Rebellious Winter Zed Sked

Jan 7, 2015 at 10:02 pm

Winter is definitely rebellious here in the province's capital as the tourists are all gone, the storms are breathtaking and Victoria's indie culture continues to thrive.  Here's a smattering of suggestions:

Hike in a rainforest when it's really raining: Visit the famous 3 Sisters in Carmanah Walbran Park and have them all to yourself or reach the summit of Mt. Work if you want a great local hike.  I swear the forest colours explode when it's raining making it the best time of the year to go for a hike.  Seriously.

Same with surfing as the waves are even bigger in the winter! Jordan River and Sombrio Beach are a 90 minute drive north of Victoria and offer some of the best waves on this coast.  Locally, Ocean River Sports can get you out on the water, especially with a Stand Up Paddle board to explore Victoria's picturesque harbour and coast line.

Get out of the wind and into the hot air: Attend Question Period at the Legislature just to say you did! This is after all the capital of BC.  Even just staying for 5 minutes is pretty cool to hear the heckling and jabs.  Click on this link to see the schedule for when they are sitting and just pop in.  It's easy!

Pub drinking.  What would a Zed Sked be without one mention of a pint?! For a truly rebellious experience go to the hillbilly bar Big Bad John's located downtown on Douglas street.  You'll think twice about referring to Victoria as a sleepy little town ever again.  

High Tea, rebel style.  Yes, Victoria is famous for its high tea and most people default to the awesome, yet ridiculously expensive Empress Hotel.  While we adore the Empress, we'd also like to recommend the Gatsby Mansion for its quirky yet opulent surroundings in this historic mansion on the inner harbour.   Plus they cater to rebels like us with a full bar menu too.  No tea totalling necessary!

Storm Watching.  Harling Point is a nearby local secret that even many local's don't know about!   Also known as the Chinese Cemetery this National Historic Site on a windy day is absolutely exhilarating.  The spray splashes in your face, the sacred rocks (yes, there are sacred rocks here) have a seriously cool first nations vibe and apparently the Feng Shui here is super strong hence why the Chinese located a cemetery here. 

"Humanity has advanced, when it has advanced, not because it has been sober, responsible, and cautious, but because it has been playful, rebellious, and immature."  - Tom Robbins