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| A gentle, beautiful, quietly understated place, the Saanich Peninsula
is a land full of the informal pleasures of country life and incredible
views across picturesque valleys out to the ever-changing ocean. Hamlets
and small villages sit amidst farmlands and forests. |
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| Saanich is a Salish word meaning “fertile soil”
and this tranquil thumb of land, minutes north of downtown Victoria,
is certainly that! Thirteen million daffodil blooms are shipped out
each year from Saanich alone. On country roads, farm markets and roadside
stands are bounteous with local produce. |
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Born out of a limestone quarry, the world-famous Butchart
Gardens is an astonishing wonderland of colour and fragrance.
Close by, you can indulge in the collections of fascinating flora
and fauna at the Horticultural Centre of the Pacific and Butterfly
Gardens. |
| In Brentwood Village sit on the sun-drenched dockside
with a cup of your favourite coffee or rent a kayak or boat to explore
the richness of Saanich Inlet. For golfers there are six courses,
from the championship level oceanside Cordova
Bay Golf Club, to the friendly, rural grace of woodland Prospect
Lake Golf Course. |
| Elk and Beaver lakes are a summer playground for swimming, kayaking,
canoeing, windsurfing, and sunbathing. Elk Lake is also home to Canada’s
Olympic rowing team. Hiking trails ring the lakes and nearby stables
offer horseback riding. |
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Just south of the lakes is Saanich Commonwealth Place, which boasts
an Olympic-sized pool, water slide, wave pool, dive tank, exercise
rooms, and sauna and steam room.
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If your interests lie in the stars, a visit to the
"Centre of the Universe" at the Herzberg
Institute of Astrophysics, is a must. Sitting on a hilltop the
Observatory offers an incredible almost 360 degree view of the area.
The Centre offers interactive displays and on-going programs for children
and adults. You can view the 1.8-metre Plaskett Telescope, the largest
optical telescope in Western Canada, and sneak a peak at the on-going
projects into asteroids, nebulae and distant stars. On Saturday evenings
visitors are welcome to view the stars. |
| For an incredible panoramic view of the greater Victoria
area drive to the summit of Mount Douglas. This magnificent, densely
forested 500 acre park is laced with walking trails. Under towering
Douglas fir trees, the picnic grounds look out on Cordova Bay and
the Haro strait. |
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| Part of the Trans-Canada
Trail which stretches all the way across the country from the
Pacific to the Atlantic, the 125 km Lochside-Galloping Goose hiking and
cycling trail runs from Swartz Bay north of Sidney to Leechtown north
of Sooke. Along the way, stop at Mattick’s Farm, an imaginative,
and inviting outdoor mall filled with one-of-a-kind gifts and outstanding
artwork. |
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Near the northern tip of the peninsula the little town
of Sidney by the Sea offers many delightful gift shops, bookstores,
restaurants and cafes. At nearby Victoria International Airport you
will be amazed at the aircraft displays, artifacts and restoration
projects on view at the BC Aviation Museum. Don’t forget
to visit the Pacific Geosciences Centre on Pat Bay where you will
learn about the unique and fascinating geology of this region. |
| Just south of Sidney is Heritage
Acres, home of the Saanich Historical Artifacts Society. The first
thing you see is a large field, brilliant with yellow mustard in spring
and dotted with old-fashioned stooks of golden oats in late summer.
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| Behind a line of trees, you can visit a blacksmith shop, sawmill,
woodwork shop, planer mill, old school, church, and mechanical shop.
There are lots of hands-on exhibits to entertain children from 2 to
92 and, best of all, a model steam train to ride! |
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| The beaches on the east side of the peninsula are expansive and
wonderful for an afternoon’s lazy stroll. Shift the rocks and
search for crabs and sculpins. Island
View and Cordova Bay beaches are just two of the favoured spots.
With eastward views across Haro Strait to the San Juan Islands and
Mount Baker in Washington State, this is the ideal place for unforgettable
sunrises and sunsets. After a busy day touring the area, what could
be more perfect than a sunset dinner at McMorran’s
famous beachside restaurant on Cordova Bay! |
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A slight scratch to the surface of this idyllic, gentle place. Dig
deeper and find treasures untold. This must be the place where the
sky, the earth, and the sea all come together. |
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