Victoria is a city of 350,000 people with a beautiful, walkable downtown and harbour; it is a perfect place for whale watching tours. The Provincial Museum is one of the best in Canada with excellent First Nations and travelling exhibits. Victoria has excellent opportunities for outdoor activities: golfing, kayaking, sailing, mountain biking, hiking, and swimming. We are on the doorstep of the West Coast Trail and Long Beach. Close by is the world-famous Butchart Gardens. A ferry ride finds you in Vancouver: the gateway to Whistler Mountain, host of the 2010 Olympic Games. Seattle is a couple of hours away by ferry over the beautiful Juan de Fuca Strait or 20 minutes by air.