Every once in a while, when I begin forming the words to describe a place to you, I can’t capture it. I go back through my photos, deciding what to cover and what to cut. The scenery, the special people, all the dog friendly places, the unique experiences, the moments that will stay with me for ever.

Victoria has been my biggest challenge. I have been wrestling with this post in my head for nearly six weeks … starting it and deleting it over and over again … slowly facing the fear that I might never do it justice. But, not painting this picture isn’t an option – even if I’m working with finger paints and stick people. So, I’m trying something different. Pictures say a thousand words, and a photographic tour may be the best way to show you this city that I can’t seem to find a way to describe.

A Photo Tour of Victoria

We’ll start out in Esquimalt, a neighborhood just west of downtown, at a community of floating homes. It’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen – each one is built on a floating platform, and as you can see, they’re all completely different!

From here, we could grab a ferry (they’re pet friendly!), but this is where the paved path around the harbor begins. It’s a 40 minute walk to downtown, the views are great, and there’s constant entertainment as the ferries and sea planes go by.

When we cross the Johnson Street bridge, we’ll only be a few blocks from High End Dog Bakery. Trust me, the quality and service are HIGH END, but the prices are not. Let’s stop by – if we don’t, Buster and Ty will never forgive us – and you really should see Dragon Alley and the rest of Chinatown.

Oh, that’s so sweet – they were expecting us!

Getting the boys to follow our lead should be no problem now! :-D

Next, let’s head over the the harbor. I think there’s a wooden boat festival going on, and on the way we’ll check out the outdoor eateries on Bastion Square.

Hey, look! There’s our buddy Mickey from the Fido and Wino blog. I love it when we run into friends along the way. Let’s all take a walk past the Parliament Buildings and out to Laurel Point Park.

It’s time for a splash at the off-leash beaches at Dallas Road and Arbutus Cove. To get there, we’re going to have to jump in the car. (It’s a good thing we’ve got a friend in town! Thanks for hauling us around, Jim.)

Next, we have to go up to Fisherman’s Wharf to feed the seals (and a couple of interloping river otters). There’s a vendor that sells little bags of frozen herring chunks, and one of the seals seems to think that floating on his back will get him more treats.

From Fisherman’s Wharf, it’s just a short drive up to Mount Douglas park. If we hurry we’ll be able to check out the views before it gets dark. I’ve heard you get a nice look at Mount Baker (in Washington state) from up there.

Whew, that was a busy day. There’s still so much to see, but I’m ready to park on Beach Drive and watch the moon come up over Victoria. I hope you enjoyed our day as much as I did.

 

Planning a pet friendly trip of your own? We’ll make it easy:
Pet Friendly Hotels | Pet Friendly Destinations | Pet Friendly Activities