The West Coast Is The Perfect Place To Tour The East Coast

The east coast of Vancouver Island, that is. In just a day or two, you can follow the coast from city to fishing village. From beach to lush provincial parks. From rich farmlands to logging country.

The Coast Tour

1 Start your tour in Duncan, City of Totems. Here you can see over 40 totem poles in various outdoor locations. Be sure to visit the Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Center. Open year-round, it includes totem pole carving demonstrations, storytelling and more. This is also the perfect place to get an authentic Cowichan sweater. Handknit from undyed wool laden with lanolin for rain-resistance, these sweaters are world famous.

2 Head north along Highway 1 to Nanaimo. Stop at Chemainus, noted for its numerous larger-than-life outdoor murals. In Nanaimo, home of the deliciously rich Nanaimo Bar dessert and the rollicking Bathtub Races in July, you can visit The Bastion, built by the Hudson's Bay Trading Company in 1853.

3 Taking Highway 19 north, visit Parksville. This popular resort town has a 1.5 km (1 mile) beach where you can search for sand dollars and other shells. Throughout the Parksville/Qualicum area, you'll find excellent fishing and parks. In nearby French Creek, visit St. Anne's, one of the oldest stone churches on the Island.

4 Heading north again on Highway 19, you'll pass through Fanny Bay, famous for its oysters, to the Courtenay/Comox area. This area is a year-round recreational paradise, with more than 40 regional parks. Golf and fish in spring and summer or ski on Mt. Washington in winter.

5 Continuing north to Campbell River, a great place to stop is Miracle Beach Provincial Park. Orcas may sometimes be spotted in the Strait of Georgia and porpoises and seals near the mouth of Black Creek.

6 Campbell River, known as a salmon fishing capital, is an ideal destination for a getaway filled with activities like fishing, boating, hiking, golfing and more. Some of the biggest salmon in the world have been caught here. Located between Strathcona Provincial Park to the west and Discovery Islands to the east, Campbell River offers visitors access to Quadra, Cortes and northern Vancouver Island for terrific fishing, among other things.

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