Adventure & Outdoors
Thetis Lake Swim & Trails
The two-lake, sandy-beach, Garry-oak-trail date fifteen minutes from downtown Victoria that somehow costs nothing except May-to-September parking.
Thetis Lake Regional Park, View Royal
More infoAdventure & Outdoors
The two-lake, sandy-beach, Garry-oak-trail date fifteen minutes from downtown Victoria that somehow costs nothing except May-to-September parking.
Thetis Lake Regional Park, View Royal
More infoFifteen minutes from downtown Victoria sits a pair of clear, swimmable lakes with proper sandy beaches and trails winding through Garry oaks and arbutus. The plan is gloriously simple: stake a towel, dare each other into the cold water, dry off, then amble the 5 km loop through the trees at conversation pace. There is no lifeguard, so swim sensibly. The only cost is May-to-September parking.
This is the summer cheat code, 15 minutes from downtown: two lakes with real sandy beaches, so stake a towel, dare each other into the bracing water, and let the day stretch. When you've dried off, the roughly 5 km shoreline loop winds through Garry oaks and arbutus with rock outcrops to scramble; budget around 2.5 hours. Bring a picnic and a swimsuit but no dollars, though pay parking runs May, September and there's no lifeguard, so swim smart.
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