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.
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.
Read Less