Cowichan Bay, British Columbia

The San Juan Islands are a gorgeous collection of islands situated 90 miles from Seattle. While most people enjoy the island at B&Bs, and join one of the dozen whale watching tours, the hands down best way to see the islands is by kayaking.Jones Island is a great place to set as your initial ...

The easiest way to explore this area is through Outer Island Excursions, which offers a 3-hour kayaking tour from Smuggler’s Villa Resort on Orcas Island (they also offer various tours of the surrounding islands).The tour begins with a paddle down the North Shore of Orcas Island to Point Doughty ...

It may be daunting to figure out how to kayak in the San Juan Islands.If you're a beginner/intermediate kayaker, this is the trip for you.First, you'll want to plan ahead and reserve a kayak for Sucia Island. We used Outer Island Expeditions which was nice because they make it pretty easy for you...

For what was once a highly contested and disputed piece of land in the Pacific Ocean, now lays home to one of the most peaceful, tranquil, and historic hikes in the island chain. Start the hike at the parking lot of the San Juan Island National Historic Site American Camp Visitor Center. Proceed ...

No visit to the San Juan Islands is complete without taking a whale watching tour and Rosario Harbor on Orcas Island is uniquely situation to allow for trips east into the Rosario Straight, south into Lopez Sound, or west into the Haro Straight. Such flexibility is useful when on the looking for ...

Heading west from Victoria, take the TransCanada Highway to Hwy 14. Continue past Sooke towards Port Renfrew. Look for the sign that reads Sombrio Beach Trailhead (approximately 45 minutes past Sooke) and take the left. Note that this dirt road can be incredibly rugged (aka full of potholes) and ...

Moran State Park is an true gem within the beautiful San Juan Islands. The park takes up a large portion of the East side of Orcas Island, the largest of all the San Juans. There are multiple campgrounds within the park along the shores of Cascade Lake and Mountain Lake. For the most relaxing exp...

This 7 mile round-trip hike takes you to the mountain's summit. From here you'll be able to take in an amazing view. During the hike, you'll head around the left side of Mountain Lake, and then continue on to Twin Lakes, before starting your jaunt to the top of Mt. Constitution. The hike around ...

Firstly, use google maps to take you to Stephenson Rd in Nanaimo. About a mile down, the road forks, follow the left road (It says no exit, but the road just ends at a property so you will need to turn around to get back out). Continue down the road another half mile or so and you will see a smal...

You can easily put Sugarloaf Mountain Park into your GPS when in Nanaimo, but lets, just say you have an old school map. First make your way from the Island Highway onto Departure Bay Rd. Just before you get to Hammond Bay Rd turn onto Little John Way and take your first left, then take your firs...

The falls cascades off of a sheet of rock that is filled with Ammonite fossils, thus the name Ammonite Falls! The trailhead is very distinct and has a parking lot close to the start of the trail. From the Nanaimo Parkway (#19) head onto Jingle Pot Road. Follow that for a few kilometres and turn ...

Obstruction Pass State Park is something of a hidden gem on Orcas Island given that its nearby neighbor, Moran State Park, gets most of the tourist attention. What this means is that you can find solitude and quiet, *and* make a visit to the only publicly owned beach on the island. There are seve...

Obstruction Pass State Park is something of a hidden gem on Orcas Island given that its nearby neighbor, Moran State Park, gets most of the tourist attention. What this means is that you can find solitude and quiet, *and* make a visit to the only publicly owned beach on the island. There are seve...

The nine primitive campsites and one Cascadia Marine Trail campsite of Obstruction Pass State Park are the only first come, first serve campsites available on Orcas Island. The campsites themselves overlook a fantastic (and accessible beach) and Obstruction Pass itself. There are four composting ...

It's just a short walk to the beach on this protruding point in Lopez Sound, and all downhill. Immediately upon leaving the trailhead, you come to a junction. Turn right and make a beeline straight for the picnic area at the base of the Spit.Time to explore the Spit. If the tide is high, stick to...

The loop trail is a short 3.5km trail that is well maintained and open year round. There's negligible elevation gain and aside from the odd slippery section the trail is easily accessible for all ages and skill levels. It is definitely busy in the Spring and Summer months but is manageable in the...