Places: Vancouver Island
DETAILS: Vancouver Island
I spent two weeks on Vancouver Island, but it was barely enough time. It's so large, you could easily spend a month there. The ferry takes you to Sidney which is about 30 minutes North of Victoria, the capital city of British Columbia.
To get to Vancouver Island, you leave from Friday Harbor (San Juan Island). The most economical way to do the ferry is to buy an international roundtrip ticket from Friday Harbor to Sidney, BC (you'll need your passport). It was $113 for RV+driver in the offseason + a nominal charge for each additional passenger.
I made the trip to Vancouver Island after I explored San Juan Island, but before I explored Orcas, Shaw and Lopez traveling Eastbound. This limits your ferry ticket purchases to a total of 2 (despite taking 7 ferries!).
Two locals gave me the same advice: there was little new to see any further North of Tofino on the West Coast and Campbell River on the East Coast, so I concentrated on the Southern half of the massive island with the two aforementioned locations as the most Northern points on each coast.
Victoria
I had been to Victoria twice before (by plane), and it's always a pleasure to visit. The harbor is beautiful, tea at the Empress Hotel is a one-of-kind-experience and their IMAX theatre is one of the best in the world.
I stayed at Salish Seaside RV Haven, which is the closest RV park to downtown Victoria. It's also one of the more picturesque parks near a city center! It's located on a private peninsula, overlooking the water and the city. Water taxis will pick you up from the adjacent harbor (3 min walk) and take you to/from the city center, Empress Hotel, Fisherman's Wharf, etc.
I also took a seaplane tour over the city which I'd also highly recommend!
Port Renfrew
A local pointed me to a great spot that wasn't on AllStays called Pachena Bay Campground. It was on a private, driftwood beach with water+electric hook ups. Definitely worth a visit! (one of the drone shots shows the beach/campground with my RV).
Mystic Beach
Although there is no place to camp at Mystic Beach, the 2 mile hike to the ocean is a must see/do on Vancouver Island. The trailhead is from the "China Beach" parking lot, and it's the only access point to Mystic Beach. The hike is through an absolutely stunning ancient forest that was the most visually striking experience I had all month. I didn't post any pictures from the forest — you must see it in person to appreciate it. When you get down to the beach, you'll find small and medium-size waterfalls emptying into the ocean. Breathtaking!
Tofino
There's only one road in/out of Tofino, but it's worth it! Tofino is known for its long, beautiful beaches, and they don't disappoint. I stayed at Bella Pacifica Campground with an ocean view (the AllStays app doesn't show the campground in the correct location). On the road to/from Tofino, check out the ancient forest called Cathedral Grove — another breathtaking location with easy walking trails on either side of the main road.
Campbell River
If you're up for a Grizzly Bear tour, Campbell River is the town you leave from. You can dry camp in the marina parking lot in town for up to 48 hours, which is very convenient since the tours start from the marina with a 2-hour boat ride to an inlet in mainland Canada. Along the way, we saw both Orca whales and Humpback whales. It's an all-day adventure, but the season to see bears is short (mid-August to mid-October). The company I went with was recommended to me, and I loved it, so I'll pass it along: Aboriginal Journeys.