When we visited Olympic National Park in 2020, we caught our first glimpse. Across the narrow waterway we could see the Canadian island that is known for its lush green natural beauty. But at the time, travel restrictions prevented us from exploring this nature-lover's paradise. Our opportunity finally arrived at the end of August when we found ourselves just a short ferry ride away in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Yes, our ship had finally come in, and it was time to explore Vancouver Island.
The Garden Paradise of Victoria
What we soon realized after we arrived on the island at Swartz Bay, was that the southern portion of Vancouver Island is very much like Vancouver itself. The largest city of Victoria welcomes tourists, but at the same time supports a large urban population. Some of the highlights of our two days there included ...
enjoying the color that fills this "Garden City",
walking around the bustling downtown area that included unique International neighborhoods,
capturing another state (or in this case ... Provincial) capital building,
and enjoying fish & chips while looking out at the boats that had recently delivered this fresh catch to the dockside restaurant.
While Victoria's urban gardens are beautiful features in the city, a short distance away lies one of the most gorgeous gardens of all.
The Butchart Gardens, a National Historic Site of Canada, attract over a million visitors a year. This 55 acre garden is the result of the creative talents of Robert and Jennie Butchart. In the early 1900s they created and nurtured the many unique floral and sculptural displays that are a part of Butchart Gardens. The gardens surround their family home, and the floral beauty is still maintained today by their descendants.
While Doug may not have promised me a rose garden, he is always more than happy to drop me off and let me wander through other people's gardens.
From the sunken garden,
to the Japanese garden,
to the path leading through the rose garden
and beyond,
I was delightfully bombarded with wave after wave of abundant color.
This floral theme continued as we made our first brewery stop on the island. Fresh flowers accompanied the IPAs in the tasting room of Category 12 Brewing.
The Garden Paradise of Gulf Islands National Park
Located near Victoria is one of two national parks that we were able to visit while on Vancouver Island.
Gulf Islands National Park consists of a group of smaller islands that are being protected for future generations.
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We were able to take a ferry ride over to Sidney Spit Island for the day
and enjoy the beach artistry as well as
nature's self-planted gardens.
The Garden Paradise of Vancouver Island's Small Towns
In the following days we headed further up Vancouver Island's east coast and found cute coastal villages that welcomed tourists
while also supporting a year-round community of hardworking citizens.
The Garden Paradise Of Eatin'
Surrounded by great fishing waters, we quickly realized that we were in fish & chip "heaven" on Vancouver Island.
The sight of a roadside food truck
often "lured" us in for another delicious fish & chips meal.
Of course, those foggy island mornings seemed to make the cappuccinos taste that much better.
And the small town bakeries always came through with tasty treats to accompany our morning joe.
Even the hiking trails and city streets offered their own free "treats" with the abundance of wild blackberries that were ripe for the picking.
The Garden Paradise of Pacific Rim National Park
While we enjoyed spending time in some of the populated areas of the island, it was the natural beauty found in the island's more remote areas that was, for us, the endearing feature of Vancouver Island.
Pacific Rim National Park lies on the western edge of the island, and there we fell in love with the coastal temperate rainforests that make this island a true garden paradise.
Moss clung to tree limbs,
and giant cedars lined the hiking trails.
Lighthouses sent out warnings from the rugged coastlines,
and sandy beaches welcomed beach lovers,
as colorful sea creatures adapted to the daily tide changes.
The cute villages of Tofino and Ucluelet welcomed the tourists
to browse through their shops filled with First Nation art
and enjoy a "brew with a view" afterward.
It was along the hiking trails at Pacific Rim National Park and in other remote areas of the islands that we found ...
The True Garden Paradise of Vancouver Island
It was these trails that were lined with gigantic trees,
alongside delicate plants,
intermingled with hardy ferns
and colorful mushrooms,
and led us to magnificent views at the end of the trail
that made our ten days on Vancouver Island so memorable.
Some of our favorite hikes included:
The Wild Pacific Trail Lighthouse Loop
Tonquin Trail; Tofino
Tonquin Trail; Tofino
Rainforest Trail; Pacific Rim National Park
Pacific Rim Bike Trail; Pacific Rim National Park
Cedar Tree Trail; Pacific Rim National Park
Cathedral Grove; Port Alberni
Elk Falls and Suspension Bridge; Campbell River
Ripple Rock Trail; Campbell River
Sidney Spit Island; Gulf Island National Park
Victoria City Walk
During our time there, we realized that Mother Nature has truly perfected the recipe for forming the coastal temperate rainforest found on Vancouver Island into a ...
Garden Paradise
when she started with land next to the ocean,
sprinkled it with at least 120 inches of rain each year (and held the snow and freezing temperatures),
added trees of all ages, from tiny saplings to centuries-old giants, and layered with mosses, ferns, shrubs and lichens,
mixed in rainforest creatures such as birds, beetles, and slugs.
and stirred for centuries for future generations to enjoy
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... as much as we enjoyed our visit to Vancouver Island!
