A Glimpse of Vancouver Island in Just Three Days

2026-10-31 · Campbell River, Canada

Have you ever been to Vancouver Island, the place I’ve called home for the past 30 years? If you have, this post might bring back fond memories—and perhaps a longing to return. If not, maybe this is the inspiration you’ve been waiting for!

I could easily fill a two-week itinerary with unique island experiences. Squeezing a visit into three days takes a little more creativity, but it’s doable! This time, friends from China were my travel companions. Luckily, they brought curiosity, energy, and glorious weather—something we can’t always count on in October. On my travels in China, they’ve taken me to unexpected and unforgettable places and introduced me to kind, welcoming friends and relatives. Finally, it was my turn!

Our excursions began after they’d spent a couple of days exploring Victoria on their own. I couldn’t join them for that part: I’d committed to working the election long before their visit was planned.

Malahat SkyWalk

The visit begins with the TreeWalk, a 600-metre elevated wooden walkway through a coastal forest of Douglas fir and arbutus trees. Then a gently sloping ramp winds up the ten-storey Spiral Tower to a panoramic viewpoint—no stairs required.

For those who dare, there’s the SkyWeb, a suspended net with a view straight down through the tower, and the Overhang, a glass cube extending beyond its edge. And when it’s time to come down? There’s always the enclosed spiral slide!

Cowichan Bay

This charming seaside village has always been one of my favourites, even before the sea lions arrived! These majestic, noisy—and, when the wind blows inland, smelly—creatures aren’t universally loved by locals, fishers, and boat owners. For visitors, though, this unexpected wildlife encounter is quite a highlight. And it’s completely free, like so many of our natural wonders.

Every autumn, hundreds of sea lions take over the docks at Cowichan Bay, drawn by salmon returning to the Cowichan and Koksilah rivers. Past reports have put the gathering at around 400 animals—though with all the coming and going, piling up and slipping into the water, counting them must be quite a challenge! Both Steller and California sea lions join this noisy seasonal feast.
More info at the Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre site.

Maple Bay

There’s something special about Maple Bay, a picturesque seaside community. We stopped at The Shipyard for dinner, then returned the next morning for a closer look. It was no detour: our Airbnb in North Cowichan was just around the corner.

Chemainus

Chemainus tells its history through outdoor murals and sculptures, with scenes of Indigenous culture, the logging industry, and everyday life in years gone by. It’s a town that rewards a leisurely wander.

Coombs

Even the goats were still grazing on the roof in this quirky little community. Clearly, they’d been waiting for my friends to stop by before heading to their winter quarters!

Saratoga Beach

There wasn’t time for a side trip to Long Beach on the island’s west coast, but we did stop at Saratoga Beach. A different coast, a smaller beach, and another lovely stretch of sand. No pictures this time—I’ll leave those to your imagination.

Campbell River

Tyee Spit

As so often, two bald eagles were perched at the top of a tree, watching over the Indigenous cemetery. A helicopter landed, floatplanes were tied up at the docks, and the folks at Sealand Aviation were busy repairing and modifying aircraft. I tried to explain the tyee fishing tradition, although the signs did a much better job! A couple of seals close to shore gave us an unexpected encore.

Elk Falls

Even at the tail end of the dry season, the falls still plunged dramatically into the deep canyon. Our timing wasn’t quite right for the spray to catch the sunlight and create the spectacular rainbows I’d quietly been hoping for. But the “rope ladder”—a shadow cast by the suspension bridge—was still a lot of fun.

There’s another little surprise at one particular spot: stare at the waterfall for a few seconds, then shift your gaze to the adjacent rock wall without moving your head. Suddenly, the rock seems to rise! Most people I’ve tried this with can see it—a stationary cliff apparently moving upwards.

Quinsam River Hatchery

This salmon enhancement facility is our favourite spot to watch spawning salmon and black bears fishing. Of course, wildlife makes no promises, but two bears obliged us with a visit. Did they catch a salmon? Yes, they did:

Campbell River Museum

After all these years, I still love our small museum. It was a perfect way to round off our action-packed adventure. Judging by my friends’ curiosity and enthusiasm for everything we did, I’m sure they enjoyed these three days as much as I did.

When my friends called it an early evening on our last day, I thought they were being considerate after all my driving. Only the next morning did they admit that they were the ones who needed a rest. Apparently, my three-day island program had been quite enough!

That morning, I drove them back to Nanaimo. From there, they took the Hullo ferry to Vancouver for a visit with a friend before heading to the airport for the long flight home to China.