Marvelous-Canada: Sidney

Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Rhododendrons bloom already in February

Spring arrives early on Vancouver Island, typically in February with blooming Cherry trees,
Daffodils, and Rhododendron bushes in full bloom due to the winter´s moderate climate. Visit the botanical gardens or make a road trip to see the beauty of the island's nature in spring.
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Sailing is a popular sport around Vancouver Island

Cherry Blooms in February

There is something magical about wandering around town soaking in the vibe of the city. Especially in Spring. The beginnings of cherry blossom buds, the green leaves of hellebores, and vibrant tulips.

Aviation Museum
For aviation enthusiasts, the British Columbia Aviation Museum is open seven days a week. It features several aircraft and artifacts related to the history of aviation in Canada, with an emphasis on BC aviation history. The museum displays restored aircraft, engines, and pictures, photos, and videos in addition to memorials of key figures of aviation history.

Town of Bookstores

Sidney residents must share a love of the written word as evidenced by the town’s numerous bookstores, all located within a few blocks of one another. Each bookstore offers something different, from new titles to children’s classics and rare and antique works.

Sidney Museum and Archives

The Sidney Museum features 8,000 artifacts and regularly updated permanent displays on local First Nations, industry, transportation, agriculture, and social history. Displays include a vintage kitchen, a vintage storefront, a rustic barn. and a schoolhouse. In addition to its permanent exhibits, the Sidney Museum also features temporary exhibits.

2423 Beacon Ave

Wine and Ciders

In and around Sidney, there are numerous vineyards and distillers around to help quench your thirst, including Victoria Distillers’ new waterfront distillery in Sidney, the Sea Cider Far & Cider House in Saanichton, the Roost Vineyard Bistro in North Saanichton, and Deep Cove Winery, also in North Saanichton.

Sidney Whale Watching

The calm waters near Sidney make the region an excellent place for whale watching. Watch from the privacy of your own boat, or book through Sidney Whale Watching.

Ferry to Sidney Spit
From downtown Sidney, visitors can enjoy a short ferry trip to Sidney Spit, an idyllic island perfect for camping, hiking, bird watching or simply hanging out on stunning beaches. Accessible only by water, Sidney Spit is part of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve.

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Tuesday, March 5, 2024

I had no idea that there was this much color in the ocean. Wandering from one Aquarium tank to the next I stared in disbelief at the beautiful tropical colors and forms of the maritime animals and plants. How can such a color explosion live underneath the grey-blue waters of the Salish Sea? It was like being in a colorful art exhibition.

The outside of the building is unassuming as it’s the ground level of a hotel/condo. I thought the aquarium was on the ground level… but discovered that after entering the submarine elevator hatch visitors descend to the ocean floor a few leagues under the sea.

The Salish Ocean Centre does a fantastic job of bringing the sea and all the fascinating and diverse sea creatures right to visitors. The aquarium is Canada’s only one that is dedicated to the marine life-rich Salish Sea. Visitors will find over 3,500 animals at the aquarium of over 150 species from the Salish Sea.

The area of the Salish Sea is 110,000 square kilometers from mountaintop to ocean. The Salish Sea covers the Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the waters off of Vancouver, BC. The area spans from Olympia, Washington in the south to the Campbell River, British Columbia in the north, and west to Neah Bay. It also includes the large cities of Seattle and Vancouver.

The marine ecosystem is home to many charismatic species. These include endangered southern resident killer whales. Their population has dropped to just 75 individuals, as well as the Chinook salmon they depend on for survival.

Underwater Beauty

Explore the underwater beauty of the Salish Sea - one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world! The exhibit shows many species of jellyfish, plankton, and algae (ocean drifters) to help visitors understand the foundations of the ocean food web in the Salish Sea.

Species in this exhibit include Sea nettles and Moon Jellys. There’s a good diversity of tank sizes, but my favorite was the floor-to-ceiling tanks.

Gallery of the Salish Sea

This exhibit is home to hundreds of species of fish, invertebrates, and marine plants from the Salish Sea, including Giant Pacific Octopus, Wolf Eel, Rock greenling, Painted greenling, Pacific Herring, Chinook Salmon, King Crab.

The Salish Sea Center is located in the Sidney Pier Building on the waterfront in the Vancouver Island town of Sidney, Canada, in the Greater Victoria region

9811 Seaport Pl, Sidney, BC

Open daily from 10 am to 4:00 pm - closed on Wednesdays

Travel Times by car:

25 minutes north of Victoria on Highway 17
10 minutes from the BC Ferry Terminal at Swartz Bay
5 minutes from the Victoria International Airport
25 minutes from the Washington State Ferry Terminal in Sidney

Parking: Sidney has many free public parking lots in addition to free on-street parking. Sidney is surrounded by the ocean, but it’s rare to see what lives deep within it. Thanks to the Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea we can look at the incredible creatures that live below the surface.