Next summer, about 6 of us plan to visit BC and WA. About 2 nights in Victoria, 4 in Tofino, 3 Salt Spring and rest of the 2 weeks in WA.

Have been to all of the places except Salt Spring. Having loved Tofino, would you expect us to also like Salt Spring. Just want to relax, beach walk, see pretty scenery, etc. Certainly not looking for night life or shopping. Walking or hiking is good.

Please send your thoughts or opinions on Salt Spring for a short visit in summer.

While Saltspring is a lovely place-I have visited every year for decades- it pales in comparison to WCVI.

There are no beaches to walk on just some hikes up the mountain.

We enjoyed a couple days on Salt Spring -- while not nearly as dramatic as Tofino, Salt Spring definitley has it charms. We stayed at a great B&B with beautiful views. Very rolling, lovely landscape. We did one hike which was nice. There are many artists studios you can visit and on Saturdays, I believe, there is a large market which is fun to check out.

Saltspring in the summer;
Riding around, the smell of the wild roses, the sheep in the fields, all heavenly.
Walking the beaches, the only beach is Ganges, that is why it is there.
Night life, it is 5:00, you are getting sleepy, very sleepy...
Shopping, there is a food store in Ganges and tons of artisan studios to stop at if you want pottery, soap etc.
Relax, that is Saltspring.

I went to Salt Spring Island for the first time this past summer. I second what Sam Salmon said.

Having been to other Gulf Islands, we figured we'd stumble across one beach sooner or later. We were wrong. While we did find Beddis Beach - a tiny little shell midden at the end of a road, there really aren't any beaches at all on the island. I mean, there is some water access where you have to climb down a rockface, but it's nothing at all like on Vancouver Island, or even other Gulf Islands - like Montague Harbour on Galiano Island. Therefore, if beaches are a high priority on your list, I would not make Salt Spring Island your destination.

Saying that, Salt Spring Island's great if you want a more rural, country-farm atmosphere. The attractions tend to be the rural atmosphere - the pottery studios, the 2 wineries, the cheese farms, the sheep farms, the tables of flowers for sale on the side of the road, the Ganges market on Saturday mornings, etc.

Thanks for your replies. I know it will seem tame compared to WCVI, but just hoping that it would still have a "watery", relaxed island feel. This seems to be what you're saying. Is there access to rocky shores or areas that may be good for bird watching?

Has anyone been to Spindrift or have any other suggestions to stay? We would need sleeping for 6-8 people. Cottages or houses would be ideal.

I had a holiday on Saltspring once and have been several times on day trips. I don't get a watery feeling on the island <i>at all</i> and perhaps that's why I find it one of the least interesting islands in the area. To me its best feature is Mt. Maxwell. What other islands have you been to? Have you visited or considered beautiful San Juan Island? It has much more variety - history (American Camp, English Camp), beaches, forests and open grassland. It even has foxes.

Interesting that you should mention Birding.

The reason I've visited regularly for so many years is Bass fishing in St Mary Lake-often the best in BC.

St Mary Lake is also a wonderful place for birding in spring-all kinds of types of birds passing through/settling in-well worth renting a canoe or row boat (<i>no gas motors allowed on the lake</i and glassing the bulrushes on the north shore or the forest on either side.

I am planning our trip to the pacific NW for this August. The guys are obsessive fishermen. St. Mary's Lake - Bass fishing - is this on Salt Spring island? Other posts stated there was no longer fish in the Campbell River, so I am looking to other areas to stay. Tofino seems to be the place. Comments?

Do you want Salt or Fresh?
http://fishmyster.com/ one of the best Saltwater guides on the coast.

visited Salt Spring in June, one day was enough.
Tofino ten times the place.