I took a week to discover the east coast of
VANCOUVER ISLAND. It's been almost 20 years since I was last exploring there and I'm sure it's changed.
We took the ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo so we could head north. Getting up at 4am to catch the first ferry was a challenge, but worth it for the view.
As you drive, you can choose the Oceanside route, which is Highway 19A instead of Hwy 19. We stopped in
TIGH-NA-MARA SPA spa to check it out. The sign on the highway said it's the #1 spa in Canada! Although we couldn't see inside the mineral pool, a day rate is only $40 to soak the benefits of the mineral pools, much less than I thought it would be. I hear spas in downtown Van charge $80 a day!
We stopped in
QUALICUM BEACH, a retirement community, and just so quaint. The main street is very clean, with hanging baskets full of flowers and benches to sit along your stroll.
We stopped into
COURTYARD CAFE which had crepes for us to eat! Being gluten, dairy and egg free is a challenge when travelling but www.theceliacscene.com is a great resources to find places to eat. They had a nice back patio, and coconut milk whip cream :)
We headed to
WAYWARD DISTILLERY in
COURTENAY, which makes vodka and gin from honey! We never heard of such a thing and it worked out well for us, as we're gluten free. The tasting is free and the staff are super friendly even though we showed up about 1/2 hour before closing time.
We drove by to have a look at the
AIR FORCE MUSEUM in
COMOX.
Onwards to
CAMPBELL RIVER. We wandered around the waterfront,
PIER STREET and found
DICK'S FISH AND CHIPS (for gluten free fish and chips!). We also stopped at
ELK FALLS PROVINCIAL PARK AND SUSPENSION BRIDGE.
We stopped at
MIRACLE BEACH PROVINCIAL PARK in
BLACK CREEK. There is nobody here! The tide is out and only a few families were around. It's so peaceful.
We stopped into
COASTAL BLACK ESTATE WINERY in
BLACK CREEK.
We stopped at the
PARKSVILLE SUMMER BY THE SEA MARKET. It's on Tuesday nights, which is great, because there's nothing much else to do and you're not competing with weekend markets. It was super fun and showcases a lot of talented people. We saw wonderful artwork (Yvonne Acheson Art), wood carvers (Rusted Nail Designs), etc. I love markets!
I didn't know that Vancouver Island is full of wineries, cideries and distilleries. It was great that we found this map that showed us where some of them are!
We headed to Cowichan Valley. We stopped at
BLUE GROUSE ESTATE WINERY in
DUNCAN.
Super chic tasting room and they have lovely outdoor seating too, but the tasting is done at the bar.
Onwards to
CHERRY POINT ESTATE WINES in
COBBLE HILL. We had our tasting with the owner and she gave info about her wines and the winery.
Next up is
ENRICO WINERY in
MILL BAY. They do their tastings in their seated areas, inside or outside, rather than at the bar. We were totally more relaxed. And we got to take their wine glasses home. Tasting fee is $7.50 per person, a bit more than the usual $5 per person.
More tasting, but this time at
MERRIDALE CIDERY in
COBBLE HILL.
For dinner, we had the cheapest meal yet, at
BIN 4 BURGER LOUNGE. After 9pm, all the burgers are half off as long as you order a drink. No wonder all the students were waiting outside at 845pm...
The next was spent exploring
VICTORIA. This was my usual family vacation when I was little, but I've never been here around Canada Day. The waterfront, Parliament and surrounding buildings were decked out in red and white, lit up at night and
SPIRIT 150 FESTIVAL was on with live music on the whole week before Canada Day.
The streets are clean, the buildings are well maintained, and many are heritage. Even Eddie Bauer, MEC, etc. are located in lovely old buildings. I explored the
WATERFRONT,
CHINATOWN,
BASTION SQUARE,
VICTORIA PUBLIC MARKET, MARKET SQUARE.
I found a lovely high tea place (Venus Sophia), a bubble tea bar (The Bubble Tea Place), an enticing pastry bar (La Roux Patisserie), a juice bar (Jusu bar), a dairy free chocolate store (Be Lovin' Chocolate) and vegan cafe (Cafe Bliss), but how much can you eat and drink in an afternoon :) I also found a bead store (Bamboo Beads and Bling) and made a sterling silver maple leaf necklace when I got home, which I was very happy about.
Even though the
JAZZ FESTIVAL was on, you couldn't tell.
CENTENNIAL SQUARE was empty. I guess it was only a lunchtime concert.
The
SHIP POINT MARKET was also fun, along the waterfront. I really liked Cambridge Coin Rings! Rings made from coins, what a great idea!
Went to
THE GUILD FREEHOUSE for happy hour. They serve Merridale Cider, yay! They have bourbon and scotch flights too.
SEA CIDER was our last stop for this trip. What a fun way to taste ciders. We did the Long Flight, 9 ciders for 2 people for $18. It was so relaxing to get the tray and score card.
The next time, we'll have to do all the wineries we missed!
