Vancouver Self Drive Tours
Find out the best Vancouver self drive tours of Vancouver with our online guide to Vancouver fly drive holidays
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Day 1 Vancouver Arrival
Arrive at Vancouver International Airport and pick up your rental car. Head to your hotel in order to check in, as you begin your holiday in western Canada.Hotel: Holiday Inn Downtown
Day 2 Vancouver - Campbell River
Distance: 145 MilesLeave Vancouver via the majestic Lions Gate Bridge and travel to the charming community of Horseshoe Bay. From here, a 40-minute ferry leads to Langdale, where there will be an opportunity to browse in the shops along the harbor walk. Continue to Campbell River for the night.
Hotel: Coast Discovery Inn
Day 3 Campbell River - Alert Bay - Campbell River
Distance: 320 MilesFrom Campbell River, travel up the coast of Vancouver Island to Port McNeill. From here, travel by ferry to Alert Bay, located on Cormorant Island. Learn about its native culture at the U'mista Cultural Centre and the Alert Bay Ecological Park. Return to Campbell River for the night.
Day 4 Campbell River - Port Alberni - Tofino - Nanaimo
Distance: 98 MilesThis morning, travel to Port Alberni. Numerous optional attractions are offered here, including a steam engine train ride along the harbor onboard the Alberni Pacific Railway. There is Norske Paper Mill Tour, the Maritime Discovery Centre, and the local Farmers Market. Enjoy the view of the Alberni Inlet from the top of the Clocktower, located in the Harbour Quay. Take a stroll around the harbor, browse the shops, or ample one of the many restaurants. Travel across the pristine Pacific Rim National Park to the village of Tofino, which sits at the tip of the peninsula and at the base of the coastal mountains. Tofino features seemingly endless waterways and islands with the options of boat tours, whale watching, and back country tours. There are also shops, art galleries, and miles of trails through the rain forest. Travel back on the "land route", returning to Port Alberni, then continue on to Nanaimo for the night.
Hotel: Coast Bastion Inn
Day 5 Nanaimo - Salt Spring Island - Victoria
Distance: 61 MilesIn the morning, see the village of Nanaimo. The Nanaimo District Museum is one option, which features exhibits that depict local history, including coal mining. Also see The Bastion, a small fort that was built in 1853 to protect early settlers. Travel south to Duncan. To the west, visit the Cowichan Valley Wine Country. Some of the wineries offer tours and sampling. Continue on to Victoria for the night.
Hotel: Comfort Inn & Suites
Day 6 Victoria - Port Renfrew - Sooke - Victoria - Vancouver
Distance: 175 MilesLeave Victoria to the west and drive along the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. There are many excellent stopping points along this route offering opportunities to stroll along a beach, hike through a West Coast rainforest, or enjoy lunch at a café with a stunning view. When the shoreline ends at Port Renfrew, turn around and head back to the charming village of Sooke. There are numerous art galleries and studios in Sooke, as well as shops, restaurants, and historic sights. At the Sooke Region Museum, salmon barbecues are offered in the summer (reservations required). Continue on to the city of Victoria, which has a very distinct British feel to it. Ivy-covered hotels and inns accentuate the downtown area in the shadows of the majestic old-world Parliament buildings. After exploring Victoria, travel to Swartz Bay for the ferry trip to Tsawwassen, and the return to the cosmopolitan city of Vancouver.
Hotel: Holiday Inn Downtown