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Summary

Locals say you should visit this small BC city with charming streets instead of Vancouver

A summer trip is waiting!

Editor

The bustling streets of Vancouver have their own intrigue, with lots of shopping, those signature views, city beaches, and endless things to do. If you want all that without the crowds though, this smaller city in B.C. is a favourite.

We turned to readers on the Narcity Facebook Page to see where people should visit in the province over Vancouver, and the charming oceanfront city apparently gives it a run for its money.

Victoria offers a more low-key trip, but you still have all of the benefits of a city visit. There's tons of local shopping, great restaurants, cool cafes, and touristy things to do here.

Set on Vancouver Island the city is also the perfect place for exploring some of the world-renowned beauty that it's known for. Misty rainforests and unbelievably beautiful beaches are all within driving distance of the city.

Within the city limits you can get your fill of natural beauty though. For starters, there's the waterfront that you can walk along, taking in the sparkling ocean views.

Take your pick of neighbourhoods and you'll find a more quaint atmosphere, and often those same ocean views. Then Downtown has gorgeous streets lined with heritage buildings, with little shops ripe for exploring.

Step some time in the Inner Harbour — which you'll think is as picturesque as it can get, until you keep walking and reach Fisherman's Wharf. This is like a little seaside fishing village, but in the city. There you'll find food, shops, and tours to take you out exploring.

If you're heading to the West Coast for a visit it might be worth looking beyond the borders of Vancouver, and heading to Victoria.

Explore this list   👀

    • Editor

      Morgan Leet (she/her) is an Editor for Narcity Media Group. After graduating from Carleton University’s School of Journalism and Communication, she jumped into fulfilling her dream as a journalist, merging her passion for travelling with writing. After working in the print media world on Canada’s East Coast, she joined Narcity with a move to B.C., drawn to the beauty of Western Canada. Since then, she's documented her experience moving to Vancouver, covering everything from local events to bucket-list travel destinations across Canada's West Coast.

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