We got up early one morning during our visit to Victoria looking for something to do. It was beautiful outside so we were looking for something to take advantage of the beautiful. After a quick search, we decided to head to Beacon Hill Park since it was pretty close to our hotel. I must say, this park far exceeded our expectations.
The park is very large, over covers 75 hectares (190 acres), and has something for everyone. When we were there it was a beautiful spring morning. Pretty wild flowers were in bloom in the meadow.
Since it was a beautiful day, there were plenty of people enjoying the park. Some were just taking a stroll, others having picnics and lots taking pictures of all the Cherry Blossom trees in bloom.
Interestingly, this park is the home to one of the World’s tallest Totem Pole. As you can imagine it’s pretty tall and very skinny. To get a photo we had to walk back really far.
The Beach
We did spend quite a bit of time walking on the beach as the park is on the edge of Juan de Fuca Strait. This isn’t a sandy beach, but it’s made up of really interesting rocks and gorgeous view of Washington’s Olympic Mountains.
The edge of the park happens to be Mile 0 of Trans-Canada highway. Fun fact: the Trans-Canada Highway is 7,821 KM long (or about 4860 miles) and goes from Victoria, British Columbia all the way to St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. Also, there are three ferries that are considered to be part of the official Trans-Canada Highway:
- Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo in British Columbia
- Port-aux-Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, to North Sydney, Nova Scotia
- Caribou, Nova Scotia, to Woods Island, Prince Edward Island
Besides, there is a 13 KM (8 miles) bridge, the Confederation Bridge, that links Prince Edward Island to New Brunswick and the Canso Causeway, connecting Cape Breton to mainland, Nova Scotia.
The Animals
In addition, the park features a children’s farm with petting zoo and daily goat stampede. Unfortunately, we did not get to witness this stampede. However, there were some peacock walking around the park. They are such beautiful creatures. And, there are ducks and geese everywhere!
Also, there are plenty of paths you can take, some are paved and some aren’t. But, all lead to fun activities or beautiful sights.
If you are visiting Victoria and can’t make it to Butchart Gardens, Beacon Hill Park is definitely a great substitute. It’s a wonderful place for anyone of any age to spend a day. Click here for a map of the park.
Finally, for more suggestions on what to do during a visit to Victoria, click here to check out our weekend itinerary.
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