Holidays To Vancouver Island

No visit to Vancouver Island should be without a stay in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. We love the old English charm, visiting the capitol building and staying at the Fairmont Empress overlooking the harbour. Make sure you have afternoon tea at the Fairmont Empress, and sample the Empress cake. Drive out to Butchart Gardens for a leisurely stroll around the beautiful gardens and marvel at the Japanese Garden.

Nothing is more spectacular than whale watching from Vancouver Island, where around 250 orcas live in the waters off the northeast coast and every year over 20,000 grey whales arrive having migrated from the Gulf of Mexico. Head to Telegraph Cove, Tofino, Port NcNeill or Johnstone Strait to join a whale watching tour. For a day you won't forget, you'll see these magnificent creatures spout, breach and hunt.

Vancouver Island offers the best environment for outdoor activities. You'll find hiking trails, biking trails, fishing, snorkeling and plenty of wildlife viewing. Go rafting and snorkel with salmon from Campbell River or take a guided fishing trip from Painter's Lodge. Maybe it's golfing you're looking for, Vancouver Island offers an array of golf courses from Victoria up to Campbell River.

From watching sea otters play in the kelp beds off the shores of Vancouver Island to watching bears feed on the shorelines on mussels, you'll never be short of wildlife. Cruise through the waters of Tofino and Clayoquot sound, this area is renowned for spotting sea lions, humpback whales and other marine life. We recommend heading out to a wilderness lodge to be able to get up close with nature and view the incredible wildlife.

Each March, as the weather starts to get warmer on Vancouver Island, migrating Pacifc Gray whales make their way back to the waters that border Tofino, Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim National Park. It’s estimated that around 20,000 whales make the journey to the island after spending the winter in the water around the Baja Peninsula. The annual event marks the beginning of the whale-watching season and is welcomed with the Pacific Rim Whale Festival, which sees whale-watching, family-friendly activities, talks by guest speakers and workshops being held in Tofino, Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim National Park.

Each Spring, usually between April and May, Tofino hosts its annual Feast Tofino festival. A collaboration between local chefs, fisheries, foragers and farmers, the festival celebrates the local and sustainable fisheries in the area, with events including the Dock Festival, where you can feast on seafood samples and meet local and regional chefs, an all-you-can-eat Boat to Tailgate party, and an outdoor dinner.

Hosted in Tofino Botanical Gardens by the Raincoast Education Society, the Tofino Lantern Festival is a lively celebration with handmade lanterns, live music, dance performances and delicious food. There’s also lantern-making workshops that run in the week leading up to the festival. 

Originating from Nanaimo, a city on the east coast of Vancouver Island, Nanaimo bars are a popular sweet treat throughout Canada. There are many variations but the bars typically consist of three layers: a biscuit and coconut crumb base, a layer of custard flavoured buttercream, and a topping of chocolate ganache.