Vancouver Island travel guide | Audley Travel.
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This post may contain affiliate links, vetted and chosen by yours truly! Vancouver Island is located in British Columbia, Canada.
British Columbia sits on the west coast of Canada, and Vancouver Island is the largest island in that province. With 12, square miles to explore, it would take you 7 hours in the car to drive from end to end. Planning our Vancouver Island road trip, we naively thought we could see the entire thing in a mere two weeks. Oh, how wrong we were!
To give Vancouver Island the time and exploration it deserves, one would need to spend at least a month on BC or come back for repeat trips to see different parts of the island. The best way to travel around Vancouver Island is by car.
Since this post is a road trip itinerary, we recommend bringing or renting! Here are a few of our favorite options for getting around Vancouver Island:. There are so many amazing campsites on Vancouver Island, some even right next to the ocean! Our favorite way to rent recreational vehicles is from Outdoorsy. Renting a converted van would mean you have the freeing mobility to be cooking breakfast under a forested canopy in the morning, and watching the sunset through your open doors after a long surf session by evening!
Another really great option for traveling around Vancouver Island would be with a regular-sized car. One large enough to carry your gear, of course, but this gives you options to easily fit in hotel parking lots, down small roads, and still have the option of car camping, too! If you are traveling to Vancouver Island during the busy season May — September we recommend reserving your ferry spots at the BC ferries website. If you are traveling to Vancouver Island in the off-season, there is likely to be a spot on the ferry, and you can pay for your ticket upon arrival.
The changing seasons bring a variety of awesome activities, and it all depends on what you want to include in your one-week Vancouver Island itinerary. So how should you break down the days on your 1-week Vancouver road trip itinerary? Your Vancouver Island Road Trip route is going to begin on a ferry. As explained above, there are several ways to get here, but Berty and I chose to take the Black Ball Ferry Line from Port Angeles, Washington, which docks you right in the heart of downtown Victoria.
The ferry ride was an adventure all its own! Berty and I wanted to make this one of the first stops on our Vancouver Island road trip because we wanted to gain a deeper appreciation for the land before we discovered any further. Each one shares a unique story about British Columbia and what makes this area special.
Keep returning to this post, because when we make a return trip to Vancouver Island and we want to very soon! To continue your Vancouver Island road trip, grab some coffee at a local roaster in Victoria and hit the road driving to the west coast of the island.
Today will include places like Sooke with amazing cliffside views and trails , Jordan River lush rainforest hikes , and delicious small town treats! Sooke is an adventurous town, just 30 minutes west of Victoria, BC. Many come here to enjoy the surrounding nature, which includes the popular Whiffin Spit Park popular for bird watching and the Sooke Potholes.
Sooke is the perfect base to get prepped before your big backpacking trip. You can find tons of resources, as well as many delicious restaurants to prep you for the big trail ahead. Here, you can take their many coastal trails to discover secret coves perfect for a picnic! Our favorite trail was to Creyke Point pictured above!
Here, you have quick access to famous beaches like China Beach and Mystic Beach , and the town also serves as the beginning of the Juan de Fuca Trail. This is also where we stayed at this gorgeous rainforest cabin , and listened to the rain as we drifted to sleep. For even more surfing opportunities, rainforest trails, and even a secret waterfall, consider hiking to Sombrio Beach.
This trail will bring you to a slot canyon covered in bright green moss, perfect for those Indiana Jones discovery moments on Vancouver Island! Here you can stop in to grab a bite to eat at the exceptional Shirley Delicious restaurant and maybe even time your visit for the annual craft fairs around Christmas and springtime. Outdoor attractions nearby Shirley include the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Park , and French Beach , where we saw plenty of winter surfers catching waves!
A little bit more about Sheringham Point Lighthouse — established in , it saved numerous lives on the dangerous waves offshore this area is known a the Graveyard of the Pacific and was designated a historic site for visitors to enjoy year-round! Standing in the middle of a clear cut forest towers Big Lonely Doug, a 70 meter tall Douglas fir tree.
No one knows why this tree was spared and the others not, but it is a beautiful sight to come and see with your own eyes. We were surprised at how truly huge this tree was, we definitely felt like tiny ants at its base!
Looking to explore deep in the rainforest on Vancouver Island? Avatar Grove is located just a short drive north of Port Renfrew, and it boasts some of the largest trees in the county!
Each has a series of boardwalks to weave you through the forest to explore the numerous attractions along the way. Plan to see them together to save time! Mystic Beach is one of the most popular beaches to visit in this part of Vancouver Island. Serving as one terminus of the Juan de Fuca Trail, you will see backpackers enter here for their long kilometer journey as well as day hikers coming to watch the sunset. The journey is just as fun as the destination!
Along the way, you will find yourself walking across a suspension bridge , crossing streams, and climbing over tree roots to reach the beach. Once you arrive, turn to your left to discover the waterfall cascading over the sandstone cliffs into the ocean! This beach in British Columbia has some of the richest and most diverse tide pools in the area. Most of them are so clear and so deep that it looks like you are peeking into a mini aquarium at your feet! We highly recommend visiting during low tide so you can experience the tide pools in their entirety.
Tide pool etiquette rules are required to keep this place alive and thriving, so do your part by stepping only on bare rocks and putting things back where you found them. Finally, never turn your back to the ocean even at low tide! Click to read the full list here! These road trip planner apps help us find everything from the fastest routes to the cheapest gas stations. We use these road trip apps all the time to make our lives a little bit easier during long road trips, and we hope you find your new favorites, too!
Want to get to know your group better? You can even download the list for offline use here! Tofino is a west coast town on Vancouver Island, known for its surf culture and relaxing ocean vibe. We think that if you spend a few days here, you can achieve everything on this list below! Some of our favorite times of the day were spent wandering the shores of beautiful beaches in Tofino.
Depending on the time of year you take your road trip on Vancouver Island, the beaches can look very different, each season with its own unique vibe! Come to Cox Bay to watch experienced surfers catch the waves. There are so many beaches in Tofino to explore — we recommend stopping by the Tofino Visitor Centre to ask for suggestions. They can let you know which beach is best for you and your desired activities. Hot Springs Cove is a once in a lifetime adventure to a geothermal pool tucked away on the rocky shores of Vancouver Island!
Plan for a full-day trip to these hot springs in BC. Regular tours leave around am and return around pm. For more information and tricks to potentially get it all to yourself! This short but steep hike is located at the southernmost point of Cox Bay. There are hot pink trail markers wrapped around tree trunks to help guide your way if you get lost.
Once at the top, enjoy expansive views of the Clayoquot Sound and the town of Tofino in the distance. On a clear day, this is an incredible spot to watch the sunset! Tofino is one of the best places to visit on Vancouver Island and to top it all off, they have some of the best restaurants, too!
Some of our personal favorites included Tacofino an iconic taco food truck with outdoor seating and Rhino Coffee and Donuts. However, there are so many more restaurants in Tofino that we loved, here are just some of them below….
Campbell River is located on the north-eastern side of Vancouver Island , along the edge of the Discovery Passage waterway. Known for its iconic Tyee fishing spots and abundant outdoor activities this is a great spot for nature lovers of all ages. Stay awhile in Campbell River for their unique local eateries like Beach Fire Brewing with crazy Tuesday experimental brews! They are also known for being close to nature, which means you can grab brunch in town and be out on the trails just a half-hour later!
No matter how many days you choose to stay, Campbell River is a must-stop destination on your Vancouver Island trip! Elk Falls provides a fun opportunity for the whole family to get outside. With just a 2-kilometer trail you can experience epic views of Elk Falls from the platforms, as well as walk across the suspension bridge to view the powerful meter drop.
Come for the short trail to the falls, or stick around longer to take an extended hike 6 kilometers farther down the river for more magical river views. Another amazing activity to do along your Vancouver Island Road Trip is to discover the many nearby waterfalls in Strathcona Provincial Park. One of the easiest waterfalls to reach is Myra Falls, a 1-kilometer out-and-back trail with a killer view of this multi-tiered falls.
Come to the two viewpoints upper and lower and explore around the rocks to discover even more places to view the falls from up close! Love chasing waterfalls? Here are some other waterfalls on Vancouver Island to explore! This unique resort in Campbell River offers the luxury of oceanside views combined with the feeling of being tucked away in the woods.
Berty and I stayed at their room called the Beach House , which is a converted studio with unobstructed views of the water, specifically over Discovery Passage.
It was an incredible place to watch the sunrise , as well as feel rejuvenated and restored for a new day of adventure ahead! Driving from Campbell River back to Victoria, BC, here are some stops you should check out on your drive….
Before leaving Campbell River, make sure to watch the sunrise from Discovery Pier. This historic pier is meters long, with plenty of unobstructed views of Discovery Passage and Quadra Island across the water.
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