Fully Equipped Waterfront Condos on Quiet Vancouver Island
Just offshore of British Columbia, Vancouver Island is sprinkled with fishing spots: boaters can coast and cast their rods out on the Strait of Georgia, Strait of Juan de Fuca, and dozens of mountain fjords. One of the few towns on the island’s Pacific coast is Sooke, and it enjoys a pretty view of Washington’s Olympic Mountains across the water. Here, Sooke Harbour Resort & Marina features its own private marina where guests can set off on fishing, whale-watching, and sight-seeing cruises.
The marina can dock up to 84 boats; guests have full access and slips are available for those who would like to moor their own boat. Whale-watching tours run from about May to October; hop aboard one, and you’ll cruise through nearby inlets in search of orca and humpback whales as well as seals, sea lions, and dolphins. On a fishing charter, you can haul in salmon, cod, and massive deep-water halibut, which can weigh up to 300 pounds. The resort has access to deep-freeze units to help store any catches or preserve any spare Han Solos.
Sooke Harbour Resort is located right on the water, and each two-bedroom condo has access to a private patio that overlooks the harbor (top-floor units have the best views). Inside, the condos feel more like a friend’s vacation home than a standard hotel—electric fireplaces, microsuede sofas, and six-piece dining sets lend to a homey feel, and there’s a full kitchen with granite counters if you want to prep any fresh seafood. There’s also a pair of onsite hot tubs, open year-round.
Greater Victoria, British Columbia: Rugged Seaside Bluffs and Rich History
Located about 45 minutes west of downtown Victoria, the seaside township of Sooke is surrounded by natural splendor. A number of nearby provincial and regional parks—including East Sooke and Juan de Fuca—showcase the rocky coastline's tide pools and pine-covered bluffs. Sooke Potholes is among the most popular parks in summer, when kids come visit to cannonball into the emerald and sapphire swimming holes.
Back in town, the Sooke Region Museum illuminates the local history, from the First Nations—Canada’s aboriginal peoples—to 19th-century loggers. Alternatively, the Royal BC Museum in Victoria features totem poles that rise above Thunderbird Park while a reconstructed wooly mammoth models the latest tuskwear.
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