South Island
South Island
Our Recommendations
Tourist Favorites
6. Bamberton Campground (near Mill Bay)
A convenient stop if you’re traveling up or down island. Forested sites overlook the inlet, and there’s a quiet beach just steps away.
7. Ivy Green / Ladysmith Area Camping
A lesser-known spot along the harbour — ideal if you want something simple, quiet, and close to town without feeling too urban.
8. Nitinat Lake Campsites
A bit of a mission to get to, but totally worth it if you like wind, water, and wide-open skies. This area is famous for windsurfing and more rugged-style camping.
9. Fairy Lake & Lizard Lake (Port Renfrew area)
Small, rustic lakeside sites surrounded by forest. Great for those who don’t need hookups and prefer peaceful canoe mornings over crowded campgrounds.
10. Pacheedaht Campground (Port Renfrew)
A long, wild beach with campsites right on the sand. You’ll wake up to ocean mist and driftwood views — it feels raw, open, and wonderfully untamed.
Our Favorites
The southern tip of Vancouver Island is packed with natural beauty, offering everything from lush rainforests to rugged coastlines. East Sooke Park is a local favourite, with dramatic ocean views and mossy forest trails along the Coast Trail. Mystic Beach and Sombrio Beach in Juan de Fuca Park are iconic for their hidden waterfalls, rope swings, and sea caves carved by the Pacific. Goldstream Provincial Park comes alive each fall with its legendary salmon run beneath towering old-growth trees.
For something more serene, Thetis Lake and Matheson Lake offer warm summer swimming and peaceful hiking loops just minutes from town. Down the coast, Whiffin Spit and Botanical Beach showcase tidal pools teeming with marine life, while the windswept cliffs of Clover Point and Dallas Road in Victoria provide easy-access ocean vistas perfect for sunrise walks. Whether you're into tide pooling, forest bathing, or sandy beaches, the South Island delivers nature in every form
Campgrounds
1. French Beach (Sooke area)
A classic oceanside campground where you fall asleep to the sound of waves. Big driftwood-covered beach, plenty of wildlife sightings, and forested campsites that feel private.
2. China Beach Campground
Tucked in the trees just above the shoreline, this spot offers the perfect balance of coastal views and quiet forest camping. A short trail takes you down to a beautiful sandy beach.
3. Goldstream Campground (Victoria outskirts)
Ideal for quick getaways without going far from the city. Huge mossy trees, salmon in the river during the fall, and trails leading to waterfalls and viewpoints.
4. Gordon Bay (Cowichan Lake)
A warmer, more inland feel — with a sandy lakeshore that’s perfect for swimming and paddling in the summer. Great for families or anyone wanting a more relaxed lake vibe.
5. Rathtrevor Beach (Parksville)
Known for its insanely long sandy beach that seems to stretch forever at low tide. Campsites are flat, easy to access, and perfect for both tents and RVs.
Victoria Inner Harbour — Street performers, seaplanes, Parliament Buildings, the Empress Hotel… it’s the postcard scene of the island.
Butchart Gardens (Brentwood Bay) — Globally famous floral displays, especially stunning in spring and summer but beautiful year-round.
Royal BC Museum — One of the best museums in Canada, with immersive Indigenous, natural history, and historical exhibits.
Dallas Road & Clover Point — Easy-access oceanfront walking with views of the Olympic Mountains and constant windsurfers and kiteboarders.
Beacon Hill Park — Peacocks, ponds, gardens, and a waterfront lookout — right in downtown Victoria.
Fisherman’s Wharf — Floating homes, seafood shacks, seals begging for snacks. Very walkable and fun for all ages.
Goldstream Provincial Park — Known for its massive salmon run in fall, lush forest trails and the Niagara Falls waterfall (yes—Victoria has one too!).
Sooke Potholes — Natural rock pools and swimming spots in the river, hugely popular on hot days.
East Sooke Park / Coast Trail — Rugged coastline, mossy rainforests, and killer ocean views.
Mystic Beach & Sombrio Beach (Juan de Fuca area) — Waterfalls, sea caves, rope swings — the classic wild west coast beach vibe.
