Category: British Columbia

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A Carriage Ride Through Beautiful Victoria, British Columbia

Victoria, British Columbia

Our cruise to Alaska took us to some incredible places, from the Endicott Arm & the Dawes Glacier to Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan. Our final stop on the cruise was Victoria, British Columbia. We were in port for strange hours. Getting off the ship at 7 PM and getting back on board at 11 PM didn’t leave much time for us to really get out there and explore. However, we made the best of what little time we had in Victoria.

4 Hours in Victoria, British Columbia

As soon as we got off the ship, we walked towards the taxi stand and hired a cabbie to take us to the downtown district. Outside of the Parliament building, there’s a company that offers horse and carriage rides around the downtown area and surrounding parks. The ride was an hour-long which was perfect for our short time frame.

First, we left downtown and headed for Beacon Hill Park in our carriage. The park is massive! It is home to stunning gardens, manicured lawns, cricket pitches, a petting zoo, and several different trails.

Next, our tour took us down Government Street which led us past Emily Carr’s Home (Canadian artist and writer) and other stunning examples of Victorian architecture. Paint was a status symbol during the construction of these homes. Any home with 3 or more colors was a sign of wealth.

This vibrantly painted house was one of my favorites! I think it is safe to say that the homeowners were making bank!

Lastly, our tour ended right back in front of the Parliament building. We spent a bit of time perusing the area and watching the sunset over the harbor. Victoria is an absolutely stunning city/island when the sun goes down. It was interesting visiting a port a night, and for such a short period of time. Many of the buildings are lined with bright white lights. It reminded me a lot of St. Augustine, Florida– the oldest city in the United States. It was definitely a cool place!

While You’re in the Area

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Alaska British Columbia Canada Cruise Excursions Cruise Travel Skagway The Yukon United States

Skagway, British Columbia, and The Yukon Territory

Weren’t the Endicott Arm and the Dawes Glacier amazing? Our next stop on our Alaskan cruise was Skagway, Alaska. Imagine waking up, stepping out onto your balcony, and being welcomed by this view. Welcome to Skagway, my friends! Skagway is home to colorful gold-rush era buildings, vintage locomotives, and some of the most friendly people you’ll encounter!

Our first glimpse of Skagway, Alaska

We had a lot on our itinerary for the day. We were heading to British Columbia and The Yukon, and of course, we had to explore this charming little town. We planned on fitting as much as we could so that we had a chance to really explore this area. First, we followed the White Pass Trail from Skagway up to Frasier, British Columbia passing cascading waterfalls, gorgeous snow-capped mountains, and some of the most spectacular lakes I’ve ever seen. Yep, you read that right- we headed into Canada!

British Columbia

Words simply cannot describe how stunning British Columbia was! The towering snow-capped mountains, the lush green evergreens, the azure glacier lakes were more gorgeous than I can put into words. Visiting this region was like a dream come true- I’m dying to go back!

I spent the hour-long ride from Fraser, British Columbia to Carcross, Yukon Territory gazing out the window with my jaw dropped. The vistas were breathtaking! This would be an amazing spot to pitch a tent for a couple of weeks and forget about the world.

Yukon Territory

Next, we made a pit stop in Carcross at the Caribou Crossing Trading Post for a delicious barbecue lunch and a chance to stretch our legs.

After lunch, we went to spend some time with animals. We fed goats, alpacas, and donkeys! This goat reminded us so much of our little terrier Parker. He had a way of forcing himself on you so that you’d pay attention to him.

Then, we had a meet and greet with some of the Alaskan sled dogs. We watched as they were harnessed up and carried sleds off into the hillsides.

Next, we made a pit stop at the Carcross Desert, which is often called “The World’s Smallest Desert”. It was a great spot to stretch our legs and admire the biodiversity of the area.

Our last stops in The Yukon were Spirit Lake and Emerald Lake, both well known for their impeccable green coloring.

Have you met my pet monkey Isabelle? Isabelle has traveled with me for nearly 2 decades. She has visited 18 countries with me and joined me on my trip into Canada since she missed out on my first trip to this amazing country!

Skagway, Alaska

Finally, it was time to check out Skagway! Isn’t it such a charming little town? It was covered with Gold Rush-era buildings painted in vibrant colors and decorative storefronts.

How cool is this building? It’s covered entirely in driftwood!

Lastly, we met up with some friends at the historic Red Onion Saloon, one of the best-known brothels in all of Alaska. The ladies of the Red Onion are all in full costume and character and are an absolute riot. The upstairs is a museum dedicated to the building’s past and the saloon’s role during the gold rush. The day was a perfect introduction to all of the wonderful things we would see throughout Alaska and western Canada.

While in Skagway…

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Slide on over to our post about checking out the famous Mendenhall Glacier in Tongass National Park just outside of Juneau. Be sure to give us a like on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for more travel tips and tricks. See you next time!

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