British Columbia Destinations

Host of attractions offered by Vancouver Island

By Christine Salthead

On Vancouver Island, the influence of the Pacific Ocean is ever present. The mildest climate in Canada and a covering of lush forest are the result.

Vancouver Island combines unspoiled natural areas with awe-inspiring views and beaches to comb, with vibrant cities, quaint communities and rolling landscapes that feature wineries, farmers’ markets and artisanal producers who supply the area’s pioneering chefs.

Activities range from whale watching, wildlife viewing, surfing, kayaking, skiing and cycling to shopping, museum-going, taking tea, and spa sessions.

Victoria

Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia, was originally established in 1843 by James Douglas as a fort for the Hudson’s Bay Company. Bastion Square marks the site where a portion of the fort once stood, although all that remains now are two iron rings set into the rocks at the foot of Fort Street, next to the old Customs House.

Victoria has always had a history as a stronghold of British traditions. Double-decker buses, horse-drawn carriages, meticulously kept gardens, and the tradition of formal afternoon tea – most famously at the Empress Hotel – have contributed to the city’s long-standing reputation.

Not surprisingly, Victoria and the adjoining communities of Sidney and Sooke are a great place to shop for fine English china, Irish woolens, Scottish tartans, Asian imports, and home décor.

History enthusiasts will want to check out the Royal British Columbia Museum and Craigdarroch Castle, built by a 19th Century coal baron. The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria features a collection of more than 15,000 art works from Asia, Europe and North America with primary emphasis on Canada and Japan.

Butchart Gardens has been a beloved Victoria-area attraction for more than 80 years. A National Historic Site of Canada, it features 55 acres of stunning floral show gardens.

Each year more than one million bedding plants in some 700 varieties are used throughout the gardens to ensure uninterrupted bloom from March through October. Close to a million people visit each year, enjoying not only the floral beauty, but also the entertainment and lighting displays presented each summer and at Christmas.

Victoria is a great place for cycling. Recognized by Statistics Canada as having the highest per capita bicycle use in the country, the city boasts an impressive network of trails.

A local favourite is the Galloping Goose Regional Trail (or the Goose, as pegged by locals), named for a 1920s rail car once used to transport passengers between Victoria and nearby Sooke.

The 55-kilometre route follows abandoned rail beds and scenic scapes: trails snake along woodsy corridors, over trestle bridges, past pretty farmland and marshes and through bird sanctuaries and rainforest. Well marked and scenic, Galloping Goose offers dozens of options for a leisurely few hours or an overnight weekend excursion.

Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre

Giant Pacific octopus and microscopic plankton. Sea stars, anemones, and rockfish all the colours of the rainbow have all taken up a new residence in Sydney, on the Strait of Georgia east of Victoria.

One of the island’s newest attractions, the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre opened here in June.

Home to fish, invertebrates and marine plant life that count in the thousands, this $8 million facility houses some 87 tonnes of seawater in 17 massive aquarium habitats, creating an ideal showcase of creatures from Pacific Coast waters.

Visitors begin their journey by "descending" into the ocean in the deep-sea "elevator" before stepping into the Gallery of the Drifters for views of algae, delicate jellies, and other plankton, seemingly suspended in backlit aquariums. Next is the Ocean's Heartbeat, a high-tech classroom with video microscopes, internet links to undersea sites, and live specimens.

The Gallery of the Salish Sea provides a visual storytelling of the area's First Nations and their ancient relationship to the surrounding waters. Here, guests will discover an octopus den and a touch pool for hands to delve amongst intertidal life.

At the centre Oceaneers offer education and expert insight, with a focus on conservation. For more information, visit www.oceandiscovery.ca.

Spas and more

Spas can be found in many of Vancouver Island's communities, including Victoria, Sooke, South Cowichan, Parksville, Tofino, Ucluelet and the Comox Valley, as well on nearby Salt Spring, Galiano and Pender islands.

Customized spa vacation packages are offered at several resorts and a plethora of soul soothing services such as mineral baths, reiki, body wraps, hydrotherapy, sea salt scrubs, aroma therapy and reflexology are offered at day spas.

Mobile spa services and therapeutic massage by certified therapists can also be pre-arranged at certain B&Bs.

Some of Vancouver Island's destination spas are linked by a ribbon of roadway that skirts the sea and crests the mountains of Vancouver Island. The "spa trail" lies along stretches of Highways 1, 19 and 4. It extends from Malahat Mountain, half an hour from downtown Victoria, and continues north along the Malahat Highway. After a jog up to Courtenay, it turns west at Parksville, heading out to Tofino on the Pacific coast.

The southern region of the island is also the site of farmers' markets and fall fairs, featuring arts and crafts, as well as fresh produce, breads, cheese, preserves, and other treats. Visitors also have a chance to visit wineries and craft producers of cider and mead.

There are many scenic golf courses in the region. Open year round they range from community courses to championship courses.

Nanaimo

Just a hop, skip, and a ferry ride from the 2010 Winter Games venues, Nanaimo, Vancouver Island’s second largest city, British Columbia, is gearing up for the big event. Access is so easy, in fact, that several ski and snowboard teams have opted to rest between events at Mount Washington Alpine Resort, just north of Nanaimo, rather than stay in the thick of the action on the mainland.

Nanaimo is best known as a gateway to the year-round wilderness and outdoor activities of central and northern Vancouver Island, as one of the world’s leading dive destinations, and as a base for wildlife watching trips.

Besides Orca, bear, and eagles (which you can see in the wild), Nanaimo and its surrounding area, including the vast alpine of the central island mountain range, is also home to the rare Vancouver Island marmot, the inspiration for the 2010 Winter Games mascot sidekick MukMuk.

Known as the Harbour City, Nanaimo boasts such a lively theatre and arts scene that it was named a Cultural Capital of Canada in 2008. Hometown to jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall, the city has also produced more than its share of top athletes, including para-alpine skier Andrea Dziewior, figure skater Kelsey Ross, distance runner Steve Osaduik, National Mountain Bike Team member Wendy Simms, and para athlete Michelle Stilwell.

Kayaking adventure

The Broken Group Islands, situated off the west coast of Vancouver Island, is simply a kayaker’s dream; here you’ll find an archipelago of more than a hundred islands and islets in Barkley Sound.

On offer are organized half-day, full-day and multi-day glides through quiet coves and sheltered bays, with hands-on instruction. Sightings eagle, sea lion and even whale are a possibility.

Enroute to the west coast you’ll want to stop and look way up for a full to take in the giants of the forest – 800-year-old Douglas fir, and western red cedar trees whose height rivals urban highrise buildings.

For more information on Vancouver Island travel go to www.hellobc.com or call 250-754-3500.