Premier Listings for Central Vancouver Island

As you drive the Island Highway, it’s always a treat to look across the Strait of Georgia at landmarks on the mainland as spires of the Coast Mountains rise on the eastern horizon. One such scenic view is the profile of Howe Sound Crest as revealed when you look back towards the city of Vancouver from Parksville. The farther north you head towards Courtenay and Campbell river, however, the more the peaks and glaciers of Vancouver Island’s ranges, principally the imposing Comox Glacier, Forbidden Plateau, and Mount Washington, rise in the west and vie for equal attention.

As the highway winds past well-kept farms, this is a serenely rural part of the journey. Flowers abound in the gardens that front many of the homes along the way. Small rivers such as the Little Qualicum and the Englishman, as well as the mightier ones such as the Puntledge and the Campbell, empty into the strait. From the highway you catch glimpses of quiet green forest settings on the banks that line each river’s course. Come late summer, these streams teem with spawning salmon.

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For much of the way between Courtenay and Campbell River the Island Highway runs beside Qualicum Bay, an area rich in seafood. Pullouts beside the road give easy access to the bay’s sand and pebble beaches. At several places you can buy fresh seafood, brought to the docks daily from local waters.

The mountains and islands of central Vancouver Island have a mysterious sense about them, as if they’re always trying to hide some secret. It’s true: you do have to travel farther afield here in order to penetrate its cloud-laced valleys and coastal rain forest. Take your time as you meander through this laid-back region. Its rhythms are subtle, but with gentle probing they reveal themselves, showing greater complexity than first meets the eye.

The following regions and towns are located in or around Central Vancouver Island:

Location: The new Island Highway (Highway 19) has superseded the old Island highway (Highway 19A) as the way to move quickly between Nanaimo and Campbell River. Parksville, 37 km north of Nanaimo’s Departure Bay ferry, lies just east of the new Island Highway. For those wishing to make time, the new four-lane route is a blessing. For those wishing to take their time, this will mean fewer cars tailgating along the scenic ocean drive.

Highways 19 and 19A link Parksville with southern Vancouver Island. Highway 4 links Parksville with Port Alberni, and with Tofino and Ucluelet on the west side of the island. Approaching from the north, Highway 19 links Campbell River with the northern half of Vancouver Island. Campbell River may also be reached by BC Ferries from Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island. Highway 28 originates from Highway 19 just north of Campbell river, and leads west for 92 km to Gold River.

View maps of the area

Premier Local Businesses in Central Island, BC – North Central Vancouver Island Small Business

Spirit of the West Kayaking

P.O. Box 569 Heriot Bay Quadra Island BC V0P 1H0 Home Phone: 250-285-2121Home Fax: 1-888-389-5736Work Phone: 1-800-307-3982Website: Visit Website
Photo of Spirit of the West Kayaking

Biographical Info

Kayaking British Columbia is the ultimate way to view BC’s abundant wildlife.

We want you to fall in love with kayaking and our unique coast, and our passion shows in everything we do. Choose among several professionally-guided 4-8 day trips for all experience levels around Vancouver Island. ‘Glamping’ basecamp-style with wood-fired hot tub overlooking the Pacific Ocean, or expedition-style paddling from camp to camp and paddling between 100s of islands through the Broughton Archipelago, famous Desolation Sound and the wild Great Bear Rainforest on the Central Coast. Savouring a fresh salmon BBQ in the open air, explore and view fascinating wildlife and wilderness and wake up on remote islands with the sound of the whales. Unique and breathtaking.

Our adventures are for everyone and are designed to cater to all levels of experience and abilities. We take care to introduce you to the sport in a fun and safe manner. All that we ask is that you welcome adventure with an open mind and are able to laugh and have fun when encountering the unexpected. Our groups are small, ranging from 8 to 13 people, depending on the trip, in order to provide you with the best experience possible. We provide everything you need for a once in a lifetime kayaking adventure. We provide high-quality fiberglass kayaks, paddling equipment, camp cookware, eating utensils, and camping gear.

Our guides take care of you for the entire duration of your tour, prepare delicious, organic and local meals, and have extensive training and experience in sea kayaking and in sharing the natural and cultural history of the area.

During the Northern Hemisphere winter, we also offer kayaking trips to the glacier-fed South American wildlife paradise, the Chilean Patagonia Archipelago, and multi-day escapes to sun, sand, remote beaches and the warm crystal clear waters of the Bahamas. Please contact us for all details of these amazing winter getaways!

Categories: Bella Bella, Big Bunsby Marine Provincial Park, Blackfish Sound, Bligh Island Marine Provincial Park, Brooks Peninsula / Muquin Provincial Park, Broughton Archipelago, Broughton Archipelago Marine Provincial Park, Campbell River, Camping Trips, Canoeing & Kayaking, Cariboo, Chilcotin, Coast, Catala Island Marine Provincial Park, Central Island, Copeland Islands Marine Provincial Park, Desolation Sound, Desolation Sound Marine Provincial Park, Discovery Coast, Discovery Islands, Discovery Passage, Echo Bay Marine Provincial Park, Esperanza Inlet, Great Bear Rainforest, Gulf Islands & Discovery Islands, Haida Gwaii, Hakai Luxvbalis Conservancy Area, Johnstone Strait, Lawn Point Provincial Park, Mansons Landing Provincial Park, Nootka Island, Nootka Sound, North Island, Northern BC & Haida Gwaii, Northern Gulf Islands, Nuchatlitz Inlet, Nuchatlitz Provincial Park, Octopus Islands Provincial Park, Quadra Island, Queen Charlotte Islands, Read Island Provincial Park, Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park, Recreation, Rendezvous Island South Provincial Park, Robson Bight (Michael Biggs) Ecological Reserve, Roscoe Bay Provincial Park, Santa Gertrudis-Boca del Infierno Marine Park, Sayward Forest Canoe Route, Small Inlet Marine Provincial Park, Smelt Bay Provincial Park, Sunshine Coast, Surge Narrows Provincial Park, Teakerne Arm Provincial Park, Telegraph Cove, Thurston Bay Marine Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island & BC Islands, Vancouver, Coast & Mountains, Walsh Cove Provincial Park, Whale Watching, Yuquot (Friendly Cove), Zeballos