DECEMBER IN VICTORIA: TAKE A COZY CHRISTMAS SELF-GUIDED FOOD TOUR

The tour begins at the CPR Steamship Terminal Building, located across the street from the BC Parliament Buildings pictured here. ©SueFrausePhoto

What better way to see the sights and taste the delights of Victoria BC than on a culinary walking tour in December? Off the Eaten Track (love the name!) is offering a Cozy Christmas Self-Guided Food Tour this holiday season.  

Included in the $45 passport are seven foodie stops along the 1.5 km downtown route plus a downloadable audio tour. Walking time is approximately two hours, but there's no time limit. Spend the day in BC's capital city while leisurely doing your tasting tour.

The tour begins at the CPR Steamship Terminal Building on Victoria's Inner Harbour, where you'll pick up your passport, GPS-triggered APP (they'll help you get started) and some savory Nuts & Bolts party mix. From there you'll walk along the Inner Harbour and up Government Street to Rogers' Chocolates for peppermint cream. The company was founded in Victoria in 1885.

The Festival of Trees at The Bay Centre features 70 decorated trees.

Then it's on to Bon Macaron Patisserie for holiday-flavored macarons, followed by a stop at nearby Artisan Wine for a festive glass of wine or soda. Pop inside The Bay Centre to take in the colorful Festival of Trees, followed by the Dutch Bakery & Diner for some traditional spiced shortbread. The last two stops include cheese from L'Apero Wine and Cheese Bistro, followed by the final stop at Chocolat & Co. for truffles.

Off the Eaten Track's Cozy Christmas Self-Guided Food Tour

• Offered thru Dec 31, 2022 (closed Dec 23-26)
• Available Tuesday-Saturday, 10:30AM to 5PM
• App works on both Apple and Android phones

'World's Best Donut Tour' launches in Vancouver BC, its first location in Canada

 

Vancouver's Olympic Cauldron is located next to Canada Place and was built for the 2010 Winter Games. The cauldron is occasionally lit for special events. ©SueFrausePhoto

The Underground Donut Tour (aka 'World's Best Donut Tour') launches its first tour in Canada, specifically Vancouver, BC. The seven-year-old tour company currently runs in 11 cities in the US, UK and Ireland. 

"Vancouver has always been on our list of cities we wanted to open and when we saw the incredible selection and styles of donuts available, everything just clicked," said Jeff Woelker, founder of the Underground Donut Tour. 

But not to worry, the tour is not underground! As the company explained, underground is meant to be 'secretive' or 'in the know'. So now you know.

The walking tour includes four of the best donut shops in Vancouver. A tour guide shares the history of each location, along with local sights, sounds and tastes of the area. 

The Underground Donut Tour takes place primarily in historic downtown neighborhoods, Coal Harbour, Gastown and the West End. Local architecture is highlighted, including the 83-year-old Fairmont Hotel Vancouver, Canada Place and the adjoining Olympic Cauldron, and the donut shops along the way. 

"We're so excited to launch this tour and show off Vancouver's natural beauty, architecture, history, and of course the donuts," said Ainslee Dalzell, manager of Underground Donut Tour Vancouver.

The Vancouver tours begin August 12 and run every Friday-Saturday-Sunday at 9AM and 12PM, year-round. The company expects  additional days and times will be added soon. 

Tickets are $40CDN for adults and $25CND for ages 10 and under. Tickets may be booked for Vancouver at Underground Donut Tour beginning August 8, 2022.