This trip was taken last June 12-14, 2010. It was my third trip but my family’s first to Victoria, BC and we had a great time! Most of the pictures were taken by my brother Francis.

We started our trip by driving to Port Angeles to catch the Victoria Express. Before we got on the ferry, we grabbed a few bites at the Port Angeles Farmers’ Market. The ride was pleasant and the weather was fantastic.

The hustle and bustle at the Inner Harbour welcomed us.

We stayed at the Huntingdon Hotel which was conveniently located across the ferry dock. It was clean, comfortable, and reasonably priced.

The family waiting for Thai lunch. Yes, we like Asian food.

The streets of downtown with historic buildings.

Bastion Square

We stopped for coffee at Murchie’s where Francis spilled coffee on his pants! This prompted a trip to the mall for a new pair.

Welcome to Chinatown!

Fan Tan Alley – the narrowest street in Canada.

Dinner was at Ebizo. Perfectly cooked meats and the taste of summer in the vegetables. I highly recommend this place.

Fisherman’s Wharf was walking distance from our hotel and was a nice break from the downtown crowd.

Halibut fish and chips, calamari, and clam chowder from Barb’s. I like my fish fresh and cooked right and I was happy with this meal. I highly recommend it.

On our last night, Francis and I went out for a night photo shoot. This is the Inner Harbour with the Parliament Building in the background.

Another great trip in the Pacific Northwest

Florence, OR was a lot like Newport, OR but smaller. It is less touristy and more charming in my opinion. One thing that I was impressed with was the food culture. It is hard to find good food on the Oregon Coast but Florence had some pretty good restaurants. I highly recommend breakfast or lunch at the Nature’s Corner Cafe. For dinner, head to Waterfront Depot or their sister restaurant across the street that serves trattoria style meals. I tend to judge places by the food culture and this place wins a star from me.

The beach in Florence was nice and calm.

The bridge across the Siuslaw River.

Our hotel Old Town Inn although basic, was walking distance to old town.

Dog-friendly dockside dining.

The Honeyman State Park is one of the coolest parks I have seen. The sandy beach is good for making sand castles as well as sand boarding.

My first attempt at sand boarding. It was fun!

Mulder tried to pull Marcel downhill but got tired after about ten steps.

Florence is now one of my favorite places on the Oregon Coast. Have you been there?

Island Cafe is listed in Portland Pooch as a dog-friendly restaurant. The set up is like a tiki bar with a nice view of the Columbia River.

You can even access it by boat

Marcel waiting for fish and chips

The view from our table

Dog-friendly indeed. Mulder met a new friend Tika.

After lunch we headed to the NW Pet and Companion Fair where we saw all kinds of doggies and pet goodies.

Mulder “hunted” for a tennis ball.  It was a fun event but not cheap.

They had goats for good measure

A stop at Chimney Park ended Mulder’s day out on a good note. He was a satisfied and tired doggie.