Lowes Travels

July 24 -31

When we last visited Vancouver Island in 2019, we loved it and vowed to return for more adventures. At that time we drove our motorhome Betsy there for six weeks, and it was a memorable trip. I published nine blog posts about our escapades there. If you would like to review them for a trip down memory lane with me, click here. Fast forward to today – our summers in Wickenburg, Arizona are brutal and we thought we’d escape the heat to revisit this island for a cool break.

After landing in Seattle we rented a car and on our way to the island we stopped at Sequim, Washington and visited our good friends Mark and Joodie. They are former RV full-timers who, like us, exited from the RV lifestyle several years ago. They selected the city of Sequim as their new home town.

We arrived in time to watch Joodie perform her role as “Little Lottie, the Lady in Red,” in a comedy melodrama titled “Lavender Legacies” presented by their local Olympic Arts Theater. We were surprised to learn she has this hidden talent and were very impressed by her superb acting. It was a funny melodrama where we learned fun facts about lavender and their hometown at the same time. Read all about this production that she wrote here.

The next day we enjoyed a great breakfast prepared by Mark and then we all took a walk around the area. Later we visited a lavender field for which Sequim is known, and our timing to see the wonderful flowers was perfect. They also treated us to what we were craving – dungeness crabs! Yes, they indulged us and we were very happy and satisfied. What great hosts!

The next day we boarded a ferry, leaving the USA and entering Vancouver Island at Victoria, the capital of British Columbia. This was our third visit to the flower-filled capital city, click here for our first visit in 2012 and here for our second visit 2019.

Hello Vancouver Island!

We stopped here to meet up with our friend Ming, the Executive Director of The Giving Exchange. In August 2023 we joined her organization and a group of other ambassadors to do volunteer work for TGE in Kenya, Africa. To see that awesome experience we had click here.

After some quality time catching up with our friends, onward we went to Nanaimo, the second biggest city on Vancouver Island after Victoria:

Along the way we observed many changes since our last visit 6 years ago. There’s much more traffic and traffic lights along the main highway, as well as many new buildings. They call it progress, and I think social media has made Vancouver Island immensely popular 🙁

But here is why we revisited Vancouver Island:

Nanaimo

We concentrated our exploration this time on areas we had missed during our previous trips. We explored New Castle Island, a short 10-minute ferry trip. Hiking around the island, we then ferried back to the mainland just in time to see an ocean race known as the World Championship Bathtub Race. It’s an annual event in Nanaimo, which we only learned when we arrived. Competitors race through the harbor in boats made from bathtubs mounted on low, streamlined hulls. Crazy, huh?

Qualicum Beach

We stayed at a hotel at Qualicum Beach, a quaint town on the northeastern coast facing the Strait of Georgia. It was a quiet and laid back visit, making it a gorgeous getaway far from the heat and noise of the bustling city:

The drive to from Nanaimo to Tofino was about two hours on a scenic, winding tree-lined road. On the way we stopped at Cathedral Grove to see if these ancient trees had grown an inch since our last visit 🙂 I’m sure they had, but we couldn’t see it and enjoyed our walk just the same:

Continuing on to Tofino, the road was towered over by trees and mountains with that steep 18% grade that Betsy had managed before; no doubt our rental car could do it without breaking a sweat:

Tofino

Along the road and tucked into corners were totem poles, recycled art and native designs:

To get a birds-eye view of the hamlet we took a float plane coastal tour. You know who likes this kind of activity! From the air we could see the rugged coastline, the little town of Tofino and long stretches of white sand beaches. It was a scenic flight that showed us the town and mountainous surroundings from the air:

Play the clips below to see the views and whale watching we had from the air:

We got a bonus, spotting three whales frolicking in the ocean!

More scenic views from the seaplane:

Back on the ground we roamed around town and indulged in some delicious seafood that this place is known for. Here’s just a sampling, we enjoyed many more:

The next morning fog settled in for a while, but it did not deter us from going to Chesterman Beach. We had the place almost to ourselves and enjoyed walking a couple of miles while listening to the crashing waves and breathing fresh pacific ocean air:

Once the fog lifted we made another stop at MacKenzie Beach and had fun tide pooling and discovering marine creatures like sea stars, anemones, mussels and urchins during the low tide:

Where there’s ocean water and it’s reachable, my touch-the-water ritual must be performed 🙂

Where we stayed

Our rented Airbnb was only a five-minute walk to town, but far enough away from the hustle and bustle. We witnessed beautiful sunsets, foggy mornings, looking out for kayakers as they paddled by and watching seaplanes take off and land. We loved it there, so cozy!

Our week on Vancouver Island went by quickly, and we were satisfied and happy. The island still has its charm, and we came back because of its unique blend of wild beaches, ancient forests, wildlife viewing, and lots of outdoor activities. What we did here in a week was only a part of what we experienced six years ago, check my posts to see the many hiking trails we trekked and adventures we had and the towns we visited on that trip.

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Next up: Canadian Rocky Mountaineering, this time with friends!