Premier Listings for the Saanich Peninsula
First inhabited by Wsanec First Nations people, the Saanich Peninsula is a long finger of land that extends north from Victoria toward Sidney, a bountiful countryside where rural and urban lifestyles blend well together.
Flanked to the west by Saanich Inlet and Georgia Strait to the east, the Saanich Peninsula offers a fabulous choice of outdoor recreational activities, including golfing, hiking, cycling, canoeing and kayaking, windsurfing, and freshwater and saltwater fishing.
The Saanich Peninsula is criss-crossed by many country roads, ensuring an interesting and rewarding country drive past parks, bays, beaches, elegant country homes, farmland, and hobby farms. Roadside fruit and vegetable stands offer locally-grown fresh produce, dairy and poultry products for sale, and a number of marinas offer a host of activities of interest to visitors and locals alike.
The Saanich Peninsula is a cyclist’s paradise, with relatively quiet country roads and the Galloping Goose Trail, which runs from Leechtown near Sooke through Victoria and connecting with the Lochside Trail to continue north on the Saanich Peninsula all the way to the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal. Combined with the Peninsula Trail system, this network of trails offers hikers and cyclists over 100 kilometres of scenic pathways to discover.
Golf Courses on the Saanich Peninsula include the Glen Meadows Golf and Country Club in Sidney, the Ardmore Golf Course in North Saanich, the Sunshine Hills Golf Course in Central Saanich, Cordova Bay Golf Course, Prospect Lake Golf Course, and Cedar Hill Golf Course in Saanich. Courses in and around Victoria are Gorge Vale Golf Club, Uplands Golf Club, and the Royal Victoria Golf Club.
Victoria Golf Vacations.
Vancouver Island Golf Vacations.
Population: 37,670
Location: The Saanich Peninsula is located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. The Patricia Bay Highway 17, known as the Pat Bay Highway, runs the 20-mile (32-km) length of the Saanich Peninsula, from Victoria in the south to Sidney and the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal on the northern tip. From Victoria Downtown, travel north on Blanshard Road, which becomes the Pat Bay Highway that ends at the ferry terminal pay booths.
The following regions and communities are located on the Saanich Peninsula:
North Saanich
The rolling interior lands of North Saanich afford sweeping views of hills and valleys, and a generous feeling of open space and rapport with nature. Said to be the finest rural-residential area in all of Canada, North Saanich boasts a long coastline on three sides, enveloping agricultural farmlands, cosy bays and generous protected parklands. North Saanich enjoys unexcelled views of water, islands and mountains, along with close proximity to air and sea transportation.
Located in North Saanich is the town of Sidney, the Victoria International Airport, the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal (links to Vancouver and the Gulf Islands), and the ferry terminal for the route from Sidney to the San Juan Islands and Anacortes in Washington. Parks in North Saanich include John Dean Provincial Park, Horth Hill Regional Park, Coles Bay Regional Park. Links are provided on the North Saanich page.
Central Saanich
Central Saanich has a rich agricultural heritage, with farmland in the rural community comprising almost two-thirds of the municipality. While enjoying the benefits of a high-quality rural lifestyle, Central Saanich is within easy access of Victoria, the Victoria International Airport, and the BC Ferries’ terminal at Swartz Bay.
Located in Central Saanich are the communities of Saanichton and Brentwood Bay, the location of the ferry terminal for the Brentwood Bay to Mill Bay ferry route across the Saanich Inlet. Attractions in Central Saanich include Butchart Gardens, the Victoria Butterfly Gardens, the Saanich Historical Artifacts Society, and the Victoria Estate Winery. Gowlland Tod Provincial Park, Mount Work Regional Park, and Island View Beach Regional Park all offer great outdoor opportunities in Central Saanich. Links are provided on the Central Saanich page.
Saanich
The largest municipality in Greater Victoria, Saanich offers the charm of country life mingled with the convenience of urban residential neighbourhoods and close proximity to the provincial capital of Victoria. For thousands of years the Coast Salish people inhabited the Saanich Peninsula. The Songhees and the Saanich First Nations used the area for hunting, fishing and gathering plants.
The Saanich municipal area is home to the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory (closed to the public) and the University of Victoria, and includes a number of great parks; Mount Douglas Park, The Francis/King Regional Park, Elk and Beaver Lake Regional Park, and Bear Hill Regional Park. Links are provided on the Saanich page.
Saanich Inlet is located between the Saanich Peninsula and the Malahat highlands. The inlet is 15 miles (24 km) long, extending from Satellite Channel in the north, which separates Saltspring Island from the Saanich Peninsula, to Squally Reach and Finlayson Arm in the south. Saanich Inlet offers excellent scuba diving, and has been of importance as a fishery to the Malahat and Saanich First Nations for centuries.
Bays and inlets on Saanich Inlet include Brentwood Bay, Coles Bay, Deep Cove, McKenzie Bight, Patricia Bay, and Tod Inlet. Attractions on Saanich Inlet include Butchart Gardens, Mount Finlayson, Goldstream Provincial Park, and Gowlland Tod Provincial Park.
Victoria and Greater Victoria
The southern end of the Saanich Peninsula juts out into Haro Strait and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which separates Vancouver Island from the Olympic Peninsula in the US state of Washington. At the extreme southern tip of the peninsula is Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia. Neighbouring Victoria are Oak Bay, James Bay, Esquimalt and View Royal. Also on the Saanich Peninsula, to the northwest of Victoria, is the rural community of Highlands, located along the eastern shoreline of the Saanich Inlet (Finlayson Arm).
Premier Listings
Biographical Info
Bronco Tours provides safe, efficient ground transportation and unforgettable sightseeing memories in Greater Victoria, BC. We Are Unique! Bronco Tours is proud to be the first and only tour company in British Columbia to offer a vintage Bronco! Our goal is to exceed your expectations in one sweet ride, making your Bronco experience a blast, one you will never forget!
Bronco Tours owner and guide, Deanna, loves sharing her knowledge of local history and her enthusiasm for showing visitors to Victoria an awesome time. Deanna’s roots in Victoria date back over 100 years to her great grandfather who made his fortune in the Yukon Gold Rush and set his sights on bridge building in the early 1900s, including setting the 50-foot timber pilings on which the world-famous Fairmont Empress Hotel still sits today.
All of our tours include pick up and drop off at a hotel or location of your choice, bottled water, exclusively Canadian snacks and, of course, listening to your favourite music. Not to mention being able to see Victoria in a unique way from our Classic 74’ Bronco.
Bronco Tours is National Safety Code certified and Passenger Transport approved.
Biographical Info
Set among award-winning gardens in a quiet, residential area of Sidney-By-The-Sea, The Cedarwood provides waterfront accommodation with a difference. We are close to the world-renowned Butchart Gardens and within walking distance to the San Juan Islands ferries. Enjoy spectacular views of the ocean, Olympic Mountains and Mount Baker. Just five blocks away, there are restaurants, cafés, banks, shops and grocery stores.
Cedarwood also boasts the unique Lasqueti Island Cottages, located on the Sidney property. These four log cabins were the original units at The Cedarwood in Sidney in 1949! Guests will enjoy the patina of naturally aged wood interiors and the views across our raised gardens to the ocean. The cottages have two TVs, an updated bathroom, fully-equipped kitchen, and one bedroom featuring a king-sized bed, with a queen-sized sofa bed in the living room.
Biographical Info
The Quality Inn Waddling Dog captures the heritage flavour of Victoria, while offering all the convenience, amenities and value you’d expect from a trusted name like Quality Inn. Olde England comfort and charm at this quaint 30-room English Tudor-style hotel near Butchart Gardens, BC Ferries, Washington State Ferry and Victoria International Airport. Also enjoy our pub and restaurant at Waddling Dog Bar & Grill.
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EMR is a fully licensed Travel Agency offering fully furnished vacation homes, condos, suites, and estates in Victoria, Vancouver, Tofino, Whistler, the Okanagan, and on Vancouver Island. We have a large inventory of unique properties to select from. This includes properties that feature oceanfront, beach front, breathtaking views, private hot tubs, luxurious settings and more.
