The Tswassen – Swartz Bay ferry took us over to the southeast part of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. We had two definite ideas on our trip list – Butchart Gardens and bungee jumping – and the rest was all back roads exploring to seaside towns and unique accommodations.
Butchart Gardens’ Sunken Garden. This exact location was a desolate mined rock quarry 100 years ago, and the wife of the quarry owner transformed it into a world renowned garden.
Butchart Gardens’ Ross Fountain has multiple computer-controlled jets that continually change their relative shapes, intensities, and directions. At night, a light show is also synchronized onto the changing fountain shapes.
That blur is me bungee jumping off the bridge above to the chasm and river below at Nanaimo’s Bungy Zone. I asked the dudes at the top to let out some extra rope so I would get dunked before being whipped back up.
We explored the out of the way waterfront town of Cowichan Bay, talking with locals and investigating their little shops. True Grain Bread had scrumptious organic breads, and the chocolate chip thingy was delicious.
The town of Chemainus was economically going downhill after their mainstays of mining, fishing, and logging started dwindling. So the townspeople wanted to create something that would attract others from outside to visit, and they decided to create a town full of professionally painted historical murals. They took the “build it and they will come” approach, and it worked.
The little roadside stands sprinkled throughout the back roads of Vancouver Island are great. Karen decided that there were enough breads, fruits, vegetables, drinks, meats, and more available that she tried to eat entire meals by just selecting items from stands!
Apple pressing equipment at Merridale Ciderworks in the rural town of Cobble Hill. The cidery offered a self-guided walking tour of the orchards and the processing barns, and then we sampled all of their alcoholic cider beverages. Our favorite: the sweet and syrupy Winter Apple Cider.
Part of Nanaimo’s long waterfront boardwalk, complete with boats, beaches, beer, and bagpipe players. Very nice setting with an interesting mix of history, shops, restaurants, walking paths, parks, and pleasant scenery. We also explored the boardwalks of Sidney, but preferred Nanaimo.
The Nanaimo Bastion has a long and varied history as a centerpiece for the town: protection, military arsenal, meeting place, clerks’ office, and more. It overlooks the Nanaimo waterfront now and can be toured inside.
We really enjoyed the veranda – and the whole experience – at Fairburn Farms Bed & Breakfast. It is on a working 130 acre farm, and has great hosts, lots of intriguing history, fun places to explore, cute dogs, and a genuinely relaxing peaceful environment.
Karen feeding water buffalo at Fairburn Farms. The hosts make dairy products and sell meat from the water buffalo, plus have sheep, chickens, logging / saw mill, a tea room, casual tours, and of course the bed & breakfast.
Rowing a boat around Yellow Point. We camped overnight at an old waterfront camping/cabin resort called Mermaid’s Cove, and borrowed this boat from the resort’s dock. Picking fruit from the orchard, dinner at the nearby Crow and Gate English-style pub, and the beach bonfire rounded out our stay there.