luxury locations - Oak Bay
Oak Bay: Uplands; South Oak Bay
Oak Bay, a stunning seaside village with an elegant and vibrant history,
offers its residents a seamless blend of old world charm and modern sophistication.
Within Oak Bay’s borders lie world-renowned yachting facilities, PGA
class golf courses, exquisite shops, exclusive estates and miles of craggy
coastline. Oak Bay is known for its well-maintained character homes and
thoughtfully landscaped gardens, and the most impressive of these are found
in the historic Uplands or along the avenues of South Oak Bay.
The Uplands, one of the earliest planned communities in British Columbia, was originally built to house the well-heeled gentry of Victoria BC. This famous residential neighbourhood includes stately 1900’s mansions, historic architecture by contemporaries of Francis Rattenbury and Samuel McLure, expansive private gardens, and sweeping vistas overlooking Haro Strait, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Olympic Peninsula mountains. The properties in the Uplands have been carefully sited to take advantage of viewscapes while providing the residential services one would expect in an exclusive neighbourhood. Although Uplands homes are awash in Victorian-era history, they have been masterfully modernized for convenience and comfort.
South Oak Bay provides a sea-level alternative to the
Uplands. Here you will experience an intense waterfront and sea view connection
to the spectacular shoreline of southern Vancouver Island. While many of
the estates were built in an earlier era, others feature the adventurous
architecture that defines modern west coast living. Residents of South Oak
Bay enjoy the best of two worlds: private estate homes within easy reach
of a charming and bustling shopping district. Homes in this area feature
amenities for extravagant entertaining, active lifestyles and intimate living.
The signature road of South Oak Bay is Beach Drive, a picturesque road that
meanders along the contours of Oak Bay’s coastline.
Residents of the Uplands and South Oak Bay enjoy an active lifestyle, making the most of nearby arts and culture, recreation and education options. Victoria BC, a mere four miles from Oak Bay, provides a tasteful mix of performing arts (opera, symphony, theatre and dance), visual arts, museums, cuisine and sports. The Royal Theatre and the Macpherson Theatre are just two of Victoria’s performance venues. The newest addition to Victoria’s entertainment skyline is the Save on Foods Memorial Centre, home of the Salmon Kings ECHL hockey team. The multi-plex centre promises to attract countless large-scale entertainment and sports events.
There are many recreational choices within Oak Bay. You might choose to
golf at one of the two superb courses: Uplands Golf Club and Victoria Golf
Club. If you prefer yachting or sailing, the Oak Bay Marina and the prestigious
Royal Victoria Yacht Club have no equals. Estevan Village and Oak Bay Avenue
are the places to visit for a leisurely stroll. For more intense exercise,
drop by one of the three recreation centres or the many parks and public
beaches such as Cadboro Bay.
St. Michael’s University School and Glenlyon Norfolk School both lie within the boundaries of Oak Bay. These private preparatory schools are the stepping-stones to the world’s finest universities, including the University of Victoria.
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