Vancouver Island 8 nights??

MacDoc

MacDoc

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Dottor has a break between jobs and wants an adventure. We like travelling together ...I have all these travel points built up and can pay for entirely on points so no cash flow hit. Thought I'd tap the knowledge of the riders.

We can do a small SUV, flights and decent efficiency unit Travel Lodge by Wyndam at the airport for $3760 total including taxes for 8 days.
Thinking that with the place to stay at the Airport we grab the car ( we get in at noon )...have the rest of the day to sightsee and when we leave we are right at the airport to drop the car. Flight is only 25% full so I suspect we can get a row to ourselves. The efficiency unit gives us microwave and fridge to keep food costs down.
There is an on-site English Pub as well and free breakfast and of course free wifi tho our phones are adequate as we both work online.

Search Results

www.wyndhamhotels.com www.wyndhamhotels.com

There are a couple of other choices in accommodation of course but I thought the Airport efficiency unit had some advantages in making use of our time. Poke around Victoria locally on Thursday and then have 6 or 7 day trips around the island ,..using some of the suggestions in Shane's report and others.

Enough time for Vancouver Island?? My Son and I only had two days on the bikes and there is so much more.

Must do suggestions?? TIA
 
If you like birds, the North Island Wildlife Recovery center is a really cool few hours experience, I'm not a fan of zoo's, this place rehabilitates birds/animals and you get to see them up-close, some were injured, some recovering, they aren't bred for money.

Seeing a Golden Eagle up close was awesome, same with the Owls. They have some bears there too

www.niwra.org

North Island Wildlife Recovery Association | Errington, BC, Canada

North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre is a non-profit facility that cares for ill, injured and orphaned wildlife, and educates the public about wildlife and environmental issues. Visitors can see non-releasable Vancouver Island wildlife in peaceful and rustic surroundings.
www.niwra.org www.niwra.org



 
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MacDoc said:
Excellent ...been a twitcher since I was 9.
photos.app.goo.gl

David's birds

190 new items · Album by David Hellstern
photos.app.goo.gl photos.app.goo.gl
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Nice, great pics! All I had was 56mm (85mm FF) portrait lens, though the birds are pretty close so you may not need a telephoto.
It was very quiet when we went in the first week of January, actually we were the only 2 there, was very peaceful
 
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If it was me, I'd stay in Victoria or slightly west if the downtown options are too pricey or don't work for points. That way you don't have to repeatedly drive down and back up and through Victoria to do your day trips up island. Also lets you do some walking in the evening if the hotel isn't next to the highway.

Do you have to stay in one spot? The island is huge, and you'll open up a lot more option you can move around...
 
We are out near the airport tho nothing is written in stone - I prefer to day trip out of a single spot but it's not a big deal if we stay another night elsewhere and keep the room at the Wyndam. Certainly the Botanical Gardens are on the list and a run out to Tofino and also along the south coast and up through the lakes. No itinerary as yet as dottor is still deciding if she wants to fly.
 
If its any consolation on Flying, both my parents are in Calgary now, they flew there, my mum went there and back a few weeks ago so this is her 2nd time in 2 months. My sister just had a Premature baby so immunity is important, and the flights/travel have been very safe & comfortable so far for them. My younger sister just got there too by car travelling with her husband, and she's the most paranoid person I know.
 
ScorpionT16 said:
... I'm not a fan of zoo's, ...
Click to expand...

The human equivalent of a zoo is not one bit better:
dscf1990-jpg.44966
possibly far worse.
 
Thanks...I use a random photo display program that rolls through my 20k of photos every 15 sec or so and resizable window so brings back memories of travels and critters. Hope to make a few more memories this trip.
Also lets me trash the horrors and rename the keepers. Keeps me motivated o get my son back riding.
 
MacDoc said:
While I tend to agree can we stay on topic please. Thanks
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Tofino
My dad drove us out of there the same day as the big fire.
Seen this guy hanging out the driver side window of his Lincoln Continental, smoking a big cigar and wearing a cowboy hat. He was driving like that because the roof of the car was crushed completely flat on the passenger side :/ strangest thing I ever seen.
 
MacDoc said:
Thanks for that - which airline
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Air Canada.

Also if your into it, or maybe your daughter wants a relaxing day, the Tigh-Na-Mara spa resort is really good, can do a few hours in the mineral pools which is very soothing, if budget allows they have cabins for the night

Home

Official Website: Lowest Price Guaranteed! Tigh-Na-Mara is a 22 acre resort with forested ocean views on Vancouver Island. Come to Parksville for your next family vacation, spa escape, corporate retreat or meeting event!
tigh-na-mara.com tigh-na-mara.com
 
I don't know when you are going but I looked at Alamo rental cars out of the Victoria airport in the first couple of weeks in October and they were <$200 a week all in, which is a fantastic rate. September rates were double that.

Incidentally, due to the fire situation in the US the air quality in the lower mainland, interior and Vancouver Island of BC is very bad. We have friends in Castlegar and air there was terrible a few days ago. They are now vacationing on Vancouver Island and the air quality is bad there as well, so this might not be a great time to head out west in general and in particular if you have breathing/lung issues.

aqicn.org

Air Pollution in North America: Real-time Air Quality Index Visual Map

How polluted is the air today? Check out the real-time air pollution map, for more than 100 countries.
aqicn.org aqicn.org
 
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We don't but that's a downer for photography and general enjoyment ....thanks for that....we are considering leaving thursday so super relevant.
Tofino will definitely be on the day trip list
 
You can rent a nice fast sailboat in Vancouver harbour and sail over to the island in a day, then dock in Victoria harbour to tour the city
... if you can sail by charts and calculate tide times.

That's a completely different way to tour & view the west coast ⛵ highly recommended if you enjoy sailing.
 
My partner in Australia owned a ships stores for sailors in Cairns and they lived on a boat for a while but me....I like something with a throttle :D

thanks for ideas ...looks like the smoke might be an idea killer but that only means for this trip ...will do it at some point in time.
 
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