Car camping, without the car! Get away from the urban jungle to a secluded island. Unlike many drive-in campgrounds, these jewels are, for the most part, free of yahoos: perfect for chillin’ on a hot summer day.
A weekend getaway differs from a day trip or a full-blown backpacking or other outback adventure in that usually participants will have to pack tents, sleeping bags, food, electric hair dryer and other necessities but they won’t have to carry this camping gear very far. In the Getaways detailed below public transportation will take you almost as far as the campsite. Dragging along the gas barbecue is still out of the question.
Kayaking is not for everybody. Seniors, kids or the slightly aquaphobic may however wish to enjoy some of the natural wonders kayakers take for granted. Many of the tours outlined under Sea Kayaking could easily be reconstituted as Weekend Getaways and enjoyed from the vantage point of alternative transportation instead. A visit to Hot Springs Cove in Clayoquot Sound, for example, or to Princess Louisa Inlet and the twin rapids in that area can be exhilarating. Both places can be easily accessed through local eco-tour companies. Combine that with the hospitality and comfort of a B & B and you have a Weekend Getaway suited to nearly any taste.
The Gulf Islands are ideally suited to cycle touring and, as such, have been fully described in that section. Yet all are compatible with the concept of a walking tour as well with some caveats. Mayne, Saturna and Gabriola Islands are certainly small enough to be explored on foot over the course of a two or three day period. Tramping about Galiano Island and the Pender Islands is also pleasant but more than a simple weekend may be required to fully appreciate these bigger rural islands. Saltspring Island is by far the biggest and, depending on which of three possible ferry terminals you arrive by, may require a taxi pick up at the ferry. Many B & B owners are willing to include shuttle service in the price of the room.
Camping at Porteau Cove, Stawamus Chief or Brandywine Falls Provincial Parks could likewise turn day hikes to Marion & Phyllis Lakes, the Chief & Squaw, Cal-Cheak, or Brew Lake, into easy overnighters.