SOUTH ISLAND
Victoria to Sooke
Total drive: 40 km, 45 minutes without stopping
The journey from Victoria to Sooke offers a fantastic glimpse of the south Island's natural beauty. On the way, you'll drive through Langford, Greater Victoria's fastest-growing municipality, an excellent place to shop and eat.
Once in the Sooke area, adventure awaits along the Juan de Fuca Strait. The Sooke Potholes are a geological wonder with rocky pools to wade into for a refreshing dip. Try Whiffin Spit for a scenic shoreline walk or AdrenaLINE Zipline Adventure Tours for a daring thrill. For nature lovers, a must-do is East Sooke Regional Park, which has 50 kilometres of trails with incredible views and potential whale sightings. The park's Aylard Farm access point is a five-minute walk to a peaceful pocket beach with intertidal life, plus an access point for easy trails. Try the Anderson Cove or Pike Road entry points for more of a hiking challenge – there are more than 50 km of trails to explore!
Staying overnight? Try: SookePoint Ocean Cottage Resort, Prestige Oceanfront Resort or Sooke Harbour Resort & Marina, Fern Gully Cabins
Pit stops: Hide N Seek, Sheringham Distillery
CENTRAL ISLAND
Nanaimo to Cowichan Bay
Total drive: 60 km direct one way, approximately 1 hour without stopping
On the way to Cowichan, stop for lunch in Duncan, known as the "City of Totems". There are tons of great eats, including Brunch On 3rd, Duncan Garage Cafe, Phat Bastard Eats or MAD Eats food trucks and Urban Forest Bistro. Or, play games and grab a bite at the Fort Game Cafe. Before or after lunch, Glenora Trails Head Park – a 10-minute drive – is a place for a picnic and also a starting point for hikes along the river and nearby trails immersed in nature.
From Duncan, you can head inland 25 minutes to Lake Cowichan – a fun spot for water tubing down the Cowichan River (tube rentals available at the Tube Shack). Or, you can head 10 minutes south of Duncan to Cowichan Bay. Home to marinas, an oceanfront hotel and the Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre, Cowichan Bay is full of waterfront charm. Stroll down the main street to find ice cream parlours, bakeries, restaurants and fish-and-chips, go whale watching, see one of the oldest active lawn tennis courts in the world or check out the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre. Explore the Cowichan Wooden Boat Society for a look at local boat craftsmanship.
Pit stops: Blue Grouse Estate Winery (near Cowichan), Merridale Cidery
Staying overnight? Visit tourismcowichan.com.
Nanaimo to Parksville/Qualicum
Total drive: 48 km direct one way, approximately 40 minutes without stopping
Take Highway 19A towards Parksville. Once there, find Riptide Lagoon Adventure Golf, where hours of family fun await with miniature golf, an arcade and laser bumper cars in an exciting setting. Parksville is quaint and laid back with sandy beaches, markets and boutique shopping.
The next stop is the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. It's easy to spend a few hours meeting the centre's rescued and rehabilitating animals, such as bears, turtles and birds, like the majestic leucistic (white) raven! From there, head to Coombs – a market hub with plenty of unique finds. It's known for the Old Country Market, and yes, there are real goats on the roof!
Head a little farther to Qualicum for a seaside promenade. Vancouver Island University's Milner Gardens & Woodland has nice coastal views. Little Qualicum Falls is a provincial park encompassing the southern shore of Cameron Lake – and is highly rated for its impressive falls and forested setting.
Of course, you can't forget to eat. Some of our recommendations are The Final Approach, Fern + Cedar Brewing, De L'ile, Extreme Eatery, Nanoose Bay Cafe and Sushi Hama.
Staying overnight? Find more at visitparksvillequalicumbeach.com.
North Island
Port Hardy to Cape Scott & San Josef Bay
Total drive: 68 km one way, approximately 1 hr 45 minutes without stopping
Before you leave, stock up on food for the day in Port Hardy. Drive two hours down Highway 19 to the Cape Scott Provincial Park trailhead (or catch a water taxi to Cape Scott), and you're on your way to one of the most exceptional, tranquil hiking parks on the Island.
For the easiest hike in the vicinity, try San Josef Bay – a 5km round trip, ~1.5–2 hours total. Bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the solitude and spectacular Pacific Ocean vistas along this well-maintained gravel trail. If you'd like to stay overnight, camping is allowed.
Those wanting a difficult hike and overnight experience can take the trail to Cape Scott, 23.6 km from the trailhead to the lighthouse destination. After 16.8 km winding through coastal rainforest, it emerges on the sandy beach of Nel's Bight, where you can set up camp. The average one-way hiking time all the way to the lighthouse is 8.5 hours.
On your way back, stop at Holberg for a beer at Scarlett Ibis Pub, a remote and legendary spot for adventurers.
