The Comox Valley is a dynamic community, offering something for everyone amid beautiful natural surroundings.
where the skiing is second to none, whether it be downhill or cross-country. Non-skiers can also have fun tubing, snowshoeing, or luge sliding; all far from the madding crowds of the mainland resorts. The view from the top of the mountain is a breathtaking panorama, from the peaks of the Beaufort range, across Georgia Strait, and beyond to the Coast Mountains.
Our mild climate allows golfers to indulge their passion during all seasons at any of the six scenic golf courses that are open year round.
offers much more than simply golfing; it is a destination unto itself. For mountain bikers there are seemingly endless riding trails and a well organized
, which are well marked and comprehensively mapped. For those who cannot negotiate uneven terrain, paved walkways with look out stations along Courtenay’s estuary and shoreline are accessible to all for admiring the view or bird watching. For bird enthusiasts, February is the time of the annual week long “Trumpeter Swan Festival”, when our community celebrates the huge Trumpeter Swan colony, (largest in North America), that over winters here.
Scenic drives along the waterfront, from Fanny Bay
(S) to Oyster River
(O), provide sightseers with dazzling ocean vistas and views toward the Beaufort Mountains and magnificent Comox Glacier. On your way north past Fanny Bay stop in to sample locally harvested shellfish at one of the several farms that make the Comox Valley the
shellfish capital of BC. For more sightseeing and beachfront strolling, take the short ferry ride across Buckley Bay
(B) to explore
Denman (C) and
Hornby (D) Islands. These islands are home to renowned artists and craftspeople, many of whom keep their studios open year round. The Comox Valley has a thriving farming community complete with a
Farmers Market featuring produce of all description. There is even a burgeoning wine industry with several local wineries, (•
Beaufort •
Blue Moon •
Coastal Black), as well as a
distillery and a
brewery.
A must see for natural history buffs is the
Courtenay and District Museum (F), which houses a life sized, replica skeleton of our famous fossil, the 80 million year old Elasmosaur which was discovered along the banks of the Puntledge River. The
Cumberland and District Museum (P) has a superb replica mineshaft depicting the area’s coal mining history. While you are in that area, drive up the road to admire the beauty of
Comox Lake (Q) and where visitors can enjoy swimming, camping, boating,
rockclimbing and year-round fishing. If beaches are your passion there are many lovely ones to choose from, including:
Goose Spit in Comox,
(K), known for great skimboarding; the more rugged
Kitty Coleman Provincial Park (N) beach with its picnic area and campsites; and one of the Island's best sand beaches,
Saratoga Beach (O) at the north end on the Comox Valley.
Parks abound in the Comox Valley and there are all types from city playgrounds (
Courtenay •
Comox •
Cumberland) to expansive
wilderness reserves just waiting to be explored. Comox is especially proud of its
Filberg Heritage Lodge and Park (J) with its beautiful gardens and waterfront.
Shoppers will surely be satisfied by downtown
Comox (I) and
Courtenay’s (G) selection of specialty shops, galleries and cafes, and Cumberland’s antique shops. Comox First Nations have a rich history in this area and their gift shop, the
I-Hos Gallery, sells exquisite jewellry, masks and crafts made by First Nations artists.
Fine restaurants are plentiful throughout the area, catering to all tastes in a variety of settings from take out to waterfront spa resorts. Tourists are welcomed at the many
accommodations available, ranging from economy to luxurious; motel style to waterfront B&B. Evening entertainment is easy to find; the Comox Valley is a Mecca for musicians and also has a thriving
Arts and Community Theatre scene. The local
newspapers also have pages dedicated to listings of what’s on around town. For seniors there is an excellent network of
support and clubs that provide activites and social interaction.
Travel to and from the Comox Valley is easy. The area is served by an international
airport (L) capable of handling the largest of aircraft because the facility shares runways with the Canadian Air Force Base. There is also an
airpark (E) for light aircraft and float planes. There is regular
Greyhound bus service to the Courtenay depot as well as an
IslandLinks bus that provides express minibus links to the Nanaimo
Ferry terminal. BC Ferries also provides service from Comox to Powell River via the Little River Ferry
(M). The Inland Island Highway is the arterial route linking all of the communities on the island directly or via secondary connectors. Alternatively, travellers can take the
train to Courtenay from Victoria and all communities in between. The Comox valley has its own
transit system with scheduled routes from Royston to Oyster River, and there is a
taxi service as well.
The Comox Valley is a wonderful area for families. Youth have the opportunity to participate in so many different activites including performong arts, sports, clubs, recreation. There are choices for education and the opportunity to stay in the valley right through to an undergraduate degree at
North Island College
Pop in to the
Chamber of Commerce visitor centre at 2040 Cliffe Ave for more information about our community.
The following comprehensive Comox Valley Directory contains links to websites and information about services and resources that make the Comox Valley such a wonderful community to live in...
