediately warm up in the hot tub!
Come and explore these interesting places in Victoria this summer, I believe everyone will have a very special experience and fun!