Hello from Vancouver Island. As I mentioned last week, The Sunday Spark is on hiatus while I enjoy some much-needed vacation time.
We’ve spent the last week on Vancouver Island in beautiful British Columbia, Canada’s westernmost province. As a change of pace, today’s post features some photos of the places we’ve visited this week.
First, a big thank you to Alison from A Sustainably Simple Life. When she learned I was planning a trip to Vancouver Island, she suggested several places to visit. Yet another example of how amazing this blogging community is.
Day 1 – Greater Victoria area
We spent our first day exploring trails and parks in the Greater Victoria area. We were treated to spectacular mountain and ocean views.
First, we visited the Fisgard Lighthouse—the oldest lighthouse on Canada’s west coast.
Then, we hiked part of the Coast Trail from East Sooke Regional Park. It was breathtaking.
After racking up 20,000 steps and hiking about 12 kilometres, we treated ourselves to a cookie at the Crazy Cookie House in Metchosin. I love that this whimsical little store operates on the honour system. You choose a cookie and drop your payment in the cash box.
Day 2 – Salt Spring Island
For day 2, we planned to visit Salt Spring Island, the largest of the Gulf Islands. We woke up to a rainy forecast but, as we’d already booked a tour, we went anyway.
Salt Spring Island is a fascinating place where people lead a simpler, more sustainable way of life. Jason from Tour Salt Spring treated to a private tour of the highlights in his vegetable oil powered van. We took in some ocean views before the rain started. We also visited local artisans, and then had lunch at a cidery. Despite the rain, it was a great day.
The elderberry elderflower (second from left)was my favourite.
Day 3 – On the road to Campbell River
On day 3, we drove from the Victoria area to Campbell River. It was a scenic drive. Along the way, we stopped in Chemainus, a quaint little village famous for its murals. We also stopped for lunch in Ladysmith, hometown of a Canadian actress famous for her red swimsuit. Drop me a comment below if you know who I’m talking about.
The two holding the ice cream made us want some, but the shop was closed.
Day 4 – Campbell River
Day 4 started with a spectacular sunrise. We spent the day hiking trails in Elk Falls Provincial Park. We saw beautiful waterfalls and I even mustered up the courage to cross the suspension bridge over Elk Falls.
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Day 5 – Campbell River to Sooke
We started the day with a trip to Strathcona Provincial Park in the Mount Washington ski area. What we thought was a 4.2 kilometre hike around the Paradise Meadows trail turned into an 11 kilometre hike after we misread the trail map. But the spectacular views we were treated to made the hike worthwhile.
To replenish our energy after the morning hike, we stopped in a little town called Coombs for lunch. The big attraction there are the goats grazing on the roof of the Old Country Market. They really draw a crowd.
Day 6 – Exploring Sooke to Port Renfrew
After our 11 kilometre hike on Thursday, we planned for Friday to be more of a driving day. I’m not sure how this happened, but we ended the day with over 25,000 steps—our highest step count of the week.
As we made the 75 kilometre journey from Sooke to Port Renfrew, I was struck by the diversity of the British Columbia coastline along the Juan de Fuca Strait. From the rugged cliffs at Botany Bay, to the tide pools of Botanical Beach teeming with sea life, and white sandy shores of China Beach, this area really does have it all. We were even treated to a show by a pair of whales swimming off the shore at Botanical Beach.
As we arrive in Victoria Saturday evening, the vacation portion of our trip is mostly over. We’ve walked an average of over 19,000 steps a day for the past week, so I’m looking forward to giving my feet a rest as I attend meetings over the next couple of days before we head home.
I hope you’ll check out some of these places if you ever plan a trip to Vancouver Island.
Which of these places is your favourite? Drop me a comment below and let me know.
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I love this beautiful post about your wonderful trip. You combined hiking with some of the places I’ve visited mostly from the water on the way up the Inside Passage like Port Renfrew and Campbell River. You took some amazing pictures and wow, that number of steps a day – I’m envious!!
I loved the Crazy Cookie House. I’m putting that on my list of places I need to go to! Thanks for sharing these pictures and your trip, Michelle!
Thanks Wynne! The Crazy Cookie House is so cute and it’s just outside Victoria. I think your kids would love it!
Ah looks like a gorgeous holiday Michelle. Hope it was relaxing too.
I wouldn’t exactly call it relaxing but it was a total break from normal routine which is always a good thing.
Absolutely spectacular, Michelle! I can’t even begin to pick my favorite photo, so I can only imagine how difficult it would be to pick your favorite place from your trip! Cher xoxoxo
Yes, the scenery here is stunning! Someone asked me last night what my favourite place was and I couldn’t decide.
Your pictures are reminding me just how lucky I was to grow up on the Island. It is such a beautiful place! Aren’t the goats on the roof fantastic? haha. I love that they are a thing. So much fun! I’m so glad you got to head through Chemainus and Ladysmith too. That famous actress recently moved back to Ladysmith, which was a big deal! It’s nice she’s still connected to her roots and her mom’s property though.
It is spectacular here and so different from where we live in southern Ontario. We had wonderful little lunch at the bakery you suggested in Ladysmith. Yes, my husband had heard that she had moved back there. We didn’t see her though. LOL
Pamela Anderson, by the way?
Yes! You got it in one, Jamie!
Stunning pictures. Looks like you are learning as you travel too. Bonus.
Thanks Jamie. Yes, I’ve learned a lot this week. I’ve been pleased to learn how far ahead this province is when it comes to sustainability. We’re spending the last couple of nights at the Fairmont in Victoria, and they have wooden key cards for the rooms. Even McDonald’s and Starbucks have wooden utensils here!
Wow wow wow you really had a beautiful holiday. Being in nature is so refreshing. And you seriously walked a lot. Bravo Michelle.
Thanks Ranjana. Yes, being in nature is definitely good for the soul!
Beautiful Michelle and so much like much of our coastline on the south side of the Stait. So glad you enjoyed some of the beauty that we get to enjoy down here in WA just 100 or so miles away!
It’s definitely a beautiful part of the world, Deb!
What a gorgeous place! I’m sure we will never visit Canada, so I have to live vicariously through you and your pics. I would have loved that flight of ciders! I don’t like beer, but I do love hard apple cider. Those goats were cute up there. You are brave and woah, congrats on all those steps! If you don’t keep moving, or at least stretching, you might stiffen up!
Thanks Kim. Vancouver Island is spectactular and so different from where we live in Ontario. The ciders were delicious. I have another week off when we get home so I’m hoping to still keep moving, although at a slower pace than the last week.
Good idea! I’m glad you enjoyed your trip!
I’m one of the few people who has visited every state in the United States. Alaska was my last, right before Covid. We made a pitstop in Victoria on the way, but we didn’t see practically any of these things. It’s definitely somewhere we want to go back because our stop was too brief.
Wow. That’s impressive, Pete. I’ve been to 9 of our 10 Canadian Provinces, and 1 of the 3 Territories. I think I’ve visited about half of the US states at last count. Vancouver Island is so beautiful. I would highly recommend it. I keep having to remind myself I’m still in Canada because it has such a different feel to where we live in Ontario.
Michelle! Stunning photos…all of them…but that suspension bridge over Elk Falls? Wowza. Thank you for sharing your trip with us! 😉
Thanks Vicki. I’m afraid of heights so that suspension bridge was nerve wracking. I just walked straight ahead and didn’t look down other than a quick glance at the falls.
That would be my strategy, too! 😜