Have you heard of Hornby Island? If no, then you are missing one heavenly place of Canada. Let’s get you excited for the fantastic tour of Hornby Island.
Hornby Island is a tiny island located in the British Columbian province of Canada. The unique island is located near the Vancouver Island; and is one of the two northernmost gulf islands in Georgia strait. The two pairs of islands Hornby situated on the east of Denman island has the capability of giving visitors a heavenly experience.
Hornby Island is so sparsely populated that it has hardly crossed the 1,000 population but is loved by the people who like staying in a beautiful and peaceful place. The island’s native language is Pentlatch, a Coast Salish first nations band, which became extinct later in the 1940s.
The best part about reaching the islands is through ferry and boats, which enhances your overall experience and tourism. But, after getting to the islands, there are several places where you can roam around, and few are mentioned here!
10 Best Sights of Hornby Islands!
1. Helliwell Provincial Park
It would be best if you visited this beautiful park in the Hornby islands, as its views are mesmerizing. Spread in the area of 2,800 hectares, this park was established in 1966, and J.L Helliwell donated the land, hence the name Helliwell Provincial Park.
This park is a popular site among the adventure seekers as you can try hiking, canoeing, cycling, and scuba diving here. There are some rare floras and fauna present on the island. Among them, a major one is douglas fir. Apart from enjoying the beautiful views of the ocean from the cliffs, you can have a great day out with your family or friends.
2. Tribune Bay Provincial Park
Tribune Bay Provincial Park is nicknamed as the ‘little Hawaii’ of British Columbia. To the beach lovers, this is a paradise, as there’s a stretched land laden with white sandy beaches and blue ocean water, making a perfect location for spending a stress-free weekend.
The activities that you can do here are during summer months are playing games, canoeing, hiking, or just soaking up the sun after taking a dip in the salty ocean water.
The best time to visit is during springs as the wilderness of the island is at their best with flowers blooming around with blue and red edible berries attracting tourists even more. Reaching the park is not an issue; just take a ferry to the island and have a great day here relaxing or exploring.
3. Fossil Beach Farm
Fossil Beach Farm is a place you would like to visit when you have plans of camping, as they have ample outdoor space, and you can even grill barbeque here. The accommodation provided by the management team of Fossil Beach Farm is classy, it is not your ordinary camping tent, and it’s just amazing.
The farm faces the beach so you can always relax and bath under the sun and enjoy the handcrafted ciders and apples from the orchard. The farm is known for supplying ciders of different flavors in British Columbia, so don’t miss this incredible opportunity!
4. Ford’s Cove
Ford’s cove is the only place in the Hornby Islands where you can camp in the wilderness, as all the other sites are located around the road, so it’s not that peaceful. The cove is open around the year, with beautiful sea views and different cottages, camper vans, and tents for the tourists.
This waterfront is a perfect place with long, stretched beaches for spending a good weekend with your friends and loved ones. The area offers all the necessary amenities that the tourists needs, and the visitor’s comfort is their utmost priority.
5. Geoffrey Mountain
Mount Geoffrey is under the area of Geoffrey Regional Nature Park and is located at Hornby Island, spread in the area of over 300 hectares. The mountain is just two ferries away from the Vancouver islands.
Named after the rear admiral Phipps Hornby, who was a great navy officer and has played a major role in the history of the navy. His remarkable achievements have been kept alive by naming three places on the island, including the Hornby island itself.
The view gets complete with Mount Geoffrey on the island, as it is the highest peak of the island, with a height of over 1,000 feet. The summit of mount Geoffrey is not very difficult, which allows visitors to climb it with ease and lesser experience.
You can go for horseback riding, hiking, or even mountain biking here because the view from the top is something you wouldn’t want to miss.
6. Mount Geoffrey Escarpment Provincial Park
Located on the Southwest side of the Hornby Island, mount Geoffrey Escarpment Park is one place you wouldn’t want to miss, as it has been designated as class ‘A’ parks of Canada. The park offers excellent views and has three trails, where visitors can enjoy hiking and mountain biking. The park is spread in an area of 187 hectares.
These gulf islands have dry weather, so it is advisable not to do any fire-related activities as the results can be devastating. The sea has diverse fish species present in it, and hence fishing is one best activity you can try here.
7. Ringside Market
When you visit a beautiful place, bringing a souvenir along is a compulsory act. And for this, you can see the Ringside market located in the middle of Hornby Island.
You can find lots of shops, cafes, artisans, and services that will make your trip even memorable. The artisans sell local and handmade products like potteries and decorative items. You can find lots of bike servicing and rental shops, along with boutiques and eateries offering delicious seafood and other cuisines.
Also, try to visit the islands when Hornby Festivals are organized to enjoy the real spirits of Hornby people. The festival is organized during summers and has been celebrated for around 38 years.
8. Heron Rocks and Whaling Station Bay
Heron Rocks is a place you want to head to after a long journey and exploration of Hornby Island because here you can find the best camping grounds.
Whaling Station bay is one unique and also historic outer islands of Hornby Island. The beach was used as a whaling port from 1871, but later the population of whales declined to leave this beach abandoned.
But for the nirvana seekers, this beach is the best place to relax because it stays less crowded. You can book a cabin here and chill with your friends.
9. Hornby Island Estate Winery
Visit an island without good drinks and wine is incomplete, so for your complete ideal journey, you can visit Hornby Island Estate Winery. It was founded in 1999 by wine producers who put all their efforts into making delicious drinks from fruits available at the local farms, which are supplied by Hornby island farmers.
You can have a taste of sparkling and other variety of wines, along with ports and sherry. The winemaking process happens in front of you, so you can also learn about it apart from tasting and enjoying.
They have also started producing sanitizers now, and you can even order wines and other products online. And if you are not a wine fan, then you can visit the Island spirits Distillery and try all types of liquors like gin, vodka, and many more.
10. Hornby Island Ocean Adventures
If you are wondering about it, Ocean Adventures is a place or just the beach on the Hornby islands, and then your confusion is an obvious one.
Ocean Adventures is a charter company that offers all kinds of adventurous activities you can do near an ocean. The company has a diverse range of boats available for groups, solo, and duets; you can go for the sightseeing cruises, the 31-foot executive, which is a big ship with all kinds of fun stuff available on board.
Else you can go for 26 foot Panga, which is the fast boat for fewer people. All safety measures are taken very seriously here for the visitors, and arrangement for full enjoyment is there along with complimentary fishing knowledge on gilled sharks.
These were the few best places to visit in the Hornby Islands because if you are a resident of Canada or just visiting it as a tourist, this Salish sea island is undoubtedly one of the best places you will come across near the Vancouver Islands.
As you are going to a beautiful island with lots of beaches, prepare your beach checklist and bring your stuff accordingly. And don’t forget to flaunt your beach body, but in case you don’t have one, you can get yourself summer ready and read about tips that will help you in having that summer body.
You can do a lot of activities on islands apart from soaking under the sun and relaxing because it’s the adventurous activities done by you on a trip is what makes it memorable. You can read about fun activities to do in Hornby island here!
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