We loved our time with Coastal Expression! We rented 2 single kayaks for 3 hours each. The shop…read moreis run by the friendliest husband and wife team and a kind, helpful, small staff. They gave us great recommendations to help us make the most of our rental time, and as a result we saw the rare white raccoon, lounging seals, and stunning coastline, all via cold, clean waters around charming Nanaimo. After returning, Richard (with the kindest blue eyes and friendly smile) shared a little history of the coastline and wildlife and helpfully gave us a few post-kayak lunch recommendations. I would return again and again if I could.

Stuck with a parking ticket outside their facility. We had a…read morefantastic kayaking experience and the staff were very friendly. My only fault is that we had to pay a parking fine at the end. We were told that parking tickets would be handled by coastal expressions but they failed to tell us that this only covered certain areas of the car park and they would not pay the fine. This dampened the experience for me. If you drive there, make sure you clarify where you can park!

If you are looking for a great company to kayak with along the east coast of Vancouver Island…read morechoose this group. They helped us via email to pick a good day to go out, were flexible with the kayak and time and made my non-kayaking husband feel safe. If you are staying in Nanaimo this is a must while you are there...and great food in Ladysmith for afterwards!

On the ride from Parksville to Victoria, we were all itching to get out of the car and do something…read moreactive. Remarkably, we randomly stopped in Cowichan Bay to grab a bite to eat and found this place. I called from where we were having breakfast and talked to Georgia, who I think is the owner. When I told her that we wanted to kayak, like--in 5 minutes--she was incredibly accommodating. We walked over, and within about 15 minutes, we were out on the water for a one hour rental, reasonably priced at $25. The kayaks were super super clean, which really impressed me. Their dock is also really low, which made getting out and especially coming back in really easy. I will say that there's not much to see once you're out there. The seals hanging out sunning themselves and popping up in the water were the highlight. Maybe if we'd gone out longer there would have been some more interesting scenery to see, but all in all, we were grateful this rental place was there.

From the owner: We provide great experiences hiking and kayaking Vancouver Island and Tanzania, Africa.read more

We've been touring with Kayak Salt Spring for three years. Each year John finds us something new…read moreand interesting to see. On our latest tour, we paddled to Tent Island. We saw seals, eagles, nesting cormorants and stunning scenery. John is always happy to adjust the tour to meet our schedule and is eager to share his knowledge of biology, geology and kayaking techniques. Highly Recommended.

From the owner: Kayak Salt Spring's mission is to provide family-oriented, educational, and environmentally…read morefriendly kayaking adventures that promote the natural beauty and preservation of Salt Spring Island's wilderness.

Nice easy hike that is safe for dogs. However, this hike does have some rocky sections. There's…read morelots of wide open spaces, bodies of water, and some wild life.

Beautiful waters here! Short hike, easy access, be prepared to swim…read more PARKING It's a small parking lot, maybe 10 spots, with overflow on the road around it. I've been here in the afternoon on a weekday in July and midday in a weekday in August. Both times we were lucky and one spot was open. Generally there's turnover since it's a short hike and you can get a spot. AMENITIES There is a bathroom at the trailhead, no water. There are tons of educational signage about the wildlife and plants in the area. DIFFICULTY & TIME Short hike, very little elevation change. You can get to the actual Smuggler Cove in about 30-40 minutes with a 4 and a 6 year old in tow (this is right before the loop starts). I've done the entire full lollipop loop in exactly one hour with only adults. SHADE The hike is 95% shaded. RECEPTION I had 5G reception for most of the hike (T-mobile). CROWDS It was busy but not too crowded both times I went. It was more empty when I went in the afternoon (July 2023). There were many more swimmers during my midday visit in August 2024, but still easy to get your own little private small cove to swim in. SWIMMING In August, we went swimming in the cove. It's not tropical, but it's not nearly as cold as other parts of the ocean. Lots of people were swimming, and a lot of people brought inflatable stand up paddleboards or kayaks.

George gave me a private kayaking lesson on the spit. He is master, and leads expeditions as well…read moreas teaching all levels of paddling classes for certification. Great equipment. Great care. Will definitely return.

We had a great experience today paddleboarding on Granville Island with Simon! He has knowledge…read moreabout the Vancouver like no other! Thank you for making this experience so special for my daughter and I. Tina & Ria

Highlight of our time in Vancouver! Fun and exciting zodiac tour with beautiful sights. We had…read morecaptain Ray he was wonderful.