mkmurrays

Hi

We've got friends from the UK staying and they are ending their trip with four days on Vancouver Island. They haven't booked any accommodation, and are looking for ideas of what's feasible in that time. They fancy Tofino, doing some kayaking with Orcas and maybe a bit of grizzly viewing....I don't think there are grizzlies on Vancouver Island?

All suggestions for accommodation (reasonably priced), and trips appreciated.


Thanks!

bazzz

Are they okay with camping? Because that's probably all they'll have a chance at getting. They could try Ucluelet, but they'll probably encounter similar problems. We booked in January for our June trip to Tofino and the hotel was already more than half booked-up.

PaulandNikki

No grizzly bears on the island but you can go grizzly watching from Campbell River, they take you up into the mainland to see them, it's a great day out (if a little expensive).

Eastbound

[QUOTE=mkmurrays;6624431]Hi

We've got friends from the UK staying and they are ending their trip with four days on Vancouver Island. They haven't booked any accommodation, and are looking for ideas of what's feasible in that time. They fancy Tofino, doing some kayaking with Orcas and maybe a bit of grizzly viewing....I don't think there are grizzlies on Vancouver Island?


Hi
We were over there last week took a whale watching tour out of Ucluelet with subtidaladventures.com We were out for a couple of hours saw grey whales sea lions etc.
Then if you have time which we did take a trip to long beach we had a picnic at the picnic area there , accomadation wise we hired a small RV as we knew booking a room is not the easiest this time of year
Sometimes you can be lucky and see a bear on the road to Tofino we didnt this time but were lucky enough to see one in March

Edna Bucket

It might be a good idea to warn them that they will not manage to get any accommodation in the Cowichan Valley until after 10th August as the North American Indigenous Games are going to be on soon and the hotels are full already.

jempee

Have heard that accomodation in Tofino is something that needs booking early! but when we went we got a room at best western no problems. It was late May and we just turned up, luck of the draw properly

lof

i miss some information when? how (flying, ferry?)? where - whatever people try to tell me, four days i just not enough to "see the island", which means to me that you have to pick an area. people who are looking for remote wilderness would be heading north - but for most people the south which brings cultural features into the mix is more suitable. kind of coming with the ferry to nanaimo and take the one from swartz bay / victoria back...
http://www.britishcolumbia.com/regio...asp?regionID=4


in addition to the comments by others i have to warn about the intention of kayaking with orcas. it is a great experience but imo not something that would fit into a four day trip to the island.
if you want to minimize the risk of disappointment (and depending on the person of feeling of having wasted money...) you either do a day trip with a motorised boat (well, don't ask my opinion about that - but i try to be realistic) - or do a multiday-kayak-whale-watching-adventure with one of the many companies out there (on request i can pm two recommendations for the later in the johnstone strait out of either campbell river / heriot bay (quadra island) or telegraph cove / port mcneill).
two weeks ago friends of mine - with an even tighter schedule - did a 3 hour whale watching tour on a zodiac out of victoria with prince of whales. they really enjoyed it.


if they enjoy culinary pleasures - they should follow the one or the other sign of the wine route in the southern part of the island.


accommodation... whichever tourist trap you visit - high season, not booked ahead and reasonably priced don't go in the same sentence...
make at least sure that they phone to secure a bed (or tent pitch as bazzz suggested) in the morning before driving somewhere. specially for places like tofino / ucluelet where it would mean a couple of hours driving back to get some accommodation.

Glassy

Hi MKMurrays,

We did a whale watching trip from Tofino and only saw one Gray Whale (I know its the luck of the draw and all that). If its Orca's you're after, then Victoria is where you wanna be taking a trip from. I heard that there's resident pods in that area. As for Tofino accomodation, the Best Western Tin Wis was excellent.

Glassy

mkmurrays

Thanks for the info everyone...I've passed it on...

PaulandNikki

We went out from Victoria looking for orca, found plenty of them, it was awe-inspiring