Courtenay

Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens, Carol Clemens photo

Located on the central east coast of Vancouver Island, the city of Courtenay (population 21,940) is the urban, business and cultural hub of the Comox Valley. It's the only city in the valley, but its low-rise buildings, flower-filled streets and genuine friendliness make it feel more like a village. If Courtenay has ambitions, they don't include big city stress. In fact, any stress that comes this way can be worked off in a battalion of activities including golfing, hiking, mountain biking, walking tours, fossil-hunting and exploring spectacular gardens.

Things To Do in Courtenay

Courtenay bustles with shops, restaurants, galleries and entertainment. Mapped-out, self-guided urban walking tours lead visitors through the city's history and architecture. The abundance of the Comox Valley has much do to with shaping Courtenay: Eat at Locals, a restaurant specializing in local produce and happiness. Spend a morning at the Saturday Comox Valley Farmers' Market. Drive out to the award-winning Beaufort Winery for a tasting.

Strathcona Provincial Park

If Courtenay's heart is rustic sophistication, its muscle is unspoiled wilderness. The city serves as jumping off point for Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest and largest provincial park on Vancouver Island. Strathcona boasts twin fascinations: The flat-topped Comox Glacier is the largest glacier on the island. Della Falls, eight times higher than Niagara, ranks as the highest falls in Canada and one of the 10 highest in the world.

Where to Stay

Courtenay offers a city's total slate of accommodations from luxury hotels and resorts to motels, B&Bs, rental cottages, a hostel and campgrounds. The major hotels are conveniently located downtown, B&Bs are scattered on the fringes and the Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community is a short drive out of town.

Courtenay's Past

The First Nations K'omox people have been here for thousands of years. European settlers arrived to embrace the valley's climate and agricultural potential in the 1860s. Blacksmith shops, stables, grocery stores, and restaurants followed. In 1914, the E&N railway arrived in town, linking the community with Nanaimo, Victoria and the rest of the world. Courtenay hasn't looked back.

Courtenay's Cuisine

From field and farm to restaurant and table, Courtenay loves food. The city takes pride in an oversized pool of culinary talent. It boasts a surprisingly large contingent of international restaurants, including Greek, Italian, Mexican, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Japanese and Thai, not to mention the bold new wave of homegrown BC cuisine.

Festivals & Events

Every July, Courtenay plays host to the Vancouver Island MusicFest. It's the biggest festival on Vancouver Island and one of the biggest in BC, assembling some of the finest talents from Canada and the US. Some 1,100 volunteers contribute to the impact of 200 musical performers on 6 stages, instructional workshops, art exhibitions, an interactive kids zone and international eats.

Getting Here

Courtenay lies 90 minutes northwest of Nanaimo and about three hours northwest of Victoria. Courtenay town centre is five minutes off the Inland Island Highway 19, exit 117. Its strategic location, encompassing ocean, mountains and farmlands, makes scenic drives not only natural but obligatory. Take time.

Where to Start

The Comox Valley Visitor Centre publishes and distributes walking tours brochures free of charge. Drop by for tourism information and maps of Courtenay, Comox, Cumberland, Comox Valley and Mount Washington Alpine Resort.

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