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Just visit (again) Whistler, for the wintersport, I just love Canada and there friendly people too.
For the next vacation, I would like to visit Vancouver Island, with my wife, thinking in may.
( so, this is not a wintersport :-) )
Is may the best time time to visit Vancouver Island, and after visiting some websites, what are the really must see/do things on this Island? (bear watching, cano, whales ... )
Rob, how long do you plan to be here visiting when you go to the island? Do you plan to stay in one area or do you want to do and see as much as possible of the island? Will you be renting a car and driving yourselves around the island or will you be using public transportation? Knowing the length of visit and method of transportation will make it easier to advise you about things to do and places to go that you can conveniently access. How about you tell us some of the things you and your wife want to do/see and then some of us could tell you where are the best places to visit to do that. Like do you want to be mostly doing outdoors recreational activities in nature? or do you prefer touring towns, crafts fairs and gardens and going shopping and dining instead? or both?
May is lovely but can sometimes be a bit risky due to the possibility of late spring rains still happening and lasting for several days. Personally I find the best time to visit the island is in summer between late June to mid-September because by then it's a lot warmer and more comfortable outdoors where I want to spend most of my time. There's less rain (if any), there are more opportunities to spend doing touristy things outdoors and on the water (including swimming at beaches) and just generally more to do and see around the island. There are a lot of artisans on the island and at that time of year there are also more fairs, festivals, arts & crafts and farmers markets happening outdoors because of the drier weather and growing season.
We will land on Vancouver, stay there for a few days, thinking about for staying on Vancouver Island for 1 week or so?
We will have a rental (4wd) SUV, and it doesn't that we don't stay at one place, we likkepot travel around.
At this moment we have not a clue, were to stay, and for how long.
We do have a wishing list, which include; bear, whale watching, cougars...
We don't mind drive a long on this island, it is just us, probably still in good health too :-)
I agree with Dawn regarding High Tea at The Empress Hotel.
Also, I would recommend a walk through Butchart Gardens. It's a beautiful place and very interesting, too.
Yes, May is a little early for really warm weather, but all these three things are very easy to do at that time of year, not too much out in the weather and close to downtown:
1: High tea at the Empress
2. Royal British Columbia Museum - a must-see for all visitors. You will be bowled off your feet.
3. A visit to Butchart Gardens, even in the rain, can be lovely. They're set up for rainy weather.
If you decide to drive north from Nanaimo to Port Hardy be sure to drive on the Old Coast Highway along the coastline instead of taking the newer inland Highway. Driving along the eastern coastline you will see fabulous scenery, quaint villages and towns, artisans shops, and lush farms and valleys, gorgeous shorelines and beaches, lots of eagles and sea lions and other wildlife.
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