A bit more... You can check out most of this stuff On Line to get the details.
The Empress is under new ownership and renovations, but still hanging on by the teeth to the old style. Some of the old décor, like the Bengal Room, is toast, to become a yuppee bar or something. High Tea is still available.
If you do the triangle tour, Vancouver, Victoria, mid Vancouver Island, you can take the ferry to near Sidney, a 30 min drive from Victoria, explore the greater Victoria area, then travel north to Nanaimo and on to Parksville, Port Alberni and Tofino/ Ucluelet. On the return trip, you would take the ferry from Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver and if time permitted, could head a bit north to check out Whistler and Squamish. Whistler can speak for itself and Squamish has a number of things that may interest you. They have a gondola with panoramic views over Howe Sound, and the BC Railway Museum is located there. A couple of brew pubs, lots of restaurants. What more could you want?
On Vancouver Island again, in Duncan, the BC Forest Discovery Centre is focused on west coast logging history and has steam and other trains, some running on the property. If you like machinery and its history, this is good. On the way north, before Duncan, is the Kinsol trestle, which has been restored and is billed as being the largest wooden structure in the Commonwealth at one time. It was used by the CNR while they still ran trains on the Island.
Going toward Port Alberni, a bit outside of Parksville is the small community of Coombs. This is the home of Coombs Country Market and 'Goats on the Roof'. An interesting stop even if you just walk around and window shop in the various small stores, or check out the market and have coffee or a bite to eat there. I think the goats have a web site.
On the way to Port Alberni, past Coombs, is the Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park. This is a stand of very large, first growth Douglas Fir trees. Parking is right by the road, so not much walking. In Port Alberni, in season, they run a steam train from the downtown area out to McLean Mill, an old time sawmill and National Historic Site. The Francis Barkley sails from the pier downtown to service small communities along Alberni Inlet and the Broken Group Islands of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. They deliver freight, drop kayakers and stop in at Bamfield before returning to Port Alberni. Its a true west coast experience and a favourite of tourists from all over the world. Check web site for details.
For those interested in local wineries, not to be compare to Niagara or the Okanagan, there are a number both around Victoria and in the Duncan area. My favourites to visit are Avril Creek and Zanatta is that's spelled correctly in the Cowichan Valley. There are lots of others and a tour guide is available, on line, I think.
That's it for now...
