Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 807

Sidney

At the peninsula's northern end, seafront Sidney is studded with 10 or so bookshops, en-
abling it to call itself BC's only 'Booktown.' It takes an hour to get here by transit bus
from Victoria ($2.50, bus 70 or 72), and the heart of the town is Beacon Ave. Drop into
the friendly chamber of commerce visitor center (

250-665-7362; www.sidney.ca ; 2281

Beacon Ave; 9am-5pm) when you arrive for tips.
You can spend a leisurely afternoon ducking into the likes of Tanner's Books
( www.tannersbooks.com ; 2436 Beacon Ave; 8am-9pm) , with its massive magazine and
large travel-book sections, and Beacon Books (2372 Beacon Ave; 10am-5:30pm Mon-Sat,
noon-4pm Sun) , where the used tomes are guarded by store cat Rosabelle. See
www.sidneybooktown.ca for additional page-turning options.
The popular Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre ( www.oceandiscovery.ca ; 9811 Seaport Pl;
adult/child $15/5; 10am-5pm) is Sidney's kid-luring highlight. Enter through a dramatic
Disney-style entrance - it makes you think you're descending below the waves - then
step into a gallery of aquatic exhibits, including alien-like jellyfish, a large touch tank
with purple starfish and an octopus that likes to unscrew a glass jar to snag its fresh crab
dinner.
If you're suddenly peckish, duck into Carlos Cantina & Grill ( www.carloscantina.ca ;
9816 4th St; mains $10-14; 11:30am-8:30pm) for authentic Mexican grub in a colorful,
friendly setting (the fish tacos and $7.95 lunch special are recommended). Crank it up a
notch with dinner at local fave Sabhai Thai ( www.sabhai.ca ; 2493 Beacon Ave; mains $12-18;
11:30am-2pm & 5-10pm) , a cozy wood-floored room with a bonus patio and a good line
in authentic curries. The lunch combos are especially good value.

Brentwood Bay

A 30-minute drive from Victoria via West Saanich Rd, the rolling farmlands here are
chiefly known for Butchart Gardens ( www.butchartgardens.com ; 800 Benvenuto Ave; adult/
child $30.20/10.30; 9am-10pm; 75) , Vancouver Island's leading visitor attraction. The
immaculate grounds are divided into separate gardens where there's always something in
bloom. Summer is crowded, with tour buses rolling in relentlessly, but evening music
performances and Saturday-night fireworks (July and August) make it all worthwhile.
Tea fans, take note: the Dining Room Restaurant serves a smashing afternoon tea.
Also consider nearby Victoria Butterfly Gardens ( www.butterflygardens.com ; 1461
Benvenuto Ave; adult/child $15/5; 9am-7pm) , which offers a kaleidoscope of thousands of
fluttering critters (from around 75 species) in a free-flying environment. As well as