Vancouver Island has been at the top of my Canadian travel bucket list forever — and after 8 full days of waterfalls, hidden beaches, rainforest hikes, and some of the best wildlife spotting I’ve ever done, I can officially say that it’s worth the hype and I was not disappointed. This road trip took us from the southern tip of the island all the way to the remote northern coastline and back, and I’m sharing every stop along the way.
If you’re planning a Vancouver Island adventure, here’s a full recap of our itinerary with tips I wish I knew going in. Alternatively, if you’re trying to pick a certain part of the island and don’t know what to go with, this blog post can give you a feel for each area!
MY CUSTOM GOOGLE MAP:
Day 1: Arrival, Beaches & a Perfect Sunset
We landed at Victoria Airport and immediately made our way to Harvest Rd. which is a cute farm-side food truck with locally sourced meals — perfect first bite on the island to get an idea for the vibe.
Next stop: Malahat SkyWalk. It’s a beautiful trail on a boardwalk that takes you up a spiraling tower with views of the Saanich Inlet and surrounding forest. There is also a large slide winding down you can slide down, but take note there can be a big line up! Note: This is a paid experience.
We made a quick detour to Whiffin Spit, a beach where we spotted a large fried egg jellyfish washed up on shore and blue herons that were fishing. The walk itself is flat, short and easy, and it’s great for a nature break. Not a must stop by any means, but nice to stretch your legs at.
Dinner was comfort food heaven: Grilled to the Mac (yes, mac & cheese is my favourite food), followed by craft beer at SOB Brewery.
After that, we explored two beaches:
- French Beach Provincial Park – a quick stroll with wide open views.
- Sandcut Beach – a 1.8 km forest trail that leads you to a beach with a small waterfall flowing right onto the beach. It’s a bit of a stair workout, but it’s an incredible sunset spot. Recommend!
We stayed at Wild Coast Wilderness Resort. To be completely transparent, the bed was very firm which is not my personal preference, but besides that it was clean, cozy, and had everything we needed.
Day 2: Coastal Hiking Day
This was our longest hiking day, and it was so worth the sore legs. I believe we ended the day with around 23,000 steps.
We started with a drive-by of the Bonsai Tree, growing solo on a rock near the water — easy to miss, but very photogenic and interesting to see.
Then:
- Harris Canyon – a photo-worthy gorge right off the road, but note: it’s on a one-lane bridge, so take it slow and be very careful.
- Harris Big Tree – just a 1-minute walk from the parking lot. Massive old-growth, worth the quick stop. Keep your eyes peeled for all the massive slugs! This was a quick stop but absolutely stunning and I would highly recommend. Fun Fact: This was recommended by the lovely humans at Malahat Skywalk!
The main hike of the morning was Botanical Beach. It was super muddy, so wear sturdy waterproof boots. You can skip the full loop trail — just head down the left portion of the trail and return the same way (about 1km each way vs. 2.8km total). The tide pools and coastal rock formations are the highlight, as well as the birds.
Then we hit:
- Mystic Beach – we took the official trail, but apparently there’s a shortcut we missed. This was one of my favourite places on the ENTIRE TRIP.
- Sombrio Beach – has a hidden waterfall tucked in a narrow canyon. It feels like a secret spot you’d never find without knowing about it. If you’ve been to Iceland and have seen Gljúfrabúi, this one looks quite similar! Don’t miss this one, another favourite of the trip.
I would recommend camping at Jordan River Campground — oceanfront views, falling asleep to the sound of waves. Absolutely stunning and great for camper vans and roof top tents.
Day 3: Northbound to Tofino
We left early for a long drive day, with one tip: fill up on gas before heading out, especially if you’re low.
Stops included:
- Goats on a Roof in Coombs — yes, there are actual goats grazing on the roof. Inside you’ll find baked goods, groceries, souvenirs, and premade food options.
- Taylor River Rest Stop — a quiet scenic pullout for stretching your legs and using the washroom, as well as admiring the colour of the water. You could even swim if hot enough out!
- Pacific Rim National Park – The Rainforest Trail in Pacific Rim National Park, with its “A” and “B” paths, is a popular boardwalk trail through the west coast rainforest. The trail loop consists of two separate paths, one on each side of the highway. We followed it on AllTrails.
- Combers Beach – This beach is stunning and easy to get to if you want to stretch your legs! It’s huge and sandy. Highly recommend.
By afternoon we rolled into Tofino, checked into Tin Wis Resort which is one of my favourite hotel stays I have ever had, and then after settling in we grabbed burritos at Tacofino — absolutely lives up to the hype and worth wait times (but you can also order online for pick up!)
You can also rent a safe beach fire set up from the hotel for a sunset beach fire!
If you’re feeling up to it, finish the day with a steep and muddy but rewarding hike up to the Cox Bay Lookout. Great view of the coastline from the top — especially around sunset.
Day 4: Whales, Surf, and Soaking
A full activity day in Tofino! Woot woot!
Rise n’ shine, get ready for a Whale Watching Tour with Ahous Adventures (10am–1pm). Amazing experience — saw gray whales and a bunch of sea life, followed up by an indigenous tour that was very emotional.
Afternoon:
- Surfing & beach biking – all available at the Tin Wis Hotel property for rentals!
- Chilling at the resort, cold plunging in the ocean, then warming up in the hot tub.
Honestly, the perfect Tofino day — active and restful all at once. - Tin Wis also has a restaurant you could get dinner at.
Day 5: Heading to Port Hardy
We packed up (was sad about leaving Tofino honestly, I think it kept a piece of me) and started another big drive day.
- First stop: Incinerator Rock, a quiet beach near Long Beach. Would highly recommend a sunrise here. Also a great spot to surf!
- The drive itself was beautiful, so keep your camera handy.
- Midday walk through Cathedral Grove — home to towering old-growth Douglas firs. It gets busy here so recommend arriving as early as possible. There are also washrooms here!
We arrived in Port Hardy that evening — a remote, peaceful town that feels far removed from the rest of the world while still having McDonalds if you’re like me and craving a Big Mac.
Day 6: Wildlife Up Close
We had planned either San Josef Bay or another whale tour — and opted for the whales due to weather/tide times/obligations.
Zodiac Whale Watching (11am–scheduled for 3 hrs, went for 5) with Prince of Whales in Telegraph Cove (booked it on the Get Your Guide app). It was amazing, my favourite whale watching tour I’ve done. We saw:
- Orcas (will never recover from how magical that was)
- Dall’s porpoises (they were playing with the boat jumping all around us)
- Steller sea lions, a bald eagle (and nest), sea otters
For dinner, we had a great meal at Ha’me Restaurant, the fine dining spot inside our hotel (Kwa’lilas Hotel). I recommend the butternut squash ravioli.
Note: if you do San Josef Bay instead, give yourself a full day. The road is long, bumpy, and remote. Make sure you have a vehicle that can handle logging roads, a spare tire, and check tide times before hiking in.
Day 7: Art & Heading South (Big Drive Day)
Before leaving Port Hardy, we stopped at the art gallery inside Kwa’lilas Hotel — full of incredible Indigenous artwork.
We drove down to the Nanoose Bay area to stay the night at a B&B, but before we called it a night we hiked Notch Hill — a great leg-stretcher with lovely views that you have to work for, but it’s stunning and there’s even a swing at the look out.
Day 8: Sweet Endings in Nanaimo
On our last day:
- Tried an official Nanaimo bar in Nanaimo — we got 3 flavours from Red’s Bakery and it was perfect. My favourite was the cheesecake and the peanut butter ones.
- Stopped at Niagara Falls (no, not that one — but still a beautiful, quick nature stop that I highly recommend).
Then back to Victoria for our flight home — and already dreaming of a return trip, specifically to Tofino but honestly the entire island was magical.
Final Wildlife Checklist
We saw:
✅ Orcas
✅ Gray whales
✅ Dall’s porpoises
✅ Sea otters
✅ Steller sea lions
✅ Seals
✅ Bald eagle
✅ Jellyfish, starfish, crabs, slugs, herons
Still on the bucket list:
🔲 Sea wolves
🔲 Elk
Can’t Wait To Go Back!!
This trip had the perfect mix of adventure, wildlife, rainforests and beaches. Vancouver Island felt like the kind of place you can road trip 100 times and still discover something new.
If you’re thinking about making the trip — do it.
Until next time,
Katie 🥾
yourmatiekatie 