55 Best Sights in Vancouver Island, British Columbia

One of Vancouver Island's oldest estate vineyards, this family-owned, sustainably farmed winery is a favorite with the locals. Award-winning estate wines include Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Black Muscat, while the Quill label wines are blended with grapes from the Okanagan Valley. Locally made cheese and charcuterie boards, which pair perfectly with the wines, are served daily in the architecturally stunning Tasting Room. Lunch for two, including five wines, is $50.

Geothermal springs tumble down a waterfall and into a series of oceanside rock pools at idyllic Hot Springs Cove, accessible only by boat or air from Tofino. Here, day trips—which are offered by several Tofino outfitters—usually include a bit of whale-watching en route. Once you arrive at the park, there's a half-hour boardwalk trail through old-growth forest to the site. Another popular day trip is to Meares Island, where an easy 20-minute boardwalk trail leads to trees up to 1,600 years old.

This national park has some of Canada's most stunning coastal and rain-forest scenery, abundant wildlife, and a unique marine environment. It comprises three separate units—Long Beach, the Broken Group Islands, and the West Coast Trail—for a combined area of 123,431 acres, and stretches 130 km (81 miles) along Vancouver Island's west coast.

More than 100 islands of the Broken Group Islands archipelago in Barkley Sound can be reached only by boat. The islands and their clear waters are alive with sea lions, seals, and whales, and because the inner waters are much calmer than the surrounding ocean, they provide an excellent environment for kayaking. Guided kayak and charter-boat tours are available from outfitters in Ucluelet, Bamfield, and Port Alberni.

The most popular part of the park, and the only section that can be reached by car, is the Long Beach section. Besides the beach, the Long Beach section of the park is home to rich stands of old-growth forest, a wealth of marine and terrestrial wildlife (including black bears, cougars, and sea lions), and a network of coastal and rain-forest hiking paths. A first stop for any first-timer is the visitor center, which doubles as the Ucluelet Visitor Information Office. You can pick up maps and information, and pay park entrance fees here.

There are actually two vineyards on this lovely 26-acre property—the upper vineyard clings to Mount Menzies while the lower trails down to the sea—both kept trim by a resident flock of small Babydoll Southdown sheep. Vintages from the first two years proved so popular that the vineyard has now increased to maximum production capacity. The award-winning Ortega and Blanc de Noir continue to sell out. Enjoy appetizers from Truss Farm Food in the licensed picnic area off the Tasting Room.

Victor Vesely and Margit Nellemann have proven agriculture officials, who said tea couldn't be grown in Canada, wrong. They planted two terraces of Camellia sinensis on about half an acre overlooking an old dairy barn in 2010. The barn has since been converted to a tea shop and gallery and their first crop of single-origin spring harvest tea, Swallow Tail Oolong, was released July 1, 2016. Also available are imported artisanal teas blended with herbs and flowers grown on the farm and popular Chinese zodiac–sign teas. The adjoining gallery features Margit's exquisite ceramic teapots and more. Book in for a Tea Tasting workshop or Tea Experience, including a guided tasting and tour of the tea garden.

Father-and-son duo Stephen and Jeremy Schacht built this craft distillery from the ground up, including designing and building their own unique stills. The award-winning gin and vodka they produce here are made with certified organic wheat from the BC mainland and botanicals from around the world, such as Albanian coriander, African grains of paradise, and juniper berries from Bulgaria. They now grow their own wild-harvested botanicals on the five-acre site. Don't miss the "Nocino!", a seasonal green walnut liqueur which was awarded best nonfruit liqueur in the 2019 Pacific Northwest Sip Awards.

It's all about the Pinot Noir at this estate winery. Even the rosé is 100% Pinot Noir. In the tasting room, take the Pinot glass test to learn why the shape of the glass makes a difference to where you taste the wine on your palate (mid-palate being ideal for the delicate nature of Pinot). Try the Charme de L'Ile and Prevost Foch Cab before heading out to the patio overlooking the ocean with your favorite bottle and something off their snack menu or your own picnic. This is the perfect place to start or end a trip through the Cowichan Valley.

Kids adore riding the rails at the British Columbia Forest Discovery Centre, a 100-acre outdoor museum just north of Duncan. Pulled by a 1910 steam locomotive, a three-carriage train toots through the woods and over a trestle bridge across a lake, stopping at a picnic site and playground on the way. Forestry-related exhibits around the site include a 1930s-era logging camp, historic logging equipment, and indoor exhibits about the modern science of forestry. Interpretive trails through the forest lead to ancient trees, one dating back more than 500 years. During July and August, a gas locomotive runs every hour. In May, June, and September, the train may be replaced with a gas locomotive.

This 24-acre family-owned and -operated vineyard, one of the first licensed wineries in the Cowican Valley, is now the second-largest on Vancouver Island. The tasting room is open daily and features varietals including Gewürztraminer, Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Ortega, Auxerrois, and Agria. The winery's highly rated bistro La Terraza serves lunch Thursday to Sunday from May to October.

The interesting Cowichan Bay Maritime Centre has maritime paraphernalia, including historic vessels and model boats, displayed along a pier, which is also a great place to take in views of the village and boats at harbor. You may also be able to watch boatbuilders at work in the attached studio.

This small estate vineyard on a south slope overlooking Somenos Lake is a labor of love for husband-and-wife team Mike and Robin Nierychlo. The pair purchased the property, which has some of the oldest Sauvignon Blanc vines on the island, in 2013. Since their first vintage the following year, the Sauv Blanc continually sells out. The property includes The Tractor Shed guest house, a 1,000-square-foot, two-bedroom guest house, complete with a six-guest hot tub on the deck overlooking the lake. The tasting room is open three days a week or by appointment.

Chemainus is famous for its bold epic murals. The Chemainus Festival of Murals Society started a revitalization project in 1982 that has since brought in international artists to paint more than 60 murals and 9 sculptures depicting local historical events around town. Follow the yellow footprints on the sidewalk around town for a self-guided tour of the murals. Or hop in a horse-drawn carriage for a narrated tour.

This provincial park, on the scenic Strait of Juan de Fuca 21 km (13 miles) west of Sooke, comprises a sand-and-pebble beach, a campground, and seaside trails. The shoreline is an excellent spot for whale-watching, as migrating grays and resident killer whales often feed in the area. Amenities: toilets; showers; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking; windsurfing.

This small winery, home to valley-view vineyards and a meditative labyrinth, produces estate-grown Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, a Chardonnay-Gewürztraminer blend, and an intriguing red made from Zweigelt grapes. It's open for tastings daily May through October from 11 am to 5 pm.

Both North Pender and South Pender host sections of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. On South Pender a steep trail leads to the 800-foot summit of Mt. Norman, with its expansive ocean and island views; in the newer Greenburn Lake section of the park, forest trails circle a pretty freshwater lake. On North Pender, a historic cottage resort called Roesland is now part of the park; one of the circa-1908 cottages houses the Pender Island Museum. An easy 15-minute walk leads to a tiny islet.

Art studios, an artisans' co-op, Pender Chocolates, and views to Saturna and Mayne islands are the draws at Hope Bay, a lovely cove on North Pender's eastern shore.

Extending from Jordan River to near Port Renfrew, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park takes in several beaches, including China Beach, with soft, sandy beaches dotted with driftwood; Sombrio Beach, a popular surfing spot; and Botanical Beach, with its amazing tidal pools. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail is a tough 48-km (30-mile) wilderness hiking trail running along the shore from China Beach, west of Jordan River, to Botanical Beach, near Port Renfrew. Several trailheads along the way—at China Beach, Sombrio Beach, Parkinson Creek, and Botanical Beach—allow day hikers to walk small stretches of it.

Perched on a point about a mile off the highway on Wickaninnish Beach, the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve's visitor center offers insights into local culture, flora and fauna, First Nations traditions, local history, and conservation efforts; don't miss the stunning life-size carving of a whaling canoe. Park rangers are on hand to answer questions. The outside deck is perfect for spotting whales, surfers, and storms.

The most accessible—and visited—section of the park is the Long Beach Unit, the highlight of which is a 15-km (9-mile) stretch of pristine forest-backed sand just off Highway 4 between Ucluelet and Tofino. Four-hour "beach walk" passes are available at Long Beach Parking Lot only. Amenities: parking (fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

Cider is made in the traditional English way at this apple orchard, cidery and distillery; in addition to several varieties of cider and fortified wines, they also make spirits, like brandy, vodka, gin, and an apple eau de vie. Visitors can take a cidery and tasting tour at noon on Saturdays or a spirits and brandy tour on Sundays. Lunches of local fare served on the orchard-view patio. There's also a shop selling ciders, juices, baked goods, and jams, and you can even spend the night in a glamorous yurt on the property.