How to Enjoy Vancouver Island, British Columbia

A Shoe Tree in Northern BC

Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada has most anything a tourist could dream of. From the 'English Royalty' feel of the Empress Hotel's high tea daily to the fishing villages of the northern island tip. Fish, boat, sightsee on Vancouver Island because it has something for everyone.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Transportation
• Passport
• Comfortable shoes
• Understanding of the metric system
• Canadian money
• Camera

Seeing Vancouver Island

1. Have tea at the Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC. The Fairmont Empress overlooks the inner harbor of Victoria. You can't miss it because it looks so veddy English. The famous Afternoon Royal Tea is expensive, but worth every Looney. A Looney is a slang term for a Canadian dollar.

2. Visit Butchart Gardens just northeast of Victoria in Sydney, BC. Butchart Gardens is an exquisite display of flowers, shrubs, grasses and more in a formal setting. See the Japanese Gardens for a special pleasure.

3. Drive north on Hwy 19 and stop in Nanaimo and walk the charming downtown for souvenir shopping. See First settler crafts plus touristy t-shirts.

4. 

   Continue north on 19 to Campbell River. Take a ferry to Cortes Island, one of the Discovery Islands and home of Hollyhock spa. If you can't afford to stay there, at least wander the grounds. You will see a garden that is unsurpassed. Meditate for awhile as you are engulfed in the garden.

5. Return to Campbell River and rent a motorboat to boat in the inner waterways. See sea lions, dolphins and exotic birds riding with you as you go. Be careful of the strong currents and tides. If you are not an experienced boater, skip this and take a ferry across to Quadra Island where you can drive and see the wildlife of the area.

6. 

   Drive north to Port Hardy, the Northwest tip of the island. When you get there, turn left to Cape Scott Park. If you are there in the early summer, you might see an orca, humpback or gray whale. Be careful of bears. You may see them wandering in the road.

Tips & Warnings

• Take lots of photos. You will treasure them in years to come

• Plan on walking to see the remote parts of the island where you feel as if you might be walking on ground that was last walked on by Island inhabitants decades ago.

• When walking in remote areas be aware of wildlife. Bears roam free in British Columbia, so be ready to make noise to scare them on their way.