Parc National du Bic near Rimouski... Another gorgeous natural setting situated along the route 132. I strongly recommand hiking and camping on that site.
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"I went on a diet, swore off drinking and heavy eating, and in fourteen days I lost two weeks" Joe E. Lewis
The entire Gaspe coast (especially along the south shore of the St. Lawrence) is truly marvellous. Unfortunately many Canadians are completely unaware of this.
Mayne Island is one of the smallest Gulf Islands and people living there enjoy a very relaxed pace to life.
Georgina Point lighthouse is a very familiar structure to all ferry passangers.
Ferry traffic through Active Pass is a very frequent sight.
Mayne Island inhabitants.
Mayne Island Resort is one of the few accommodations on the island and it is really nice place to stay.
High tides make all piers on the island really long.
There are some short hiking trails to be found on the island.
Only 1,200 people live year-round on Mayne Island, so the main street of Miners Bay is never very busy.
There are two grocery stores, one gas station and only few restaurants on the entire island.
Galiano Island across Active Pass.
Springwater Lodge is the oldest continuously operating accommodation in the entire British Columbia, having operated since 1895.
Low tide is noticeable.
There is a very nice Japanese garden near Village Bay ferry terminal. While it wasn't blooming yet, it provided for a nice and quiet place to pause for a moment.
Nothing much happens on Mayne Island and the locals do embrace it.
Mayne Island is not really a tourist destination, as there is nothing much to see or do on it. But if you are looking for slow-pace relaxation, it might be one of the best places not too far from Vancouver.
Comox Valley is another lesser known pocket on Vancouver Island that is worth a visit. Our trip took place over this past Thanksgiving long weekend and the weather was absolutely fantastic as we boarded the ferry in Horseshoe Bay.
Hazy Vancouver skyline from afar.
The recommended way to get from Nanaimo to Comox is not to take the highway but instead drive the scenic coastal route.
Goose Spit Bay is a popular leisure spot in Comox.
We don't normally do AirBnB, but accommodation options in the area can be scarce and the carriage house we booked was very lovely.
Canadian Armed Forces have a base on Comox, which is source for a lot of employment in town. There is a great air museum next to the base with an Air Park that is free to enter.
A lot of the equipment has been used in coast rescue missions.
The town of Comox has a pretty fisherman's wharf worth a visit.
Comox Glacier is visible from the town.
Comox is a small town of 14,800 people with a lot of residents being elderly. The main street was rather quiet during a Saturday.
Nymph Falls is a local sight just outside of Courtenay.
Next day we drove up to Campbell River to visit a fun petting farm and we had a great time over there.
Puntledge River Hatchery is definitely worth a visit during salmon run that tends to have its height in late autumn.
Cumberland is another small town in the area with long coal mining history. Nowadays there seemed to be a lot of nice looking restaurants and local breweries, but we didn't have any time to visit them.
Royston has a shore front that was built back in the 1930s by 14 decommissioned ships being sunk. The vessels are still visible from the shore.
The real commercial center and largest city of Comox Valley is Courtenay, but the city has little to see. The downtown can be pretty lively during a weekend, although it is not visible in my photos from Sunday evening.
All in all, it was a fun low-key weekend visiting some small towns with surprisingly lot to see.
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