The 7 Not-So-Hidden Secrets of Vancouver Island
Every summer my family likes to get together for a week or so for a little vacation. Sometimes the destination is international, and other times we like to explore a part of the US weโve never been to before. Weโll fly in from all over the country (my family is mostly in Kentucky, while Dave and I live in Los Angeles) to meet up in our chosen destination. Iโm sure most people have memories of being packed into a wood paneled station wagon for a family vacation, arguing over the carโs temperature controls, and sometimes this the case for us too, but no matter what we all cherish this week and the time spent together.
Not my family, but close enough!
The plan for this vacay was for my boyfriend (who has since been upgraded to fiancรฉ) and I to rendez-vous with my parents and my brother in Victoria, the capitol city of the Canadian province of British Columbia. We would be flying direct from Los Angeles to Seattle, then a quick flight from Seattle to Victoria, which is on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. I was surprised how close Victoria is to Seattle - less than 45 mins flying time! There is also an option to get to Victoria from Seattle via boat, with twice daily ferry rides from Washington State to Vancouver Island.
Coming from a large metropolis like LA, which is famous for itโs traffic and smog, the air in Victoria upon arrival was a refreshing reminder of what dense forest, crisp coastline, and steady rainfall can provide. Completely opposite our beloved SoCal desert climate!
The rental car was a Jeep - unfortunately all wood paneled station wagons were already taken. ๐ And lucky for us there was plenty of room for the whole family and no fighting with my parents over the temperature controls. But, if it werenโt for my mastery over Jeepโs built in navigation system, we might still be looking for the Airbnb. ๐
The best thing about traveling with my family on vacation is that it gives us all a chance to adventure together and catch up away from our home, which can sometimes come with a back-logged chore list or tendency to laze around the house. Instead of a hotel, we opted to book several different homes on different parts of the island through Airbnb. One of our stays was hosted by a chef, who cooked us a fantastic dinner of homemade gnocchi and fed us fresh figs from his garden! Another stay was in a cabin thatโs also used for yoga retreats. It was surrounded by nature and very zen!
Here are my favorite things to do while visiting Vancouver Island:
Fishermanโs Wharf, Victoria
It should be mandatory to see the floating homes of Fishermanโs Wharf while visiting Victoria. Dozens of small, vibrantly-colored homes are built on wooden barges, floating along the dock. Shops and open-aired restaurants provide unique treasures for locals and tourists alike. While enjoying the sites and smells of this floating boardwalk village, we decided on fish & chips and a beer. Keep an eye out for the friendly seals that inhabit the harbor. While they may beg for a french fry, feeding them is now banned.
The journey to Fishermanโs Wharf was nearly as fun as the location itself. Cartoonish looking yellow water taxis shuffled us from one side of Victoria to to Fishermanโs Wharf. If youโre traveling with kids, they will love this experience. Overhead youโll see (and hear) seaplanes taking off and landing.
2. Butchart Gardens
Never did I imagine Iโd enjoy a family visit to a garden this much, but Butchart Gardens delivered a next-level experience. In the early 1900โs Robert and Jennie Butchart moved to Vancouver Island to build a cement factory atop a limestone quarry. After years of excavating the limestone, Jennie decided to have topsoil replenish the sunken land. Little by little a magnificent garden was created. And trust me, Iโm underselling itโs awe-inspiring scope. See for yourself! While there will be hoards of tourists alongside you for the visit (this destination is anything but hidden), itโs worth it. Luckily due to the vastness of the grounds, thereโs plenty of room to explore at your own pace and feel at peace with the environment. We were lucky enough to visit during their โSummer Saturdays,โ when they host an evening firework display. That night was Disney themed and it was so romantic and completely magical! A crowd of thousands lay out on the open lawn for a top-notch night of fireworks, lights, and music.
3. Averill Creek Vineyard
There are quite a few local wineries to choose from, and it was totally by chance that we decided to stop at Averill Creek Vineyard, and what a lucky place to end up! This spot was gorgeous! From the tasting room, to the patio, to the gardens and the vineyards, youโre surrounded by beauty at every turn!
Roadside wild blackberries on the way to the winery.
4. The Waterfalls
After our stay in Victoria, we decided to visit Port Alberni, a less than 3 hour drive from Victoria. As we approached Port Alberni there were some incredible sights to see.
We decided to shake our legs out with a brisk 40 minute walk to explore Englishman River Falls Provincial Park. There are a Lower and Upper falls, and a popular swimming hole with cliff jumping if the weather is mild. Itโs worth seeing and hearing the deafening roar of this giant waterfall, and I was also very impressed with the quality of the trails and overall cleanliness of all the parks we visited.
Along with Englishman River Falls, we stopped by Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park for a half hour hike. Youโll see several different waterfalls that cut between an incredibly rocky canyon. Even though ours was a chillier late summer visit, we stopped to refresh and dip our toes into the ice cold waters.
5. Cathedral Grove
Our next stop is Cathedral Grove, a must-see. This trail of gigantic 800 year old Douglas Fir and Cedar trees is named after the Cathedral like view created by the tall canopy. This area of protected rain forest is unlike any other. Thereโs a beautiful walking path that makes it an easy pit stop along your journey.
Sunlight fights to peek through the thick canopy in Cathedral Grove.
A family of tree-huggers.
6. Coombs Village Old Country Market
Another must-see stop along our journey was the Coombs Village Old Country Market. European immigrants settled in Coombs in the early 1900โs. Known for their grass roofs and Norwegian architecture, youโll also get to see goats (yes, goats) nibbling on grass, perched on the roof of the market. A quick stop for lunch, plus some photos of the goats as evidence that this roadside attraction actually does exist, and youโll have seen all you need to see here.
7. Riverbend Cave Tour
Located just outside of Qualicum Beach is the Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park. With minimal prior experience in cave excursions, we took a bold leap, (literally) and decided to do a guided tour of the Riverbend Cave, which has a depth of over 250 feet. For this half day adventure we needed to take an instructional course on how to rappel, as some of the cave is only accessible with ropes, and so we practiced first outside of the cave along a very intimidating rock face within the park. Once we had a general knowledge of how to rappel, it was time for our descent.
Since we traveled at the end of summer, we werenโt quite prepared with the type of clothing we would need. The cave is dark, and wet, so warm and water-wicking clothes are a must. We stopped by a local sporting goods store for some water-resistant clothing and some additional layers. Itโs a long hike down into the cave, and you wonโt want to be caught without the proper warm gear.
It was a beautiful hike from the cliffs where we learned to rappel down to the actual Riverbend Cave. We were provided helmets and headlamps, along with other necessary ropes and harnesses. There were definitely aspects of the cave that were not for the faint of heart or claustrophobic, to say the least! Twice during our spelunking expedition, we had to crawl through tiny passageways along our bellies. It was such a tight squeeze that our guide needed to use a hand pump to remove pools of sitting water.
Once we got past the tiny crawlways, we faced a 7 story drop into a big cavern. Luckily it was an easy time rappeling down with the help of our guide. There were so many beautiful sights to see, including a magnificent collection of stalactites and stalagmites and other natural cave formations. There was a pretty constant trickle of water dripping down on us during the whole descent, making for an eery sounding, dark and chilly vibe that was well worth the experience.
The Wrap Up
Vancouver Island was a pleasant surprise. Too often when I think about vacation spots I think about sugary, frozen beverages by a pool in a hot and humid tropical climate. This was quite literally a breath of fresh air. It was a great adventure made even better by the opportunity to spend time with those that I love. We got the perfect balance of sightseeing, adventure and excursions, delicious coastal seafood, forests, beaches (not mentioned but pictured below ๐ ), and time to relax and unwind. O, Canada! Canโt wait to go back!
