# Sunshine Coast-Vancouver Island Circle Tour

The Coast-Vancouver Island Circle Tour, also known as the Coast Circle Tour, is a popular way to see visit some areas of southwestern British Columbia that you might otherwise not visit. It takes you to towns and villages in BC's Sunshine Coast and along the eastern coast of Vancouver Island.

## Understand

This Circle Tour was created by BC Ferries to increase ridership on the Powell River–Comox ferry route. BC Ferries offers self-drive packages to Bella Coola which include hotel, return ferry, and an eco-rafting trip or grizzly bear tour. Tours include a ferry trip through glacial fjords between Port Hardy and Bella Coola into the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. In Bella Coola, you can observe grizzly bears in their natural habitat, take an eco-rafting tour, or hike to one of the many alpine lakes to discover spectacular lookouts.
Other activities you can enjoy include salmon and trout fishing, a river tour of Atnarko and Bella Coola rivers, kayaking, canoeing, hiking, and discovering First Nations culture, heritage and artifacts.

## Prepare

Six-night packages include hotels and ferry tickets, and start at $1155 per person (tax included, based on double occupancy) as of 2020.
Eco-rafting tour is included for travel from mid-June 10 to mid-August, and the grizzly bear tour is included for travel from mid-August 15 to late October.

## Get in

The most common location to start this trip is in Vancouver. However, it is possible to start at any point along the trip.

## Drive

From 49.260833-123.1138891 Vancouver you travel across the scenic Lions' Gate Bridge to 49.3667-123.1672 West Vancouver on the North Shore and continue along the highway to 49.375094-123.2715261 Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) ferry terminal where you will catch the 40-minute ferry to 49.433333-123.4666672 Sunshine Coast (Langdale) ferry terminal on the Sunshine Coast. It is about a 90-minute drive to the Sunshine Coast (Earls Cove) ferry terminal, but it is worth visiting 49.402778-123.5036113 Gibsons and 49.4742-123.7544 Sechelt as well as some of the many parks in the area. From 49.751944-124.0091673 Sunshine Coast (Earls Cove) ferry terminal you will take a 50-minute ferry across the Jervis Inlet to 49.783333-124.1833334 Powell River (Saltery Bay) ferry terminal and continue north to 49.835278-124.5247225 Powell River.
From Powell River the ferry leaves at the 49.8359-124.52955 Powell River (Westview) ferry terminal and 49.7411-124.92516 Comox (Little River) ferry terminal goes to 49.673333-124.9022226 Comox and 49.6878-124.9947 Courtenay where you can take either the more scenic Old Island Highway or the faster Inland Island Highway south towards 49.35-124.4338 Qualicum Beach and 49.315-124.3129 Parksville.
The next major town you will come to is 49.164167-123.93638910 Nanaimo you can return to the Lower Mainland at either 49.192776-123.9550177 Nanaimo (Departure Bay) ferry terminal (to Vancouver (Horseshoe Bay) in West Vancouver) or 49.160884-123.8923728 Nanaimo (Duke Point) ferry terminal (to Vancouver (Tsawwassen) ferry terminal in Delta). However, most travellers will be interested in continuing on to 48.422151-123.365711 Victoria. From Victoria, travel north to 48.6506-123.39912 Sidney and then take the ferry from 48.6882-123.419 Victoria (Swartz Bay) ferry terminal near Sidney to 49.008657-123.12892910 Vancouver (Tsawwassen) ferry terminal in Delta .