# Sooke

Sooke is a town of 13,000 people (2016) at the southernmost end of Vancouver Island. Sooke is best done as a day trip from Victoria but can also be a stopover on the way to Port Renfrew.

## Get in

From Victoria, take Highway 1 northbound to Langford. Exit on to Highway 14 (exit for Millstream Road) and follow the highway to Sooke.
It is also possible to bike (or walk!) to Sooke along the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which is connected to Victoria and Langford and passes just east of Sooke.

## Get around

The best way to explore Sooke is on foot, but once you want to go see some of the sights beyond the four block town centre, you will need a car.

### By public transit

* BC Transit (Victoria Regional Transit System), ☏ +1-250-382-6161. Runs a bus network within Victoria, between Victoria and the Saanich Peninsula including Sidney, and between Victoria and cities to the west including Langford and Sooke. (updated Mar 2022)
** Bus route 61 operates during morning and afternoon rush hours from Monday to Friday travels between downtown Victoria and Sooke. Outside of those hours it operates between Langford and Sooke, in which case a transfer with route 95 is needed between Victoria and Langford. Route operates daily with numerous trips. A direct trip between Victoria and Sooke takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes and costs $3.00.
** There is bus service to East Sooke via Sooke and the bus stop at the 17 Mile Pub. This allows access by bus to the Anderson Cove entrance to East Sooke Park.

## See

The town of Sooke is a regional centre for the smaller communities in the area, and a starting point for trips farther west up the island. It is rapidly growing; its population is increasing roughly twice as fast as average for the Greater Victoria region.
48.38428-123.70641 Sooke Region Museum, 2070 Phillips Rd, ☏ +1 250-642-6351, toll-free: +1-866-888-4748, info@sookeregionmuseum.com. A museum of the region that includes indoor and outdoor exhibits. (updated Feb 2023)

## Do

Check out a few of the interesting shops in the town's heart. Once you tire of this, jump in your car and head out to see some of the town's more natural sights:
* 48.3451-123.68181 East Sooke Regional Park (To reach, drive east out of Sooke along Highway 14 and turn right on Gillespie Road (turn left, just past the 17 Mile Pub if coming from Langford or Victoria). Follow Gillespie Road to East Sooke Road where you can turn right to access the Pike Road and Anderson Cove entrances, or turn left then right on Becher Bay Road to reach the Aylard Farm entrance). Is a huge regional park located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. With over 50 km of hiking trails through forests and along rocky coasts, this is one of the most underappreciated hiking locations in Greater Victoria. (updated Feb 2023)
* 48.3709-123.61792 Roche Cove Regional Park. You will pass Roche Cove Park on Gillespie Road on your way to East Sooke. There are a few trails here and if you don't have time to explore the expansive East Sooke Regional Park, then this is a nice alternative. (updated Feb 2023)
* Sooke Potholes Provincial Park48.44577-123.726833 Sooke Potholes Provincial Park (Turn onto Sooke River Road on the east side of the Sooke River bridge (left if heading from Sooke, right if heading from Victoria) and follow the road to the park.). A very popular location for a dip during the summer for Victoria residents. The Sooke River plunges through a series of deep pits creating perfect cool pools to take a plunge on a hot day. (updated Aug 2022)
* 48.35745-123.721254 Whiffin Spit. Is a 1-km-long spit of sand that stretches out into the ocean, protecting Sooke Harbour. A pleasant walk to the tip of the spit past sandy beaches can be done here. The ideal time to visit is during a tide shift when you can watch the seals eat salmon and fish as they are washed out of the basin. To reach, follow Highway 14 west out of town, then turn left on Whiffen Spit Road. (updated Jul 2023)
* Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra. Under the direction of Norman Nelson since 1997, performs six sets of concerts annually. There is a workshop for musicians who need a tune-up, and a concerto competition for tomorrow's stars. See their website for concert dates and venues. (updated Aug 2022)

## Buy

* 48.37059-123.831041 Marshall-Inman Gallery, 4568 Otter Point Rd (take Hwy 14/Sooke Road (which becomes West Coast Road) for 10 km, turn right into Otter Point Road at Gordons Beach (and not before), take the second entrance on right), ☏ +1 250 642-5555. Daily 10AM-5PM. Wood & pottery workshops and gallery on a llama farm overlooking the Juan de Fuca Strait 10 min from Sooke Village. Call ahead. Woodwork, hand-crafted furniture, pottery & clay art. (updated May 2018)

## Eat

* 48.39471-123.627031 17 Mile House Pub, 5126 Sooke Rd, ☏ +1 250-642-5942. This pub-style restaurant is (you guessed it!) 17 miles away from Victoria, along Highway 14. If heading from Sooke it will be on your left. (updated Feb 2023)
* 48.37703-123.725672 Mom's Cafe, 2036 Shields Road, ☏ +1 250-642-3314. Mom's is the most popular restaurant in Sooke and the perfect place to fill yourself up after a hike at East Sooke. This diner-style restaurant that opened in the 1970s is on the corner of Shields Road and Eustace Road in downtown Sooke.
* 48.3774-123.724253 Stone Pipe Grill, 2038 Otter Point Rd (corner of Sooke/West Coast Rd & Otter Point Rd), ☏ +1 250-642-0566. Daily 11AM - 9PM. Serves a tasty mix of sandwiches, burgers, steaks and curries.
* 48.3979-123.984274 Point No Point Resort, 10829 West Coast Road, ☏ +1 250 646-2020. West, outside of Sooke. Serves lunch and tea daily. (updated Feb 2023)
* 48.35641-123.727575 Sooke Harbour House, 1528 Whiffen Spit Road, ☏ +1 250-642-3421, toll-free: +1-800-889-9688, info@sookeharbourhouse.com. 5:30PM-9PM. (updated Jun 2015)

## Sleep

There are numerous B&Bs and campgrounds around Sooke, but here is a selection of some of the pricier and more interesting accomnodations:
* 48.39794-123.98451 Point No Point Resort, 10829 West Coast Road, ☏ +1 250-646-2020. This beautiful resort is on a rocky point, west of Sooke on Highway 14 (West Coast Road). There are a selection of cabins along that coast that are available. $130-220. (updated Feb 2023)
* 48.35648-123.727692 Sooke Harbour House Hotel, 1528 Whiffen Spit Road, ☏ +1 250 642-3421, toll-free: +1-800-889-9688, fax: +1 250 642-6988, info@sookeharbourhouse.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. From $199. (updated Feb 2023)
* 48.366464-123.7312193 Sooke Harbour Resort & Marina, 6971 West Coast Rd, ☏ +1 250-642-3236, toll-free: +1-866-616-3236, reservations@sookeharbourmarina.ca. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM. Offers boutique-style 2, 3, & 4 bedroom vacation homes. Each beautifully furnished suite offers spectacular ocean views and equipped kitchens. $199-399. (updated Aug 2015)
* 48.39022-123.664594 Sunny Shores Resort & Marina, 5621 Sooke Rd, ☏ +1 250 642-5731, toll-free: +1-888-805-3932. $175-500. (updated Feb 2023)

## Cope

* The nearest hospital is in Victoria.

## Go next

Your only real options are to drive west along Highway 14 to explore the Juan de Fuca beaches and Port Renfrew, or head back to Victoria.
However, the Galloping Goose Trail, a hiking and biking trail between Victoria and Sooke, passes near the town. Two convenient access points are the 48.39547-123.659535 Ludlow Rd Parking Lot and the 48.40573-123.703826 Sooke River Rd Parking Lot.
If you have a couple of days and want a coastal hike, consider the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail which runs between Port Renfrew and Jordan River. Unlike the longer West Coast Trail, the Juan de Fuca Trail has fewer logistical challenges and has several access trails along the route so it is possible to complete the whole distance or do shorter day trips as time or weather dictates.