My 10 favourite things in Victoria are: 1. walking (such a beautiful, walkable city!) 2. respectful and slow-moving motorists (they have very low speed limits) 3. cycling 4. breathing that wonderful fresh air! 5. very friendly people (it's off-putting at first!) 6. staring in wonder at the massive trees 7. gazing across the strait at the Olympic mountain range 8. watching the comings and goings in the inner harbour 9. great food and coffee shops (Bean Around the World, yum!) 10. Beacon Hill Park (Victoria doesn't need an oasis, but it has one!)
love your top 10 :) so true...the speed limits in our neighbourhood are 30kms/hr....which seems slow at first but we get used to it and seeing the deer everywhere is an added benefit :)
hello, Melissa.. I was in Victoria last year and it was one of the most unforgettable experience in my life; I hope to come back someday. Its natural parks are amazing.
Hi, I’m an architect and artist and I am planning to move to Victoria in the next year to two years. I am curious for a video about interesting neighborhoods or hidden gems. I want to move to Victoria because of the beauty and appreciation the British influence have for the built environment. The gardens and the architecture and the alleys. All of it is amazing to me. I’m eventually going to design things with hidden passages and secret doors and I believe Victoria will truly appreciate my spirit so much. I already feel like I’m meant to be there and I’ve yet to be there. I’ve lived in the UK twice and Victoria is where’d I’d like to buy my first home and establish a place for my art and design to come to life.
the way we did it is that we moved here and settled in a neighbourhood and figured out where we wanted to live. Basically near the ocean, downtown, one of the cute neighbourhoods outside of downtown, etc...nothing beats living here first to figure out where you want to be :)
We used to live in King County, Washington. Currently live in Burma. We plan on moving to British Columbia. Either, Victoria or Vancouver. We live in Rangoon currently.
Loved this, especially the seals, goats, and whales! I hope to some day get there for a visit. Would it be possible to do a top 10 list of things you like to do in nature there or nature spots? I love to see all the wonderful natural spots you visit. Thanks for sharing!
Pretty solid list. There's definitely lots to choose from. I love being a tourist in my own town. It's hard to make a list because people's preferences differ.. I love the walk along Dallas rd, for instance. Hatley Castle and Esquimalt lagoon are other favourites. .. but there's just too many things to choose from ranging from Ocean activities, to architecture, gardening, military history, hikes, food.. the list gets long really quick lol
Thank You Melissa...I have visited Vancouver for a week but your insight and video make Victoria a favourable place to visit next. I was hoping you covered the museums and art galleries and live music venues (I'm biased ...that's my thing)...Gluten-free options!!! Yes!!
We did cover one of the art festivals (Moss Street Paint In)...it's wonderful :) Here: th-cam.com/video/hFHFvhaxZKw/w-d-xo.html Plus more videos here: th-cam.com/play/PLo7rSKIAt_6w7YfPQycNe8Wk2_QQArWL3.html
nice job on showing your favorite things! My dad was born here in 1912 and was a police officer when there was only 5 officers on the saanich police force. he used to tell me wonderful stories about that time. The history from here is pretty interesting. Thank you for sharing! :)
So far the best video on Victoria I've found. Great job! I like to experience the different customs/norms of the locals. I'd be interested to know what the locals do. Any frequently held community events?
sadly the experience was recently banned as a tourist while taunting a sea lion was pulled into the ocean....and now nobody can feed even the harbour seals (although I must say feeding sea lion seems dangerous as they can be huge...think grizzly bear in the ocean)
I live in Victoria and I think buchard Gardens should have been on the list. Also I would love the top ten places to eat. If your going to may I help make the list?
Born and raised in Victoria. Butchart Gardens is outside Victoria and not technically in the same municipality. So awesome though, deserves its own show.
Butchart Gardens is crazy overpriced and jammed full of tourists...that and high tea at the Empress are the two tourist traps to avoid. And the whale harassing tours. From what I've heard the sound and being chased is quite stressful to the orcas, even though you're kept at a 'safe distance' for the animals.
missed the deers, the biscuits; the seals; the goats; tracking plus the walk on suspension bridge ; walking in the back ellies that looped into the shopping malls and eating places.
Now that it's 2018...that bridge is gone and we have a new one. This was a very good vid. Did you use a stabilizer of some kind? nice and pretty smooth.
if you know where to look they can be found...my husband loves going out to photograph them...less orca than there used to be when we fist moved here though for sure :)
Beaconhill Park is at the bottom of Highway #1 (called Douglas Street in Victoria), and you're right about the seals but if you visit Oak Bay Marina, they still hang out near the fish cleaning station (looking for scraps) :)
@@YogaLifestylewithMelissa oh thank you so much I'm in Victoria right now in my hotel I can't wait to visit the Rogers chocolate factory and the Bakery and Im planning on going to goldstream trestle :) Thanks I will try to find Beacon Hill Park again because I will be retiring back home to Vancouver. Victoria and the people here are so nice and Victoria is just so pretty
so pleased you're enjoying your trip...it's a short walk from Government Street and Rogers over to Beaconhill Park and totally worth it :) Safe travels Meggie :)
@@YogaLifestylewithMelissa thanks for the reply. It does look lovely out there. Any small towns around Vancouver you would recommend checking out? Scenic, small amount of people, affordable for someone to migrate to?
@@rickysingh616 dude. You need to prepare yourself financially, B.C., is expensive, the affordability question tells me you are not ready to move, it might be too expensive for you. But i wish you luck and hope one day you can!
@@goodone5590 thanks for the reply 👍, it's just hard to gauge where you get more bang for your buck. Haven't been to B.C. since 2007 / 2008. Really need to head out and travel for a bit I guess to find a place I like.
you should not be up on the goldstream railway trestle. that is private property which is NOT part of the goldstream trail network. The railway and its structures are not for dancing or hanging off of. The E&N railway is owned by Island Corridor Foundation and Southern Railway of Vancouver Island and unless you have permission from either of those two owners of that property you are trespassing under the Railway Safety Act. I am not an employee or respresentative of either of those two companies but I do know a thing or two about railway safety. I am a huge supporter of railway safety but you do what you want Im just saying your trespassing and when it says to stay off the tracks its not a suggestion. I just hope one of you who decides to do this unsafe act dont get charged with trespassing or worse killed. www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/goldstream/
Yoga Lifestyle with Melissa that doesn’t mean you should do it too. So if someone on that bridge we’re to jump off of it you would do it too just because they did it? I guessing not. Trespassing is trespassing there is no excuse and the law doesn’t excuse you or anyone else because someone else does it. It’s illegal but do what you want and bear the consequences. If ever an official comes up there you can just tell’em they were doing it so I thought it would be ok for me to do it too. Use your common sense
I am the Juan and Only in none of my words there was I talking down to her. Not once did I talk in a demeaning way. I simply responded to her comment that she did what she did because other people were doing it. Still the law is the same. She and other people while accessing that trestle are putting their lives in serious danger and this is the reason people die by not using their common sense by not trespassing on railway property or structures meant for trains or rail inspectors. Because people don’t think they are in any danger they seem to think they are superior to the laws which are put in place to protect because she and others who think this way will never die of using the Railway trestle because they think they have trained enough that they’re protected from falling or tripping. Laws are there to protect people from harm. I am just stating the facts. People die unnecessarily from not observing the dangers of hanging or climbing on structures not to be accessed by the public. I don’t want to see her or another precious life lost because that one person took the cool way rather than the safe way
I love the seals! I use to go there quite often. :) Great video!
Me too :) :)
thank you :)
They're gone now 😔
I made a TH-cam video with a underwater GoPro and the seals were so cute! You should check out my video!
My 10 favourite things in Victoria are:
1. walking (such a beautiful, walkable city!)
2. respectful and slow-moving motorists (they have very low speed limits)
3. cycling
4. breathing that wonderful fresh air!
5. very friendly people (it's off-putting at first!)
6. staring in wonder at the massive trees
7. gazing across the strait at the Olympic mountain range
8. watching the comings and goings in the inner harbour
9. great food and coffee shops (Bean Around the World, yum!)
10. Beacon Hill Park (Victoria doesn't need an oasis, but it has one!)
love your top 10 :) so true...the speed limits in our neighbourhood are 30kms/hr....which seems slow at first but we get used to it and seeing the deer everywhere is an added benefit :)
hello, Melissa.. I was in Victoria last year and it was one of the most unforgettable experience in my life; I hope to come back someday. Its natural parks are amazing.
we love living here...so pretty :)
Hi,
I’m an architect and artist and I am planning to move to Victoria in the next year to two years. I am curious for a video about interesting neighborhoods or hidden gems.
I want to move to Victoria because of the beauty and appreciation the British influence have for the built environment.
The gardens and the architecture and the alleys. All of it is amazing to me.
I’m eventually going to design things with hidden passages and secret doors and I believe Victoria will truly appreciate my spirit so much. I already feel like I’m meant to be there and I’ve yet to be there.
I’ve lived in the UK twice and Victoria is where’d I’d like to buy my first home and establish a place for my art and design to come to life.
the way we did it is that we moved here and settled in a neighbourhood and figured out where we wanted to live. Basically near the ocean, downtown, one of the cute neighbourhoods outside of downtown, etc...nothing beats living here first to figure out where you want to be :)
We used to live in King County, Washington. Currently live in Burma. We plan on moving to British Columbia. Either, Victoria or Vancouver. We live in Rangoon currently.
Your guides were the best ever, I was able to have an amazing time in Victoria after seeing them. Thanks!
so pleased that they helped :)
Love this travel guide. I also made an updated Vancouver travel guide as I am a local and know all the cool hidden spots here and wanted to share :)
ty
Loved this, especially the seals, goats, and whales! I hope to some day get there for a visit. Would it be possible to do a top 10 list of things you like to do in nature there or nature spots? I love to see all the wonderful natural spots you visit. Thanks for sharing!
+Jo Belasco oh I love that idea thank you Jo
10:35 I have some good memories about the *blue bridge.* Nice video.
us too Tony, thank you :)
Excellent! A wonderful summary of how great Victoria is. Well done!
Thank you very much Michael!
Pretty solid list. There's definitely lots to choose from. I love being a tourist in my own town. It's hard to make a list because people's preferences differ.. I love the walk along Dallas rd, for instance. Hatley Castle and Esquimalt lagoon are other favourites. .. but there's just too many things to choose from ranging from Ocean activities, to architecture, gardening, military history, hikes, food.. the list gets long really quick lol
so true...what a fabulous city to live in :)
Thank You Melissa...I have visited Vancouver for a week but your insight and video make Victoria a favourable place to visit next. I was hoping you covered the museums and art galleries and live music venues (I'm biased ...that's my thing)...Gluten-free options!!! Yes!!
We did cover one of the art festivals (Moss Street Paint In)...it's wonderful :)
Here: th-cam.com/video/hFHFvhaxZKw/w-d-xo.html
Plus more videos here: th-cam.com/play/PLo7rSKIAt_6w7YfPQycNe8Wk2_QQArWL3.html
nice job on showing your favorite things! My dad was born here in 1912 and was a police officer when there was only 5 officers on the saanich police force. he used to tell me wonderful stories about that time. The history from here is pretty interesting.
Thank you for sharing! :)
So far the best video on Victoria I've found. Great job!
I like to experience the different customs/norms of the locals. I'd be interested to know what the locals do. Any frequently held community events?
I think there's a FB group on local events...sorry I don't know it....I just seem to stumble on events while out walking :)
I would also add just walking around some of the interesting neighbourhoods.
for sure Anita :)
What Happened to Buchart Gardens. It is beautiful and amazing!
it is but there are so many things to do :)
Condos for Chinese.
I miss feeding the seals. Is there anywhere we can do this still?? I’ve been here for a year and love it ❤️❤️❤️❤️
sadly the experience was recently banned as a tourist while taunting a sea lion was pulled into the ocean....and now nobody can feed even the harbour seals (although I must say feeding sea lion seems dangerous as they can be huge...think grizzly bear in the ocean)
I love your mountains!
I just read that feeding the seals is now banned. Bummer! I'm sure we'll enjoy many of your other tips though. Thanks!
Would LOVE top 10 bakeries!! If I could live in a chocolate cake I honestly would!!! Lol!!!
+Jeni Hagger Tim would be all over that in helping out :-)
Heaven on earth. So many amazing things to do on the island.
so true :)
Great information thanks
you're welcome Michaeel
I live in Victoria and I think buchard Gardens should have been on the list. Also I would love the top ten places to eat. If your going to may I help make the list?
+Kerice Wadsworth lovely to hear what would make your top 10 :-) I did do a Blog on Butchart Gardens and my experience there. Hope you enjoy it
Born and raised in Victoria. Butchart Gardens is outside Victoria and not technically in the same municipality. So awesome though, deserves its own show.
Butchart Gardens is crazy overpriced and jammed full of tourists...that and high tea at the Empress are the two tourist traps to avoid. And the whale harassing tours. From what I've heard the sound and being chased is quite stressful to the orcas, even though you're kept at a 'safe distance' for the animals.
missed the deers, the biscuits; the seals; the goats; tracking plus the walk on suspension bridge ; walking in the back ellies that looped into the shopping malls and eating places.
top 100 next time :)
i love a good climb. that railway bridge reminds me of Stand By Me :)
+shinystar 1 it's such a fun climb with such a lovely reward afterwards :-)
shinystar 1 Stand by me was based on a true story. It was a childhood experience Steven King had.
From Mt Doug you can also see Washington State ,,, also East Sooke Park is nice and Sooke Pot holes
love the views from the top :)
Great video and commentary.
thank you Marlon :)
nice, love this city.
+Heel Toe Express it's pretty awesome!
Now that it's 2018...that bridge is gone and we have a new one. This was a very good vid. Did you use a stabilizer of some kind? nice and pretty smooth.
indeed we do have a new bridge and the lighting at night is spectacular :)...and yes I do use a stabilizer on my cell phone :)
Back in the 70s; it was "Toke Bay", and 'Mt. Drug'...
lol
those were some good old days, weren't they!
Wow I’d love too visit looks like a beautiful place to live😍
It's a dream living here Rachel....I think you would love it :)....Tim and I often say that we live in a fairy tale :)
@@YogaLifestylewithMelissa I just purchased a condo there and looking forward to living in Victoria
Are deers actually that common in the neighbourhoods??
By the way. Awesome video!! Subscribed.
Yes they are...if I go for a walk I will see deer usually :) thank you
That is pleasently unique 😁😁
You left out a hike around Thetis Lake.
that's right! Lovely hike there too :)
It’s very rare to see an orcas you most have been really lucky 🍀
I love living here 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦
if you know where to look they can be found...my husband loves going out to photograph them...less orca than there used to be when we fist moved here though for sure :)
us too :) :)
Great video with a charming and beautiful host! Thank you.
thank you Doug :)
It reminds me of Seattle.
similar weather :) less people and on an island...to be fair I haven't spent much time in Seattle...one day.. :)
Top 10 Places to Eat and Top 10 Bakeries, yes, please.
only 10 ? Tim would love that :)
Cool city i really missed that place :))) all d' way from philippines :))))
it is an awesome place thank you for leaving a comment John :)
Bakery. Yes pls!!
Victoria is fantastic I like the nature a lot how long does it take to get to Victoria BC from Montreal? Can I get there by 🚆 train?
It takes about 6 hours by plane...train is an option but it would take almost a week...it's a big country :)
Really? Awesome it's a really Big country!!!!
You forgot my favourite: hand out with Melissa and Tim West!
+Nicci Rea oh you're so sweet
Awesome video:) thanks! Where is hot place/store for young people in victoria? Curious;-)
I can't find Beacon Hill Park :( and you can no longer feed the seals :(
Beaconhill Park is at the bottom of Highway #1 (called Douglas Street in Victoria), and you're right about the seals but if you visit Oak Bay Marina, they still hang out near the fish cleaning station (looking for scraps) :)
@@YogaLifestylewithMelissa oh thank you so much I'm in Victoria right now in my hotel I can't wait to visit the Rogers chocolate factory and the Bakery and Im planning on going to goldstream trestle :) Thanks I will try to find Beacon Hill Park again because I will be retiring back home to Vancouver. Victoria and the people here are so nice and Victoria is just so pretty
so pleased you're enjoying your trip...it's a short walk from Government Street and Rogers over to Beaconhill Park and totally worth it :) Safe travels Meggie :)
I would love to feed the seals what do they eat?
they eat fish :)
@@YogaLifestylewithMelissa, are they not concerned that feeding the seals may have detrimental consequences?
@@bcnofne5 I believe the practice has been banned now.
Is it expensive to live out there?
I think Victoria is probably one of the most expensive cities in Canada but it is beautiful :)
@@YogaLifestylewithMelissa thanks for the reply. It does look lovely out there. Any small towns around Vancouver you would recommend checking out? Scenic, small amount of people, affordable for someone to migrate to?
@@rickysingh616 dude. You need to prepare yourself financially, B.C., is expensive, the affordability question tells me you are not ready to move, it might be too expensive for you. But i wish you luck and hope one day you can!
@@goodone5590 thanks for the reply 👍, it's just hard to gauge where you get more bang for your buck. Haven't been to B.C. since 2007 / 2008. Really need to head out and travel for a bit I guess to find a place I like.
God i miis Victoria. I went on an exchange program last year´s summer
loved beacon hill and goldstream (specially the water fall and the railroad)
basically i loved everything!
We love it too :) the waterfall and railroad bridge is a popular spot for our family hikes ....scary if you look down :)
Cacho Villarreal
Exchanged from what city/country?
monterrey, mexico
5:42
And what if I'm afraid of fights....?
Very Nice video and beautiful TH-cam channel
thank you :)
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ love this, so beautiful 😊
+Jeni Hagger thank you so much :-)
You missed Ross Bay Cemetery
You're right...my husband sits there with a camera and photographs the deer :) lovely quite spot on a hot summer's day :)
Feeding the seals is now prohibited .
sadly you are correct....they're still around though...especially near the cleaning station :)
Good to know GF bakeries :---)
sooo good
9:12 is that peter griffin
lol, it's a friend of ours :) Helena
😂
"the footbits"
??
Looks like a Florida whamens to me cheks out just doing it up on rail rouds ok possibly dieing
I more like your country wish to visit
you should not be up on the goldstream railway trestle. that is private property which is NOT part of the goldstream trail network. The railway and its structures are not for dancing or hanging off of. The E&N railway is owned by Island Corridor Foundation and Southern Railway of Vancouver Island and unless you have permission from either of those two owners of that property you are trespassing under the Railway Safety Act. I am not an employee or respresentative of either of those two companies but I do know a thing or two about railway safety. I am a huge supporter of railway safety but you do what you want Im just saying your trespassing and when it says to stay off the tracks its not a suggestion. I just hope one of you who decides to do this unsafe act dont get charged with trespassing or worse killed. www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/goldstream/
HI Ross, really good to know...I've seen people hanging off the bridge...super dangerous :(
Yoga Lifestyle with Melissa that doesn’t mean you should do it too. So if someone on that bridge we’re to jump off of it you would do it too just because they did it? I guessing not. Trespassing is trespassing there is no excuse and the law doesn’t excuse you or anyone else because someone else does it. It’s illegal but do what you want and bear the consequences. If ever an official comes up there you can just tell’em they were doing it so I thought it would be ok for me to do it too. Use your common sense
I am the Juan and Only in none of my words there was I talking down to her. Not once did I talk in a demeaning way. I simply responded to her comment that she did what she did because other people were doing it. Still the law is the same. She and other people while accessing that trestle are putting their lives in serious danger and this is the reason people die by not using their common sense by not trespassing on railway property or structures meant for trains or rail inspectors. Because people don’t think they are in any danger they seem to think they are superior to the laws which are put in place to protect because she and others who think this way will never die of using the Railway trestle because they think they have trained enough that they’re protected from falling or tripping. Laws are there to protect people from harm. I am just stating the facts. People die unnecessarily from not observing the dangers of hanging or climbing on structures not to be accessed by the public. I don’t want to see her or another precious life lost because that one person took the cool way rather than the safe way
@@RossJohnsonVIA1 don't you think that just maybe you could have said all that you did in a bit nicer of a way.
shopping??? are you kidding me. You can shop in west edmonton mall, Whale watching???? How about looking at the GREAT architecture
indeed the architecture is lovely :)
the truth, that city looks boring!
looks can be very deceiving!