Vancouver Island and Sunshine Coast

Have you already explored the Olympic Peninsula? I love Lake Ozette and the various campgrounds like Dosewallips State Park.

Yes, we have covered the Olympic Peninsula pretty well, as my mom used to live in Port Townsend.

Butchart Gardens were gorgeous and we spent several hours roaming around.

Hi Lola, I love Vancouver Island and could spend weeks there happily. I prefer the wild West coast to the East, which is far more developed. I've taken the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, but haven't visited the Sunshine Coast yet. My favorite spots on Vancouver Is. are Ucluelet and Tofino. The Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet is outstanding (one of the views is my screensaver!). There are many places to camp and cabins in Ucluelet and Tofino, but it's busy then so book early. The beaches can't be beat. Another favorite spot not far from Victoria is Sooke. Cute village with the famous Sooke Harbor House Inn. Never stayed there (pricey), but there are many places in or near Sooke to stay. Heading up the coast from Sooke is the West Coast Trail and many nice beaches like French Beach and China Beach. Don't miss Tugwell Creek Honey Farm and Meadery. The view from there across the Strait to Washington on a clear day is incredible. Inland a bit, the Cowichan Valley has some nice wineries and my favorite, Merrydale Cidery. I'm pretty sure you can make ferry reservations for the big crossings, so I'd do that as soon as you know your itinerary and dates. I could go on and on, but those are my faves. Jenny

We spent a week in a cabin (wouldn't recommend the specific one we stayed in) on Salt Spring Island about 10 years ago. It's really a nice spot. The main town - Ganges - is nice, with farmer's markets and nice restaurants. Our cabin was right on a little inlet - we swam and paddle boarded and kayaked. There's hiking there as well.

We will have our Labrador with us... and are aware of the requirements....

On our return to the States via ferry from Victoria, the US CBP inspectors went from dog vehicle to dog vehicle confiscating their dog food. Seems that the US Customs was concerned about mad dog food.

Thanks,,everyone---please keep the suggestions coming. In should have stated that Victoria is not on the agenda for this trip---more interested in less developed areas where we can hike and enjoy the scenery, and maybe swim the dog.

Edgar--that is interesting about the dog food. I don't think mad cow is an issue any more, but we will bring her Lamb and Rice kibble in the original bag just in case!

At this point we are undecided which border crossing we will use to return to the US. My husband is leery of the truck crossing just east of Peace Arch as we got busted for an orange coming back from Whistler last April. I "declared" it and we got referred for secondary inspection while they went through our car looking for more contraband ( banned food). Of course they did not find anything, but my husband thinks we will face extra scrutiny next time.

I like the crossing at Aldergrove. You peel off I-5 in Bellingham and the highway takes you right across the border and then connects with Canada 1 which will take you right to Horseshoe Bay, by-passing Vancouver. Usually faster than the mess in Blaine, even the "truck route". I only use the truck route if we're actually staying in Vancouver.

Hi Lola, If you use the Sunshine Coast route, you would cross from Powell River to the village of Comox, Vancouver Island on the BC Ferries. There are great campsites north and south of and around the Comox Valley. To the west is Mt Washington Ski area that operates a ski lift to the peak all summer long. Great hiking in Strathcona Provincial Park which can be accessed from the Mt. Washington area or west of Campbell River on Hwy 28. There are whale watching trips that depart Campbell River on rigid hulled Zodiacs although you would need a dog sitter. Miracle Beach Provincial Campground (east coast of the island) between Courtenay and Campbell River is spectacular. Many campgrounds require reservations in advance and sell out early. There are also private campgrounds available. As stated above, the wild wet coast is also an option, the large campground at Pacific Rim National Park is a favourite of many international visitors. Please PM me if you have any specific questions. Cheers, Sherry

Thank you so much, Sherry! Advice from a local is always great. I will look into those campgrounds.

Do you think Quadra island is worth a visit if we are not fishing or boating? I stayed there on a fishing trip years ago, and remember a beautiful place with beautifully clean, clear water. But maybe there is not enough hiking to make it worth the trouble of getting there.

Hi again Lola,
Quadra Island does have some good hiking. China Mountain and Morte Lake are very popular with locals and visitors. There are opportunities for kayaking tours as well. We love Quadra and visit our friend's cabin on Village Bay Lake. Google Campbell River, Quadra Island, Discovery Islands etc. which will lead you to many websites. In Campbell River, a great oceanside tenting and RV site is Thunderbird Rv and Campsite on the Tyee Spit. In August you can watch the rowers attempting to catch a Tyee ( 30 lbs. or over) salmon on light test with barbless hooks. On the eastern side of Quadra Island there is a great RV park in Rebecca Spit Marine Park. No sure of the spelling but is is something like We Wai Kai. There is a Doggy Day Care in Campbell River called Hounds Hangout if you need a day without your pooch. One caveat about ferries to Quadra is that Tues. has one dangerous cargo crossing each way so plan around that. We have lots of hiking trails in Campbell River as well. Our (and most visitors favourite) is the Canyon View trail which follows the Campbell River up to Elk Falls Park where there is a suspension bridge that overlooks the falls. I could go on and on but won't. Let me know if any other questions. Sherry

Hi Lola we've done similar trips a couple of times, never with camping . you can do a loop with 4 ferry rides - Horseshoe Bay, from the lower Sunshine Coast to the upper, then Powell river to Vancouver island and then choose either Nanaimo or Victoria back. With 10 days I would not add extra islands. There are pretty spots on the lower sunshine. A nice hike is in to scookumchuck narrows.

Lola,

It's been awhile since I've lived on the island, so memory is not too clear on the best spots. Sherry had lots of good suggestions.

I do have a few thoughts to add though.....

Given the route you're considering, I'd also recommend going across at the Aldergrove border crossing. It's a smaller station but could also be busy, but it has one advantage in that it provides fairly easy access to Highway 1. I normally use Abbotsford/Sumas as it's the most convenient from my location, and it also provides really easy access to the freeway. Once you're on the freeway, you could travel across the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge to the Upper Levels / North Shore and then to Horseshoe Bay. One point to note however is that on that route you'll be travelling across the Port Mann Bridge and will get nicked with a toll (it's about $5 as I recall).

If you come across at either of the Peace Arch crossings, not only will they be "busier" but you'll face more traffic density from there to Horseshoe Bay. One point that's worth noting is that the GPS maker Tom Tom just labelled Vancouver traffic as the worst in Canada and fourth worst in North America! There's a massive construction project underway on the Burrard Bridge so try to avoid that area and downtown Vancouver.

It's been many years since I've been to the Sunshine Coast, but Sechelt, Roberts Creek and area should provide some nice camping opportunities. You can reserve space in Provincial Campgrounds online, but they typically book-up very quickly. I don't know of any cabin rentals, but Trip Advisor should have some information on that.

You could then come across to Vancouver Island from Powell River and explore some of the suggestions that Sherry mentioned. One area that's very popular is Tofino, although it's a bit out-of-the-way. There's an award winning hotel called the Wikkaninish Inn which has incredible views of the ocean, as well as a gourmet restaurant. Not exactly a "cabin" but I'm sure you'd be very comfortable there! One other interesting point is that they accept pets (must be specified at the time of booking), which includes a "paw washing" service for those romps on the sandy beach, and a pet sitting service. Just a thought......

There should also be some nice outdoor spots around Parksville and perhaps around Chemainus or Duncan (can't remember for sure as it's been awhile since I lived in that area).

After that continue south to Victoria and take the Ferry across to Port Angeles.

Substitute "Peace" for "Peach" in the above posting and it makes more sense, although I recall crossing at the Aldergrove station many times and having to rapidly consume or toss fruit before entering Canada...peaches included.

Bruce,

That was a typo. I type very quickly and sometimes a mistake slips through. Correction made.

Hi Lola,
We're heading to Vancouver Island this summer for outdoor adventure as well. During my research, a couple of things that have caught my eye along the Sunshine Coast are the Sunshine Coast trail and Savary Island. I can't recommend them, not having been there yet, but you might want to check them out.

@Ken Sorry for having some sport at your expense.

Maggie, thank you so much! Just yesterday I opened my Moon British Columbia guidebook to start the planning. It does not mention the Sunshine Coast Trail so I would not have known about this. I will plan a couple of days around Powell River so we can do day hikes on the trail.

http://sunshinecoast-trail.com/plan-your-hike/great-day-hikes/