We traveled between Seattle-Friday Harbor-Victoria and Vancouver via the Victoria Clipperhttp://www.victoriaclipper.com/ which offers tour packages throughout the area. Its a great company, attention to detail and perfectly planned travel. Victoria really feels "English". The stores, chains and smaller ones offer nice clothes and other products that you usually don't see. The drivers are very polite, stopping to let people cross the street anywhere and anytime. The Empress Hotel is in the center of the harbor and is beautiful but we stayed at a smaller bed and breadfast. We went to Butchart Gardens on an English bus. The gardens are beautiful and Victoria has mild winters due to special winds.