The world has been so different in the last 1.5 years that even the way we travel is now different. Since travelling internationally is difficult, I recently went on a local trip. Instead of boarding a plane and flying to a new city, we decided to travel by bike to a local city. Being in Vancouver, it is easy to travel to Victoria. One morning, bright and early, we drove to the ferry terminal with our bikes!
The ferry ride from Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal to Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal is about 90 minutes. And once we got off the ferry, we were ready to go on our bikes, but of course, we didnât go far before we stopped for brunch!
I got a breakfast burrito from Maryâs Bleue Moon Cafe. It was great that they turned the parking lot into an outdoor patio. I think it is great that restaurants have been able to make modifications to continue to operate and also ensure their staff and customers feel safe. Once we were fueled with food, we biked into downtown Victoria and arrived at our hotel after 90 minutes or so. The bike ride was very smooth as there was a dedicated bike path separated from the cars. There were still some stop signs and lights, but it was a really fun journey.
We were lucky as we were able to check in early to our hotel. A tip, if you think youâll check in early, make sure you communicate with the hotel early. If possible, they will try to accommodate an early check in. We decided to stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton. I love staying here because they give out cookies at check in! This is one of the reasons I love staying here! The best part is, they keep the cookie warm!
Shortly after, we were eating again! We checked out 10 Acres Bistro which had a number of plates that were great for sharing. We tried out the French Onion Soup, Pork Belly and Bouillabaisse. The food was delicious, especially the pork belly as it was very tender and juicy. The restaurant specializes farm-to-table, so it was great that they were able to locally source their ingredients. We also got to sit outside on their patio and enjoy the afternoon sun.
We wandered around a bit in the city, mostly just people watching and just sitting by the water. This was then shortly followed by some more food. This time, we decided to order Spanish tapas from Bodega. The beef cheeks were really good and cooked to perfection.
We had decided to order take out because we wanted to stay in the hotel because we had the perfect view of the sunset. It was great to be able to enjoy it in a more relaxed environment with the sunset!
Since Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, we decided to check out the Legislative Building at night because it lights up. It was really quite the sight at night. The roof is green because it is made of copper.
The next day, we decided to take the scenic route back. This was a short and quick weekend trip to Victoria.
It was quite a bit longer but here are some places we stopped at. Of course, it included food. We decided to get breakfast at Nourish. The dishes were not only pretty but also delicious and fresh. The outside patio made it seem like I was eating at a garden paradise. The building of the restaurant was a quaint Victorian building (now I wish I had taken some photos of it). The service was very friendly and the staff wore face masks.
Once we ate, we took off on our bikes to head home. We took the scenic route along the coast and made some pit stops for some photos. I realized that Iâve spent so many of my past trips outside of the country that I forget about how beautiful it is here in my backyard!
On the way out from the hotel, they gave us more cookies for the ride as well. This is what you see in my side pockets as I bike.
I admit, it was pretty cool to travel by bike. It was a bit tiring but at the same time, it feels great that I can eat as much as I want since I biked quite a bit! 
Have you done any travelling trips recently? Anyone else have any experience with a bike touring trip? Would love to know if youâve done an exciting bike touring/packing trip. Itâd be great inspiration for future trips!
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