Publisher Tara Parker Tait visited Victoria to do an early Christmas with her brother and hunkered down at the Inn at Laurel Point. She shares her detailed holiday itinerary below:

We had an amazing suite with more seating than our Vancouver apartment - seriously. We got into the holiday spirit Saturday night and watched the holiday ships sail by from our oversized terrace that overlooked the inner harbor - so dreamy.

A huge highlight with our 14-month-old son Alexander was the gingerbread house display in support of Habitat for Humanity (at the hotel until early January). Our favorite was a Madagascar-inspired carousel designed by a local chef.

Alexander loved the giant gingerbread men guiding the way to the display and talked to them all weekend - better than imaginary friends I suppose!
We switched it up room service wise and ordered takeout pizzas and salads from Pizzeria Prima Strada in Cook Street Village and had a picnic in our room. The kids loved the classic margarita while we couldn't get enough of the rucola prosciutto pizza and the fennel and orange salad. I had to pry Alexander's crusts out of his sleeping hands! www.pizzariaprimastrada.com

We scored healthy juices and smoothies at Jesse's Juice Bar in Sidney enroute to the ferry: we loved the banana walnut and natural peanut butter concoction. (2380 Beacon Ave., Sidney)

Foodie scoop: for our next visit to Victoria is Zambri's our favorite italian joint on the island just moved to a new beautiful location. http://www.zambris.ca/