Victoria, B.C.

Empress Hotel, Inner Harbor

Everyone knows about Vancouver - everyone. The recent Winter Olympics certainly introduced the city and southwestern British Columbia (i.e. Whistler) to anyone who wasn't aware of the incredible beauty of the Pacific Coast Ranges surrounding the city, and the incredible architecture of the inner harbor area. However, though Vancouver is the largest city in B.C., it's not the capital. That title goes to Victoria, part of the second largest metro area in the province, situated at the southern end of Vancouver Island and about 60 miles southwest of the city of Vancouver. The Greater Victoria Capital District, which includes the city's suburbs, numbers at over 330,000. One interesting fact about the area is that, although it is only 60 miles as the crow flies from both Vancouver and Seattle, because of the rain shadow that Victoria lies in it receives only one-half as much rain in an average year as either city. This may account for the fact that it has become a major retirement destination for those from B.C. and Alberta in the past few decades.