Vancouver Island

[hummingbirdkiss]

My husband and I are heading up to Vancouver Island for a badly needed break.

We have been to Victoria a few times and up as far as Port Alberni... but this time we have five days and would love to meander up to Port Hardy and really see all we can of the island this time...

we driving up and thinking tent camping 2 nights and lodge/hotel it the rest ... any suggestions of where to do either?

it will be my husbands 50th bday so I would love to plan to have one really nice lavish dinner in Victoria ..any ideas?

also what are the must see/do/eat's between Victoria and Port Hardy?

I am looking forward to this road trip ..it has been ages since we have taken off and just enjoyed a care free week (we both work crazy jobs and are remodeling our home ..no rest!!!)

the plan is to go mid June

thanks so much in advance for your help

Edited April 28, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[Sam Salmon]

North of Campbell River there is SFA.

April Point Lodge is the last place to get anything more than basic cooked glop.

In fact north of Sayward the scenery gets as dull as dishwater and stays that way until you hit the coast @ Telegraph Cove.

If it's somewhere quiet and unique you want on the North Island try Cluxewe take your own food not sure if the showers will be working or not it's rather rustic.

EDIT-Another idea for a more attractive holiday-Sooke, Port Renfrew, Botanical Beach

then the back road to the Cowichan Valley and it's Many attractions food/wine wise, Camping, Fairburn Farm, Wine Islands info

Edited April 28, 2007 by Sam Salmon (log)

[Beebs]

The Island isn't much of a dining mecca north of Nanaimo. There are lots of B&B's on the Island, if you want to consider staying in them.

Check out the wineries though, VI has a number of underrated wineries, and the wines are not usually available in lliquor stores (I am a big fan of Blue Grouse!). www.wineislands.ca

For dining, Eat Magazine (www.eatmagazine.ca) is a good source. Mahle House (mahlehouse.ca) is always a favourite, their sommelier/owner is incredibly knowledgeable on VI wines, very welcoming & warm establishment. Restaurant is located a bit south of Duke Point/Nanaimo.

Zambri's in Victoria is always spot on. Wonderful Italian food, one of my favourite places to eat. But, they don't take reservations and lineups are common. We usually go later in the evening.

Have a great trip!

[MissMegan]

There are also some good places in the Comox Valley! (North of Nanaimo)

- Atlas Cafe has killer fish tacos, among other things, and for brunch also does Eggs Benny a dozen different ways (I usually get the goat cheese one on polenta, but they're all very tasty).

- Toscano's Trattoria is nice Italian - their lunch is good, too. I think they have a soup-sandwich combo then, and their wild mushroom soup is great. And the chocolate mousse...and lemon cheesecake ... well, it's just good all around.

- Also Italian is Fili's, which does a good lamb dish (sorry I can't remember more than that, just that it was lamb) - their service can sometimes be a bit ... slow ... but the food is good. They have a dessert there that is cake with some sort of liqueur (amaretto?) - divine. Sorry I can't remember more than that as a description, it's been awhile.

- I really like Yamato sushi (try the grilled spicy tuna as well as the halibut tempura with green tea salt and then black sesame ice cream for dessert)

Also, for staying and dining is the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa. Their restaurant is very good, including their Sunday brunch (they also do the occasional seafood buffet dinner which is fabulous. I'm not sure when the next one is, though) and they are right on the beach. Their spa services are wonderful - try the Hydropath! Heaven. They have couples deals, too, which can include hotel, spa service, and meals.

There's also Mount Washington which has lodging and food (Raven's lodge has been reviewed in Eat magazine which Beebs referred to) but I haven't eaten up there.

And if you are interested in wines, Hornby Island has a Meadery on it (Middle Mountain Mead). That's not something you see every day! There's camping on the island, too. Tribune Bay camping is supposed to be good. That's in Big Tribune Bay. Little Tribune Bay (no camping there) is a clothing optional beach (but completely non-threatening), just in case turning 50 for your husband means doing something wild and crazy!

If you really want to meander up from Nanaimo, the inland island highway (19A) runs right along the water and can be fun for the meandering part (and then the faster highway 19) on the way back.

There *is* eating life after Nanaimo! Have a great trip!

Megan

[Peter Green]

My "nephew", Arnold, at Korean Gardens in Victoria, recommended Sooke Harbour House for the higher end of dining when we were on the island last summer.

An excellent meal. Local goods (very local) and an excellent sommelier.

I should write that meal up sometime.

Up on Long Beach, everyone raves about the Wickaninnish. Everyone includes a lot of my friends whose taste I respect. (it's just so far for me to go when I'm back in Canada....)

[hummingbirdkiss]

thank you so much you are wonderful! all these ideas makes me want more days for ths trip!

we are so heading for that clothing optional beach!

why not!

[Beebs]

thank you so much you are wonderful! all these ideas makes me want more days for ths trip!

we are so heading for that clothing optional beach!

why not!

←

Oh and definately visit Wayne Ngan's pottery/art studio on Hornby while you're there (if you're into art), he is a highly reputed ceramics artist. Gorgeous artwork bowls, cups, plates and the like. I don't recall exactly where it is, but I'm sure Google will pull something up. Can't be far from the clothing optional beach, though!

[run2eat]

May I suggest the bistro at Merridale Cidery. We've had some lovely meals there.

[Arsenic]

In Victoria, I absolutely loved the Wild Saffron at the Swans Hotel, as well as Cafe Mexico for Mexican food that I think is very hard to come by in the Lower Mainland. None of that feels-unauthentic-but-trying-too-hard Las Margaritas kinda stuff, it just tastes great!

[hummingbirdkiss]

thank you so much!

this is a wonderful list!

[barolo]

Mia Stainsby has some recommendations for "up Island" in today's Vancouver Sun: Comox Valley no longer virgin territory

Here's her three recommendations:

Atlas Cafe, 250 Sixth St., Courtenay, 250-338-9838

Martine's Bistro, 1754 Beaufort Ave., Comox, 250-339-1199 (www.martinesbistro.com)

The Great Escape, 2744 Dunsmuir Ave., Cumberland, 250-336-8831 (www.greatescape-cumberland.com)

And two she'd like to try:

A couple of places we'd like to try next time we get up that way are Harbour View Bistro on the Island Highway in Union Bay and The Final Approach in Qualicum. Harbour View is in a trailer, has only five seats and apparently, there's a three-week wait for reservations in the busy summer season. Locals know it as "the place where the helicopter lands."

Wesley Street Restaurant in Nanaimo is good. The Crow and Gate in Cedar, just south of Nanaimo a little further out than the Mahle House (worth a visit too), is worth a visit especially in the summer when you can sit outside.

There's a farmers' market just outside the Crow and Gate on Sundays in the summer, Qualicum has a good farmers' market on Saturdays.

My favourite restaurant in Victoria is Brasserie l'ecole

Edited May 3, 2007 by barolo (log)

[barolo]

This thread may also be helpful.

[MissMegan]

Martine's is good. They have a caramelized onion foccaccia dish which is great (I'm always mopping up the plate afterwards, which can't be bad!), and I've always had good luck with their calamari (which I am picky about, so it really sticks in my head!)

The Great Escape is pretty good. I've only been once and their desserts were nothing to write home about, but the savory stuff was decent. It's not your typical Butter Chicken fare, either, which I was happy for (Butter Chicken is great, it's just not something I need to see on the menu every time I eat Indian food)!

If you do go into Cumberland, make sure you hit up the Cumberland Village Bakery on Dunsmuir (same street as Great Escape - it's the "main" one) for their donuts. They make them fresh through the day - I can eat myself sick on them with a latte from The Grind just down the street - a happy way to start the day.

Harbour View Bistro is good, but know that it is "old-school European" (at least, that's what it was the last time I was there!) - read: plenty of sauces, etc. And yes it can be a challenge to get into!

A second vote for the Wesley Street Cafe in Nanaimo! I'm a bit worried about how much longer it will stay open as I was there on a Friday night and it wasn't even half full (to be fair this was in February), but the food is very good.

Good luck at the beach!

Edited May 8, 2007 by MissMegan (log)

[hummingbirdkiss]

Thanks to you all for your help ..we had a fantastic time! went here so thanks Sam Salmon! http://www.soulecreeklodge.com

lodging was perfect (we stayed in a yurt) ..great views..lots of wildlife ...food was really good!!! .. and the folks that run the lodge have a great eye for detail and comfort ..so the time just drifted past us......it was a wonderful and very badly needed break!

btw..

the weather was a bit chilly to go naked on a beach even for a couple of sturdy old hippies!!! ..maybe next time when it is warmer we can head that way!

so much to see in life and so few vacation days! I vote for more recreation less work myself!!!

thanks so much to all of you again!

Edited June 17, 2007 by hummingbirdkiss (log)

[grayelf]

Thanks to you all for your help ..we had a fantastic time! went here so thanks Sam Salmon! http://www.soulecreeklodge.com

lodging was perfect (we stayed in a yurt)  ..great views..lots of wildlife ...food was really good!!! .. and the folks that run the lodge have a great eye for detail and comfort ..so the time just drifted past us......it was a wonderful and very badly needed break!

btw..

the weather was a bit chilly to go naked on a beach even for a couple of sturdy old hippies!!!  ..maybe next time when it is warmer we can head that way!

so much to see in life and so few vacation days! I vote for more recreation less work myself!!!

thanks so much to all of you again!

←

I recently compiled a list of restos in QB, Parksville, Comox Valley with reviewy bits culled from eGullet, VanMag, EAT etc (for personal use, no copyright infringement intended). All chosen strictly because they appealed to me specifically so if your favourite is missing... If anyone's interested in a copy, PM me. The last mini review is from my mother-in-law, quite a foodie, of a new French place in Shawnigan Lake with CIA trained chef (who knew).