Private Tours
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Mix and Match to Create a Custom Photo Tour That’s All About YOU! Tell me what you enjoy most or want to experience while you’re here and I’ll customize a photo tour especially for you, from nature hikes to national historical sites to wineries, breweries, shopping and more. Full days, half days – whatever suits your schedule and interests. Vancouver Island really does have something for everyone, no matter what your interests. And what sets my tours apart is that I can help you capture your adventures forever, whether you have a high-end camera or a simple cell phone. Even if you’re not a shutterbug, you’ll go home with gorgeous photos to share with your loved ones. Contact me today and let’s get snapping! All tours will be customized to your exact wishes! CHOOSE FROM THE FOLLOWING OPTIONS Butchart Gardens. You can spend an hour or a day here amid the floral displays in the Japanese, Mediterranean and Italian gardens as well as the original sunken garden Jennie Butchart created by filling in the depleted limestone quarry with topsoil. Admire the bronze statuary and carved totem poles. Ride the carousel, enjoy various eateries. Visit Government House and Gardens, the official residence of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, with its impressive tiered gardens. Learn about its regal visitors and the tragic fires that destroyed it more than once. Beacon Hill Park occupies 200 acres in the heart of Victoria. This family-friendly park has a petting zoo whose main attraction is a herd of curious, friendly – and photogenic! - goats. A putting green, bike and walking paths, drops down to waterside combine to provide you with fun and photo ops. Tucked away from view is a hidden gem you don’t want to miss – the Abkhazi Japanese Garden, which comprises a gorgeous heritage home amid a natural landscape with vistas of snow-capped rocky slopes and majestic Garry oak trees. Japanese maples and rhododendrons abound, along with colourful carpets of naturalized bulbs. Trust your local guide to know all about it and show you the best places to compose your photos from! Around the corner from Victoria’s Inner Harbour, on the scenic Dallas Road, is Fisherman’s Wharf – a jumble of fresh seafood joints, unique shops and the departure point for ferries and eco-tours to view whales, seals and other marine denizens. Craigdarroch Castle is a Victorian mansion built between 1887 and 1890 as the dream home of coal baron Robert Dunsmuir. Overlooking the city of Victoria, the castle features gorgeous stained glass windows and authentic period furnishings. The Emily Carr House and Gardens, where the renowned Canadian writer and artist in the Post-Impressionist and Modernist styles grew up, has been designated a National and Provincial Historic Site. Carr was ahead of her time, as a staunch advocate for the rights of the First Nations peoples. The home has been lovingly restored and the gardens are a blaze of colour you’ll want to photograph. Wineries, Distilleries, Breweries and Cideries If you can drink it, you can find it on Vancouver Island! There are too many award-winning beverage-makers to list them all. Just name your favorite poison – wine, beer, scotch, spirits, cider – and I’ll find the best, most photogenic place that makes it and I’ll take you there! Don’t worry, teetotalers. There are plenty of English-style tea rooms and eclectic cafés for you to enjoy as well. I’ve been to most of them, so just ask. Nature Walks If garden walks are a little too tame, may I politely suggest you take a hike? Excellent suggestions include the woodsy and beach trails around Sitting Lady Falls. Of course, any long walk along the ocean offers exceptional photo ops and there’s always a herd of deer waiting for you at the Ross Bay Cemetery. You will love Fort Macaulay. you'll see interesting ruins of gun emplacements dating back to 1878. fort's grounds now offer us sweeping, panoramas views. Shopping It seems like everyone who lives on the Island is an artist of some description who opens a unique shop to delight visitors. Here are just a few recommendations: Fort St. antique mall, you never know what treasures you will find here. Russell Books in downtown Victoria offers 16,000 square feet of new, used, antiquarian and out-of-print books. If you’re a bookworm, you won’t want to leave. Ever! The Old Attic in nearby Saanichton will keep antiquers and consignment shoppers happy. Casual Lunch Spots While on Tours Foodies will adore the many local farmers’ markets and artisan specialty shops that offer everything from bread and chocolate to cheese and charcuterie. These are especially plentiful in the Oak Bay and Cadboro Bay neighborhoods, but you’ll find great eateries, groceries, vegan and organic dishes all over Vancouver Island. No matter what kind of food pleases your palate, delicious meals await. Favorites with my touring visitors include various English tea rooms, Irish pubs and boutique bakeries. Off the Beaten Path Tour Start with a scenic drive along the ocean. Visit the oldest cemetery in western Canada. Here you'll find quiet, park like settings, monuments and sculptures, beautiful views of the ocean and a sense of history unlike anywhere else in Victoria. A herd of deer have made this place their permanent home. You will hear interesting stories about some of the people who are buried there. Afterwards, take evening silhouettes at the beach and then from high above the bay, watch the sun fade over the ocean and the city. The photo opportunities are truly endless on this tour but be prepared to walk up a small hill. Just Let me know what you would like to do and I will put together a custom Tour just for you. If you’re craving an experience of any type not listed here, don’t be afraid to ask. I’m more than happy to source and accommodate your preferences, to make your visit to Victoria as memorable as the beautiful photos you’ll take home! Tours are conducted rain or shine, so please bring an umbrella. The restaurants are casual, so jeans and shorts are fine. |
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