A
S OUR SEAPLANE BOUNCED
ALONG the waters of Lake
Union past the color-
ful houseboats and the
billowing sails of sailboats
my heart skipped a beat. There is noth-
ing more invigorating than an opportu-
nity to examine a place you call home
from a different vantage point. Doing so
always allows you to come home with
different eyes. The sun was glistening
off the water, the skies were a brilliant
blue and my husband and I were off
on a much-needed romantic getaway
weekend sans children.
As we passed over islands and skirted
our way along shores, my eyes were
keenly enthralled with our journey. As
cliché as it sounds, when you are trav-
eling with Kenmore Air, getting there
really is half the fun. When you are up
in a plane embarking on an adventure
the possibilities seem boundless. After
a short flight we started to serpentine
our way back down into Victoria’s Inner
Harbour.
Upon disembarking we were swept
away by our shuttle and driven the
short 15 minutes to our highly antici-
pated destination — the Oak Bay Beach
Hotel. Although Oak Bay Beach Hotel
is a short distance from the city, it feels
like you are miles away from the hustle
and bustle of the city. Our spacious and
sumptuous room opened to sweeping
views of Chatham and Discovery islands
in the foreground, with the San Juan
Islands in the background.
Our room’s water view enticed us to
take a dip in the heated mineral pools,
situated on the shores of the Haro
Strait. Throughout Oak Bay Beach Hotel
there are moments of pleasure to be had
at every turn from watching a pair of
bald eagles relax in the midday sunshine
from your balcony to partaking in a
cup of hot tea by the fire to savoring a
treatment at the spa and curling up with
a good book in your sunken tub. There
are so many reasons to never set foot off
the property, but also a wealth of fas-
cinating places to explore just a stone’s
throw away.
From kayaking at Oak Bay Island
Ecological Reserve, golfing, the breath-
taking gardens of Butchart, miles upon
miles of trails and inlets to explore and
a variety of islands like Salt Spring there
is no end to the places to explore near
Oak Bay Hotel. The options for activities
are diverse as the seasons on Vancouver
Island.
After settling into our room, we took
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explore: NW | The Official Magazine for kenmore air | Spring 2019
Tucked at the water’s edge, the
heated mineral pools are an inviting
destination that offer stunning water-
front views.
While the outdoor gardens sleep, The Butchart
Gardens indoor display comes to life. Spring
Prelude is flooded with the subtle fragrance of
flowering shrubs and flowers. Garden beds of
daffodils and tulips bloom alongside tropical
plants and orchids creating a fantasy garden.
a quick taxi ride downtown and boarded
a bus to The Butchart Gardens. We
weren’t certain what awaited us at the
gardens since a mere two weeks prior
we had a legendary snowstorm. Much
to our astonishment we were greeted by
the gardens, covered in a thick blanket
of snow. Undeterred by our snowy sur-
prise we enjoyed a few activities unique
to the garden this time of year. From the
months of January to mid-March guests
can enjoy the Spring Prelude Indoor
Garden and historical displays in the
family’s original home, neither of which
I had ever seen.
After gathering a plethora of garden-
ing inspiration from the Spring Prelude
we enjoyed a leisurely and restful
afternoon partaking in winter high
tea. Shockingly, this was our first high
tea experience and we enjoyed pots of
steaming tea, miniature sandwiches and
delectable bites of dessert. After stock-
ing up on tea and flower seeds from the
amazing gift shop, we headed back to
our hotel.
Upon returning, we enjoyed a quick
dip in the mineral pools before an un-
hurried dinner at the hotel. A candle lit,
floral patterned room was the stage for
our romantic dinner and over the next
several hours we enjoyed course after
course of distinctive local food like sea
scallops, crab cakes, and seafood bouil-
labaisse culminating in very contented
stomachs. That evening I fell asleep in
one of the comfiest beds I have ever
slept in while eagerly anticipating our
hiking excursion planned for the next
day.
The next morning, we reveled in un-
interrupted conversation and a hearty
breakfast of vegetable frittatas and thick
slabs of brioche French toast at the
hotel. As parents of young children, we
know there is nothing superior in life
than a good night’s rest, hot food and
being able to complete your meal and
sentences without interruption. Fueled
for the day we met up with Mark from