Victoria

[Ajay]

A few friends and I are going to Victoria from Nov 9-12. The whole reason for the trip is to quench our golf thirst so we already have tee times booked at Bear Mountain and another course.

What else is there too do in Victoria? I haven't been there since I was 12 and all I can remember doing then is checking out the Wax Museum. Does anyone know about night life and other things in Victoria? Good places to eat....etc.

[Mar]

Are you sure a golf course is going to be open in the winter?

[Delta]

There's not that much snow out there during the winter anyways. I'm sure they'd call him if it was closing early. I have a friend in University there, I can ask him what there is to do there. Good luck with the golf.

[Ajay]

Originally posted by Mar
Are you sure a golf course is going to be open in the winter?

It's early November and the average temp in Vic is still around 9-14 degrees. Those courses are actually open year round in Victoria and the Lower Mainland.

My cousin is a member of Marine Drive Golf Club in Vancouver and he golfs rounds in February if it's nice enough.

[Kirbs17]

Originally posted by Ajay
Good places to eat....etc.

Milestones, on the harbour, down by the Empress and the parliament building. Pretty decent food, but the view is amazing at night Plus you can order a "fishbowl" sized bellini, and it comes in an actuall fishbowl

[Makariri]

Golf courses in Victoria are open year-round. I lived there for 8 years, and just moved to Calgary in January. More than once I've been golfing on Boxing day or New Year's day. Snow in Victoria is more or less unheard of.

Bear Mountain is a spectacular course - I'm jealous!! If you can, grab a tee time at Olympic View as well. It's well worth the 20-minute drive out of town (towards Sooke). Arbutus is another really nice course that has low green fees for the quality of the course.

Places to eat – damn near everywhere. Victoria is well known for the quality of its restaurants. Here’s a few suggestions:

- Baan Thai (Blanshard and Yates) – best phad thai I’ve ever had
- Pescatore’s (inner harbour) – best seafood
- Pagliacci’s (near inner harbour) – amazing Italian food. Best bread I’ve ever had at a restaurant
- Carriage House Pub (Cadboro Bay Rd) – unlike Calgary, pubs in Victoria are some of the best places to eat.
- Sticky Wicket Pub (Douglas St) – also excellent pub fare
- Irish Times Pub (near inner harbour in an old bank building) – they did a great job with this place, only a couple years old
- Noodle Box – one on Douglas St and another near Chinatown – highly recommended
- Da Tandoor (Fort and Vancouver) - Indian
- Temple – near inner harbour. Fancier place, but really cool atmosphere
- Blue Fox (Fort St) – best breakfasts around
- Japanese Village (Broughton St I think) – they cook everything right in front of you
- Santiago’s (by inner harbour) – authentic Mexican
- Mongolian Grill (bottom of Yates St) – makes the Mongolian stir fry places in Calgary look like crap
- Floyd’s Diner (Pandora and Quadra, I think) – hottest waitress I’ve ever seen works there, and their food is really cheap


Night Life:
- Sugar night club (Yates St) – mostly filled with younger kids
- D’Arcy’s Pub (Wharf St) – normally have really good live bands
- Upstairs Cabaret (dance club) – above D’Arcy’s Pub, little bit older crowd than Sugar
- Legend’s night club (Douglas St, below Sticky Wicket) – used to be a good place last time I was there (which admittedly was a long time ago – things could have changed??)
- Hugo’s Brewhouse –good live bands or DJ, lounge atmosphere
- Steamer’s Pub – also good live bands
- Red Jacket – club on Yates St between Douglas and Blanshard. Had friends who said it was a good place, though I’ve never been.
- There’s another place on the corner of I think Wharf and Pandora, across the street from a playhouse, and a few blocks up from D’Arcy’s. Can’t remember the name, but it’s a good club/lounge place

Places to avoid
- Prism – gay bar
- Boom Boom Room – full of underage sluts, guys looking to pick a fight, and male strippers
- Evolution, unless you’re into the rave scene

Other stuff
- Inner harbour – it’s November, so there likely won’t be too many street performers or artisans there, but there might still be some
- Observatory – I know they do night tours now and again
- Museum – don’t know if you’d be into this or not, but it’s a frickin huge place if you are
- Beacon Hill Park/Dallas Road – ocean scenery stuff. Again, seeing as how it’s November, there might not be much going on

Hope this helps mate. Enjoy the trip!

[b_t]

Victoria is one of the only places I've been where you can smoke pot on the sidewalk as you walk past old ladies, in plain sight of the police, and not get hassled or even glanced at twice. That could be an attraction to you.

[sowen]

Victoria is beautiful!

I will say it's the best city in Canda if there could be less expensive

[joyridder]

My Family lives there! Definitely one of my fav places! Makariri did a good job of summarizing! My favorite place has got to be the Inner Harbour, nice place to walk around, have lunch. Beacon Hill Park is good for that as well, especially if you enjoy taking pics. If you have the time visit Sombrio Beach http://www.juandefucamarinetrail.com/sombrio_beach.html
I can't even say enough about it, highly worth the drive!
Hope you enjoy yourself!

[khtm]

Yup Victoria is awesome. I'd never have left if the economy and job market was better.

I think the perfect city would be to move all the people from Calgary to Victoria.

Good post by Makariri, that pretty much sums it up.

[94gtizzle]

I live in Victoria, and yeah, there will be no problem with golfing in mid November, aside from possibly rain. If you have any more questions or whatever post up on the island section of www.revscene.net. , people there will be able to sort you out.

[slammed_cb7]

For food definetely check out Irish Times and Nautical Nellies ( a bit expensive but delicious) and you have got to hit up Monty's for your fine lady viewing!!

P.S. The Carleton club in esquimalt proudly hosts the most beautiful women of the island!!!