Visiting Vancouver Island

As the Magic of Christmas festivities fade in Butchart Gardens, and the lights go out at Holiday Light-Up in Downtown Victoria’s Centennial Square, it's time to celebrate 2013. Downtown Victoria’s Inner Harbour is home to the Royal BC Museum, an ideal destination when a winter chill sets in. Current exhibits at the museum include the works of UK Natural History Museum’s photographer of the year, in an amazing exhibit of photographs of nature and the world’s natural wonders. On February 7th, the Royal BC Museum opens Tradition in Felicities: Celebrating 155 years of Victoria’s Chinatown, offering an in-depth look at the history of Victoria’s Chinatown. Indoor and outdoor fun - visit Victoria this season.

The Butchart Gardens National Historic Site of Canada, 20 minutes north of downtown Victoria, celebrates its 26th season bringing the magic of Christmas to the gardens. One of Vancouver Island’s most popular destinations, Butchart Gardens hosts the Magic of Christmas through January 6th. And by March, the anemones, pansy’s and tulips of spring are in full bloom.

Winter on Vancouver Island surely means a visit to Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Located 30 kms west of Courtenay, Mount Washington offers a full gamut of snow sports and activities. Join the snow school to brush up on skills, ski the slopes, shred through the Stomping Ground Terrain Park, or cross-country ski into Mount Washington’s back country. For winter sports on Vancouver Island, make Mount Washington Alpine Resort your destination.

This is the season for indoor entertainment at Nanaimo's Port Theatre. The Port launches the 2013 season with the January 12th Snowed In Comedy Tour, and on the 19th the Vancouver Island symphony plays The Best of Elton John. February brings the Vancouver Island Symphony with Ken Lavigne, and Diana Krall on her Glad Rag Doll World Tour. See the South Island Musical Theatre Society in March performing Oklahoma. A cultural hub of Vancouver Island, Nanaimo makes a great stop for concerts and theatre.

Vancouver Island’s west coast draws surfers year-round, however the best waves come in winter. Believe it or not, serious surfers don their wetsuits, hoods, gloves and boots outside Tofino, to ride winter’s wicked waves. Tofino also makes a spectacular destination for storm watching with vantage points like Kwisitis Visitor Centre in Pacific Rim National Park or Chesterman Beach with the Lennard Island Lighthouse as a backdrop. Enjoy the excitement and fury of a Pacific winter storm and when it's calm, comb the beach for treasures.

Come March, gray whales begin their northern migrations making Vancouver Island's west coast communities ideal for whale watching excursions. Visit Tofino in March for the 2013 Pacific Rim Whale Festival. Marking the 27th year for the festival, visitors celebrate the whale migration with festivities in Tofino, Ucluelet and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Vancouver Island Hotel Map