At last count, there are 21 pods of killer whales who make their home in and around the Vancouver Islands. The less adventuresome may take a kayaking or harbor tour of the picturesque Inner Harbor. Shops along Government Street offer serious browsing and shopping opportunities. Here the late Victorian era is preserved in chocolate shops, bookstores, tobacconists and tea merchants and shoppers can find Scottish tweeds and tartans, English bone china and Irish linen. For those who aren't ready for the old world opulence of The Empress, there are many quaint bed and breakfasts, country inns, and hotels available for those who have the time to stay and truly explore this beautiful island.
Car rentals are available and the island bus service is very reliable.
The world famous Royal British Columbia Museum, the most visited museum in Canada, houses an extensive, permanent collection of artifacts and displays depicting the natural and human history of the province, and features cultural exhibits of the ancient Indians of the Pacific Coastal Islands. As we headed back to Swartz Bay to board the ferry for the trip back to the mainland, the sun came out and we wished we had several days to explore this beautiful island. As the ferry left the harbor, there were some spectacular sunset photo opportunities after which we went to the restaurant to sample the famous British Columbia salmon dinner with all the fixings. After leaving our luggage in the storage closet of the hotel, we walked to the waterfront to tour Gastown, the birthplace of Vancouver and the oldest part of the city. The cobblestone streets are lined with shops and restaurants, but the biggest attraction is the chiming steam clock, placed there well over l00 years ago and still in working order.