This was our first time in Victoria, and it was a fabulous weekend trip! Tashi's place was a big reason our time was so special. The space was very clean and well-decorated, and the location was wonderful.

My husband and I greatly enjoyed walking around the neighborhood, hanging out at Gonsales Beach, checking out the observatory, and meandering through the Chinese cemetery and Ross Bay Cemetery (I love old cemeteries, and both those spots were just beautiful). All these places were short walks away.

While you definitely don't need a car, we're very glad we brought ours, as we went back and forth between Tashi's and downtown quite often (it is a very short drive, but it would be tiresome to walk back and forth as many times as we did).

Tashi was a kind and charming hostess. We saw her a couple times in person, and over messaging she responded promptly to all our questions, and she graciously offered many recommendations for entertainment and restaurants. She even had snacks for us in the kitchen!

Vitoria itself is a gorgeous city and feels very safe. The food is very yummy, and we're spoiled food snobs from Portland. Personally, we loved 10 acres (farm to table) and Café Brio (local with Italian influence) for dinner, and Crust Bakery had tasty, unique pastries and amazing pizzas. If you like seafood, though, you must go to Fish Hook. Their tuna melt was out of this world, and unlike any tuna melt you've ever had!

Other than eating, we treated ourselves to massages (Sapphire Day Spa was great), and we visited the Bug Zoo (so fun and interesting!) and Fisherman's Warf, which is touristy, yes, but the harbor seals are hilarious to watch.

All in all, it was a wonderful trip filled with fun, relaxation and an abundance of breathtaking natural beauty. I would love to return to Victoria one day, and I'd definitely come right back to Tashi's place!