12 Best Shopping in Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Salt Spring Island Saturday Market

Fodor's choice

Locals and visitors alike flock to Ganges for the famous Saturday Market, held in Centennial Park from April through October. It's one of the island's most popular attractions. Everything sold at this colorful outdoor bazaar is made or grown on the island; the array and quality of crafts, food, and produce is dazzling. Centennial Park also hosts a farmers' market on summer Tuesdays. A two-hour (maximum) dog-sitting service is available for $10.

Arthur Vickers Shipyard Gallery

This well-regarded gallery displays the renowned artist's work, with west coast and First Nations themes, in a converted shipyard building dating back to 1926. The gallery has irregular hours in winter.

Chocolate Tofino

Everything from the wild blackberry butter creams and lavender truffles to the sorbets and gelatos are handmade in-house at this tiny chocolate and gelato shop just south of Tofino. You can even watch chocolatiers at work in the open kitchen.

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Farmers' Market

Miners Bay

On Saturday between mid-May and mid-October, check out the Farmers' Market outside the Miners Bay Agricultural Hall. Open from 10 to 1, it sells produce and crafts while local musicians entertain shoppers.

House of Himwitsa

You'll find a good selection of First Nations crafts, jewelry, and clothing at this Native art gallery. The complex also has a dockside smoked-fish store and four waterfront suites.

Mermaid Tales Bookshop

This locally run shop has a carefully curated selection of novels, nonfiction selections, and local-interest books as well as kites and toys.

Roy Henry Vickers Gallery

In a traditional longhouse, this magnificent gallery houses a collection of prints, paintings, and carvings by renowned BC artist Roy Henry Vickers.

Salt Spring Island Cheese Company

Watch the cheese makers at work at this farm and cheese shop north of Fulford Harbour, where tasting is encouraged. Kids can walk through the farmyard to see the animals that provide the milk for the goat's and sheep's milk cheeses. In summer, a café serves baked sandwiches, pizzas, soups, and a goat milk gelato, with seating in the courtyard and garden.

Tofino Brewing Co

This sustainable, locally focused craft brewery is producing small-batch, handcrafted beer. Enjoy a flight of their west coast-inspired brews with a charcuterie platter picked up from Picnic Charcuterie, located across the street.

Tofino Craft Distillery

Stop in for a mini cocktail in the Tasting Room at Tofino Craft Distillery. This craft spirit distiller makes hand-crafted organic flagship spirits, including small-batch vodka, West Coast Gin, Old-Growth Cedar Gin (made with western red cedar tips and organic botanicals), Rose Hibiscus Gin, and a Psychedelic Jellyfish Absinthe. Tasting Room infusions change weekly.

Tofino Public Market

Head to the Village Green on Campbell Street for food, crafts, and entertainment every Saturday from mid-May to October.

Wild Coast Perfumery

Artisan perfumer Laurie Arbuthnot uses pure plant-based essential oils and distillations derived from foraged flora, such as red cedar and oak moss, to blend her signature scents on-site. Designed to evoke "scent memories" of BC, the botanical perfumes are inspired by the rain forests, mountains, and Salish Sea, and are named for places along the coast.