Vancouver Island
Far more than just another pretty flower arrangement, Butchart is a national historic site and a triumph of early-20th-century gardening aesthetics. With…
Must-see attractions in Vancouver Island
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Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Vancouver Island
One in a magnificent seven of BC national parks, Pacific Rim is replete with wave-whipped beaches and brooding forests, most of them far from civilization…
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Vancouver Island
This must-see longhouse-like facility proudly displays dozens of culturally priceless Kwakwaka'wakw artifacts confiscated when potlatch ceremonies were…
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Carmanah Walbran Provincial Park
Vancouver Island
Home to some of BC's eldest residents, the old-growth spruce and cedar trees in this magnificent but remote park frequently exceed 1000 years of age. With…
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Tofino
Visible across Clayoquot Sound and accessible via kayak or water taxi from the Tofino waterfront, Meares Island was the site of the key 1984 Clayoquot…
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Vancouver Island
Featuring a greatest hits of wilderness attractions as well as Vancouver Island's highest mountain, Mt Golden Hinde (2200m), Strathcona is the poster…
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Tofino
Situated on remote Flores Island and accessed by tour boat or kayak, Ahousat is the mystical location of the spectacular Wild Side Heritage Trail, a…
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Vancouver Island
Don't be put off by the unassuming concrete exterior: this is one of Vancouver Island's best community museums. Studded with fascinating First Nations…
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Vancouver Island
Thought tea was a tropical plant? Not always. Hidden in bucolic farmland 8km north of Duncan, the improbably located Westholme grows its own tea plants…
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Vancouver Island
The mother of all pit stops, this wood-framed and turf-roofed food and crafts menagerie is stuffed with bakery and produce delectables. It attracts huge…
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Tofino
Explore what coastal temperate rainforests are all about by checking out the frog pond, forest boardwalk, native plants and educational workshops at this…
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Vancouver Island
This excellent catch-and-release facility on the waterfront focuses on illuminating the marine critters found in the region's local waters, which can mean…
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Vancouver Island
An upmarket glass-fronted winery that’s popular with tour groups, Averill is cradled by mountains guarding terrain that’s ideal for producing the vineyard…
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Vancouver Island
This spiritual home of tree-huggers is the mystical highlight of MacMillan Provincial Park. Located between Parksville and Port Alberni, it's often…
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Vancouver Island
Tiny (8-sq-km) Raft Cove lies south of much larger Cape Scott Provincial Park in Vancouver Island's northwest corner. A short 2km trail brings you to the…
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Vancouver Island
A wonderfully quirky museum located on a row of false-fronted buildings that looks like a Dodge City movie set, with evocative exhibits on the area's…
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Vancouver Island
Check out the region's 'locavore' credentials at this delightful and highly welcoming working farmstead. Let your kids run wild – most will quickly fall…
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Vancouver Island
This small but nature-packed provincial park was given fresh impetus for visitors with the building of a new centerpiece, a 60m-long suspension bridge…
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Vancouver Island
One of BC's earliest exponents of craft cider-making, Merridale has since gone from strength to strength. The rustic-chic cidery site is lined with trees…
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Vancouver Island
One of the Cowichan Valley's original wineries is now on its third owners, Colombians who have added a bit of Latin panache to wines such as the crisp,…
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Vancouver Island
A rough and rugged wilderness swath with a wave-crashing coastline where whales, otters and a multitude of marine life thrives. Old-growth forest,…
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Vancouver Island
This fascinating museum is worth an hour of anyone's time. Its diverse collection showcases indigenous masks, an 1890s pioneer cabin and video footage of…
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Vancouver Island
This jam-packed community museum is like a 100-year-old attic turned inside-out. It illuminates the area's rugged pioneer days with dioramas, glass cases,…
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Vancouver Island
This idyllic outdoor attraction combines rambling forest trails shaded by centuries-old trees with flower-packed gardens planted with magnificent…
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Vancouver Island
If you haven’t got time to hit the epic beaches of Cape Scott, decamp to this closer-to-town option mixing urban comforts (picnic tables and parking) with…
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Horne Lake Caves & Outdoor Centre
Vancouver Island
BC's best spelunking, a 45-minute drive from Parksville. Some caves are open to the public for self-exploration, though the excellent guided tours are…
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Vancouver Island
The ambitious manufacturers of Victoria Gin have branched into vodka, whiskey and beyond. The distillery relocated to Sidney in 2016 and now inhabits a…
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Vancouver Island
These gardens offer a kaleidoscope of thousands of fluttering critters, from around 75 species, in a free-flying environment. As well as watching them…
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Vancouver Island
This unique, beautifully rustic barn-like museum is bristling with hands-on artifacts and artfully displayed skeletons of cougars and sea otters, but the…
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Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
Vancouver Island
This relaxed park has been a favorite natural hangout among locals for generations. With the potholes (natural rock pools) carved into the river base…
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Vancouver Island
A rustic farmhouse and cider producer where tours, samples and ocean views are available, this is a tasty pit stop if you're a red-nosed cider fan. The 10…
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Maquinna Marine Provincial Park
Tofino
One of the most popular day trips from Tofino, the highlight here is Hot Spring Cove. Tranquility-minded trekkers travel to the park by Zodiac boat or…
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Vancouver Island
This dramatically located building is perched over a sandy, rock-fringed beach. Inside you'll find displays on the region's rugged topography and wildlife…
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Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre
Vancouver Island
This small and mildly interesting interpretive center overlooks the water and illuminates the area's flora and fauna. Nip inside the shed-like facility…
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Vancouver Island
A labor of love for the local Rotary Club, this small museum anchored by a restored Seine fishing boat stands as a testament to Campbell River’s salmon…
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Shaw Centre for the Salish Sea
Vancouver Island
Sidney's kid-luring highlight, this aquarium is accessed through a dramatic Disney-style entrance that makes you think you're descending below the waves…
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Quatse Salmon Stewardship Centre
Vancouver Island
Bring your kids and they'll learn all about the salmon lifecycle at this off-the-beaten-path hatchery attraction. Besides lots of hands-on action (as well…
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Vancouver Island
A big draw on tiny Cormorant Island, this hidden nature park consists of a small marsh guarded by a clutch of starkly beautiful dead trees (most of them…
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Vancouver Island
This smashing little marine-critter attraction can be found at the entrance to the Discovery Pier, where it's repurposed the old blue shed aquarium that…
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Vancouver Island
This expansive, mostly outdoor heritage attraction includes a menagerie of pioneer-era buildings and hulking old logging machinery. But the main…
