Vancouver Island in 3 days

We had one weekend and an ambitious itinerary. This was our plan: Vancouver -> Victoria -> Tofino and back to Vancouver. 

On Saturday, we took the 10 am ferry from Tswassen Bay to Victoria. It took us an hour to get to the ferry terminal, an hour to wait in line, and then an hour and forty-five minutes on the ferry itself. We took a Kia Carnival aboard with 7 passengers (1 was an infant, and while she was the most important person in the car, she didn’t count in monetary terms). That cost us 215 CAD one way. We had a reservation and were lucky we did because even though we had to get in an hour before the ferry departed, at least we were able to get on the ferry we wanted. The market in the ferry terminal kept us busy while we waited, and the hour was over before we knew it. 

Off the ferry, we drove half an hour to get to Butchart Gardens. The weather was perfect for strolling in lush spring and devouring delicious Italian gelato. Then it was finally time to head to Royal Scot, our hotel in Victoria, situated right by the Parliament building. While the rooms were on the pricier end, the space and amenities made up for it. The hotel was well equipped with a board game room, a billiards room, a swimming pool, a gym, and a sauna. However, we didn’t have time to check all that out. Not because we were out on a crazy exploring adventure, but because we got stuck completing a puzzle in their board game room for 3 hours.

Though by then we had explored enough of Victoria downtown to get the gist. Although it is the capital of British Columbia, it gives small, quaint, European-city vibes. The government buildings have great architecture, especially the parliament building, with a huge statue of Queen Victoria at the front, and the Fairmont Hotel, which my husband said is haunted by a lady ghost.

We decided to take a leisurely stroll by the water, which was cut short by the strong gusts of wind that almost took us with them (the years of stress eating came in handy here). We saw a lot of great seafood options to try for dinner, but we also knew Dave’s Hot Chicken existed here, so it was that and a comfy night in. However, the chicken turned out quite salty and then made me wish we had had some fancy sushi by the water instead. 

The next day was all travel. We checked out of our hotel, stuffed everything into the car, and went on a breakfast-hunting adventure. Luckily, it only took us 10 steps to find that there was a Floyd’s Diner right next to the hotel! (We later realized the diner was internally connected to the hotel, and we had wasted some calories here.) Our table’s order was diverse, but the Huevos Incredibalos was the best item we got. Their staff is definitely committed to giving you a good dining experience. My daughter, however, was not. So, we rushed through our meals and headed to the car to feed her and put her to sleep to get on our way to Tofino. 

One hour into the drive from Victoria to Tofino comes the Malahat Skywalk. The clear skies were perfect for seeing the 360-degree view of the long stretch of water and islands from up top. We had to stop. The sun, their new glass hanger, and a dedicated staff photographer created the ideal recipe for some insta-worthy photos. The slide down would have been the cherry on top, but sadly, our stroller (and the baby in it, I guess) did not meet the height (or safety) requirements. Anyhow, we walked back down, got some ice cream, and were heading back the same way we came when a staff member caught us and said, “Why not take the new Luke’s Lane back instead? It’s a mild hike but extremely beautiful, and the days I’m posted there for work are my favourite shifts” (quote is not verbatim). Sound exciting, we thought, and walked back to the trail only to see a sign saying NO STROLLER ALLOWED. Hmm…cute prank site worker, I see you.

Half of our group left to walk the trail while we took our baby back through the treewalk. Got a nice coffee, took a bathroom break, and then we were off to Tofino again. On the way, we stopped at Popeyes for lunch (because it was halal, fast, and a couple of us had never tried it). It tasted so much better than I remembered it being, especially their biscuits. Or maybe I was just really hungry. Off to Tofino again! We finally reached our Airbnb at 8 pm and called it a night. 

The next morning started with breakfast at home and then out to town. A stop at Rhino Coffee House was necessary before walking through almost the entirety of Tofino downtown. Took a break to sit by the water for a bit and inquired about whale watching/kayaking tours, but those willing to take an infant on board were rare and mostly sold out for the day. I guess this meant it was time for Tacos! 

We tried the fish, tuna, and bean tacos and the fish burrito from Tacofino (from their original food truck, not their restaurant). The fish tacos were top tier and, in general, these were some of the best tacos I’d had so far. And then, we were off to Crystal Cove beach. Three hours were spent inhaling the warm sand and hypothermic waters at the beach. A nap on that warm earth was much needed after the drop in body temperature from the cold water. 

Made a stop at home for a quick shower and some downtime before heading to Long Beach for a lovely pink sunset. Ended the night with a bit of stargazing from the Airbnb balcony and a late dinner from Donair Addict. We all slept like babies after (including our baby, yay!)

The next day was just spent heading back to Vancouver. We took the 1:20 P.M. ferry from Nanaimo’s departure Bay and were home sweet home by evening. 

Before we took the trip, I was extremely nervous about the long drives because our baby despises the car seat. However, the constant stops and the ferry ride allowed her to get in stretches and moments of play, which made this trip quite enjoyable in the end. 

For those wanting to do a similar trip with their infant, here are some things that I learned:

• Taking the ferry is actually quite nice for the baby, as sights outside the window keep them entertained, there’s enough space to take them for a walk or play with them, and there are decent baby-changing rooms on board as well. 
• A feed before the car ride helped put the baby to sleep during the drive.
• A stop every couple of hours or so kept her and us refreshed enough to continue our journey happily.
• Keeping her night routine similar to what it is at home gave us peace of mind and put her to sleep at her regular bedtime.
• A portable wash basin, some dish soap, and a bottle washing brush save a lot of trouble on the go if your baby takes bottles. 
• On the beach, babywearing, a sunhat, and some baby sunscreen were our best friends.
• Constant singing and dancing by all members in the car kept the baby entertained long enough for us to stop where we needed.