March 17, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Victoria, Accommodation
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I was pleasantly surprised with Ocean Island Inn in Victoria. For a hostel, this place has a lot of options!
We were looking for an inexpensive place to stay near downtown Victoria, as we were planning to visit some of Victoria's famous brewpubs located near the Inner Harbour.
Ocean Island gave us the choice of dorm rooms, semi-private rooms and hotel-style private rooms. We went for the posh option and stayed in a private room with a private bathroom, fridge and TV. Wireless internet was free. The room was small, but it very clean, comfortable and about a 15-minute walk from downtown. It faced the street, so we did hear some car traffic... something to consider if you’re a light sleeper.
It was indeed close to the places we wanted to visit -- we checked out Swans and Canoe brewpubs, and then visited Red Fish Blue Fish for Fanny Bay oyster tacones the next day.
Our one-night stay cost about $80, which included parking. A solid choice for budget-minded travellers.
March 17, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Sooke, Sightseeing Tours
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While driving between Duncan and Port Renfrew along, we stopped to stretch our legs at the Harris Creek Sitka Spruce.
This old tree is massive! Take a close look at the photo – that’s me in the bottom right corner to give a sense of scale.
The trunk and branches were coated in mosses of all textures and colours: soft, stringy, bright green and pale green.
The Harris Creek Spruce is located near Port Renfrew and was easy to find, as there were “point of interest” signs indicating where to pull over. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re on this route. From the road, we couldn’t even tell the tree was there, but less than a minute walk from the car and we were staring at it’s enormous trunk.
A couple of tips if travelling the road between Duncan and Port Renfrew:
- Gas up in Duncan or Lake Cowichan. There are no gas stations in Port Renfrew.
- The entire route between Duncan and Lake Cowichan is now paved (a large section used to be gravel), but keep in mind this is still an active logging area. Take it slow and watch for logging trucks. We were travelling mid-week and saw at least a half dozen fully loaded logging trucks along the route.
March 15, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Skiing & Snowboarding
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I’m fairly new to snowboarding, and most of my experiences thus far have included groomed green runs and trying not to get hit by anyone on a busy ski hill. That is, until last week when I visited Mount Washington Alpine Resort.
So. Much. Fun.
Blue skies. Five to 10cm of fresh snow. Mid-week, which meant the ski hill was blissfully free of crowds.
I had an absolute blast. I boarded in powder for the first time, and it was hours before the fresh snow was tracked out. I tried blue and black runs and even dipped into the trees for a bit.
After more than a dozen runs, I hit the pub for a pint of Vancouver Island ale and waited for my ski hill buddy to join me after he explored “The Outback” from the Boomerang Chair. A great day... thank you Mount Washington!
March 15, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Tofino, Gardens
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I’ve passed by the botanical gardens in Tofino plenty of times, but on a sunny March day, I finally decided to check it out.
Since it was still winter, the honour system was in effect. I plunked the suggested off-season donation of $5 into an envelope, tossed it through an open window (fingers crossed they find it!) and borrowed one of the field guide binders to help me navigate the winding garden paths.
The gardens were much bigger than I expected – they go all the way back to the mudflats! Many of the trees and plants were in winter-mode (ie. not blooming), but there was still neat stuff to see. I found giant art sculptures, wooden huts, huge trees and a even a dry-docked boat along the paths.
It took me about a half-hour to walk through the gardens, but I could imagine spending at an hour or more on a sunny, summer day when all was in bloom.
March 15, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Tofino, Sightseeing Tours
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While wandering on Cox Bay Beach in Tofino, I came across a sign on the north end of Cox Bay for Pettinger Point/Sunset Point. The trail appeared well-travelled and the sign looked new, so I ventured into the woods to see where it led.
The path was very easy to follow and a large part of it was wooden boardwalk. Thick salal and trees lined the route. Less than ten minutes of walking later, the trail opened up into a grassy area surrounded by chunky black cliffs and rocks. My only company? A batch of black oystercatchers and some seagulls.
The view was fantastic. From the top, I was able to look back towards Cox Bay, Rosie Bay, and Chesterman Beach, as well as out towards the open ocean. Waves smashed against the rocky cliffs, and a few benches were nicely positioned to take in the scenery.
I visited in Pettinger Point in the afternoon, but I’m sure that sunsets from this spot would be spectacular.
March 15, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Tofino, Accommodation
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Looking for a place to stay in Tofino? I recently stayed at
Cox Bay Beach Resort and had an awesome time. Four things in particular made my experience ultra-enjoyable:
Hot tub near the beach: Even in the pouring March rain, the resort's hot tub rocked. It’s right near the beach, so I soaked in the view while soaking in the tub.
Beds: Soft mattresses, comfy pillows and super fluffy duvets. I’m not normally one to notice these things, but it was pretty cozy.
DIY Spa: To create my own personal spa sanctuary, I poured the sac of complimentary bath crystals into the gigantic soaker tub and set the heated tiles to high... the resort’s big white robe and candles took my budget-savvy relaxation night to a whole ‘nutha level.
Location: You can’t get much better than this. Set on Cox Bay, the resort is close to good surfing, an incredible beach/sunset viewing point (the trail is just a 10-minute walk through the woods), birdwatching and lots of sandy beach.
Next time, I’ll bring my bike, as I realized that Cox Bay is the southernmost point of the Tofino MUP (Multi-Use Path), making it easy to bike into town.
January 04, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Galiano Island, Art Galleries & Artists
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On a recent trip to Galiano Island, I stopped by the Galiano Inn & Spa to check out the Kunamokst Mural Mosaic on display in their lobby.
It's impressive! The mural combines the work of nearly 200 artists (including some big-time names, such as Robert Bateman and Roy Vickers), and spans the width of the lobby. Up close, each panel is an individual work of art, but take a few steps back and it melds into a large Orca mural.
I had convinced a couple of friends that it was worth checking it out, and they both ended up being quite impressed by the detail and illusion created by the artwork.
This mural is a must-see for Galiano visitors... and the Sturdies Bay bakery is just down the street for a post-mural snack.
January 04, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Galiano Island, Art Galleries & Artists
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While browsing HelloBC.com for ideas of what to see on Galiano Island during our weekend cabin getaway, I found out about Stoneworld, and knew we had to visit. As an added bonus, the cabin we’d rented at was right next door (ie. a five minute walk) to Stoneworld – fantastic!
From our cabin, we strolled along the dirt road to Stoneworld’s entrance… only to find a “closed” sign on the gate. However, there was a phone number on the fence post, so we called and were pleasantly informed we could open the gate and wander about Stoneworld.
So what is Stoneworld? It’s a wonderfully quirky outdoor art display. Massive stones (they must weigh tons) stand on end, some randomly placed, some in a huge circle, some painted and some carved. We spent about an hour walking through the fields, while the resident sheep warily gazed at us in between bites of grass.
We followed wide paths that swooped upwards to the peak of Stoneworld, which held a solitary vertical rock (how do they get them to stand on end?) and well-placed benches to take in the view of the fields, stones, water and surrounding Gulf Islands.
It looked like there was a gift shop (near the owner’s house) with some rock carvings and artwork on-site, but unfortunately it wasn’t open during our visit. If you’re looking for a fun, non-gallery approach to artwork, I’d recommend popping by Stoneworld on northern Galiano Island near Bodega Ridge.
January 04, 2011 | Tips from Us >
Galiano Island, Hiking
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On New Year’s Day, five of us packed up sandwiches and headed to the Mount Galiano trailhead on the south end of Galiano Island.
The trail was mainly gentle switchbacks with lots of ferns and mossy trees lining the route. We were a little surprised that we didn’t see more hikers on our trip, but we did end up seeing two locals walking their horse down from the viewpoint – a unique trail companion!
A little under an hour from the trailhead, we reached the top (we missed a turn in one spot, but it all worked out). Once at the peak, we were treated to an amazing view: blue sky and sparkling water stretched between dark green forested islands – there were even snowy peaks in the distance. Soft, thick moss made the ultimate seat for our picnic lunch.
We spent almost an hour relaxing and watching Gulf Island life from the peak – bald eagles soaring below, and a BC Ferry navigating through the tight channels – before packing up our bags and trekking back down to our car. The view from the top of Mount Galiano (along with the good company) made this my most memorable New Year’s Day to date.
June 08, 2010 | Tips from Us >
West Vancouver, Hiking
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The snow line is dropping, which means hiking season on the coast has begun. First hike of the year for me was up to Eagle Ridge bluffs in West Vancouver. The trailhead is in Nelson Canyon Park (take Exit 4 to Westport Rd).
The route starts by following the TransCanada Trail, but then branches off to the Whyte Lake Trail. Whyte Lake itself is small, but has an awesome log barge that will be put to good use in summer. We stopped to chat with a family fishing for trout in the lake (they'd caught three).
I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the outhouse. Why? Because it’s swanky (or as swanky as an outhouse can be). It’s like a mini log cabin. A must-use.
Whyte Lake Trail hooks up with the Baden Powell Trail, which leads to Eagle Ridge bluffs. It was windy up top, so we had a quick lunch (which was eyed quite carefully by the resident raven), and then headed back down.
Total time for the trip was 5 hours (3 up, 2 down), and most of the route is in the woods. The forest floor was thick with ferns, mossy trees stretched overload, and fallen trees or man-made boardwalks crossed over streams. One huge boulder field mid-route and the bluffs themselves add an element of scrambling.
After the trip, my hiking partner and I commented on the number of families out on the trail – so cool! It's great to see kids out enjoying nature, especially nature in their own backyard.