Top Things to do in Vancouver Island
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Top 10 Hidden Gems Things to do in Vancouver Island, Canada
Discover the best top things to do in Vancouver Island, Canada including Wild Pacific Trail, Helliwell Provincial Park, BC Aviation Museum, Abkhazi Garden, Botanical Beach Provincial Park, Sooke Potholes Provincial Park, Hot Springs Cove, Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, Juan de Fuca Marine Trail, Goldstream Provincial Park.
Restaurants in Vancouver Island
1. Wild Pacific Trail
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,689 reviews
The Wild Pacific Trail is located in Ucluelet and is a seven phase trail system skirting the rugged cliffs and shoreline of the west coast of Vancouver Island. Overlooking Barkley Sound and the Broken Group Islands to the east and the open Pacific Ocean to the south and west, it offers spectacular shoreline panoramas and seaward vistas through ancient cedar and spruce-framed viewing platforms constructed on the best headlands along the route.
Reviewed By 369PeterR - Toronto, Canada
We did the Wild Pacific Trail in two parts. On two mornings, by 7 AM my spouse and I did the 2.5 km light house loop portion of the trail. It took us about 50 minutes, including a few stops to take photos. It is an easy walk with a little bit of up and down. One day in the afternoon we also walked the segment of the trail from Brown’s Beach as far as it would go. This was about 8 km round-trip. It was a beautiful walk, sometimes through rainforest and sometimes along cliffs overlooking the ocean. The trail is very well-maintained and almost entirely a gravel path. We love it. Despite walking the trail on a holiday long weekend, it was not busy at all.
2. Helliwell Provincial Park
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 137 reviews
Reviewed By skychaserCalgary - Calgary, Canada
Walking through a forest of douglas fir and cedar one comes to the trail that takes you along the shoreline...very beautiful views
3. BC Aviation Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 179 reviews
Come enjoy a trip back in time with the whole family, with over 20 aircraft on display in Sidney, at The BC Aviation Museum! Where learning and fun meet! Memorable visitor experiences include: • Sit in the cockpit of a warplane. • Discover the history of our valiant Canadian aviation pioneers with our passionate tour guides or on a self-guided visit. We’ve been collecting and preserving 8,000+ aviation books, 13,500+ photographs. Don't miss our gift shop - the perfect place to find aviation themed gifts. Come explore the BC Aviation Museum in Sidney, located near the Victoria International Airport.
Reviewed By Bob2885 - Victoria, Canada
I toured the museum in September as part of a group. The tour guide was informative, responsive to questions and entertaining. The exhibits cover the history of aviation in the 20th century with a focus on British Columbian and Canadian aircraft. There are planes, lots of them, tens ofunmounted engines in various stages of dress, helicopters, innumerable model aircraft and a good collection of memorabilia related to aviation in the First and Second Wars. This would be a fun tour with children. I climbed the stairs into a late '50s Viscount airliner, looked into the cockpit of a jet trainer, and was impressed by the huge size of the museum's latest restoration project, a Lancaster bomber. Don't miss it!
4. Abkhazi Garden
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 451 reviews
Created by the Georgian Prince and Princess Abkhazi, this lovely garden spans just over an acre and features native Garry oaks, Japanese Maples and splendid rhododendrons.
Reviewed By anen63
My husband and I enjoyed the Royal Abkhazi High tea service with our two kids. They were really interested in our warm scones! The food was also unusual compared the usual plain tea sandwiches. The gardens are quite lush and interesting with a turtle pond aswell. The meal felt relaxed and they were very accommodating to us. Thank you.
5. Botanical Beach Provincial Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 304 reviews
Reviewed By JacqBeNimble - Vancouver, Canada
5 min drive from Port Renfrew and you're at the parking lot for this park. Take the 2.7 km loop to the right to Botany Bay first and then follow along the trail SE to Botanical Beach. Both places will not disappoint. At Botanical Beach you'll find lovely tidal pools full of lovely sea creatures (sea anemones, chiton, etc.). It will make you love the natural world even more than you already do. Please go and tell the world!
6. Sooke Potholes Provincial Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 525 reviews
These rock formations have become a popular local swimming area.
Reviewed By JamieB954 - Edmonton, Canada
This is a place we visit every time we come to the island in the summer. The water is crystal clear and awesome for swimming. The current is so gentle, it’s safe even for the little ones. Our teenage boys love cliff jumping and this is a great and safe place to do it.
7. Hot Springs Cove
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 527 reviews
Hot Springs Cove is about one and a half hours north of Tofino. It's located right in the heart of Clayoquot Sound.
Reviewed By full-mountie - Fort Langley, Canada
We lucked into some great sunny, calm weather for December … and took the day-trip out of Tofino to Hot Springs Cove … we went with Ocean Outfitters who were very well-organized. It was a 6-hour trip … an unhurried 1.5 hours to get there … we did some wildlife viewing and saw sea otters close up and grey whales farther away … 0.5 hour walk on a boardwalk through the rainforest … to get to the Hot Springs … then 2 hours @ the Hot Sprigs before the return trip. One thing to keep in mind … the actual hot springs are NOT super big and there has been no man-made intervention to enlarge them … as a result ... our 2 boats which numbered 17 people were accommodated easily … I am not sure that would be the case in the Summer when … I am told … there can be hundreds of visitors in a day. A most enjoyable day …
8. Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 581 reviews
Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park straddles the scenic Little Qualicum River, west of Parksville, where impressive waterfalls cascade and plummet down a rocky gorge in a beautiful forest setting. Perhaps the most magnificent park on Vancouver Island, Little Qualicum Falls incorporates the entire southern shore of Cameron Lake, adjacent to MacMillan Provincial Park and the awesome Cathedral Grove Rainforest. Cameron Lake is bordered by steep mountains: Mt. Wesley to the north and Mt. Arrowsmith to the south.
Reviewed By MT1 - Aurora, United States
My wife and I visited while staying at a nearby B&B. We went in the morning on a weekday and it wasn't busy at all so there was plenty of parking at the lot by the beginning of the walkway to the falls (upper and lower). There is a restroom at the parking lot and it has running water, and a nice area with picnic tables (some under a pavilion), which was nice. There is no charge to park and walk to the falls. There is a nice walkway all around the falls on both sides of the river and it is an easy walk offering nice views along the way. We spent about 90 minutes walking around and taking pictures but you could do it in half the time if you just wanted to do a quick walk around. Very nice place not far outside town and highly recommended.
9. Juan de Fuca Marine Trail
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 66 reviews
Reviewed By MrSaren - Vancouver, Canada
This trail is arguably harder than the WCT and not quite as scenic though it is still has amazing beauty spots. The plus to it is it's challenging and I felt like had more natural inhabitants for better or worse. We had a 200+lb (guesstimate) stalking up behind us ats we were getting ready for bed and on a nother hike through ran into a Black bear cub and about three minutes later an incredibly large aggressive Black bear (probably mom). Both these happened near Bear beach. I highly recommend using the food bins as soon as you set up camp. My friend left his food in his tent while we made a beach fire before bed and by the time he got back there must have been over a dozen mice that chewed holes in his tent and were feasting on his stores. I suggest South to North as the last North Stretch can be a Mudfest. This trail lacks the massive ladders of the West Coast Trail but instead has a ton of hikes up and down into stream eroded valleys. It also has a few non bridge log crossings. My natural balance sucks so I found them stressful
10. Goldstream Provincial Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 405 reviews
Reviewed By L3031NYnancyg - Marana, United States
What a beautiful park, the fall colors, crunchy leaves on the path, bald eagles in the sky and the trees and the Salmon Run. Seeing the Salmon rest and then continue up stream, a amazing! The Nature House is a great Visitor Center with displays and friendly workers!
