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Vancouver Island is full of so many gems, and my most recent trip made it my mission to discover them! We were there to visit friends and were working throughout, so it wasn’t a full-on activity-packed road trip, but I wanted to share some of my highlights and the gems I recommend!!

Check out my other blog post for more Vancouver Island related content:

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Lake Cowichan/Cowichan River

We did a nice lil 7km hike called Skutz Falls although disclaimer, did not see any actual falls??? Am I missing something lol?? But the trail was really beautiful, relatively easy, ventured along the river, and the best part was stopping at the rocks after to go for the most refreshing dip ever in this beautiful turquoise water. It’s just 2 mins from the parking lot — 12/10 recommend.

Sooke

About an hour from Victoria, we went on a 3-hour hike and absolutely LOVED it — Matt was literally raving that it was one of his favourite hikes ever. It was so diverse, venturing through the forest and looping back along the coast, taking us over roots, around rocks, up and down and around and ending with some epic light beams. There are a ton of trail networks to choose your own duration and adventure — we did the 9.5km East Sooke Coast, Creyke Point and Interior Trail Loop.

Drifters Ice Cream truck

SO DELISH. Must stop at Drifters between Nanaimo/Duncan and Victoria!!! I got the Riptide Sundae with frozen raspberries and can’t stop drooling over it.

Port Renfrew

We came here with friends and honestly just chilled, the weather was quite blustery, but we had a nice lil lunch at the pub and moseyed around Botanical Beach which was cool to see all the little tidal pools with their own universes of life growing inside. Also make sure to pencil in these cool stops along the drive:

If coming from Sooke: Stop at Shirley Delicious and get literally everything you see. The squares were SO good — pecan nut, pumpkin, chocolate, etc, I think this might be the best bakery I’ve been to in my entire life (for real). And I’m not even a big sweets person.

If heading back towards Nanaimo: We stopped for photo opps at the Banzai tree at Fairy Lake (a lil tree growing out of a rock on a lake!), go for a dip in Lizard Lake, hug a tree (from afar) at Harris Creek Spruce.

Pacific Rim Highway

We set off for Tofino with some AMAZING little gems to stop off at along the way

Little Qualicum Falls for some beautiful falls and a nice lil nature walk loop between Upper and Lower Falls
Cathedral Grove for a lovely boardwalk trail and beautiful giant trees
Taylor River Rest Area for some of the most turquoise water I have EVER seen in BC. My fave stop & loved going for a dip here!
Wally Creek is also amazing, with beautiful potholes and waterfalls and rocks to sunbathe on
Rainforest Trail was stunning, another boardwalk loop that winds through towering old-growth and layers of mossy, fern-covered magic.

Tofino

Tofino really is our rugged Beautiful BC West Coast Best Coast at its finest — what a special place.

Here are my top Tofino tips!

1. It’s colder than you think, so pack accordingly! that Pacific breeze can drop the temp by 10°C compared to the other side of the island or mainland. expect morning fog — they call August “Fogust” for a reason!

2. You NEED to get out on the water to get the full perspective of this magical place. Tofino is surrounded by countless islands that are insanely stunning and, my fave, WILDLIFE!! We had a MAGICAL bear watching tour and saw all the creatures on our whale watching tour!!! I was so happy to collab with the legends at @adventure.tofino for my safari excursions — message them about their amazing tours by zodiac!

3. Tofino is super teeny with limited accommodation, so book in advance! you can stay in town or along a beach; beachfront is obv epic, but we also loved staying in town to walk to coffee and our tours.

4. Rhino Tofino is a Tofino staple — their coffee, donuts, and breakfast sandwiches pair perfectly with the west coast best coast backdrop.

5. For whale watching, you’re out on the open ocean, so take a seasickness pill. i have a delicate stomach 💁🏼‍♀️ but was totally fine with my nondrowsy gravol! bear watching is on calmer waters, so you’re all good there.

6. Treat yo’self with dinner at Shelter Restaurant and a drink at The Pointe Tofino — loved the vibes & views at both! Sandbar Bistro at Long Beach Lodge Resort is also epic (and has $9 wine!).

7. my fave beach is Tonquin 🌲🌊 for nestled-in-nature vibes. Cox Bay 🏄🏼‍♀️ and Chesterman Beach 🚴🏼‍♀️ are also iconic.

That’s a wrap on this one — happy island adventuring!! Make sure to sign up below to receive updates on my latest blog posts!