Raise your hand if Vancouver Island is one of your favourite travel destinations. Now there’s a new direct flight on WestJet from Calgary to Campbell River that takes less than 90 minutes. Here’s a look at why Campbell River is one of Canada’s best-kept secrets.
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Vancouver Island Travel
There are many great spots on Vancouver Island to travel to. Trouble is, everybody knows about them. They tend to be busy and pricy.
Less crowded than other destinations on Vancouver Island, Campbell River offers a relaxed, immersive coastal escape. If you’re into epic ocean views, outdoor adventures and wildlife viewing, you’ll want to explore this up-and-coming destination before all the tourists arrive.
This four-season destination offers hiking, kayaking, cultural experiences and easy access to nature at every turn. Campbell River is the gateway to the Discovery Islands for unlimited nature experiences, plus Strathcona Provincial Park with its hiking and biking trails.
During my three-day visit, I was able to tick off whale watching, bear viewing (yes, I saw both!), a waterfall hike and a helicopter tour to the Coast Mountains.
Outdoor Adventures in Campbell River
In Campbell River, you get all the big deal wildlife and outdoor adventures you expect from British Columbia, but here they feel wilder. It’s not that it’s more remote; it’s that people haven’t clued in to this destination yet.
You might remember Campbell River for being the “Salmon Capital of the World.” And it’s still a premier fishing destination. There’s guided fresh and saltwater fishing trips with Coastal Wilderness Adventures. But there’s plenty of other marine adventures, particularly with some of Vancouver Island’s leading Indigenous-owned operators.
Campbell River Whale Watching & Adventure Tours has a brand new Bald Eagle Feeding Frenzy tour running from June to July, alongside black bear and whale watching adventures. I went on their spring waterfall tour, which is where I spotted a black bear and a pod of orcas feasting.
Also of note are the offerings from Homalco Wildlife & Cultural Tours. Both operators offer accessible day trips to see grizzly bears in the Bute and Toba Inlets from August to October.
Campbell River Helicopter Tours
One of my favourite experiences in Campbell River was with 49 North Helicopters. It felt like we were in a James Bond movie, swooping over the Discovery Islands, past coastal fjords and onto the Coast Mountains within minutes.
Campbell River Restaurants
Campbell River’s culinary scene is becoming one of Vancouver Island’s most exciting food destinations, blending coastal comfort with chef-driven creativity and a strong sense of community. Here are the Campbell River restaurants you’ll want to hit up.
At least for one breakfast, lunch or snack, you have to hit up Freya Nordic Cafe for its ah-mazing pastries. (Go for the kimchi and bacon Danish!)
For elevated casual fare, think More Eatery or Beach Fire Brewing, which offers a lively community vibe, plus everything is made in-house.
Score epic coastal views at Mattone Italian Kitchen, while munching on hearty pastas with freshly caught seafood.
For happy hour, one of my favourites was at Carve Kitchen and Meatery inside Naturally Pacific Resort (more on that below).
Campbell River Hotel Recommendation
If you’re going to explore Campbell River properly, you’ll want a home base worth coming back to. I fell in love with Naturally Pacific Resort, set on a rise above the town with views stretching across the Discovery Islands to the coastal mountains.
The resort is locally and independently owned by the Mailman family, and that family ownership shows in the details. We’re talking Molton Brown amenities, turndown service with housemade shortbread cookies and a vision led by Amanda Mailman, who knows her design.
Naturally Pacific Resort feels different than a chain. The resort’s 100 guest rooms are comfortable and stylish, with a cute bistro table and chairs set on your balcony. The service is warm, and the 18-hole, onsite Campbell River Golf Club stays open year-round for anyone who wants to squeeze in a round between adventures.
Dining at Naturally Pacific Resort
Executive Chef Ryan Watson, who helped open the Vermilion Room at the Fairmont Banff Springs, runs both the dining program and a 22,500-square-foot vegetable garden on the property. The Pacific Patch supplies herbs, berries and produce straight to the kitchen, paired with sustainably sourced local seafood and regionally raised meat. Garden tours are offered to guests, which I found to be a great way to work up an appetite before dinner.
The resort’s restaurant, Carve Kitchen and Meatery, satisfies carnivore cravings with dictionary-thick cuts of ethically sourced beef alongside plenty of plant-forward, fish and seafood dishes, plus a wine list that leans into those fab B.C. producers.
The big deal is that Velocity Lounge, the on-site driving range and sports lounge, shares the same kitchen as Carve. That means you’ll get the same exceptional quality here, even if you choose pub favourites. (I’m talking croissant croutons in the Caesar salad. So good!)
Campbell River Spa
If you’re looking for a fantastic Campbell River spa, head to Immersion Spa and Wellness. What sets this spa apart are its Italian-made experience showers built around chromotherapy, aquatherapy, aromatherapy and sound.
There’s also a fab mineral pool loaded with magnesium, sodium and potassium. For me, this anti-inflammatory mineral pool did a great job of soothing my leg muscles after an afternoon spent hiking.
New this season, the resort is offering Kerstin Florian Ritual Kits for in-room use. It’s a lovely touch if a full spa treatment isn’t in the budget, but you still want to feel like you’ve done something good for yourself.
Getting to Campbell River
WestJet’s new mid-day flights from Calgary allow travellers to depart comfortably and arrive with time to enjoy the Campbell River the same day. Harbour Air is also launching direct service from Vancouver to Campbell River this summer.
YBL (Campbell River Airport) is small, so your airport experience is EASY. Think quick arrivals, minimal wait times and fast access to the highway. With no ferries and no long transfers, I found it to be an efficient, stress-free way to reach the coast.
Don’t forget, Campbell River’s central location on Vancouver Island makes it an ideal, convenient base for exploring in every direction.
Have you ever been to Campbell River? I’d love to know what else I should experience the next time I visit.
