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Vancouver Island Travel: Discover the Breathtaking Island
You Never Knew Existed

Victoria is a great starting point for your Vancouver Island travel dreams. The Island you never knew you wanted to see until now!

French Beach, Vancouver Island BC

With an international airport and international and domestic ferry terminals, and all the amenities, services and supplies you need, Victoria provides a natural base camp for your Vancouver Island travel adventure.

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A "wilderness dock" at Caycuse, Vancouver Island BC

The Island is 460 km long and 50 to 120 km wide. It is located parallel to the west coast of British Columbia in Canada with the southern tip dipping below the 49th parallel and separated from the United States by the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Be sure to read our guide to the island essentials for everything you need to know before your Vancouver Island travel adventures.

Experience Wild Adventure on the Island!

The Island’s topography is highlighted by a rugged coastline with a heavily forested, mountainous interior sprinkled with lakes, rivers and streams that are bursting with marine life and begging to be explored.

Room with a view in Tofino, British Columbia

Room with a view at Tofino, Vancouver Island BC

With this varied terrain comes an incredibly diverse range of activities to participate in. Some of the most popular Vancouver Island travel activities that people visit for are:

Hiking to caves at Horne Lake, Vancouver Island BC

Hiking the West Coast Trail (WCT) – 7 days of punishing yet exhilarating trekking; requires advance preparation
Hiking the Juan de Fuca Trail – 3-5 days, not as gruelling as the WCT but equally as thrilling
Visiting Strathcona Provincial Park - largely an undeveloped wilderness park, most of which requires hiking or backpacking into alpine regions - home of Della Falls (one of the tallest waterfalls in Canada)
Viewing Island waterfalls - discover 10 of the best waterfalls on Vancouver Island

Storm watching in Tofino – with no landmass between Tofino and Japan, the wind has plenty of time to build up and unleash its fury on the coast with crashing waves up to 20 feet high. Storm season is November through February
Surfing in Tofino – rentals and lessons available or come to town for the Surf Canada National Championships
Whale watching
Kayaking the Broken Islands
Attending/participating in the annual Sand Castle Competition in Parksville
Salmon and halibut guided fishing charters
Mountain biking at the Bear Mountain Bike Park, home to The Canadian National Mountain Biking Team
Camping– Vancouver Island is one of the best places to camp on the planet and I have an entire section dedicated to camping. Keep reading here.
Caving at Horne Lake

Reeling in the big one - salmon fishing near Sooke, BC

Visiting Butchart Gardens
Vancouver Island Golf Trail – 250 km of golfer’s paradise with 12 championship courses all capitalizing on the spectacular natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.
Wildlife viewing - bears, whales, eagles and more!

Skiing at Mount Washington – an alpine ski resort located approximately 3 hours north of Victoria (245km)
Road cycling in the Ryder Hesjedal Tour de Victoria - choose from routes ranging from 2km to 160 km around Greater Victoria and the southern end of the island

Wine tours and tastings – half day or full days tours from Victoria to the Southern Island wine regions
The BC Ale Trail – three to choose from on the island: Victoria, Vancouver Island Part I (Cowichan Valley and Nanaimo) or Vancouver Island Part II (Parksville, Qualicum Beach, Port Alberni and the Comox Valley)

Perfect reflection at Kennedy Lake, Vancouver Island BC

Another very popular Vancouver Island travel option is to stay in the Victoria area and take day trips throughout the southern island region. Common day trips include:

French Beach

Experience the rugged beauty of our coastline at French Beach Provincial Park - easily accessed and located approximately one hour west of Victoria.

Chemainus

Chemainus is a seaside community renowned for its sculptures and 40+ murals on various buildings throughout the community. Also, home to a professional theatre.

Cathedral Grove

Cathedral Grove is home to massive Douglas Fir and Red Cedar, some of which are estimated to be 800 years old, towering to heights of 250 ft and 29 feet in circumference. It is an awe-inspiring place that every tourist and resident should see. Take an entire group on a waterfalls, Cathedral Grove and Coombs day trip with this amazing tour.

Really big trees - at Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island BC

Same tree about 10 years later

Parksville

Sand sculptures at Parksville, BC

The long sandy beach of Parksville is a beautiful escape in all seasons but it is highlighted during the annual Beachfest which runs from mid July until the third week in August. This family-oriented beach festival features free concerts, artisan markets, buskers and the main event - the sand sculpting competition and exhibition.

Butchart Gardens

Over 100 years in the making, the Butchart Gardens are of lush oasis of colourful blooms and greenery covering 55 acres. The gardens have been designated a National Historic Site of Canada and could possibly be Victoria’s most popular tourist attraction with over a million visitors annually. Get tickets here.

Goldstream Provincial Park

Hiking Mount Finlayson and enjoying the day use areas of the Goldstream Provincial Park are popular throughout the year but what attracts most visitors is the annual salmon run beginning mid October followed by the eagle extravaganza a few weeks later.

Eagle watching at Goldstream Park, Vancouver Island BC

Ultimate Vancouver Island Travel Itinerary

There's even more to see and do if you have one to two weeks (or more!) to travel around the island. We'll be expanding this section soon but for now, here's a couple sample itineraries to get you started.

One-week travel itinerary

Day 1: Victoria (find things to do in Victoria here)
Day 2: Sooke/French Beach
Day 3: Port Renfrew
Day 5: Tofino and Ucluelet
Day 6: Tofino
Day 7: Victoria

Two-week travel itinerary

Day 1: Victoria (find things to do in Victoria here)
Day 2: Sooke
Day 3: Port Renfrew
Day 4: Lake Cowichan/Chemainus
Day 4: Coombs/Port Alberni
Days 5-7: Tofino/Ucluelet
Day 8: Courtenay/Comox
Day 9: Campbell River
Day 10-11: Port Hardy/Cape Scott Provincial Park
Day 12: Parksville
Day 13: Nanaimo
Day 14: Victoria

As you can see, the Vancouver Island travel scene is incredibly diverse and we know you’ll enjoy your time here. Be sure to familiarize yourself with the wildlife and how to stay safe. We look forward to welcoming you to our piece of paradise.

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Vancouver Island Travel: Discover the Breathtaking Island
You Never Knew Existed