On this trip, we crossed the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Port Angeles to British Columbia’s Vancouver Island capital city. The towering, snow capped Olympic Mountains framed the departure; Victoria greeted us upon our arrival with a mix of British heritage architecture and countless sleek, high-rise condominiums, a perfect balance of old and new.

 

The British heritage is most in focus at The Fairmont Empress Hotel in the heart of downtown, where we had the good fortune to experience High Tea. The Empress was built for a visit by Queen Victoria more than 100 years ago, and looks today pretty much as it did then. High Tea at the Empress is very authentic and has been widely copied up and down the West Coast.

 

Our sitting was made even more fun by the appearance of Queen Elizabeth. Well, actually, it was an actress playing the part for a tour group, but she was really good at it.

 

Just across from the Empress is the Royal B.C. Museum, which always has interesting exhibits. Right now they are featuring “Titanic,” a traveling exhibit which offers an exhaustive look at the ship, its passengers, and how they lived.

 

The museum also offers permanent exhibitions, such as the First Peoples Gallery, the Modern History Gallery and the Natural History Gallery. The Royal BC Museum occupies a modern structure, well conceived for its purpose, and includes several restaurants and shops. For more information visit www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca.

 

Bear Mountain                                                    

Golf is big here on Vancouver Island, and the buzz is now about the new Westin Bear Mountain Victoria Golf Resort and Spa. Located just 20 minutes from the inner harbor of Victoria, Bear Mountain is a mixed use development enjoying a hilltop location. The Mountain Course was the first to be completed and is a collaboration of Jack Nicklaus and his son Steve.

 

It is a mix of rolling terrain, mountain lakes and lush forests. Hole number 13 really caught my eye.

This dogleg-right par-4 can be played as far back as 480 yards. The tee shot must avoid a lake on the left, which runs from about 200 yards all the way out to the green. The approach fits a draw nicely, and the green is fairly large.

 

The most nearly unique hole on this course is the 19th. Yes, they actually have a 19th, but it is located between holes 14 and 15.

 

A short, 130-yard par-3, it is perched on the side of the mountain, offering spectacular vistas of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the San Juan Islands and, of course, Victoria. It is suggested that you play the 19th hole --  use it to settle any ties that arise at the end of 18 holes.

 

Great care is taken to make Bear Mountain the best-kept course on Vancouver Island. Director of Golf Todd Mahovlich is always in motion checking on course conditions. Todd has been a guiding force in the development of Bear Mountain from its inception.

 

The Westin is brand new, and the golf clubhouse actually is below the lobby. Each contemporary room offers views of the rolling fairways, of Mount Finlayson and of the village center. This high-rise hotel rises up from its hilltop location just above the 18th green.

 

There are restaurants, shops and an athletic club, all within a short distance. We ate at Jack’s Place and at Kuma Sushi, which are adjacent to the ninth green.

 

Jack’s Place is an upscale sports bar - restaurant and the perfect place to which to adjourn after the round. Kuma Sushi had excellent food for the more discerning palate.

 

Bear Mountain has the feel of a trendy Ski Resort, even though it is really a golf resort. Another 18 holes – the Valley Course -- will open in 2008. For more information visit www.bearmountain.ca.

 

The Victoria area offers a lot to see. Butchart Gardens are world renowned and just half an hour away. On this trip, I was curious to see how residents lived, so we traveled east from downtown to the Oak Bay section. In this area we found the old English village of Oak Bay, with its quaint restaurants and shops.

 

Not far away was Victoria Golf Club hugging the coast line like the famed Cypress Point at Pebble Beach.

The clubhouse at Victoria Golf Club was another testimony to British heritage: it has not been altered since its inception in the early 1900’s.

 

The ferry from Port Angeles is not widely known and is easier to get aboard, especially in the summer. For more information visit www.cohoferry.com.