Campbell River is a charming town on the east coast of Vancouver Island that is a great area to visit for outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. The area is well known as a destination for fishing; It is normally described as the “Salmon Capital of the World.” We liked the area for the pleasant mix of old growth forests, great camping and fabulous coastal views, but it is also a fantastic location to go whale (or bear) watching, and has some really good restaurants.

Rotary Seawalk or Greenways Loop

The Rotary Seawalk is a pleasant, 8km paved walkway that follows the shoreline of Discovery passage. Or, if you have a bike, there is a longer trail called the Greenways Loop, that circles the city along nature trails, pathways and the sea walk. Both options are great ways to see the scenery. You can download the map for the parks and trails here.

We loved walking along the seawalk, spotting for seals (you might see whales or orcas if you are lucky!)

Find Local Artworks

I loved seeing so many ocean related murals around the city, as well as sculptures made from driftwood (by Drifted Creations) and First Nations totems. We were surprised to see a Japanese torii gate in Sequoia Park, this is because Campbell River had a Sister city of Ishikari in Hokkaido, for 30 years (1983-2023.)

First Nations

Campbell River is the traditional territory of the Liǧʷiɫdax̌ʷ First Nation, which includes the We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah First Nations. There is a Fantastic Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ Tourism Guide, with information about their history and culture. There is a totem tour (listing 20 totems and works of art) as well as 6 stories set in nature around the area. I also appreciated that they list Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ owned businesses, so you can experience authentic Indigenous products and services. Pick up a hard copy of the guide at the Campbell River Visitor Information Center, or use the link above for a pdf version.

Maritime Heritage Centre

The Maritime Heritage Centre is a museum and community hub dedicated to preserving and showcasing the region’s rich marine history. The main highlight is a fully restored BCP45 fishing boat that was featured on the Canadian five dollar bill from 1972 to 1986. There are also exhibits about local fishing, naval heritage, and maritime culture.

Elk Falls Provincial Park

The most obvious trail to visit near Campbell River is the fabulous Elk Falls! We also really enjoyed the easy hike along the Campbell River, called the Canyon View trail.

Strathcona Provincial Park trails

Strathcona Provincial Park is pretty close to Campbell River, and full of epic hikes! It is the largest (and oldest) Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, and covers a massive 2500 square kilometers, so about the same size as Luxembourg! So far, we’ve only explored the eastern section that juts out from the rest of the park. We need to go back to explore more!

• Mount Washington Linton’s trail 7 km – Short, steep hike through the ski resort
• Helen Mackenzie to Battleship Lake Loop 8.5 km – cut off part of the loop below for an easy option.
• Forbidden Plateau Loop (to Kwai Lake) 18 km – Amazing hike via multiple alpine lakes
• Cruickshank Canyon Lookout 23 km as a day hike, or 4.7 km from the Kwai Lake. This is a long hike, but it’s my favourite.
• Mount Becher 11km – Another short-ish steep hike with fabulous views

Salmon fishing

There are plenty of ways you can go fishing in Campbell River. You can rent a rod and fish off Discovery Pier, or head to the Quinsam River or  Campbell River to try fly fishing. You’ll find Chinook, Chum, Coho, and Pink salmon, as well as sea-run cutthroat trout and steelhead. Make sure you buy a fishing license (and stick to daily limits) If you fancy fishing, but are not sure where to start, you can hire a guide (loads of options listed here…)

Read about how the area became the salmon capital of the world here.

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Even if fishing isn’t your thing, you might still like can still like the Quinsam River Salmon Hatchery! You can see juvenile salmon all year and returning salmon from late July to mid-November. This hatchery is  involved in closely monitoring the health of the salmon and local waterways and is responsible for 8,000,000 pink salmon eggs every year.

Whale Watching

Campbell River is known as one of the best places for whale watching in Canada. This is because there are deep channels in the Discovery Passage, and Johnstone Strait that are sheltered between Vancouver Island and the mainland. The area has complex underwater terrain, with vertical walls and kelp beds which are great habitats and shelter for marine creatures; Plus the strong currents bring in plankton, which are the foundation for the food chain here. This means it is a fantastic area to see humpback whales, orcas as well as a whole array of marine wildlife. There are loads of options!

My photo below is from whale watching from Victoria, but I am reeeeally keen to come back and go from Campbell River next time!

Where to stay

We visited Campbell River twice on our road trip to the North of Vancouver Island. We stayed in a motel (called above the Tide Inn), mostly because I’d heard that sometimes you can see whales right from the patio. This was cheap and cheerful.

Camping near Campbell River

If you like Camping, Campbell River is a fantastic area to set up a tent! We absolutely loved camping at Quinsam Campground in Elk Falls Provincial Park. It’s a beautiful area, and the campground is large enough that it is not too hard to book.

Discovery Fishing Pier

One of the most popular sights to visit (as I mentioned for fishing) is the Discovery Fishing Pier. The pier is 182m long and has incredible views of Discovery Passage and Quadra Island. I also loved it for Crabby Bob’s Seafood – fabulous fresh crab served with oodles of butter.

Campbell River for Foodies

All the food we tried in Campbell river was great! We particularly loved the Session Taproom for pizza, tacos and giant salads. But there were loads of great options. For breakfast, I highly recommend Freyja – The croissant story a Scandinavian-style croissant bakery & coffee shop on Shoppers Row. Their pastries were lush!

Campbell River is a seriously fun area to explore! We loved visiting as part of our road trip heading North on Vancouver Island. But I think it is great as a destination on it’s own! I loved the mixture of gorgeous old growth forests, fabulous coastal views as well as tasty food options.