Quadra Island, Canada: 12 Beautiful Experiences with Your Family
Rebecca Spit
By far our favourite destination on the island. Whether it is for a walk out to the tip of the spit, beachcombing or a place to paddle around. This is a great spot to spend the day. Take a picnic or get lunch on the way at Thunderburger (only open on the weekends), across from the campground. Their burgers and fries are fantastic.
Quadra Island Mini Golf
A new favourite to our Quadra Island traditions. Quadra Island Golf opened a new clubhouse and Enchanted Woods Mini Golf. It is a beautiful spot and they have done a great job with the mini golf; lots of magical driftwood sculptures throughout the course. Kids four and under are free and the rest of the family is between $8-12/person. Their new clubhouse restaurant wasn’t open when we visited but we will try it out next time we visit.
Cape Mudge Lighthouse
Located on the South side of Quadra Island you will find the Cape Mudge Lighthouse. The Lighthouse looks back across the water towards Campbell River. While the inland waters may seem calm it hides the whirlpools of the Seymour Narrows, which are quite treacherous to boats. The grounds and tower are open to walk around. We saw fish jumping from the shore and enjoyed the beach when we visited.
Wander Around Heriot Bay
From goats to the marina there is lots to explore on a walk around the Bay. We came across someone playing piano on their boat at sunset on our last walk. The Heriot Bay Inn is a great place to stop for dinner or a drink and they have a giant chess board outside if you are in the mood for a game.
Kay Dubois Trail
This is an easy, flat walk through the forest that follows the rocky shoreline with fantastic views. It is about 4km out and back and takes under an hour unless you stop for some beachcombing along the way. Driftwood and interesting rocks line the shore with eagles and birds overhead. Parking is limited at the trailhead.
Kayaking and Paddle Boarding
Getting out on the water is a great way to see the Island. There is a rental spot near Taku called Quadra Island Kayaks & Adventures where you can get everything from paddle boards to kayaks and bikes, so you don’t even need to pack your own. Rebecca Spit is a great protected area to head out from and there is a boat launch about halfway out on the spit. There are also several kayaking tours in the area.
Mountain Biking
Bring your bike and explore the island’s trails and roads. The island is bike-friendly and cycling is a great way to get around and explore. There are a couple of spots to repair and rent bikes on the island. There are a couple of spots on the island that rent bikes and offer tours.
Surge Narrows
On one of our trips, we set out inland to explore the forests of Quadra Island and made our way to Surge Narrows, a shoreline walk beside the rapids. Make sure to check the tides before heading out. Much of the drive from the more populated side of the island was on dirt roads through the forest.
Bring a Craft Along
Part of our family’s weekends away always involve some type of art or craft project. Sometimes this is sitting on the deck drawing, colouring or painting. Other times we bring a project to work on if there is time. On our last trip we brought these mural pieces from Global Roots Project.
Island Farm to Table
Island Farm to Table is our favourite place to stop for a treat to take on a hike or for breakfast on the go. Their pastries are delicious and sell out quickly. They are open Thursday-Saturday from 7 am to 3 pm and well worth fitting into to your holiday.
Relax with a Good Book
One of our favourite things to do is relax when we visit Quadra, bring a good book or find one at one of the free mini libraires on the island. Our family managed to read 7 books over our long weekend, I can’t remember the last time I had that much time to read.
Take in a Sunrise
We have seen some beautiful sunrises over the water, some of us from the comfort of our cabin. If you can’t get up that early then take in the stars at night. With so little light on this side of the island it makes for some amazing stargazing.
