Vancouver Island is an incredible place for a getaway that prioritizes rest, rejuvenation, and mindfulness. With landscapes and natural phenomenon that promote creativity, awe, and calm a visit to British Columbia’s Vancouver Island allows you to enjoy the earthy scent of the forest and salty ocean air. Hike along serene trails that weave through rich forest canopies and lush ferns, and reap the proven benefits of life by the ocean that replenishes visitors and residents alike. Beyond the grounding qualities of time spent in the outdoors, Vancouver Island also has several luxurious spas to amplify your wellness escape.
Seek the Rejuvenating Qualities of Vancouver Island Waterways
The best of Vancouver Island’s outdoor wellness experiences seamlessly blend movement and our flourishing waterways. Elevate your heart rate or take it easy, then close your eyes and practice deep presence to the tranquil sounds of the forest and water flowing over rocks.
In Campbell River, let yourself be drawn to the flow of water at Elk Falls or the Canyon View Trail along the Campbell River. Witness the forest that lines the trail, be enamoured by the shifting light through the canopy, and get the heart pumping on the stairs and suspension bridges. Stay awhile in the cocoon of the trees and tucked away nooks where you can sit beside the river on rocks. Wander along the quieter Beaver Pond trail and watch for Kingfishers. Do the full hike from the Canyon View trailhead to Elk Falls via Millenium Trail and onward to the old-growth loops, before returning to finish the Canyon View Loop, or simply enjoy a shorter section of it thanks to multiple parking lots and access points along the route.
Elsewhere in the region, find benches to pause on near the oceanfront, like at Saratoga Beach and Oyster River Nature Park between Campbell River and the Comox Valley, or at Rebecca Spit Provincial Park on Quadra Island.
The islands just off the coast of Vancouver Island, like Quadra Island and Cortes Island near Campbell River, and Denman Island and Hornby Island by the Comox Valley, are particularly well known for their tranquil walking trails and remarkable parks, as well as holistic movement practices and artistic studios that reflect nature’s beauty.
Find Connection Through Forest Bathing and Breathtaking Mountain Vistas Near Campbell River
The practice of forest bathing is wildly accessible on Vancouver Island, with its abundant nature trails through vast forests where it is often easy to find your own private nook to pause, meditate, or peacefully sit the afternoon away.
Hike the Ripple Rock trail to the north of Campbell River through vibrant green forest and up to its end point over the historic Ripple Rock explosion. Perch on the bluff and allow yourself to feel small in the vast landscape of islands and sea. Strathcona Provincial Park offers the abundant wellness benefits of hiking uphill; open skies that are spark expansive thinking; the lack of pollution and outdoor sleep that settles the circadian rhythm; and the rush (and cold swimming opportunities if you’re brave enough!) of waterfalls, rivers, and Buttle Lake.
Low intensity trails can be found in Strathcona Provincial Park at Lady Falls, Lupin Falls, and Karst Creek. More challenging day hikes exist at Crest Mountain (it’s steep!), the 12km Bedwell Lake, and the Elk River Trail (a 22km route which ends at Landslide Lake).
Further south on Vancouver Island, marvel at the height and width of ancient old-growth trees in Cathedral Grove or Avatar Grove. Wander through the forest pathways of Seal Bay Nature Park or the many forest trails dotted around the Cowichan Valley admiring Arbutus, Western Red Cedar, Douglas fir, and other native trees.
Saunas and Spas at One With Nature
Acknowledging the wellness benefits fostered by time in nature, massage and sauna circuits have popped up in forest and lakefront locations across Vancouver Island. Island Sauna in Black Creek, Triple Peak Sauna Co at Sproat Lake Landing near Port Alberni, Nyübu Nordic Spa at Shawnigan Lake, Kingburne Valley Nordic Spa, and Tuff City Saunas and Stillwater Nature Spa on the west coast, are just a handful of the locations you can visit.
Beyond the tucked away Nodic-inspired hot sauna, cold plunge circuits and the forest wellness experiences, decadent and unique resort-based spas provide an additional way to relax on Vancouver Island.
The Kingfisher Resort in Royston has recently opened a brand-new, one-of-a-kind Healing Caves experience—an immersive circuit of six spaces of different temperatures and health benefits. The resort is also known for its therapeutic and detoxifying Hydropath, and signature treatments beside the sea.
The Immersion Spa + Wellness at Naturally Pacific Resort in Campbell River has mineral pools, invigorating “experience showers,” and all the spa treatments you could dream of. Finish your visit with peak nourishment in the on-site restaurant, with many ingredients gathered from the on-site garden and local producers. Further south, the Tigh-Na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort is an excellent place to start your Vancouver Island wellness adventure before heading north.
