There is no better sensation than stepping off a ferry onto an island paradise and feeling the screw at the back of your neck loosen. No alarms, no traffic, no fast food, no parking meters, no deadlines.
No worries, you’re on Island Time.
Vancouver is blessed with a variety of weekend getaway options in the Southern Gulf Islands, just a couple hours away. But where to go? That depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for.
Salt Spring
The largest and most populous of the Southern Gulf Islands, Salt Spring boasts many amenities the other islands are without, such as a proper town centre, a hospital, and a high school. Ganges is the focal point for most travellers, with its picturesque harbour and waterfront promenade, and the village serves as the de facto capital of the Gulf Islands.
The island is known for its organic farming and winemaking, and the Saturday market at Centennial Park is a must for anyone who loves their tastebuds and treats them well.
Salt Spring has no shortage of natural beauty. Mount Maxwell Provincial Park features sweeping views of the Salish Sea and contains Canada’s largest Garry Oak meadows. Ruckle Point, at the south end of the island, is a popular oceanside camping destination, while St. Mary Lake at the northern end of the island offers calm and tranquil waters.
Don’t Miss: Sip & Savour Salt Spring brings together the island’s best local food and wine for an event that should be on any foodie’s hit list. SipAndSavourSaltSpring.com
Galiano
Galiano is the easiest of the Gulf Islands to reach from Vancouver, and arguably the most beautiful. Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park is a popular summertime destination with its warm turquoise waters and white sandy beaches, just an hour by ferry from Tsawwassen terminal.
A hippie vibe runs throughout the island, which is home to dozens of artist and artisan studios. The Hummingbird Pub is Galiano’s preferred watering hole and live music venue, and getting there is a cinch thanks to the free school bus that picks up punters between Sturdies Bay and Montague Harbour. The bus is filled with an assortment of musical instruments, and longtime driver Tommy Transit has been known to lead passengers in an impromptu jam session or sing-a-long.
Don’t Miss: The 22nd annual Galiano Wine & Beer Festival takes place Aug. 9 at Lion’s Hall Field, with more than 20 wine, cider, and beer vendors expected to take part. GalianoWineFestival.com
Mayne
Historic Mayne Island was an important stop during the Gold Rush days of the late 1800s as prospectors stopped off to provision themselves before making the journey across the Georgia Strait to the goldfields on the mainland. That past is still very much apparent at Miner’s Bay, where the historic Springwater Lodge still stands. Established in 1892, it is the oldest continuously operating hotel in the province. The Mayne Island Museum on Fernhill Road displays the rich history of the area in a small restored building that once served as the island’s jailhouse.
Today, Mayne boasts a year-round population of about 900 people, and offers idyllic rural charm with its hectares of rolling farmland.
Don’t Miss: The 89th annual Mayne Island Fall Fair takes place Aug. 16 and celebrates the annual harvest with a wide variety of local artisans, artists, and vendors taking part.
Saturna
Saturna is the furthest east of all the Gulf Islands, located just a few kilometres from the US border and the San Juan Islands. Close to half of the island is comprised of the Gulf Islands National Park Reserve, which covers 33 sq. km across 16 islands, including 15 sq. km on Saturna itself. The park is crisscrossed with hiking trails of varying difficulty, and offers a handful of backcountry camping spots at Narvaez Bay.
With only a few hundred year-round residents, Saturna’s pace is decidedly slow. Most of the action is centred around the Saturna Café and General Store on Narvaez Road, and the Lighthouse Pub and Wild Thyme Coffee House near the ferry terminal at Lyall Harbour. Saturna is also home to the oldest vineyard in the Gulf Islands, Saturna Island Family Estate Winery. The 25-hectare property has been producing wine since 1998, and features a bistro and tasting room (SaturnaVineyards.com)
Don’t Miss: The annual Saturna Island Lamb BBQ on Canada Day is the island’s biggest party of the year. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the event, which takes place at Winter Cove Park.
Pender
Pender Island is technically two islands – North and South Pender – separated by less than 30 metres of water and connected by a narrow wooden bridge. North Pender is a working class community whose residents can often be found at the Port Browning Marina and Pub or the Driftwood Centre strip mall, which is the closest thing the Penders have to a town centre. South Pender, meanwhile, has a decidedly slower pace of life, and is home to just a smattering of year-round residents. Poets’ Cove Resort and Spa on South Pender is a popular destination for those looking to relax and get away from it all.
You might get the impression the locals are particularly God-fearing people, what with all the talk of attending “church” on Sundays. However, the weekly devotional they are referring to is the weekly disc golf game at the 27-hole Golf Island Disc Park, located in Magic Lake Estates. The annual Pender Classic tournament takes place last weekend of May.
Don’t Miss: The Pender Islands Farmers’ Market runs from Easter to Thanksgiving and is held at the Pender Islands Recreation and Agricultural Hall on Saturdays from 9:30am to 1pm.
