3 Itinerary Suggestions

#1-For the Outdoor Enthusiast or Bicycle Traveller:

Start your day with an early morning hike up Easter Bluff which at 705 feet, it is the highest point on Southern Cortes Island. Pack a thermos of tea and muffins to munch on as the sun rises over the Coast Mountains in Desolation Sound. Stop off at the Natural Food Co-op Café for a delicious lunch and then hit the trail again in Kw’as Park. This 70 hectare park between Gunflint and Hague Lakes offers old tree groves, great views and swimming spots. Check in for an imaginative and tasty vegetarian supper at Hollyhock but leave yourself time to explore the beach and amazing garden before meeting your kayak guides to head off for an evening paddle. Setting off from Mansons Lagoon, you will paddle in to the setting sun and then watch as the bioluminescence starts to sparkle underneath your boat. Finally, climb into your tent at Smelt Bay Provincial Campground to sleep where the sea air mixes with the scents of the forest.

#2-The Cortes Island Explorer:

A walk on Hanks Beach and then a coffee and breakfast at the Co-op Café is a lovely way to start your day. Just up the street is the Cortes Museum where you can learn about the island’s natural and human history. The Museum is also a Visitor Information Centre. Afterwards, take a drive to the east side of the island stopping at the Free Store along the way. Yes! Plenty of great things there for FREE and better yet, you can leave good quality things that you no longer need there. At Squirrel Cove you can visit the Craft Store that showcases many of the island’s talented artisans. You may want to have lunch at the Flying Squirrel Takeout or the Cove Restaurant while you are there. After lunch, drive towards Whaletown to visit this historic community and the Old Schoolhouse Art Gallery. A walk along the creek under the shade of the mossy maples in the Whaletown Commons will sharpen your appetite for fine dining at the Floathouse Restaurant at the Gorge Harbour Marina. Sleep tonight at one of the many welcoming B&B’s to be found on the island.

#3-A Kid’s Day:

A swim in the lake, snorkelling at Mansons Lagoon, ice cream, walking along cool forest paths or building a sand castle at Smelt Bay Park, what kid could ask for more? But there is also a catching a salmon with Cortes Island Fishing Adventures, sailing trips to Desolation Sound with Misty Isles Adventures, hot tubs and a pool at the Gorge Harbour Marina or maybe even napping with a book at your Island Vacation Rental home. A family paradise!