Wining and Dining at Victoria Harbor | The Blue Crab Seafood House

Wining and Dining at Victoria Harbor | The Blue Crab Seafood House

by | Jul 22, 2014 | Canada, Dash Of Class, Reviews

This post was last updated on January 23rd, 2017    We haven’t done a lot of restaurant reviews on the blog in the past. Which is a shame, really, because we love food. We’re the type of people who plan their entire day around food. And I think we can all agree that what we eat abroad forms an integral part of not only understanding the local culture but also forming many of the fundamental travel memories we take home with us. So it’s with this in mind that we’ve decided to add a few destination-specific restaurant reviews—but only if we find the experience adds a ‘dash of class’ to our travel adventures. Today we’re featuring the Blue Crab Seafood Restaurant in Victoria, British Columbia. We had the opportunity to wine and dine here during our #GreatCoastRoadTrip; it was an experience so delectable, we’re still thinking about it nearly two months later. It might sound like a pretense, but literally every time we told someone in Tsawwassen or Nanaimo that we were staying at the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel, we got the same response: You’ve made your reservations for The Blue Crab, right?!   Luckily, we had. The Blue Crab Seafood House is known for its innovative menu, featuring fresh and local ingredients, creative interpretations on classic dishes, and tasteful food and drink presentations.   On our arrival, we were whisked through the lobby of hopeful patrons to our romantic seats next to the wall-to-wall window, boasting delightful views of the harbor with its seaplanes taking off and its water taxis gracefully floating past. Still exhilarated from our bungee...
Would You Do It? Conquering Fears and Bungee Jumping in British Columbia

Would You Do It? Conquering Fears and Bungee Jumping in British Columbia

by | Jul 3, 2014 | Adventure Travel, Canada

This post was last updated on December 19th, 2014 I swore I wouldn’t do it. I was certain that I would be one of those people who happily live out the remainder of their life without ever feeling a compelling need to jump off of a bridge. I was wrong.     We were in Nanaimo, British Columbia as part of the #GreatCoastRoadTrip. Our itinerary for the day included a stop at WildPlay Element Parks, a 17-acre park located in the midst of lush Douglas Fir forests and a dramatic river canyon. Our schedule was flexible, allowing us to choose between the four vertigo-inducing challenges, including a bungee jump, primal swing, guided zip line tour, and the park’s signature Monkido Aerial Adventure. After much debate (Dan wanted to do the bungee from the get-go) we opted for the latter of the four, which would take us on dozens of games, obstacles and zip lines high through the trees.     I told Dan I would think about the whole bungee jumping thing while we did the Monkido Aerial Adventure. See, Dan had already checked bungee jumping off of his bucket list at one of the highest bungees in the world. He had no fear of doing it again, especially if it meant I would do it, too. I thought that traversing dozens of ladders, cargo nets, rope swings, tightropes, swinging logs and wobbly bridges might make me more receptive to bungee jumping. In reality, it didn’t. The Monkido Aerial Adventure proved fun and challenging, a healthy dose of adrenaline without any actual fear for my life. I was now...
So This is What Canada Looks Like : A Quick Glimpse at Southern British Columbia

So This is What Canada Looks Like : A Quick Glimpse at Southern British Columbia

by | Jun 19, 2014 | Canada, Photo Essays

This post was last updated on August 12th, 2014Canada was a country that had long been on our travel bucket list prior to the #GreatCoastRoadTrip. I think one of the things that appealed about it was that every Canadian we have ever met has given testament to their home nation’s stunning scenery and vast diversity of landscapes. Our whirlwind road trip through British Columbia was only enough to give us a taste of the country’s beauty; however, it was one delicious taste that certainly lived up to—and then exceeded—any preconceived notions we had. Our road trip took us to Tsawwassen, Nanaimo and Victoria. In the short time we had, we visited bird sanctuaries and beaches, harbors and floating bars. We went bungee jumping and whale watching, and ate our hearts out wining and dining on local cuisine. We enjoyed breathtaking and expansive views from our rooms at the various Coast Hotels. We can only hope to return to explore more of British Columbia and Canada one day. Until then, here are a few snapshots from our exhilarating road trip: To read more details about what we got up to during our trip, check out the #GreatCoastRoadTrip blog. Also keep an eye out for more details—and video footage—of our spontaneous bungee jumping experience!   Have you been to Canada? Do these photos make you want to go to British...
A Surprise Trip, a Contest, and Summer Travel Plans!

A Surprise Trip, a Contest, and Summer Travel Plans!

by | Jun 2, 2014 | Canada, Travel, Travel Inspiration

This post was last updated on August 6th, 2014When this post goes live, we will have just touched down in our home state of North Carolina. After 82 days of epic adventures through Europe, we’re excited to be home—and to get rid of our lumpy snow clothes we’ve been lugging around. We won’t even have enough time to unpack our bags though, because in less than 24 hours we jump back on a plane to venture to a new country. And it’s one we have been dying to visit for quite some time now. Where is it we’re going? We’re off to Canada for a jam-packed five-day road trip!   The Great Coast Road Trip We both have a special place in our hearts devoted just to road trips. (After all, the whole purpose of starting A Cruising Couple was to document our honeymoon road trip across the United States.) So when Coast Hotels reached out to us and asked if we wanted to participate in a leg of the Great Coast Road Trip, we replied with a hearty: HECK YES! Our first time in Seattle during our honeymoon road trip. This is where we’ll be finishing our leg of the Great Coast Road Trip. The trip is part of a 35-day campaign hosted by Coast Hotels that takes a fleet of eight sets of bloggers across Canada and down the U.S. West Coast. For our leg of the trip we’ll be cruising through British Colombia, with stops in Tsawwassen, Nanaimo and Victoria, ending the tour with a quick stop in Seattle to pass the car on to the...