natural wonder
San Juan Islands
A scenic Pacific Northwest archipelago accessible by ferry, renowned for orca whale watching, kayaking, and peaceful island life.
30 km · about 35 min drive
North AmericaCanadaBritish Columbia
Sidney
British Columbia, Canada · North America
About Sidney
Sidney is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Ardmore, 30km from San Juan Islands.
Sidney is in British Columbia, Canada, with about 12,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Ardmore, about 5 km away.
Sidney is a town located at the northern end of the Saanich Peninsula, on Vancouver Island in the province of British Columbia. It is one of the thirteen Greater Victoria municipalities. It has a population of approximately 11,583. Sidney is located just east of Victoria International Airport, and about 6 km (4 mi)Read more
south of BC Ferries' Swartz Bay Terminal. The town is also the only Canadian port-of-call in the Washington State Ferries system, with ferries running from Sidney to the San Juan Islands and Anacortes. Sidney is located along Highway 17, which bisects the town from north to south. It is generally considered part of the Victoria metropolitan area.
The town west of Highway 17 (also called Patricia Bay Highway, locally abbreviated as the Pat Bay Highway) has a mixture of single-family residences and light industry. The majority of the town is located east of Highway 17. Single-family units are also present east of the highway, but the eastern sector also has many condominium-type buildings, plus most of the service and retail outlets. The island-studded Haro Strait, part of the Salish Sea, forms Sidney's eastern boundary. There is a large boating and marine industry in the area, ranging from marinas to boatbuilders and marine suppliers.
Sidney takes its name from nearby Sidney Island. In 1859, Captain George Henry Richards named that island for Frederick W. Sidney, who like Richards served in the survey branch of the Royal Navy.
Where to Stay in Sidney
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Sidney?
Within an hour or so of Sidney: San Juan Islands (30 km).
Are there any good drives near Sidney?
The nearest famous roads are Chuckanut Drive (WA-11) and Sea-to-Sky Highway (BC-99).
Where is Sidney?
Sidney is in British Columbia, Canada, about 5 km from Ardmore.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 12,318
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- Canada
- Region
- British Columbia
- Timezone
- America/Vancouver
- Coordinates
- 48.6496, -123.4026
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in Canada
CAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Winter tyres mandatory in Quebec December–March.
Full driving guide for CanadaTags
Worth the detour from Sidney
1 notable place within an hour's drive.
Driving roads near Sidney
- 67 kmChuckanut Drive (WA-11)Washington's first scenic byway clings to sandstone cliffs between Bellingham and the Skagit flats, with oyster bars and Samish Bay sunsets over the San Juan Islands.
- 76 kmHurricane Ridge ViewpointA mile-high viewpoint in Olympic National Park with panoramic views of the Olympic Mountains, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and on clear days, Mount Baker.
- 76 kmLions Gate BridgeVancouver's iconic 1938 suspension bridge spanning the First Narrows from Stanley Park to the North Shore, gateway to the Sea-to-Sky Highway with mountain and harbour views from its green towers.
- 80 kmCapilano Suspension BridgeA 137 m footbridge swaying 70 m above the Capilano River in North Vancouver, with treetop walkways and a granite cliffwalk: one of BC's most visited attractions since 1889.
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