RVing on Vancouver Island, the Pacific Jewel of British Columbia, Canada can offer something for everyone. Heavily forested mountains, rugged sea coasts and quaint villages await. It can be accessed with your RV only by ferries that operate from Horseshoe Bay (North Vancouver), Tsawwassen (South of Vancouver),Anacortes , Washington or Port Angeles, Washington. While it is not a cheap fare, the island offers less travelled land to explore.
If you prefer a lot of activity, Westbay Marine Village RV Park is where you may want to be. Located on the shores of the city of Victoria Harbour, this downtown park provides front row seats to watch floatplanes landing and taking off while ships and boats sail by. All of this with the beautiful backdrop of Victoria, the capital city of B.C., with its illuminated iconic Parliament Buildings, Empress Hotel and skyline.
Perhaps you like RVing Vancouver Island a bit more laid back. There are several oceanfront RV parks located in the Campbell River area, about 3 hours north of Victoria. Camped right on the inside coast, you can see the snowcapped Rockies rising behind the green treed mountainous islands in the Georgian Strait. There are lots of sights to take in during day trips from here. Just slightly north lies Discovery Channel, boasting of the fastest tidal current in a shipping channel, up to 16 knots.
If you want to be way off the grid, Tofino offers unparalleled rugged beaches that stretch for miles. Here the fury of the Pacific, often driven by gale force winds, is something to behold. People book the luxurious beachfront hotels during the fall when these wind storms run plentiful.
There are 3 RV parks in the Tofino area and 1 in Ucluelet, a town just to the south. None of these parks will accommodate a rig much bigger than 30 feet or so. Power is limited to mainly 15/20 amp with possible 30 amps available scarcely.
When camping and hiking in this area, please be aware of the wildlife. Much of Vancouver Island, especially to the north, is inhabited with bears, including grizzly’s, and cougar. Personal care and caution should be observed, especially with pets.
