Gone is Old-time Oak Bay
For decades Oak Bay was the Wee Bit of Jolly Olde England where officers of the old Raj came to retire. While traces of that heritage still linger, "The Ave" as some locals call it, have been reinvented in recent years as a cosmopolitan place to do business, shop or just hang out. Dust that seemed like it had been collecting since the 1950s (maybe even the 1850s) has cleared from the old shops, and now there's a new Continental feel that attracts young families and boulevardiers as well as long time resident who still feel at home in the old walk..

Take the Full Tour but Bring Good Walking Shoes!
With all the growth, it's hard to pin down exactly where Oak Bay village really starts or ends. Once easily defined by the two blocks between Oak Bay Municipal Hall and the Public Library on Monterey Avenue, it seems the area keeps growing. Seasonal decorations extend from Foul Bay Road – where Oak Bay officially ends and Victoria begins – but new businesses extend to the brow of the hill and down to an even older business area near the Oak Bay Marina.

Tea Time
The Oak Bay Tea Party parade winds down the street and off to Estevan Park in late spring and long-time business The Blethering Place still hosts a vintage auto festival each year. However in recent years, gallery tours, wine and cheese tastings, and the annual Christmas light up have been among the yearly events that The Ave plays host to. All of which create foot traffic for the chic French and Italian bakeries and cafes, as well as antique shops, contemporary art galleries and bookstores which now rub shoulders with the venerable tweed shops, the traditional butcher and the old neighbourhood hardware shop.