Dashwood Manor's Local Neighbourhoods

Choose your Victoria accommodations to take full advantage of Vancouver Island biggest city and its glorious waterfront scenery along the scenic Dallas Road marine drive. The smell of salt air, beaches a stone's throw from the door, beautiful public gardens and the most eclectic, popular and convenient village, Cook Street Village, all within easy reach. Downtown Victoria's entertaining and dynamic Inner Harbour is a delightful 20 minute walk through the popular gardens, ponds and pathways of Beacon Hill Park. Stroll the shops along Antique Row, spend the afternoon in the incomparable Royal British Columbia Museum, take in a romantic, horse-drawn carriage ride, or treat yourself to a sumptuous meal at one of the many fine restaurants Victoria has to offer. Take a short drive to one of our many excellent golf courses. Dashwood Manor is in one of the best neighbourhoods and is one of the finest, most affordable bed and breakfasts in Victoria, BC. What a perfect spot for your honeymoon, a corporate stay or your holiday vacation!

Feeling adventurous? Go fishing, kayaking, zipline touring or whale watching! Or, let the Dashwood Manor staff organize a bike rental for you. Follow designated bicycle lanes along the seaside or head out, beyond the city core, to wooded trails, wineries and fabulous beaches. Dashwood Manor Bed and Breakfast is central to a wide range of outdoor adventure opportunities. Kite and wind surfing are active sports in the area. The beach across Dallas Road is often busy with surfers on the water and paragliders above. Interesting as a spectator sport! Have a look at Big Wave Dave's webcam of our beach.

Are you looking for something more neighbourly, something at a slower pace? A short, 5 block walk brings you to the earthy, tree-lined, neighbourhood centre, Cook Street Village, with its four coffee shops, wonderful antique shop, Surroundings, a great little book shop packed with used book bargains, Fairfield Book Shop, exceptional wine shop, Cook Street Village Wines, a grocery store and other shops. Visit the Beagle, our friendly neighbourhood pub, an excellent pub meal and a relaxing time await you. Cross the street to Pizzeria Prima Strada for a traditional Italian, wood fired pizza. Walk up a block to McKenzie Avenue and find Thai, Ethiopian ad Sushi restaurants. Ask us for suggestions for a walking route among our Fairfield neighbourhood's character streets and homes. In late April, spend a weekend touring almost 50 studios of the many Fairfield artists, including our favourites Robert Amos, Jim Gordaneer and Dorsett Norwich Young.

Walking pathways galore! Step outside the door and follow the dogs and their masters along Beacon Hill Park's Dallas waterfront pathways, with beach access at many points. Head east to historic Clover Point, the landing spot of Sir James Douglas, who arrived at this southern promontory on the famous Beaver in March of 1843 to found Fort Victoria as a trading post for the Hudson's Bay Company. This exposed and frequently windy point of land is a wonderful place to watch kites, paragliders and, on wintry stormy days, wild weather and great sea swells. Clover Point is one of Victoria's best birding spots. Watch for Shearwaters flying right along the shore. In season, you may find Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons, Oystercatchers, Black-bellied Plovers, Sandpipers and Turnstones. There have been occasional sightings of Red and Red-necked Phalaropes, Ancient Murrelets, Common Murres, Rhinoceros Auklets, Brandt's Cormorants, Thayer's Gulls, Bonaparte's Gulls and Harlequin Ducks.

Head west along the bluffs to Victoria's breakwater, a 25 minute stroll along paved waterfront pathways with majestic ocean views. Look for cairns commemorating things like Marilyn Bell's famous swim in 1956 across the cold waters of Juan de Fuca Strait from Port Angeles, Washington State to Victoria. Stop at Mile Zero of the western end of the Trans Canada Highway and look for Terry Fox's lifesize bronze statue celebrating this one-legged runner's journey across Canada in 1981 to raise research money for cancer. Most of all, breathe deeply, enjoying the fresh sea air and ever-changing scenes on this busy ocean playground while staying at our convenient accommodations, a heritage Vancouver Island bed and breakfast.