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

If I could leave more stars I would! We did the UNESCO Biosphere & Bowen Island Boat Tour. This was…read moreeasily the best outdoor adventure I've had all summer. Guaranteed thrills on this zodiac boat tour! Wow..talk about an adrenline rush! This was basically a high speed thrill ride in a jet boat with amazing scenery. Life is always better on a boat! I was literally just having the time of my life!! 3 hours of pure adrenline and jaw-dropping views....speeding across those waves felt like a roller coaster on the water! Zooming down the ocean, wind in your hair, sun on your face...you'll have the time of your life!!! The adrenaline rush was unreal, and the views from the water were stunning. Still buzzing from the speed, and sprays. And let's be honest, seeing Van from the water is absolutely epic. You rediscover the city from a completely different perspective. The experience is a total thrill -- high speeds with the sun and wind in your face, plus those mini splashes of water that make it feel even more epic. Vancouver's coastline is stunning, but seeing it at high speed is a whole different experience. We felt safe but totally exhilarated. From the moment the ride started, the speed, fun turns, and splashes of water made it so exciting. The ride itself was an absolute adrenaline rush! Speed, excitement, and so much fun from start to finish! The speed, and scenery were all unreal. We had so much fun from start to finish -- adrenaline, laughs, and nonstop excitement. Shoutout to Jessica for the top-tier communication! Her communication was exceptional leading up to the event which made the whole process smooth and stress-free. Huge kudos to our driver Ray for his great sense of humour and keeping the vibe fun the whole ride. The energy from Ray was fantastic, keeping everyone hyped up and laughing the entire time. Definitely hope you get Ray as your driver! He clearly knew exactly how to make the ride exciting while keeping it smooth and controlled. Ray's energy, charisma, and knowledge about Van were truly impressive. He didn't miss a single detail and made the entire tour feel engaging and special. Thanks to him, you really feel like you get to know the city, because he shares so many interesting facts about every place you pass. It's not just a boat ride - it's 3 hours of thrills with incredible views at every turn! The boat then stopped at Bowen Island and the tour includes ice cream on the island. It's a little escape from the busy everyday life! Life just moves differently here! I could get very used to this island time thing! I can't think of a more exciting way to experience Vancouver's scenery! We got to feel the rush of speed, soak up the splash, and experience Vancouver from a whole new perspective. We cruised through the Howe Sound, felt the ocean breeze, and took in unbeatable views of Vancouver! Speed, waves, water splashes...full-on adrenaline rush! If you're looking for something unforgettable to do before the summer ends, you need to come experience this! Some moments are best experienced from the water!! Hands down, this is one of the best experiences to have in all of Vancouver. If you're looking for a fun, high-energy adventure on the water, this is absolutely the ride to take. If you are hesitant to book this tour, I am here to tell you to just hit that reservation button.