Jordan Park

There was a time, I’ll admit, that I swore off purchasing vacation souvenirs. Over the years, I had amassed an impressive collection of trinkets—a mini Statue of Liberty from New York, a snow globe from San Francisco, a pair of tiny ceramic clogs from Holland, and so on. But one by one, each little memento made its way to the back of my closet to collect dust. I decided I’d had enough. No more wasting money and space on cheap knickknacks that I had no use for. While my family explored souvenir shops, I waited petulantly outside. That is until I discovered the joy of collecting postcards.

Whether you prefer sunbathing on the beach or exploring top-of-the-line museums, Victoria has it all. Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is only accessible by boat or plane. Every day, large ferries transport hundreds of cars across the Pacific Ocean and onto the beautiful island, where visitors are greeted by cheery customs officials in bright green uniforms. From there, tourists can head to the beach or into the town itself which boasts just under 100,000 residents. With so many things to do, it can be hard to narrow down the best of what Victoria has to offer, so this list provides the top five experiences to have while in Victoria, British Columbia.

Samhain (Ireland/Scotland)

In the center of Spain lies a hilly city, notable for its grand Gothic cathedral and mighty fortress that stands guard next to the Tagus river. The city’s architecture and culture are marked by strong Jewish, Muslim, and Christian influence. Though the city used to be the capital of Spain, you won’t find any skyscrapers here. Instead, you’ll find tiny, twisty streets so narrow that when a car drives by, you’ll have to hug the wall to give the car space to pass. If you walk into a market in the middle of the day, you might come across Catholic nuns doing some shopping. And don’t plan on eating dinner here until very late—most restaurants begin serving dinner around 8:00 or 9:00 p.m.