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Things to Do in Vancouver Island

Reviews and photos of Vancouver Island attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Vancouver Island sightseeing.
Local Time 10:19 am Friday, September 5, 2008
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Popular Things To Do | Other Things To Do Tips | All Tips (129)
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The Butchart Gardens
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  • Robert and Jennie Butchart arrived here 100 years ago. Until 1912 this property was mining limestone until the Butcharts began planting trees, shrubs and plants that they collected from around the world on their travels. Now, as autumn unfolds and the days get cooler, you can wander under a canopy of red Japanese maples toward two graceful silver birch trees with striking yellow leaves. All the colours of "The fall" are here to entertain you with over 50 acres of gardens, a coffee house, picnic grounds, fountains and restaurants to add to your experience. The smile on my wifes face was worth the plane ticket, not just the admission price!

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  • Address: 800 Benvenuto Ave, Brentwood Bay
  • Phone: (250) 6524422
  • Directions: Sign posted on highway 17 between Swartz Bay & Victoria. Take Keating cross Road turnoff and follow for 7km.
  • Website: www.butchartgardens.com
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    Beautiful Strathcona Provincial Park
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  • Buttle Lake in Strathcona Park - Vancouver Island
    Buttle Lake in Strathcona Park
    by Ann75
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    Strathcona Provincial Park is a rugged mountain wilderness of over 250,000 hectares that dominates central Vancouver Island. Created in 1911, Strathcona is the oldest provincial park in BC and the largest on Vancouver Island. The triangular shaped park practically spans the entire width of Vancouver Island, in that it borders on Herbert Inlet off Clayoquot Sound on the Pacific Coast, and extends eastwards to within 13 kilometres of the sea near Comox.

    Mountain Peaks, some eternally mantled with snow, dominate the park while lakes and alpine tarns dot a landscape laced with rivers, creeks and streams. In the valley and lower regions of the park stand forests that were already old in 1778 when Captain James Cook of the Royal Navy landed at Nootka Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

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    The beautiful Butchart Gardens
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  • The Sunken Garden at Butchart Gardens - Vancouver Island
    The Sunken Garden at Butchart
    Gardens
    by Ann75, 3 more photos
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    The Butchart Garden is probably the most popular attraction on Vancouver Island beside Victoria. The Gardens are located in the area of Victoria.

    The Butchart Gardens used to be a a limestone quarry which they turned into beautiful gardens. This place which overlooks Tod Inlet has too many gardens to see in one day. Amung the gardens you'll find the sunken garden, the Japanese garden, the rose garden, and the Italian Gardens. In the summer the gardens are decorated with lights at night. And in the winter it's also decorated with lights for Christmas.

    These are beautiful gardens. Definitely worth to go to. There are so many different type of flowers and the gardens are put together so nicely and so gorgeous. I'd say it's a must, but it might be quite expensive for some people. It costs around $20 CAD/$13 USD per person in the peak season. If not more by now!? Check out their website for full details!

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  • Directions: The Butchart Gardens are 21 km/13 miles north of Victoria, and 20km/12.5 miles south of the Vancouver-Victoria ferry terminal (Swartz Bay).
  • Website: http://www.butchartgardens.com/
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    DUNCAN---CITY OF TOTEMS
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  • On Tuesday, June 2, Hans and I stopped in DUNCAN which is the commercial Centre of the Cowichan Valley. The CITY OF TOTEMS is proud of its First Nations Heritage. Yellow footprints painted on the sidewalk, allow you to take a self-guided tour of the 41 Totem Poles erected around town. You can learn more about the culture of the area's First People, at the QUW'UTSUN cultural and Conference Centre, which features totem pole carving and other crafts, theatrical presentations and mid-Day Salmon BBQ'S.

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  • Address: Totem Poles are in & around the town of Duncan
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    Don't miss the little Qualicum Falls
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  • The gorgeous little Qualicum Falls - Vancouver Island
    The gorgeous little
    Qualicum Falls
    by Ann75
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    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.

    This magnificent 440-hectare park is a popular family recreation area. On hot summer days the Little Qualicum River offers a number of cool, clear pools, great for a refreshing dip. Shaded riverside trails and picnic facilities along Cameron Lake make Little Qualicum a favoured destination.

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    Visit Ucluelet, neighbour of Pacific Rim NP
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  • The harbour in Ucluelet - Vancouver Island
    The harbour in Ucluelet
    by Ann75
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    Ucluelet is another lovely village that neighbours with Pacific Rim National Park. Pacific Rim National Park is located between Ucluelet and Tofino, so either of these places can be your place to stay while you can explore the park. Ucluelet is another beautiful fishing village by the ocean located at the Ucluelet Inlet in Barkley Sound.

    This village offers excellent tourist amenities such as shops, restaurants, accommodations, galleries, specialty shops and big variety in outdoor activities.

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    HISTORIC VICTORIA
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  • EMPRESS HOTEL IN VICTORIA - Vancouver Island
    EMPRESS HOTEL IN VICTORIA
    by LoriPori
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    British Columbia's Capital city VICTORIA , located on Vancouver Island, is surrounded by a natural paradise of rocky shorelines, sandy beaches, spectacular ocean and mountain views and lush forests and parkland. The picturesque Inner Harbour is the location of many of the city's top attractions, including the Royal British Columbia Museum and the Fairmont Empress Hotel. The Historic Downtown area includes OLD TOWN, BASTION SQUARE, MARKET SQUARE and CHINATOWN.

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  • Address: Vancouver Island
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    Visit beautiful Pacific Rim National Park
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  • Typical beach view in Pacific Rim National Park - Vancouver Island
    Typical beach view in Pacific
    Rim National Park
    by Ann75, 2 more photos
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    Pacific Rim National Park is a real wilderness place on the West Coast of Vancouver Island near Tofino. It streches from Tofino to Ucluelet along the West Coast. This park protects tons of temporate rainforest, beautiful beaches, ocean life and so much more. In the spring about 20,000 whales pass through this area and is a great place for whale watching!

    Many people stay in Tofino which borders with this park and explore Pacific Rim National Park from here. The park is divided in 3 parts: Long Beach, Broken Group Islands and the West Coast Trail.

    For detailed information on this place, visit my Pacific Rim National Park travel pages:
    Pacific Rim National Park

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    Visit Alert Bay
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  • Lovely view over Alert Bay - Vancouver Island
    Lovely view over Alert Bay
    by Ann75
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    While you're staying at Telegraph Cove, why don't you take a day trip to Alert Bay? Home of the World's Tallest Totem Pole and the renowned U'mista Cultural Centre musem. See traditional dances performed by local First Nation residents in the newly re-built Big House, see the First Nations Burial Grounds, or explore the area and see for yourself what famous painter Emily Carr found so captivating.

    It's a 25 minute ferry ride from the Cove to Alert Bay and great place to visit.

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    Visit Duncan on Vancouver Island
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  • Duncan is the traditional home of the Coast Salish Indians. In summer you can watch the creation of the famous Cowichan sweaters as they are hand-knit in one piece, their unique patterns reflecting the knitter's family design (some even spin their own wool).

    Duncan's cityscape is a fine example of an old tradition infused with contemporary relevance and life. There are nearly eighty totem poles in Duncan, both downtown and along a half-kilometre section of the Trans-Canada Highway. There are 41 totems on the self-guided tour - follow the yellow foot prints. In summer, take advantage of free guided tours provided by the Cowichan Valley Volunteer Society. Let knowledgeable guides recount the rich history and fascinating legends of the Northwest Coast natives. Tours depart from the caboose adjacent to the train station on Canada Avenue.

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  • Directions: Duncan is located in the Cowichan Valley of southern Vancouver Island, 36 miles (60 km) north of Victoria.
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    More Vancouver Island Tips
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