Sidney is a small seaside town on the Saanich Peninsula, about 25 kilometres north of Victoria on Vancouver Island. It calls itself "Sidney-by-the-Sea" and bills itself as Canada's booktown — the main street has a remarkable concentration of bookshops for a town of its size, making it a pleasant place to spend a rainy afternoon browsing.
The town sits on the doorstep of the Gulf Islands, and BC Ferries runs services from the nearby Swartz Bay terminal to Salt Spring Island, Galiano, Mayne, and the other islands. The waterfront is compact and walkable, with a pier, a marine ecology centre, and views across the strait to the San Juan Islands in Washington State.
Sidney is also the nearest town to the Butchart Gardens, one of British Columbia's most visited attractions, about 15 minutes' drive south. Most visitors to Sidney are either passing through on the way to or from a ferry, or using it as a quieter, more affordable base than Victoria for exploring the southern tip of the island.