By Doug Hansen
I'll share a travel secret with you if you promise to keep it to yourself: My wife and I discovered a place that's easy to get to; has clean, safe, flower-filled cities surrounded by stunning forests, mountains and lakes; offers excellent wildlife viewing (killer whales, bears and bald eagles); and has lots of outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, swimming and biking: Vancouver Island and nearby Knight Inlet on the coast of British Columbia.
We spent a week falling in love with this splendid region. Until we started driving around Vancouver Island, we didn't realize how large it is. At 290 miles long by 50 miles wide, it's the largest Pacific island east of New Zealand. The ideal weather we enjoyed confirmed the island's reputation for having one of the most pleasant, sunny climates in Canada.
We began our journey in Seattle, where we boarded the Victoria Clipper for the two-and-a-half-hour ride to Victoria. The ferry's airline-style reclining seats, combined with panoramic views of the Olympic Peninsula mountains, along with occasional whale-sightings made for a fast, comfortable and enjoyable crossing.
Who wouldn't fall in love with flower-filled Victoria? As our ferry docked near the center of town, we were immediately struck by the city's turn-of-the-century English charm. White horse-drawn carriages clattered past us as we walked the few blocks to the upscale Magnolia Hotel, conveniently located near all the main sights. From our hotel room we gazed at the sparkling harbor fringed with moored yachts and animated by a steady procession of seaplanes taking off and landing. Pedestrians and bicyclists navigated the uncrowded streets below, reminding us that Victoria is one of the most walkable cities in Canada (Walk Score 2014) and has more bike commuters per capita than anywhere else in the country.
In the evening, after dinner, we strolled along the waterfront, where all sorts of musicians played and colored lights painted the facades of the imposing granite Legislature and the venerable Empress Hotel with luminous shades of purple, red and amber.
No trip to Victoria is complete without a visit to the world-famous Butchart Gardens. We added a fun twist by taking the Prince of Whales whale-watching cruise that gave us a rare opportunity to see pods of orcas (killer whales) before dropping us off at the gardens. This botanical wonderland draws visitors from around the world, which accounted for some initial congestion, but fortunately the crowds thinned out considerably as we walked toward more distant garden paths. My favorite area was the former rock quarry that had been transformed into a verdant treasure.
As we drove from Victoria to our next destination, Tofino and Ucluelet, we were stunned by the beauty of unexpectedly tall mountains, shimmering blue lakes and vast forests. Tucked away in the island's wild, rainy west coast, those neighboring small communities are renowned for their rugged coastal shorelines, rainforest hiking trails, inter-island kayaking and fishing. Of greatest significance for us, however, was the unique Tofino hot springs. Our hiking conversation with a Canadian couple in Banff last year had planted the seed for our current trip: "Since your wife loves hot springs, you must go to Tofino; those are the best, most natural hot springs we've ever found."
A 90-minute boat ride on a drizzly day brought us to the small island where the hot springs reside. Along the way we spotted gray whales and huge sea lions, but our mission was focused on the hot springs. After about a mile's hike on a boardwalk through the rainforest, we reached the rocky, steam-infused enclave, which did indeed exceed our expectations. My wife stood in the cascading hot waterfall while others sat in a series of natural rock pools. My favorite place lay hidden at a magic spot where the ocean and the hot water stream converged. The hot springs water warmed my back while pulsating surges of brisk ocean water cooled my front.
We stayed in Ucluelet instead of the more popular Tofino, and we were happy with our choice because Ucluelet provided a welcome, subdued charm, a terrific hands-on aquarium and short but gratifying hikes along its Wild Pacific Trail. In addition, I discovered my all-time favorite fish-and-chips meal at a modest food truck in the middle of town. Each room at the Water's Edge Resort featured a private hot tub on the back porch, and as we soaked in our tub's soothing hot water, we watched fishing boats cruise down the bay as bald eagles soared overhead.
Thus far we had enjoyed everything about our tour of Vancouver Island, but the best was yet to come when we flew to the Knight Inlet Lodge. Most Americans only think of Alaska for seeing grizzly bears, but this lodge in the remote wilderness of British Columbia offers a serious alternative. It boasts "the best grizzly bear viewing in British Columbia."
Our grizzly adventure began in Campbell River, where we spent the night prior to meeting our lodge's seaplane company early the next morning. We flew across the Alaskan inland passage to Knight Inlet, located about 150 miles north of Vancouver and only reachable by boat or seaplane. Our half-hour flight provided a mesmerizing view of mountains, fjords and forests — the only description that stuck in my mind was "fantasyland."
After our seaplane taxied to the floating lodge's dock, we disembarked, stashed our belongings in our modest but clean and comfortable room, grabbed a lifejacket and binoculars and headed out in a small motorboat heading across the bay to observe our first grizzly bear. Over the next two days we saw several young adult grizzlies feeding on the grass by the shoreline. In addition, we saw a black bear munching on clams behind our dining room, a couple of sea lions and several bald eagles (including one 20 feet away from our boat that was eating a large Canada goose). But I have to admit that included among my favorite creatures were the purple and orange barn swallows that darted through the passageways, pausing only momentarily to feed the babies huddled in their mud nests on walls throughout the lodge. When we weren't out on excursions, we were feasting on first-rate meals, with ample wine and assorted desserts provided with dinner.
Reflecting back on our visit to Vancouver Island and Knight Inlet, I would say that it ranks among our best trips. Not only do we highly recommend this same itinerary to any traveler, we are anxious to do what we have rarely wanted to do: return for more.
WHEN YOU GO
Magnolia Hotel and Spa: 877-624-6654 or www.magnoliahotel.com
Water's Edge Resort at Pacific Rim: 888-423-3453 or www.watersedgeresort.ca.
Knight Inlet Lodge: 250-337-1953 or www.grizzlytours.com
For tours of hot springs, whale- or bear-watching, kayaking and canoeing: Jamie's Whaling Station, 250-725-3919 or www.jamies.com.
Ucluelet Aquarium: 250-726-AQUA or www.uclueletaquarium.org. Ask for a tour and you are in for a treat; it's not big, but it's fascinating and fun.
Tofino: The Fish Store and Oyster Bar (the same owner offers custom fish-packing at West Pacific Seafoods, 250-725-2244).
Victoria Clipper: 800-888-2535 or www.clippervacations.com
Victoria tourism: www.tourismvictoria.com
Vancouver Island: www.vancouverisland.travel
Doug Hansen is a freelance writer and photographer whose photos and articles are at www.hansentravel.org. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
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