!–paging_filter–pSummer may be winding down, but there’s still ample time to trek somewhere fun for a night. Consider an overnight sojourn to this close by stomping ground (and one of CNN’s a href=”http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/07/travel/unfriendly-cities/index.html?c=page=4“friendliest cities in the world/a): Victoria, B.C. Seattle magazine editorial assistant Erika Almanza Brown offers up her picks for when she visits this vibrant place, filled with history, culture, local eateries and breweries./p
pstrongGetting There: /strongCatch the a href=”http://www.clippervacations.com/“Victoria Clipper/a at Pier 69 on Alaskan Way.nbsp; strongWhere to Eat:/strong Try the waterfront seafood restaurant, a href=”http://www.redfish-bluefish.com/“Red Fish Blue Fish/a. It’s an outdoor eatery housed in an up-cycled cargo container that’s on the pier at 1006 Wharf Street. strongWhat to do: /strongGo a href=”http://www.frommers.com/destinations/victoria/185_maps.html“here/a to print a walking tour map of Victoria’s Inner Harbour or its Old Town Chinatown.nbsp; Stop in at the historic a href=”http://www.murchies.com/store/“Murchie’s Tea Coffee/a on 1110 Government Street and order a London Fog, which is a piping-hot and very British cup of Earl Grey tea, steamed milk and flavored syrup.nbsp; strongFeed the Seals:/strong Hop on an a href=”http://www.victoriaharbourferry.com/tours-services/water-taxi“Hsub2/subO Water Taxi/a at the Inner Harbour in front of the Empress Hotel.nbsp; For a mere $5, you can sail on over to img src=”/sites/default/files/newfiles/sills.jpg” style=”float: right; margin: 10px;” height=”301″ width=”200″the a href=”http://fishermanswharfvictoria.com/“Fisherman’s Wharf/a where you can purchase fish at a href=”http://www.floatingfishstore.com/“The Fish Store/a to feed the local harbor seals. (Note: it only takes cash.) strongListen to Music:/strong Give any one of these local pubs a try: a href=”http://www.bardandbanker.com/” target=”_blank”Bard Banker/a,a href=”http://www.irishtimespub.ca/” target=”_blank” Irish Times Pub/a, a href=”http://swanshotel.com/brew-pub/brew-pub-home” target=”_blank”Swans Brewpub/a, a href=”http://www.canoebrewpub.com/” target=”_blank”Canoe Brewpub/a. nbsp;strongDon’t Miss:/strong If you happen to be in town on a Sunday morning, check out the Victoria a href=”http://www.victoriaharbourferry.com/tours-services/water-ballet“Harbour Ferry Ballet/a, a 10-minute “ballet” performance where the small boats zig, zag and maneuver on the inner harbor (May through September at 10:45 a.m.). strongBefore You Leave:/strong Take a free, self-guided tour of the a href=”http://www.leg.bc.ca/info/2-2-4.htm“Parliament Building/a, home to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia or visit the a href=”http://royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/“Royal BC Museum/a.nbsp; strongWhen you Depart:/strong On the Clipper, opt for a west-facing window seat so you’ll have a view of the Olympic Mountains during your voyage back to Seattle. (The earlier you book your trip, the better your boarding number will be, meaning you might just get a coveted window seat.)/p
pstrongTravel Tip: /strong/p
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liIf you don’t have a passport, the Washington enhanced driver license (EDL) or an enhanced ID (EID) card are low-cost alternatives to applying for a passport.nbsp; One can upgrade his/her valid Washington State driver‘s license or ID card to an EDL/EID for $15.nbsp; Visit the a href=”http://www.dol.wa.gov/driverslicense/edl.html“Washington State Department of Licensing/a to learn more.nbsp; /li
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