A working valley with an airport, a good food scene and quick access to Campbell River and the mountains
The Comox Valley is three settlements that have grown into one: Courtenay, the main town on the river; Comox, on the harbour beside the air force base and the airport; and Cumberland, a former coal town that has become a mountain-biking village. Behind them Mount Washington rises to the island's only real ski resort, and in front of them the Strait of Georgia opens onto Denman and Hornby islands.
It is less a destination than a base — but a very good one if you fly into Comox. Campbell River's grizzly and whale departures are forty-five minutes north, Strathcona Provincial Park's alpine is an hour west, and the valley itself has guided nature walks in the Seal Bay forest and at Nymph Falls, a strong farmers' market and restaurants that draw on it.
Denman Island is a ten-minute ferry from Buckley Bay south of Courtenay, with Hornby another short hop beyond it; both are quiet, rural and worth a day if you have a car and the summer ferry queues do not put you off.
Getting there
Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) has direct flights from Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, which makes this the easiest entry point for the northern half of the island. BC Ferries links Comox (Little River) with Powell River on the Sunshine Coast. Highway 19 from the south.
What departs from here
Guided nature walks meet at trailheads around the valley (Seal Bay, Nymph Falls) and on Denman Island. Airport transfers run between Comox/Nanaimo airports and Mount Washington in ski season. Boat tours are in Campbell River, not here.
Staying
One or two nights as a base for Campbell River and the mountains. Resorts on the Courtenay waterfront, a historic hotel in the town centre, and cabins at Mount Washington in winter.
Season
Ski season at Mount Washington is roughly December to April; hiking in Strathcona's alpine is July to September. The valley floor is mild year-round and the walks run in every month.
Know before you go
Public transport between the valley towns is limited and there is none to the trailheads. This is a car destination. Ferry queues to Denman on summer weekends can be long.
