Vancouver Island is an outdoor playground, attracting adventure seekers, extreme athletes and wilderness lovers from around the world. Vancouver Island is the largest island in North America, and continues to retain the prestigious and long-time status as the Best Island to visit in Continental US and Canada from the Travel + Leisure magazine’s 2015 World’s Best Awards.
Everyone should visit Vancouver Island at least once in his or her life, (maybe I’m biased, I did just move here). If you only have a week to see as much as you can, your best bet is to follow this vacation guide to plan your trip with eco-friendly destinations.
Get there by ferry – Avoid long line-ups by taking the ferry mid week, you will be pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the journey can be. Depending on where you are, board the ferry from Tsawwassen to Victoria (Swartz Bay), or, if you’re near Vancouver, take the Horseshoe Bay ferry to Departure Bay in Nanaimo. See schedules here.
Get there by plane – If you like feeling like a rock star, you can take a ride with Harbour Air, the first carbon neutral airline in North America. Harbour Air will pick you up from downtown Vancouver and deliver you right into Victoria’s inner harbour, in front of the famous Fairmont Empress Hotel. They also fly to other island locations. Of course you can fly to Victoria’s International Airport as well, and you might want to see about departing through Nanaimo or Comox Valley Airport to give yourself more time to explore the island.