Sanity Check - Sunshine Coast/Northern Vancouver Island Itinerary
 

I've been planning our upcoming vacation to British Columbia in late May/early June of this year. It started with a week in Vancouver, but has grown to include a trip up the Sunshine Coast and northern Vancouver Island, plus a couple of days in the Okanagan. I'd like to post my Sunshine Coast itinerary for suggestions and tweaking, both for a sanity check and to solicit some ideas for stops/shopping/dining/hiking/etc, so that DH just doesn't blindly keep driving down the road.

We'll have been in Vancouver for a week, so this picks up on the morning we check out and head for the Sunshine Coast:

Sunday, May 30:
• Catch morning ferry at Horseshoe Bay for Langdale
• Drive up coast, stopping here and there
• Catch ferry to Saltery Bay by late afternoon/early evening
• Check into Lund Hotel for 2 nights
Monday, May 31
• Explore area between Lund and Saltery Bay, some day hikes
• Possibly take a day cruise
Tuesday, June 1
• Catch morning ferry across to Comox on Vancouver Island
• Drive up to Campbell River, explore along way or not
• Catch ferry to Quadra Island
• Check into Tsa-Kwa-Luten Lodge for 2 nights
Wednesday, June 2
• Explore island, take a wildlife cruise
Thursday, June 3
• Catch morning ferry back to Campbell River
• Spend the day exploring and end up in Nanaimo for dinner
• Catch one of the evening ferries back to mainland –Tsawwassen
• Check into Coast Hotel near ferry terminal for 1 night
Friday, June 4
• Breakfast, then head out for the Okanagan for the rest of our vacation

Note: While we are on Vancouver Island, we'll probably drive into Strathcona Provincial Park and/or (if I can't stop DH), even toward Gold River. I'm allowing some time on arrival and departure day to accommodate that.

Appreciate everybody's comments on my other threads, thanks so much!

I should add, we will be purchasing the CirclePac fare on BC Ferries for this trip.

Sounds like a great trip. I'll just add my 2 cents worth:

If you're in Lund and don't want to eat fish 'n' chips for
both nights (that's the traditional Lund Hotel meal), take
a short drive to the Laughing Oyster Resto. on Okeover Arm
- we ate there last year and had a lovely dinner with a
beautiful view.

I'm sure you'll go to the bakery in Lund for a coffee and
berry scone (it's on the hill over the marina parking lot).

Avoid eating at the Beach Gardens resto (purposely forgotten
its name). Too bad b/c the setting is splendid. That's in
Powell River.

Again, on Quadra a drive to Rebecca Spit will give you the
best of the West Coast.

Lots of driving but some of the Best of BC! =D>

Yes, I have to build in lots of driving for DH -- his disclaimer on all our vacations is "I just drive the car!"

immimi - thanks for the restaurant advice. I checked the menus at all those places, and the Laughing Oyster sounds great. Good thing we're there for 2 nights, because once DH sees fish and chips on the Lund Hotel menu, I know that will be one of his must-do's. Rest assured we'll stay away from Beach Gardens and will of course hunt down the berry scones.

when you are driving towards Nanaimo, if it is near lunch and you are in Courtenay, the Atlas resteraunt is great place for a meal.

A few good places in Nanaimo for dinner downtown if you want a view of the harbour are The Lighthouse Bistro, right on the the boardwalk or the Dorchester Hotel which is across the street. There is a great Thai resteraunt called Sukkho Thai on the main drag, nothing fancy but good authentic Thai food. Amrikos is in Departure Bay and has great Indian Food. In the north end there is Longwood Brew Pub or , Blue Ginger for Asian food.

Nanaimo does not have any really fancy resteraunts, we are pretty laid back here, but the above are places that I have not been disapointed in.

Sounds good. We're not looking for fancy on that meal, just some solid food that's not "fast food." I took a look at the Lighthouse's menu - the salmon and chips sounds intriguing. I confess I never thought about battered salmon, but that might get me in the door. Are you familiar with the Crow & Gate Pub? I was considering that one as well.

Sludick the Crow and Gate is a really neat pub - whenever my daughter visits and we drive up island to visit relatives we have to stop there. It is south of Nanaimo but if you are sailing from Duke Point it wouldn't be that much out of the way. Just allow some extra time.

yes crow and gate is a funky little English Syle pub. It depend upon what you want, a view of the harbour type resteraunt or a pub in the country.

Well, thank you both. I'll make a point to mention whichever one in my trip report.