On a recent trip to Victoria, we got to stay at two different hotels, enjoyed some activities around downtown and got to squeeze in a number of things while trying to waste time waiting for our ferry sailing.

★★★☆☆

Horth Hill Regional Park is 5 minutes away from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal, which is perfect if you're looking to spend some time before your sailing. The park is a combination of smaller trails, which allows you to choose the length of your hike.

★★★☆☆

Victoria is unique in that it offers beautiful walks along the water and dog-friendly beaches within walking distance of downtown. We made our way past Beacon Hill Park to walk down Dallas Rd. and visit the beach at Holland Point Park.

Since we're from Vancouver, we love regularly make trips to Victoria. On this special trip, we went beyond Victoria to different stops on Vancouver Island including Qualicum Beach, Parksville and Nanaimo.