Canadian wildlife and Pacific nature

Victoria, the provincial capital of British Columbia, has retained all its Victorian charm and maritime heritage. Located at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, the city takes its name from Queen Victoria. While First Nations peoples were the region's first inhabitants, the city was founded by the Hudson's Bay Company, a British fur-trading company that established its new headquarters there. 

Victoria is a place full of charm, a refreshing, picturesque and restful escape. The city's mild climate and abundant sunshine bring an abundance of flowers and trees, earning it the nickname “Garden City.” On summer nights, their scent can even be felt drifting through the air. Stroll along the Inner Harbour, admiring the beautiful boats on one side and, on the other, Victoria's oldest buildings, museums and art galleries. The old town is also a must, with its British charm and wide variety of shops.

Quadra Island is the central community of the Discovery Islands, an archipelago of small islands set along the Inside Passage. Located between Vancouver Island and mainland British Columbia, Quadra Island is home to a dynamic, tight-knit community drawn from all walks of life and every corner of the world. Campbell River, on Vancouver Island, is the nearest town and the departure port for the regular ferry, which takes you to Quadra Island in 10 minutes. 

Surrounded by breathtaking wild landscapes and blessed with a mild temperate climate, visitors have long been drawn to Quadra Island for its natural beauty, endless outdoor activities and warm, welcoming residents. Quadra Island is known for its arts community and is also one of British Columbia's top destinations for adventure recreation, including diving, hiking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and wildlife watching. Its intricate shoreline, dotted with beaches, sheltered coves, channels and protected islets, also makes it ideal for sea kayak exploration.

Eclectic, art-filled coastal villages dot the Sunshine Coast, a 180-kilometre stretch running from Howe Sound to Desolation Sound northwest of Vancouver, a region known for its mild climate and forested mountains. Popular activities here include canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, sailing and scuba diving, as well as spending an afternoon browsing galleries, visiting a farmers' market, or wandering a secluded beach.

Reachable by air or by ferry at its northern and southern ends, the Sunshine Coast lies on mainland British Columbia yet carries all the relaxed charm of island life. Here, moss-covered rainforest spills down to a shoreline carved between the Strait of Georgia and the Coast Mountains. Sandy beaches, hiking trails, lakes and nature parks dot this long, sun-drenched coastline and its scattered islands.