Family vacations are problematic these days, between soccer practice, summer swim lessons, lacrosse camp, work constraints and the ever-present lure of video games, email and Facebook updates. Hard to envision a way through all those obstacles, but…

Imagine that you and your family are kayaking in a quiet cove in a back bay on Vancouver Island’s quiet shores. Your 12-year-old daughter is entranced by the sight of a brood of river otters—mom, dad and seven kits—gamboling through the sparkling water. Your 9-year-old son is carefully watching an eagle soar in the distance, hoping it will plunge down to snatch a herring. Your husband is paddling hard across the cove, to see if he still has the skills he had as a college crew champion; you suspect he’s also envisioning his afternoon golf game.

A light north breeze sets up ripples in the water that look like the curls in a movie starlet’s hairdo. On the slope above the cove, the candelabra branches of an ancient cedar rise above the surrounding forest. Rufous hummingbirds buzz beneath the trees.

And you have a mental movie camera running, preserving it all.

Hard to use electronic instruments at such a moment, so there isn’t an iPhone, Gameboy, MP3 player, digital camera, tablet or Android device in use. There’s not even one in the cove, period, as the whole family agreed to leave the electronics at home during vacation this summer.

Now imagine Grandma and Grandpa are back behind everyone in their two-person kayak, running their own mental cameras.

Now imagine Hazel, your chocolate lab, is poking around on the shore under the watchful eye of your teenager, the 16-year-old who said she’d much rather beachcomb than kayak. She’s thinking ahead to her surfing lesson that afternoon-totally more interesting than a serene kayak excursion. Hazel’s hoping for a stick thrown in the water… also much more interesting than a quiet paddle.

In our ever-more instantaneous, high-speed world, it’s hard to imagine such a trip is possible, but at Vancouver Island’s Special Places, all that is the order of business for summer vacations. And more: zip-line adventures, world-class fishing, snorkeling with salmon, swimming in refreshing rivers, enjoying fresh salmon, oysters, crab, shrimp, ice cream, cheese and artisan bread.

We have three-generation opportunities that span the spectrum from simple relaxation in a quiet cabin overlooking the water, to weeklong active adventures in which teenagers can test the old proposition that wisdom and skill outweigh youthful enthusiasm. But young or old, two-legged or four, all are welcome. You bring the family, we supply the sun and sand, water and shore, wood and meadow; amid which our lodges, restaurants and play places combine into a comprehensive family vacation universe.

At Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, for instance (one venue for the vacation scenario we’ve described above) this summer the Elders’ Package offers a free stay for those over 55 traveling with four or more members of their family. So you can call up Grandma and suggest a “camping” trip for all without fear of rejection-this camping takes place in ultra-luxurious yurts, with every amenity imaginable, in a wilderness setting deep in Clayoquot Sound.

The Wickaninnish Inn & Spa, just outside Tofino, may be a member of Relais & Chateaux, the most exclusive luxury accommodation organization on earth, but pets are still welcome here. Imagine introducing your retriever to 2 miles of broad, sandy beach… Yes, leashes are required on Chesterman Beach next to the Wick, but it’s still one of the most canine-friendly places in Canada.

Nimmo Bay Resort, another wilderness lodge in our region, is not only family-friendly, it’s family-run. Founded as a fly-in deluxe outdoor-sports lodge in 1980 by Craig Murray, the resort is passing into the hands of Craig and Deborah Murray’s children, as son Fraser Murray takes over management of the resort. That means they truly understand the needs of families that travel together; thus the resort now offers programs for the entire family such as yoga, heli-hiking and healthful dining. Nimmo Bay partners with the Wick for six-day vacation packages that offer unparalleled West Coast experiences-including a thrilling, scenic helicopter transfer between the two resorts.

Families can also create their own multi-faceted vacations at our Special Places, most of which lie within just a few hours travel time of each other. Possibilities include cosmopolitan urban experiences at Victoria’s Abigail’s Hotel or garden and spa relaxation at Brentwood Bay Lodge near Butchart Gardens; golf, beachcombing and biking at Kingfisher Resort & Spa in the Comox Valley, and at Beach Club Resort in the Parksville area; sophisticated oceanfront relaxation at Ucluelet’s Black Rock Resort; more wilderness exploration at Eagle Nook Wilderness Resort in Barkley Sound, next to Pacific Rim National Park; or small-island back-bay relaxation at Poet’s Cove Resort on South Pender Island.

And if golf, fishing, kayaking, swimming, beachcombing, hiking and biking aren’t exciting enough for every member of the family, a trip to WildPlay Element Parks near Victoria or Nanaimo will heighten the adrenaline factor considerably. Adventure park operators often observe that elders are just as eager to test their limits as teens, if not more so. Which will it be in your family?

There is a fishing lodge in British Columbia it’s called Nimmo Bay. Best fishing lodge in the world.

Those words, spoken by Denny Crane to Alan Shore during an episode of Boston Legal titled “Finding Nimmo” epitomize the adventure started by the Murray Family so many years ago, when they towed a small float out to the narrows between Port McNeill and Vancouver Island, and to this day with the legendary lodge at Nimmo Bay.

Above all else, Nimmo Bay is a place dedicated to sustaining life.

Life in the form of family. Nimmo Bay Resort was built on the dream of keeping the Murray Family together. That dream, like so many seeds that took root in the wilds of British Columbia, has grown into something amazing, breathtaking to behold and intrinsically unforgettable.

In June of 1981, the first guests walked onto the floating docks of Nimmo Bay and were guided into the wilderness by Craig Murray. Now, 30 years later, the torch has been passed from father to son as 34-year old Fraser Murray steps in to take over as operations manager, with his partner Becky Eert at his side.

Fraser Murray with partner Becky Eert

Image credit Nimmo Bay

Life in the form of environmental responsibility and awareness. As partners in stewardship of the Great Bear Rainforest, the Murray family is actively involved in initiatives around the protection and conservation of the wildlife and wilderness spanning 50,000 square miles of British Columbia.

The Murray’s take their responsibilities to the region very seriously. Craig sits on the board of directors for several tourism initiatives, and Nimmo Bay has been awarded with honours for their commitment to the environment. They’ve been widely featured, receiving numerous accolades from guests and media, ranging from Conde Nast to major networks NBC and ABC and Canadian icon, William Shatner.

It’s more than a love of fishing shared by Shatner and the Murray family, Both Shatner and the Murray family are staunch advocates for wild salmon conservation, standing up for legislation regulating the salmon farming industry in BC preservation and working tirelessly towards conservation of wild salmon stock.

In this pocket of wilderness, in some of the most isolated country on earth, is a family with a surprising secret. Clifton Murray’s talents as a tenor were passed to him by his grandfather, George Murray, a famous Irish Tenor known for his folk songs and ballads. Clifton, along with the world-renowned Canadian Tenors, can be heard performing Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” as the soundtrack for an amazing aerial 360 degree tour of Nimmo Bay. Georgia Murray is an acclaimed singer-songwriter whose album titled “Just a Dream”, recently released in June of 2011. When the family is united, the campfire singalongs at Nimmo Bay will take your breath away.

It’s an ideal place to reconnect with your family. Just as the Murray’s have done throughout the years, your family will never forget the experience of a helicopter trip to the top of a glacier for a snowball fight and a mid-summer’s tobogganing, or kayaking through calm, tidal waters by day to watch baby bear cubs and their moms and at night for a unique encounter with sparkling phosphorescence, or any of the myriad magical excursions to be experienced during your family’s stay in Nimmo Bay.

The greatest thing about Nimmo Bay isn’t the wilderness. It’s the spirit it was built upon, the legacy of environmental awareness and activism, the preservation of one of the most magical places on earth, and the amazing family committed to preserving and protecting it for over 30 years and many generations to come.

Nimmo Bay is a seasonal resort, opening on May 14th. Learn more about them on their website, follow their blog, and join them on Facebook and on Twitter.  For an unforgettable west coast experience, check out the exclusive WickaNimmo Vacation Package, a 6 night getaway featuring experiences at Nimmo Bay and the Wickaninnish Inn.

Her Take:

I think we live in one of the most beautiful places on earth; Vancouver Island, BC. Only sometimes, I get so busy that I forget that. Our recent escape to the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa brought it all back to me. Anchored on the edge of the sea, the one bedroom suites present dramatic views of the water through floor to ceiling windows. Everywhere you look, you are surrounded by textures of the West Coast. Ocean rounded rock fireplaces to warm your evenings and polished wood accents with intricate grain patterns that invite tracing fingers. A couple of nights in these well-appointed suites with that view alone would be worth the trip.

And then there was the spa…

We indulged in the Pacific Mist Hydropath. This signature experience is one hour unlike anything I had ever enjoyed before. More than just a spa, it is a unique series of water therapy stations where your body is awakened and rejuvenated. The private alcoves invite you and your loved one to unwind and reconnect. My only advice would be to keep a clear schedule after this hour as the urge to sit back with a glass of wine and watch the ocean can be very strong.

One of the best hours of my life was spent at Pacific Mist Hydropath

And if the view, the king size bed, the eucalyptus steam cave and the Pacific Mist Hydropath are not enough, well there’s more. As a bit of a self-proclaimed foodie, grower of own vegetables and being a gluten free eater, the restaurant fare was a real treat. Forget mass produced, forget previously frozen, think free range, locally grown, freshly harvested and plenty of seafood. There was a top drawer selection of gluten free options and the kitchen was very accommodating. I was in heaven.

We had little reason to go anywhere else and in fact, outside of a 4 km hike along one of the nearby trails through the old growth forest and some beach combing, did not. Our brief two nights at the Kingfisher Resort in Courtenay, BC successfully whisked us light years away from our everyday lives and reawakened my love for Vancouver Island.

His Take:

Here we are, it’s mid-afternoon and we’ve arrived. The wind is creating some whitecaps on the surf right outside our corner suite. We’re right on the edge and I could jump to the beach from the patio if I could get a run at it. We have a couple of relaxing glasses of wine while chatting and watching the ocean and just relaxing. These moments are rare. We put the fire on low just to make it even cosier.

We have booked a hydropath and it’s time for our appointment, so we take the few steps outside to the spa and are greeted by two young ladies who give us a brief lowdown on what to expect and then send us off to get changed. The hydropath is a mixture of tub soaking, steam room and massage with jets of water in an underground cave-like setting. I enjoyed it, but, for me at least, the best part was my wife saying how wonderful it was and just seeing her succumb to the temptations of the warm water and really let herself forget about anything else but this experience. There are eight different stations and the appointments are staggered so you can never run into another group and the hostesses are continually providing drinking water and moist towels, but are so discreet that you don’t notice them doing it. Very pleasant.

After that it was back to the suite and the luxurious king-size bed for a good night’s sleep, to be woken by the birds and the sun streaming in. No rush, but eventually we made it for breakfast. Huevos Rancheros, I think it was that I had, and very tasty it was. I also remember it was a tough choice. The wife loved the gluten free options.

Went for a leisurely walk on a trail through the forest to try and exercise off some of that breakfast and wandered back via the beach where we collected a few shells for the kids and agreed how much they would love it down here in and amongst the rocks. However, we were both not admitting that we were actually glad they weren’t there at that minute. Here, kid, I was thinking of you – have a shell.

All I have to say about the Eagle Suite, is, when can we move in?

Back to the suite to relax again for a couple of hours before heading off to the hot tub and pool. The pool is warm – the hot tub is hot, too hot for me, but I manage to gingerly lower myself in with the wife trying not to laugh. She’s once again saying how lovely it is with the west coast trees swaying around us, and it is. We alternate between the pool, the hot tub and the sauna for an hour or so.

Supper time and we’re eating at the restaurant. Everything sounds good, but I decide to go for the steak just because I’m so boring – and I like steak. The wife is more adventurous and has some type of seafood, but once again enjoys choosing between the gluten free options. It is delicious; I can’t say anything more than that. We split a starter and a dessert on either side, the service is good, but they don’t try to hurry us and we chat and laugh the evening away before retiring back to our cozy suite and its enormous bed.

Next morning and it’s time to go. The brief vacation is too brief, but we wander up to check out and the wife gets some sand dollar earrings from the gift shop before we’re on our way. It’s been a pleasure and somewhere to which I would happily return. You know what made it for me – how much my wife enjoyed it and how many times she said how lovely it all was. If that’s the case, guys, how can you fail to have a good time?

Bottom Line for both of us:

Do it again in a heartbeat. The drive up was foreplay. On the drive back we both admitted how much we were looking forward to seeing the kids. That means it had to be good.

The Tofino Food and Wine Festival is a refreshing celebration of a community’s commitment to culinary excellence, favouring fresh, local and seasonal ingredients at the center. And wine. Lots and lots of wine.

On June 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd – local area chefs, each gastronomic geniuses in their own right, are paired with BC’s best winemakers for the 10^th Annual Tofino Food and Wine Festival. It’s three days featuring some of the West Coast’s best chefs and buckets of cab-sav, merlot and shiraz. What we call on The Coast: “A perfect summer weekend”.

Not a bucket, but a basket of wine.

Among the culinary stars attending are the Wick’s own Chef Nicholas Nutting accompanied by his acclaimed kitchen brigade, and Black Rock Resort’s recently returned Chef Louise Pickles and her team. The Wickaninnish makes a special appearance with the Annual Winemaker’s Dinner, and both will be front and centre at the festival’s main event, Grazing in the Gardens, which takes place at the Tofino Botanical Gardens on Saturday, June 1^st from 1pm to 4pm.

Guest enjoying a taste of BC wine

On Sunday, guests of the festival have a unique opportunity to join the legendary chef and author Barbara-jo McIntosh at a secret location by the sea for Tofino to Paris Direct. The special event features cooking demonstrations and tastings that will take guests on a romantic food journey of living, loving and cooking in Paris. Barbara-jo is the author of notable works “Tin Fish Gourmet” and “Cooking for Me and Sometimes You”, both of which feature simple, but elegant, recipes made with readily available ingredients.

This enticing itinerary is a delightful chance to experience the best of the West Coast during a culinary adventure you won’t want to miss. Visit Black Rock Oceanfront Resort and the Wickaninnish Inn for details on accommodations, and head over to the official Tofino Food and Wine Festival website for details on event times and locations.

Images via rwellmanphotography.com

One of the best things about a vacation is the moment you’re transported, the moment that your mind catches up with your body and you have arrived, away. Wherever you are and for however long, you are transported away.

At the Beach Club Resort in Parksville, the moment we opened the door to our room and took in the view, we were transported. Windows stretched from floor to ceiling and all we could see was unobstructed sand, sky and surf. The tide was halfway between coming and going and Brant Geese, here for a brief sojourn on their northward migration, meandered in the nearby tidal pools. Across the Salish Sea the vista reached Lasqueti and Texada Islands with the Sunshine Coast Mountain range beyond.

After a quick walk-through of the sprawling, spacious suite, we made our way back to the living room where the view, again, literally stopped us in our tracks. And for a moment, for just a moment, we simultaneously reached what can only be described as quietude: an inner peace, stillness, state of extreme calm.

When we did manage to tear our gaze from the ocean paradise on the other side of the glass we were greeted by a plate of fruit, exotic cheese and savoury crisp breads. Enjoying this complimentary snack we were captured by a different sort of beauty: the comfort of West Coast design in the fully appointed suite. It was beautifully decorated in neutral earth tones, sleek wood and polished marble. The walls were adorned with photographs and paintings of sea life echoing the images outside the window.

The open-space plan was built around that view and included a full kitchen with dining area and everything you need for a day or a month, like a generous assortment of kitchenware laid out in the cupboards and drawers with military precision.

The master bathroom felt big enough for a dance party, boasting a full soaker tub and glass walled shower that you could do a slow waltz in. The vanity could easily accommodate several people, even a preening bride with a couple of bridesmaids. It was the kind of bathroom you dream of.

Being away is about what you don’t do as much as what you do, what you have and don’t have are part of what transport you. At the Beach Club Resort we had all of the comforts of home without the clutter, cats or kids to clean up after. Even the occasional spring rain shower drifting isn’t a problem when there’s nowhere to be except the hot tub.

Each morning, we ordered luxurious breakfasts in our room: steaming fresh-ground coffee, home fries, grade-”a” steak and eggs, bacon, sausage and ham with marbled rye toast swimming in creamy butter. Inviting a coronary, yes, but we were doing it deliciously.

Checking out is always hard, even heartbreaking. It’s an impossible transition, leaving the lap of luxury behind and going back to our daily lives. But what we took away from our vacation at the Beach Club Resort is that whether it’s summer or winter, high season or low, we can’t wait to rest our heads in that lap again.

Spring makes a gradual entrance on Vancouver Island, particularly in the back bays and wilderness islands at the Island’s verges. Here there is rarely any sudden surge of warmth; instead, one day we might notice a robin song at 7a.m. The next, an alder grove that’s been gray and ivory all winter will show a tinge of green. A few days after that, it’s warm enough to shed our jackets in the afternoon.

A week later, we discover it’s still light after dinner; and the sun is rising behind a tree more north than east. Finally, the first salmonberry blooms pop out on bare branches like bits of topaz, and then it seems our rufous hummingbirds are here the instant it happens, as if avian telegrams have gone south.

This is the time Special Places’ four seasonal lodges start to open.

Just as the first hummingbirds have flown north, so do the first floatplanes or supply boats head out for resorts that have lain dormant since October. Nimmo Bay Resort poised at the edge of a remote bay north of Port McNeill; Eagle Nook Ocean Wilderness Resort, straddling a quiet peninsula in a back corner of Barkley Sound, southeast of Ucluelet; Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, a deluxe tent camp at a river delta in the far reaches of Clayoquot Sound; and April Point Resort and Spa, just across Discovery Passage from Campbell River–all have been shuttered and quiet for months, doors and windows drawn tight against winter storms. Now they are flung open to the fresh air as caretakers bring them back to life.

Beds are made, inventories checked, dust mopped up. Winter’s debris is swept from walkways, patios and decks; dock cleats checked; water pipes cleared; firewood brought in for the still-chill nights of April and May. Soon enough, the first guests will arrive, and though there are still fresh leaves spreading out on alder branches, and the spring sun may shine through a light haze that turns the sky a wispy blue, this can be a splendid time for a visit to these remote locations. Daytime highs reach 20 (62F); early morning air still holds a hint of leftover winter crispness.

Our remote lodges are less crowded and more sedate in early season—with kids still in school, families aren’t traveling yet. Mays bring almost all of the advantages of August, such as long days perfect for adventure; and long-term Pacific Coast residents will tell you the weather is often just as good now as in June. Furthermore, early season rates often offer better pricing, too.

And this season holds many of summer’s delights, though few know it. Like the lodges themselves, nature is springing to life around them. Salmon are not running yet, largely; but bears newly risen from winter dens can often be seen along the shores filling up on spring growth of grass and forbs. Eagles are on their nests rearing fledglings; the last of the grey whales heading north for the summer cruise by, and some stop short to spend their summers here in bays and inlets along the coast.

This is the season of spring flowers, too—not only salmonberries but evergreen huckleberries, with their delicate tiny trumpets drooping in cluster; trillium, deep in the woods; bigleaf maples, whose flowers draw bees by the thousands. The musty tang of cottonwood pitch perfumes the air along waterways, and the scent of fresh spruce tips spices evening’s quiet air.

In May or early June, a lodge guest might arise just after the sun—6 a.m., say—and take a cup of coffee out on the deck to watch the bay for a family of otters playing in the quiet water, a half-dozen pups gamboling about around the parents. Harbour seals cruise by. Newborn chickadees are following their parents on their first excursions around the woods. Woodpeckers call in the deep forest, looking for partners. Porcupines can be seen in young pines, savoring spring growth.

Each of our four remote lodges—those reached by boat or floatplane—offers a full range of activities to guests on opening, though some helicopter excursions into nearby alpine territory may not be available yet.

Fishing focuses on halibut, black sea bass and rockfish, and other novelties such as fly-fishing kelp beds for eager panfish. Wildlife watching excursions yield sightings as productively as during the main summer season, yet fewer boats are out on the water. Beachcombing on rarely visited strands of white sand, horseback riding along disused logging roads, canoeing back bays—all these can be enjoyed now. For sure, each resort’s spa holds out a promise of relaxation and indulgence after a day’s action in the wilderness.

April Point Resort opens May 3; Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, May 12; Eagle Nook, June 12; and Nimmo Bay, May 14. For more information, visit each resort’s website: www.wildretreat.com (Clayoquot); www.nimmobay.com; www.eaglenook.com; and www.aprilpoint.com.

It’s where you can reel in a 30 lb King (Chinook, Tyee, Spring) salmon from the deck of a 17 foot ocean cruiser. The Wickaninnish Inn is ideally suited to set you up with a fishing expedition with any one of the dozens of charter companies in the area, check out the links on their website, or ask the Clefs d’Or Concierge for help

And salmon are just the beginning. On the bottom of the rocky Vancouver Island coastline lives any number of delicious rockfish, there for the jigging. Hook a halibut (they call the little ones chickens), rock a ling cod or red snapper, or face off against the awesome albacore tuna in the deep waters of the North Pacific.

At Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, try fly-fishing for fall salmon or cutthroat trout in the legendary Cypre, Megin and Tranquil rivers, or try something deeper during a date with Megin or Pretty Girl lake. Fish for everything from Coho to Chinook to Chum to Cod during a deep sea fishing excursion.

Experience the ultimate fishing trip at Eagle Nook Resort & Spa. At this remote island destination, you’ll be treated to some truly exclusive experiences in some of the richest fishing grounds the Island has to offer.

From Black Rock Oceanfront Resort to the Wickaninnish Inn, It’s the fly-fishing capital of Canada and the Salmon fishing capital of the world. East or West, North or South, Vancouver Island is a place for great adventures and awesome experiences.

Learn more about the fishing excursions at Vancouver Island’s Special Places on the official website, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for updates, special deals and more featured content.

Off the shores of Campbell River, April Point Resort and Spa on Quadra Island offers excursions that invite you to look your prey in the eye before bringing them on board. The classic Tyee fishing experience is just you against the sea. No motors or downriggers, just you, your rod and reel standing alone against the 30 lb kings of the coast.,

If those seas are a bit too rough for you, there’s a more comfortable chance to catch a Chinook, from the back of the luxury, 17-foot Boston Whalers. Campbell River is legendary for fishing, and you can be part of the legend by exploring April Point Resort and Spa at Vancouver Island Special Places.

Inland, the Campbell River is easy pickings for serious fishers. Fight with feisty steelhead during a fly-fishing excursion to the myriad lakes and rivers in the area, accessible by car or, for a more elite experience, arrange access to your destination by helicopter.

On the subject of elite fishing expeditions, Nimmo Bay Resort takes remote adventure and wraps it up in a remote getaway to the beautiful and secluded wilderness of North Vancouver Island. Experience the serenity and quietude during what would promise to be the experience of a lifetime during a heli-fishing adventure at Special Places’ northernmost destination.

Fly fishing at Nimmo Bay

And stay tuned, there are plenty of other destinations to explore for world-class fishing with Vancouver Island’s Special Places.

Starting in March, it’s wildlife watching season on the West Coast and it’s kicked off by the Pacific Rim Whale Festival. Several of the area’s more popular luxury resorts, including the Wickaninnish Inn and Black Rock Oceanfront Resort provide easy access to whale watching and marine adventures and activities through their sponsorship of the festival. Ucluelet is currently in the development stage of an aquarium that will showcases the unique and diverse indigenous wildlife of British Columbia’s west coast.

Pod swimming in the waters off North Vancouver Island

From the deck of an ocean cruiser, watch in relative comfort while whales breach, jump and cruise past. Grey and Humpback whales pass by the west coast during their annual migration to their feeding grounds in the Arctic. Resident and transient Orcas aren’t far behind, frequently showing their mottled faces in the waters off Tofino, Ucluelet and Victoria. When whales are sparse, there are Dalls porpoises and Pacific striped dolphins that are known to swim alongside the boats.

Orca breaching in Haro Strait

Frequently named one of the world’s top spots for scuba diving, the coastal waters of Vancouver Island are a paradise for amateur and professional divers. 17,000 miles of coastline and several sunken wrecks offer ideal opportunities to see the seals, sea lions, wolf eels, octopus’ and the plethora of photogenic encrusting invertebrates.

The most elusive creature to inhabit the Island’s waterways, one might even say mythological, is the giant “monster” living in Cameron Lake, on the road from Port Alberni to Tofino. Cryptozoologists have been to the lake several times and “spotted” signs of what is definitely something big, a sighting that’s confirmed by several area residents.

From the biggest whale to the smallest mollusk, from the real to the unreal, Vancouver Island is a mecca for exploring marine wildlife.  For more breathtaking photos, check out the  Vancouver Island Special Places photo gallery.

Today, we turn our eyes away from the skies to the forests and mountains of Vancouver Island, where an abundance of wildlife lives and thrives untamed and unfettered, waiting for curious souls recently escaped from the urban landscape to a place less governed by politicians and bylaws, more by the laws of the jungle.

There are tamer species for the tame hearts, Columbian black-tailed deer are more often seen in the residential areas of central and north Vancouver island than they are in the forest. Roadside, there are rabbits, squirrels and raccoons in as many urban as rural areas.

Further north and west, where wildlife is yet to give way to urban development, there are opportunities to encounter species so rare that few Islanders can claim they’ve see them. The Roosevelt Elk range inland from Nanaimo and Duncan and north of Campbell River and the once critically-endangered Vancouver Island Marmots are recovering, but still few and far between, making their homes in the mountainous regions of the Island.

Of a more predatory nature, the Vancouver Island wolf is an endangered subspecies endemic to the Clayoquot Sound (but most likely seen on Vargas Island), near Tofino on the West Coast. If you’re camped out at either Black Rock Oceanfront Resort or the Wickaninnish Inn, it’s a short hop by kayak or boat to catch a glimpse of these elusive and shy creatures.

Image of a Vancouver Island Wolf

If bears are your thing, while there are technically only black bears on Vancouver Island, there are opportunities to encounter bears in three flavours. Clayoquot Wilderness Resort (in partnership with Churchill Wild) is currently featuring an exclusive “black & white” excursion – get up close and personal with both black and polar bears during the 10-14 day expedition that takes you from Clayoquot Sound to Manitoba’s Hudson Bay Coast.  Back on the West coast, tour providers are offering up Grizzly Bear tours where, from the safety of boats and kayaks, adventurers have the chance to catch a glimpse of these massive animals in their natural habitat.

Grizzly Bear

From the wild and dangerous to cute and cuddly, Vancouver Island’s Special Places provide the perfect combination of luxury resort experiences with a taste of Vancouver Island wilderness.

Wolf image via Canuckle on Wikimedia Commons.