Campbell River to Port Hardy -- Worth a Drive?
 

DH and I will be in Vancouver the last week of May, and I'm planning to extend a few days so we can take a drive up the Sunshine Coast using the Circle Pac ticket on the ferry. If you read another thread of mine, you will know that we also plan on a whale watching trip either out of Steveston or Victoria.

If we do go out of Steveston, we won't want to go all the way to Victoria, but will spend the time exploring elsewhere (and leave out of Nanaimo). Also, we are planning on taking a wildlife discovery zodiac ride out of Campbell River on our circle trip, so will likely spend a night there.

So - if we don't end up going into Victoria, would it be worthwhile to spend an extra day and drive up to Port Hardy? Or if that's a bust, other suggestions?

No, not worth it at all.

The road takes a big hook east to cut through the logged off/rather unremarkable Nimpkish Valley and there's very little to see-a total bore of a drive in fact. :'(

Here I am again Sludick. I agree with Sam - definitely not worth it and the chance of rain is very high - there are better sights to see. If you are going to overnight in Campbell River I really recommend taking the little ferry over to Quadra Island and staying at the Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge. http://www.capemudgeresort.bc.ca/ It is a delightful spot and very reasonable priced. We sometimes go up there for a couple of nights away. The dining room has always been excellent as well.

Plus, Rebecca Spit on Quadra is heavenly.........

Well, shoot. (Just referring to the nix on Port Hardy.) DH's mantra on vacation is "I drive the car." Here lately he has been looking at the atlas and making comments like "I'll bet THIS road is paved" -- it's beginning to scare me.

I need to find him a worthwhile drive on the northern half of this island...somewhere other than a logging road or some such. I see a road going west out of Campbell River through Strathcona Park -- what about that? How far does that go, and just in case, is there a road that goes all the way to the Pacific? (In that event, obviously I would be looking for lodging.)

Traveller69, thank you for the referral to Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge. It looks beautiful, and the menu especially yummy. I checked online and they don't have availability when we would be there, but I will keep checking and perhaps give them a call. DH just loves driving onto ferries, so this might just be the thing.

Last thing -- any ideas where I might find a decent piece of First Nations art (especially to put on the wall) to bring home? Driving is for DH, shopping is for me... :-d

Hi again - you will find a lot of First Nation art on the island but here is a suggestion - if you can't get into the Lodge go to Quadra Island for the day - check out this website. You will definitely find some nice pieces there as well http://www.quadraislandarts.com/page...land_Page.html

If you end up in Victoria the Royal BC Museum gift shop has a lot of pieces that you may like as well. Just keep asking the questions!!

First off I said <i>"takes a big hook east"</i>" that is of course incorrect as the road heads <u>west</u> into oblivion.

<i>"I see a road going west out of Campbell River through Strathcona Park -- what about that? How far does that go, and just in case, is there a road that goes all the way to the Pacific? (In that event, obviously I would be looking for lodging.)</i>"

Yes that road is Highway 28 and is a lovely drive by some inviting lakes-other roads head off into Strathcona-and it ends in bucolic Gold River.

A somewhat unprepossessing town is GR and it's not on the ocean at all-neither is Tahsis which is some ways down a <s>hair raising</s> somewhat challenging but overall rewarding gravel road to the west.

Both towns have accommodations.

http://www.butterflybedandbreakfast.com/

http://www.lostsailor.ca/

Well we went up as far as Port McNeill and it was certainly worth it. We took ferry (as foot passengers) over to Alert Bay where we spent an afternoon and that was fascinating to visit, with First Nations museum/cultural centre.
We did our whale-watching out of Telegraph Cove, chose that over Victoria. Only unpaved road was the short stretch off highway to Telegraph Cove but maybe it's changed since (paved too?).

Lynda_bcn - do you remember which company you used for your whale watching?

Sam_Salmon - don't think you are fooling me! I have learned of the Canadian propensity for understatement... you first description of "hair raising" is the one I'll believe. :))

Can't commment on the road to Port Hardy but did a zodiac tour a few years ago out of Campbell River. We did the one from Painter's Lodge...it was quite thrilling and enjoyable. We also had a lovely lunch at Painter's Lodge and it would have been nice to stay there as it is a beautiful spot but we had to move on.

I have been able to get a single night (June 2)at the Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge (traveller69's suggestion), and am hoping another night (June 1) may open up. We have 3 nights on the island altogether, plus 2 nights on the Sunshine Coast mainland. Question - if the Lodge doesn't open up, can you suggest some other options?

We are planning to cross from Powell River to Comox and stay on the northern end (since we have visited Victoria and Tofino a few times, but never this area).

HI Sludick - I have been watching for a post from you. I was wondering if you have seen any of the "Hello BC" tourism ads. They really went all out with them during the Olympics but they are still running here in Arizona. Just wanted to say that the shot of the people in a bell tower overlooking vineyards is at Burrowing Owl (goes by fast though so you have to watch for it). Enough trivia - also on Quadra is the April Point Lodge - pricier than Tsa-Kwa-Luten but very very nice http://www.aprilpoint.com/ We also stayed at http://www.whiskeypoint.com/ years ago. Its not as fancy but was very comfortable.

So that's why I had the feeling that I was being watched?... :d We gave some friends a week in Banff (timeshare) while we are in the Vancouver area, and will meet up in the middle for lunch at Burrowing Owl at the end of our vacations.

I also see Heriot Bay Inn - any thoughts on that one? http://www.heriotbayinn.ca/

Hope you are enjoying Arizona!

Yes I think the tower is to keep an eye on those owls so they don't fall off the wagon!

I haven't stayed at Heriot Bay but friends have and weren't that happy with it. (I am talking several years ago so I don't know if it has improved or not) At Whiskey Point we always got the deluxe living room because the seating area is far more comfortable.

How long are you going to be away on this trip? I guess you will be spending time in Marysville first?

Good news - Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge just contacted me and were able to give us both nights. Yay!

How kind of you to remember my Marysville connections. Yes, we will head down that way during our trip. My cousin's husband passed away on New Year's Day during a visit with their daughter near Mobile, Alabama. As you may remember, they winter in their motorhome, mostly in Arizona. But they took a trip to see daughter who had recently relocated from Marysville. He got ill and passed away rather quickly. The family is gathering to remember him and decorate graves on Memorial Day, as he was a veteran (he was cremated in Alabama).

We start out on May 22 by flying into Spokane (Southwest - free ticket). We'll drive to Osoyoos and spend the night at Watermark (Priceline win), pick up some wine and check to make sure those little owls are toeing the line.

Then we head to Vancouver for a week (downtown timeshare). After that, we head up the Sunshine coast on 5/30, and will use the CirclePac fare to spend a total of 5 nights on the coast and Vancouver Island.

Then, we head back to the Okanagan. Here is where we stock up on our favorite wineries and will spend 2 nights. Our friends will join us, as I mentioned, and we will check on those owls again - heaven knows they need supervision.

Back to Spokane and will catch an early morning flight back to Orlando on June 7.

Sludick - I'm glad you were able to get the Lodge. It is such a lovely place. Its amazing to watch the cruise ships in the evening - they go through such a narrow channel you feel you can reach out and touch them.

I'm sorry to hear about your cousins husband. What a terrible thing but it is a blessing that your cousin was with her daughter at the time.

I always know Marysville - when I was a kid we used to make a weekend trip out of going to Seattle to shop (in the 50's it was a weekend trip) and Marysville always meant we were getting close. It was a big deal to stay in a motel. How times have changed.

I don't think I mentioned this to you before but when you are in Vancouver you must go up Burnaby Mountain. The views are spectacular. There are very interesting totem poles also which were carved by Japanese sculptors as a symbol of the friendship between Vancouver and the sister city in Japan.

There is a restaurant up there "Horizons" the food is fine but not gourmet but it is nice to go up in the late afternoon and see the sights and then stay til after sunset. It isn't like Grouse Mountain its an easy drive. Simon Fraser University is up there but you go past that to the top. Here is a website to give you some info.
http://www.greatervancouverparks.com/BurnabyMtn01.html

As a teenager we used to go up there on Saturday nights to watch the stars (among other things) Simon Fraser wasn't there then so I went to UBC which was the only option in those days.

If you are looking for a good Chinese restaurant in Vancouver my favourite is http://www.imperialrest.com/imperial.html
The restaurant is lovely on the main floor of one of the nicest old buildings in Vancouver. It was a skyscraper in the old days but is dwarfed by all the buildings around it now. I have recommended it to a lot of visitors and they have all been impressed.

OK enough info for now and I'm glad you are going to keep an eye on those owls I hear they are getting restless.....

If you dont find any Native art before your drive to Nanaimo, there is a great little shop in Coombs, which is 1/2 hour before you get to Nanaimo, on the left hand side, down a little dip in a building with other business'. It is a fantastic top end Native Art store. He has very unique and beautiful pieces. Not a bit store, but lots of variety from various local artists. It is right before the bridge and just before the Coombs Market (goats on the roof.)

I meant to say.'not a big store'

Thanks for the tip! We know right where Coombs Market is, I think we'll make a stop there even if we have had luck elsewhere.