User blog:Cedarwood Sidney BC Hotel/Things to do near Victoria: Sidney Booktown

Over the years, quiet Sidney-By-the-Sea, about 30 minutes north of Victoria, close to both the airport and BC Ferries, has slowly matured into a pleasant, livable community with a booming, mixed economy that is a pleasure to visit. Sidney is right on the ocean, which makes it a paradise for sailors, kayakers, and people who love to fish. The small, walkable downtown is lined with bistros and interesting shops. There’s an excellent museum, a movie theatre, and the choice of at least 4 Greek restaurants!

Canada’s Only BooktownBesides a mineral museum and new aquarium that has become the hottest draw in town for kids, Sidney has another distinction: it’s Canada’s only booktown.What is a booktown? According to to the Sidney Booktown website:One of only a few in the world, Sidney is Canada’s Only Booktown. Each of the eight bookshops has a very unique identity and focal point. The bookstore owners are experts in their fields and have put together special collections of thousands titles and categories to choose from.Hay-On-Wye, England is the original Booktown and has 39 bookstores with a combined inventory of an estimated two million books, all in a town with a population of only 1,800 people. The concept of Booktown was developed by an eccentric booklover, Richard Booth, now the King of Booktowns around the world. The eight bookshops scattered around Sidney cover all sorts of topics and interests, and include:

Close to nature, with plenty of things to do for the whole family, there are few places like Sidney on the planet, which makes the town a perfect place to spend the day.
 * Beacon Books
 * The Military Bookshop
 * The Children’s Bookshop
 * Dragon Horse
 * Galleon Books and Antiques
 * The Haunted Bookshop
 * Tanner’s Books
 * Tanner’s Bargain Books