VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 171

Government St., 250/383-0321), featuring Cowichan sweaters. Traditions continue at Ro-
gers Chocolates (913 Government St., 250/881-8771), which is set up like a candy store of
the early 1900s, when Charles Rogers first began selling his homemade chocolates to the
local kids.
Old Town
In Old Town, the colorful, two-story Market Square courtyard complex was once the
haunt of sailors, sealers, and whalers, who came ashore looking for booze and brothels. It's
been jazzed up, and today shops here specialize in everything from kayaks to condoms. Fol-
low Store Street north from Market Square to find a concentration of arts-and-crafts shops
along Herald Street. In the vicinity, Capital Iron is the real thing. Housed in a building that
dates to 1863, this business began in the 1930s by offering the public goods salvaged from
ships. In the 80-plus years since, it's evolved into a department store stocking an eclectic
variety of hardware and homeware products.
Bookstores
Don't be put off by the touristy location of Munro's Books (1108 Government St., 250/
382-2464 or 888/243-2464, 9am-9pm Mon.-Sat., 9:30am-6pm Sun.), in a magnificent neo-
classical building that originally opened as the Royal Bank in 1909. It holds a comprehens-
ive collection of fiction and nonfiction titles related to Victoria, the island, and Canada in
general.
Munro's may be the grandest bookstore in town, but it's not the largest. That distinction
goes to Chapters (1212 Douglas St., 250/380-9009, 8am-11pm Mon.-Sat., 9am-11pm
Sun.). In seaside Oak Bay, Ivy's Bookshop (2188 Oak Bay Ave., 250/598-2713) is a
friendly little spot with a wide-ranging selection from local literature to current bestsellers.
For secondhand and rare regional and nautical titles, search out Russell Books (734 Fort
St., 250/361-4447, 9am-6pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-5pm Sun.).
ACCOMMODATIONS
Victoria accommodations come in all shapes and sizes. A couple of downtown hostels cater
to travelers on a budget, while there are also a surprising number of convenient roadside
motels with rooms for under $100, including one right off the Inner Harbour. Bed-and-
breakfasts are where Victoria really shines, with more than 300 at last count. You'll be able
to find bed-and-breakfast rooms for under $100, but to fully immerse yourself in the his-
torical charm of the city, expect to pay more. In the same price range are boutique hotels
such as the Bedford Regency—older hotels that have been restored and come with top-