Day 2 of the family vacation: Thetis Lake Regional Park:
September 4, 2005 | Tips from Us > Victoria, Beaches & Swimming Victoria, Beaches & Swimming
Good news! I ended up getting a Minivan after all! I waited at the rental agency for an hour and a half and just as I was leaving the lot (literally), in pulls the blue 7-passenger hotrod of my dreams! sometimes you just get lucky I guess! Remember: book it in advance! Today was an easy day because everyone is tired after last night's late arrival. We headed to Thetis Lake which just happens to be a five-minute drive from our house although we took the long route because I was still so ecstatic about procuring the Minivan that I had to show it off. Luckily, just about every route you take in this city has something beautiful or of interest to see. Thetis Lake's Main Beach is by far the most popular local hangout for Victoria's young crowd so I thought taking the kids there first would show that their uncle is somewhat in the know with the youth of today. Warm, clear water, surrounded by a towering Douglas Fir forest and a network of trails made if a bonus choice. While dogs aren't allowed to stay on the beach and picnic area during this time of year, they can be off-leash along the trails and the rest of the park. So while some kids (namely the 16 year old) opted to hang at the beach with the locals (I think her name was Melanie) the rest of us hiked around the lake, dogs at our heels and worked up an appetite for the perfect picnic. Not a bad way to sleep off an afternoon of jet-lag and for me to recover from the near Minivan fiasco.
Travel tip: Air Canada offers a non-stop from Toronto to Victoria daily, arriving at 10pm. Everything else seems to connect either via Vancouver or Calgary. Sure makes the trip shorter if you can get this one.
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