Surrounded by rolling mountains, lush forests and gorgeous beaches—not to mention parks galore!—the Comox Valley is the perfect place for outdoor recreation activities and kicking back. Feel like ziplining through the trees at Mt. Washington? You can. Rather keep your feet on the ground with a trip to a museum, fish hatchery or aquarium? You’ve come to the right place!
Peruse the Courtenay Museum
The Courtenay Museum is open Tues-Sat from 10am-4pm. Find out why the Comox Valley, past and present, is one of the most plentiful places on earth. Take a fossil tour and travel 80 million years back in time; browse the galleries to delve into the stories that make our history come alive.
See the Sacred Journey Exhibit
Campbell River Museum’s Sacred Journey exhibit immerses the audience in the world of Indigenous canoe culture on the Pacific Northwest Coast. The coast-wide tribal canoe journeys are a catalyst for cultural revitalization and a means of community healing and youth empowerment. Open daily during the summer from 10am-5pm.
Wonder About Whales
Look up at the Whale Interpretive Centre in Telegraph Cove and you’ll see the 18-metre skeleton of a fin whale hanging from the ceiling. Walk between the jawbones of a blue whale or check out the skull of a sperm whale with giant teeth. Housed in an old freight shed, the interactive museum’s goal is to increase public awareness about whales and other local marine mammals and the threats they face.
Catch a Fish
Go fishing from Discovery Pier and see what you catch. Or pack a picnic and sit at one of the tables on the pier for dining al fresco. There’s a concession stand nearby that sells ice cream and rents fishing rods in the summer.
campbellriver.travel/attractions/discovery-pier
Zip-pidy Do Da
Take flight with Mt. Washington’s newest adventure, the Eagle’s Flight ZipTour. Enjoy the rush of freedom as you fly down the face of the mountain reaching speeds up to 100 km/hr. The ZipTour uses outdoor spaces and large indoor spaces for safe operations throughout each point of your tour. Or skip the zip and take a chairlift ride to the summit to see breathtaking mountain and ocean views. Book in advance online.
Go Go-Carting
The Saratoga Speedway provides family-friendly entertainment and activities. Get a ride in a monster truck, race a go-cart or watch the action at a Crash to Pass race featuring everything from travel trailers to boats!
Survive the Suspension Bridge
Just a 30-minute walk from the parking lot, Elk Falls Suspension Bridge gives a bird’s eye view of the falls cascading 64 metres to the canyon below. The high wire sides mean you can relax and enjoy the view without worrying about any climbing kids. The area is well signed.
bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/elk_falls
Discover Local Marine Species
The Discovery Passage Aquarium features local marine species and habitats. The Aquarium offers education and fun hands-on experiences that are suitable for all ages. With a focus on conservation and education, the Aquarium will re-open this summer with species that are collected in the spring being released in the fall.
Make a Quick Stop at the Quinsam
As one of Canada’s largest salmon rearing facilities, the Quinsam River Hatchery plays a vital role in restoring natural spawning runs to the Campbell and Quinsam Rivers during the fall. Check out the fish floor inside the hatchery’s interpretive centre, a glass floor covering a re-creation of the nearby rivers with salmon, trout and other native aquatic species. Check for re-opening and hours.
pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/sep-pmvs/projects-projets/quinsam/quinsam-eng.html
