Vancouver Island's Easy Soft-Roading Adventure Loop Visits Tourist-Free Forests And Beaches

Canada has to be one of the best destinations for adventurers out there. With mountains, lakes, forests, and a rugged coastline, there's no end to the fun and exploration to be had up north. A popular spot just a little west of Vancouver is Vancouver Island. The destination has all of the charm of Canada's wilds, including forests, mountains, beaches, and charming little towns, packed into an accessible 285 miles. One of the best ways to explore this magical place is via a road trip — a soft-roading journey to be specific. 

What is a soft-roading road trip? It's a little more rugged than standard on-road driving, but not as extreme as full-on off-roading. You can expect dirt and gravel tracks and some worse-for-wear roads, but no massive boulders, drops, or totally wild driving. The Vancouver Island Grand Loop is a 1,056 mile circular soft-road tour of the island and the perfect place to dip your toes into soft-roading. It traverses popular spots like Nanaimo, as well as lesser visited areas like one of Vancouver Island's best kept secrets, Bamfield. On a trip around this spectacular loop, you can sample the coastline at one of the many hidden beaches, hike through remote forests, or simply take in the view from the road. It's easily one of the best adventures to be had in Canada.

Getting to Vancouver Island from the U.S. can be relatively simple. The easiest thing to do is to fly into Vancouver. There are direct flights from most of the country's major airports. If you want to fly onto the island itself, then you can also catch connecting flights from Edmonton or Calgary to Victoria, Comox, and Nanaimo. Edmonton and Calgary are also well-serviced from major U.S. airports. Alternatively, when you arrive in Vancouver, you can get the ferry to Nanaimo, which takes about an hour, or to Victoria, which will take around an hour and a half.

If you're starting closer to Vancouver, then you have a number of options for getting to the island. These include taking the ferry from Washington state directly to one of Vancouver Island's port towns, riding a bus or train to Vancouver (at the time of writing, there are multiple daily departures from Seattle), or simply driving. The drive takes about 3 hours from Seattle, but remember you'll need an appropriate soft-roading vehicle (with higher ground clearance and all- or four-wheel drive capabilities). 

If you don't have the right car, then you can always rent one from one of the bigger towns on Vancouver Island, like Nanaimo, where, at the time of writing, an 8-day rental starts at CAD $824 ($600) in the high season (which runs through summer into the early fall). If you're not a road trip aficionado, make sure you research safety tips, vehicle maintenance, and clever road-trip packing hacks before you set off.

Once you're on the island, the fun of the Grand Loop can really start. As it's a circular trail, you can begin from anywhere and enjoy camping your way around the island. The creators of the loop wanted to make a truly rugged, off-the-beaten-path experience, so they largely omitted major roads from the itinerary. This can make it slightly tricky to find campsites, but it is nonetheless perfectly possible with a bit of research. 

Highlights of the route include the Alberni Inlet, where you can take a boat out to marvel at Barkley Sound or enjoy some world-class fishing, charming little villages like Port Hardy, and Dolphin Beach, where there are nearby popular dive sites like Oak Leaf. Although diving might not be your first thought when it comes to adventuring in Canada, it is a treat full of shipwrecks, giant octopuses, and sponge reefs. Vancouver Island has a remarkably unique marine ecosystem, but you'll need to get your hands on the right gear to keep warm!