Do you like quirky mini hikes when you’re on road trips? Me too! That is why we couldn’t resist visiting the Hole in the Wall on our drive between Nanaimo and Tofino on Vancouver Island in BC. The hole was originally dug into the surrounding shale to accommodate a water pipe. Now the pipe is long gone, so what is left is a small waterfall that splashed through the hole into a crystal clear pool in the forest. This is…
You’ll definitely want to visit some of the incredible Old Growth forests on Vancouver Island. If you are on a road trip from Nanaimo to Tofino, the most famous of these groves of ancient trees is Cathedral Grove. This is a well-loved roadside attraction, and probably the busiest stop we did along this route! Still, the hustle and bustle (and the fact that these old trees can inspire so, so many people) just shows the importance of maintaining special areas…
Little Qualicum Falls is a gorgeous waterfall close to Parksville on Vancouver Island. This is one of the many great stops along the way if you are road tripping between Nanaimo and Tofino. Rather than one large waterfall, this is a series of three tiered plunges, as well as a bunch of smaller drops. The waterfalls are surrounded by old growth forest full of giant douglas fir trees and beautiful arbutus trees with peeling bark. It’s a gorgeous area! Little…
Lightning Lake is one of our favourite places to go camping, not just in E.C. Manning Provincial Park, but also in BC. I love that it is located within the forest, with trees around each site for a little privacy. I love that it is great for hiking and swimming (quelle surprise!) And I love that there are a few bits of luxury like hot showers on site. There are 5 front county campgrounds in Manning Park as well as…