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Vancouver Island has so much to offer from its quaint towns to its glorious nature and rich heritage, there is literally something for everyone here. But British Columbia is probably best known for its outdoors mentality and laid-back attitude.

To reach Vancouver Island from the mainland you can either take the ferry (I recommend this) or you can take a short float plane ride from downtown Vancouver, one of the many things to do in Vancouver, directly into Nanaimo (no thank you, but lots of people do it). The ferry gives you a slow, relaxed tour from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo, with snowcapped mountains surrounding you and seals playing in the harbor.

Nanaimo is the perfect town to start you tour, with its unique shops (I highly recommend a Wee Cupcakery, hands down the best cupcakes I have ever eaten. Ever) and friendly people it’s hard not love this town. From there the island opens up to you like a flower. These are some of my favorite hikes on Vancouver Island, with something for all skill levels.

West Coast Trail

This famous multi-day hike is for the more adventurous hikers and it’s a good idea to plan ahead. The entire trail is 75km long with over 100 ladder systems. It is considered one of the best trails on Vancouver island and there is a great chance you will see some of the local wildlife, including black bear and grizzlies, so make sure to be smart.

Juan de Fuca Provincial Park

If you don’t want to do the 75km West Coast trail, the Juan de Fuca trail is a great alternative and another of the best hikes on Vancouver island. You will traverse through beautiful forests and sandy beaches, with some connected by a long set of stairs created from fallen trees.

This park is on the south west coast of Vancouver Island and boasts spectacular scenery, great hiking and some fantastic wildlife viewing. The Juan de Fuca Trail follows 47km (29 miles) of wilderness along the western shoreline of the island. During this hike you can stop at several beaches and set up camp and requires a little less planning than the famous multi-day backpacking trip on the West Coast trail.

We were not able to experience the trail in this way but there are several points along the trail where you can gain access by car. This gives you a taste of the trail without doing the entire 47 km. Our main goal for our visit was to experience botanical beach at the northern most point of the park.

We got up early to ensure we arrived at low tide and on the scenic drive there were greeted with a herd of elk moving across the road. Upon arriving at the beach, you will bear witness to rich tide pools teaming with life and shoreline trails with impressive geological features.

Whilst exploring the tide pools you will get the opportunity to see starfish and sea urchins of various colors, white gooseneck barnacles, blue mussels, sea cucumbers and anemones. The BC parks website recommends visiting when low tide is 1.2 meters or less for best viewing.

This area was so much fun to explore as you leap from one pool to the next, taking in the vivid colors of the flora and fauna within, and scaling some of the rock formations that surround the beach.

Other stops that I would recommend, if driving through the park, include China Beach and Mystic Beach. Locals go to these areas to relax and spend the day. There is also easy access to the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail from these locations and get an idea what the hiking would be like. And let me tell you it is breathtaking.

With the ocean at your back you enter the rich, vibrant green within the woods. The cool air immediately surrounds you and the world goes quiet. I hope to head back someday and hike the entirety of this trail, because I had a taste of it, which has turned into a severe craving.

Newcastle Island Marine Provincial Park

This is a fun day trip, that is less intense than hiking the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. You take a small round trip passenger ferry over to this little island that boasts totem poles, some easy hiking, picnic areas, and views of the bay. A popular destination, this short hike along an easy trail allows you to slow down.

This island may be small but it is home to a rich native heritage that people have been exploring since the 1930s. Indian middens are evidence of at least two Salish First Nations villages, which were deserted before the discovery of coal in the area in 1849. In 1931 the island was bought by the Canadian Pacific Steamship Company, who operated it for a time as a pleasure resort.

You can wander around the 22 km of hiking trails and discover the history on the island and the native wildlife living there. And if you can find it, the albino raccoon (we didn’t find it). From various points on the trail you also get views of the seals sunning themselves on the rocky outcroppings in the bay and views of downtown Nanaimo.

Mount Benson Regional Park

The Mount Benson loop is an 8 km, strenuous hiking trail that summits with panoramic views overlooking the area. You can access the trail from the Witchcraft Lake Regional Trail, which is a 2 km long trail developed to provide access to the Mount Benson loop.

This trail provides a reprieve from the daily town life, with quiet wilderness crushing in around you. There are some large rock formations along the trail and a steep and steady climb up to the summit. But the summit is completely worth it. The views are breathtaking, if you happen to have any breath left from the ascent to the summit, and it feels like you found your own slice of paradise without insane crowds of people.

Cathedral Grove

This ancient forest is my favorite place on the island, and possibly in the entire country. The Cathedral Grove website calls it “a rare and endangered remnant of an ancient Douglas fir ecosystem.” The largest trees in the grove are over 800 years old and measure 75 meters in height and 9 meters in circumference. And boy are they impressive.

It’s an easy hike and as soon as you enter the trail looping around the grove you can feel the magic of the place with all its natural beauty, as if the trees are speaking to you. I cannot describe the ancient, knowing feeling you get when you enter that grove. The vibrant greens assaulting your eyes and the cool air kissing your face. It immediately makes you feel small and yet completely at ease all at once.

These old-growth forests are the survivors of a major forest fire that occurred over 350 years ago and the massive invasion of the Europeans who colonized the island in 1849. The trees stand sentinel over the area and are a reminder of nature’s resilience, strength and beauty. I cannot put into words just how much I love this place and the feel of being one with those ancient trees when you enter into their territory.

Butchart Gardens

Not really a hike per se, but a nice walk around some of the top rated botanical gardens in the country. This display was designated a world heritage site in 2004 and ranked as one of the top display gardens in the world by USA Today, CNN and National Geographic.

There are so many different areas to see in this massive garden, including the Sunken Garden, with its central rock mound and immense Ross Fountain, the Rose Garden, with its many rose varieties, a frog fountain, wishing well, and as you exit the garden a huge bronze Sturgeon Fountain, cast in Florence, Italy. There is also the Japanese Garden, filled with streams, ponds and bridges, the Italian Garden, and the Mediterranean Garden.

This garden is an absolute feast for the senses, with a plethora of flowers, fountains, walking paths and statues. And it’s dog friendly! You can easily spend a whole day in this garden and it is definitely worth the price of admission (ranging from $18-$33 for adults, depending on the time of year).

Stamp River Provincial Park

This area has some fantastic hiking with beautiful waterfalls, but you really need to visit this area in August. This is when thousands of Sockeye, Coho and Chinook salmon migrate up the waters, either jumping up the falls or navigating the fish ladders on the way to their spawning grounds. Here you will see thousands of fish.

It’s a great migration you really shouldn’t miss, just to experience the magnitude and majesty of nature and stand in awe at what these fish accomplish to reach the spawning grounds.

Strathcona Provincial Park

I highly recommend camping here. Strathcona park is the oldest provincial park in British Columbia. The area is surrounded by a rugged terrain with snow-capped mountains. You can be hiking up into the mountains in the middle of the summer and still hit snow, so be prepared.

There are two main areas in the park that are more developed, the Buttle Lake area and Forbidden Plateau, the rest is pretty undeveloped. If you enjoy getting out into the wilderness, miles away from other people, this is the place to be.

The history of this park begins with volcanic eruptions on ancient seafloors, land movement and ice flows helped shape the area. And the wilderness is truly wild and unforgiving. The park offers short, easy strolls, to day hikes, to mountaineering, each with its own taste of the wilderness.

Concluding Thoughts

A small island but there are just so many opportunities to get outside and explore some of the best hikes on the east coast. Whether it’s ancient forests, beautiful beaches or the tallest peak on the island, this is not a place to visit in a day.

Another great destination that is just a ferry ride away is in Washington State. If you are visiting, you have to check out Olympic National Park and hike the Hoh River Trail. It’s like being in Cathedral Grove but bigger.