Trees, very old trees, Very Very old Trees…read more If you love nature, this is the place for you. If you dislike nature, you will love it, after you visit. If you like driving at over 110+ km/h, and you pass it, then you need to SLOW THE FLOCK down, park your car, evaluate your life, then get out, and do the side with the oldest cedar in BC, then get back in your call, the FOLLOW THE SPEED LIMIT. So there you have it, there are two loops, and depending on which side you end up on, you either get lake views, or very old trees, either way, WORTH IT.

Cathedral Grove; if short hikes or anything to do with nature basically is your thing, than this…read moreshould be on your "must see" list. Huge trees both alive and dead (some around 800 years old) await for you in a dense forest on both sides of a highway. Great picture (selfie?) opportunities abound. We went on a misty day; cool but be sure you have proper footwear, as it gets muddy in some parts of the trail. And the bathrooms are clean for that outhouse-kind-of-thing. Worth the stop. Cathedral Grove; with the historic signs around the trails you might learn a thing or two if you're not careful (hey hey heeyy!)!

About 15 min drive from Qualicum. We spent an hour walking…read morein a loop on the trail around the falls Watch your step Wear good shoes Did not see a bathroom ! Don't leave valuable in your car Very beautiful place Kids liked it too Nice place for a picnic

Nice, easy outdoor activity with beautiful scenery. The lower falls are only a few flights of…read morestairs down from the parking lot. There's a nice bridge to cross and you can go further down stream for a better look at the area. The higher falls are a further walk but are worth it! The walk isn't tough and the trail well kept. There's a series of falls and different look out points along the way. Very beautiful!

This is quite the gem for any rock collector out there. It's a bit hidden so it's nice and quiet…read more LOTS of trails and beach to explore. Also, a TON of wildlife!

A beautiful beach on Vancouver Island, just north of Bowser, BC. You will descend a fairly narrow…read moreroad down to the beach, where there are a couple spots to park and there's a bench overlooking the beach and a great view towards the coastal mountains. It's mostly rocky, but you may find a lot of wildlife here (and will probably see some bald eagles).

We have been twice to watch live shows American Tourist and most recently Anne of Green Gables on…read moreopening night. I know we will be back to watch a few more live productions. Put this on your bucket list especially if you live in Port Alberni. Until the next time!!!

We came here for camping and also to check out the caves here. It cost $30 to $50 a night to camp…read more The campsite was busy on the weekend and not so much on the weekdays. The campground is quite big. The outhouse was not bad. We also explored the caves. The tours take 2 hours approx. You can do a self-guided tour but if you do than you don't get to go inside past the gates in the caves Note that in the areas there are lots of dangerous wild animals. We heard that there was a deer that got taken out by a cayote.

This was my first time cave exploring and I had such a wonderful and memorable experience! This is…read moredefinitely one of the best highlights of the entire trip! We went on the guided 3 hour "Ice Age Adventure" tour. Our tour guide was amazing!! She was very educational with the history, facts, and preservation efforts. She was experienced, attentive and overall fun to be with. We explored a series of marble passages and crystal caverns created by the power of "The Ice Age". The experience was amazing! We were crawling and schootching through tight passage ways. We even climbed an underground waterfall!! Wow, the amazing crystals formations were breathtaking. My pictures do not do them justice; you simply just have to see it for yourself!! Dress warm, as it does get a little chilly inside the cave, wear boots or sturdy shoes and know you are going to get a little wet! Take a waterproof durable camera! Also, if possible some gloves can be very helpful. They provide the helmets with a light. Hydrate and have a balanced meal, you will be hiking to the cave as well as climbing and crawling inside. They offer an education center featuring geology information, a small museum and fossil display. They have a small theater, so visitors can learn more about this unique environment without having to enter the caves. Snacks and souvenirs can also be purchased. Other above-ground opportunities include a self-guided walk through the amazing surface geology on the new "Phil Whitfield Interpretive Trail" that highlights interesting surface features explained in a self-guiding brochure. The drive to Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park takes you on an unpaved road for a few miles; don't be worried, it is part of the adventure!! Great price for the experience, this is a MUST DO when visiting Beautiful Vancouver Island!!

Mead is a type of wine made from fermented honey, water, and spices. It is best served cold on a…read moresunny patio overlooking a beautiful forest with the hives that provide the honey buzzing below. Oh! Wow! Middle Mountain Mead has just such a patio! A free mead tasting conducted by the meadery's owner is the best way to get introduced to this beverage. At Middle Mountain they create the best mead I've ever had. Some is mixed with green tea, others with cranberries. Even if you don't like mead, you'll love the view and experience. They also have a fantastic blackberry wine. It's like Port but not as sweet and thick. I am a fan of dry rose so I'm also into really dry, flavorful mead.If you're ever on Hornby, be sure to visit this place.

The only thing it's missing is a dancing Satyr playing the flute! It is a whimsical and magical…read moreplace that should be on the top of your list of places to visit on your first (or every) trip to Hornby. The scenery alone makes it worth the trip... especially if you're not into mead. The tastings are generous and the staff is friendly; there is no "tourist hostility" here. Sit down, close your eyes, and breathe in the scent of lavender and clean forest air. Enjoy a glass of the Magic Mead (it's the best, trust me), and slow down for a moment... which is really impossible NOT to do when you're up there. The only disappointment you'll experience here is when it's time to leave.

A beautiful display of local artists' work. This is the place to visit for gifts or for yourself…read more Gorgeous wooden bowls!

What a lovely little local art gallery! So many beautiful treasures to be found here and enjoy…read morebrowsing through. I only had a limited amount of time in the area and wanted to find a boutique with locally made artisan pieces from and was lucky to find this one in one of the travel guides at my hotel. I picked up a few different items, a small bird made from re-purposed metal, a lovely necklace, a stylish cell phone holder, and some special sea salt. So much fun. I'll be back for sure the next time I'm in the area!

Rollin Art Centre is the home of the Community Arts Council- check out these photos and then run to…read morethis amazing small gallery. Showings change regularly, the gift shop has lovely books and smalls. Summertime must be wonderful with the adjacent gardens. We did a winter visit so the yard was slumbering. A lovely community art gallery.