Your complete vacation, accommodation & online business information guide to Sooke BC, East Sooke and Port Renfrew & all points in between along the south west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Other Vancouver Island Travel Guides include Victoria.

Sooke, BC was a thriving settlement of the Coast Salish Indians for hundreds of years, who were dependent on plentiful supplies of berries, birds, clams and fish. In 1849, European settlers arrived and in 1864 the Leech River gold rush caused a population boom in Sooke. Today it's a pleasant community with a resident population of 11,600 which swells by the thousands in the summer months as vacationers enjoy the cottage-like outdoors focused setting.

Accommodations range from bed and breakfasts of every style, to campgrounds and RV parks to cottages and vacation rentals to luxury hotel inns. The local museum depicts pioneer lifestyles of the 19th century, and some of the best year-round salmon fishing on Vancouver Island can be found here as well as fishing in the fresh water lakes.

Sooke splendour
Where the rainforest meets the sea
By Linda Prochilo

On the wind-swept and secluded west coast of Vancouver Island lies one of the Pacific Northwest's best kept secrets: Sooke, British Columbia.

Perhaps on first glance it seems like a place one could easily ignore. But take time for that all-important second look and you will be struck by the many great opportunities for rest and recreation, its beauty and vitality ,and the friendly, genuine people who live here. And you will wonder how you overlooked it before.

The warm, welcoming community of 11,000 people is situated between a wild, towering rainforest and the dramatic Pacific Ocean. It's only a 40-minute drive from downtown Victoria, but Sooke offers visitors the untamed but comfortable experience that Vancouver Island's far west coast is famous for - and, thankfully, you can skip the five hour drive to Tofino.

Here too, the Pacific Ocean swells crash against sandy beaches and storm-blasted caves, offering up a wealth of marine treasures for the roving beachcomber. Clean, cold rivers lined with century-old fir trees run with wild salmon and steelhead. This is beautiful B.C. in top form.

But a word of warning: coming for a visit can lead to serious life changes. Many of Sooke's residents came for just a visit, and couldn't bring themselves to leave.

Mother Nature's Playground
Sooke's coastal surroundings give those with moxie and energy a challenging backdrop for outdoor activities. For some, hiking is Sooke's greatest attraction. East Sooke Regional Park is considered one of the premier day use parks in Canada. Encompassing 1,422 hectares (3,512 acres) of ancient coastal rainforest, the wilderness reserve offers marine trails suitable for young families and expert hikers alike.

With the Galloping Goose Regional Trail cycling from Victoria is a reality. The Sooke portion of the 100-kilometre former railway line features views of Juan de Fuca Straight and the 12,000-foot high Olympic Mountains. On the "Goose" you can cycle, walk, in-line skate, wheelchair, push a stroller or ride a horse.

Sooke Harbour contains a wealth of coves and bays that happily lend themselves to exploration by kayak or sail. But make your way into open waters, and you can see why for some fishing is a highlight of any visit here. To date, the largest salmon caught was 67 pounds; the largest halibut, 206 pounds. And there is far more to experience than fishing in these waters. A new highlight is Race Rocks, a recently created ecological reserve, where visitors can climb into zodiacs for a marine wildlife adventure to view a major population of killer whales (Orcas), stellar and California sea lions, seals and porpoises.

Heading west toward Port Renfrew, the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail skirts the highway and offers 47 kilometres of rainforest coastline blessed with tide pools, sandstone caves and soft sandy beaches. The visitor can stop at the many scenic viewpoints and beach access entrances.

The quaint town of Port Renfrew itself, noted for its vast sandy beach, wilderness and proximity to the West Coast Trail, makes for an interesting overnight destination. The nearby San Juan River, cutting through some of Canada's most primordial of coastal temperate rainforests, is well known among the initiated for its exceptional canoeing and fishing.
The natural surroundings of the Sooke Region provide inspiration to many artists in the area. The arts are important in this region. Sooke has a performing arts group, orchestra, many talented musicians, art galleries and artisan studios. One can take self-guided tours of unique studios that feature everything from funky pottery and glasswork to First Nations art and exotic woodwork.

Calling it a day

Sooke is considered by many the bed and breakfast capital of British Columbia, with approximately 70 such establishments in the region. Each B&B is as individual as its owners, ranging in décor and atmosphere from a simple native feel to the happy fussiness of a venerable English garden home. Each is different, but they all reflect the more laid-back west coast lifestyle. And whether one stays in an elegant country inn or a romantic waterfront chalet, the gracious hospitality of the people is apparent the moment one arrives.

It is said that great things come in small packages. That is especially true of Sooke, an unassuming community with a big heart and a lot to offer each visitor. Free from the bustle of city life, one can still find solitude here - yet all the amenities of the big city are just 40 minutes away.

It has made more than one holiday seeker ask themselves a simple question: Why go anywhere else?

sookeHarbour.com Quick Links

Sooke in the News Archive of Tourism related News Stories about the Sooke area. Parks, Trails & Beaches Endless miles of unspoiled beaches and parks. Bed and Breakfasts Sooke is renowned for it's hospitality - B&B style! Cottages & Cabins Nestled on beaches or in the Sooke Hills. Privacy and nature. Vacation Rental Homes Larger groups? Staying a little longer? Enjoy all the conveniences of home. Inns, Hotels, Motels & Resorts From pampered luxury to affordable accommodations. Camping Affordable accommodations & plenty of outdoor fun. Travel & Tourism Services specifically catering to travel and tourism in Sooke, BC. RecreationSooke.com fishing, hiking, kayaking, birding, cycling, whale-watching ... Restaurants From a 60's diner to Haute Cuisine, you'll eat well in Sooke! Other Businesses Arts and crafts, marinas, real estate, shops, services and other conveniences. Community Chamber of Commerce, schools, real estate, churches, arts ... Goods & Services outside Sooke Here you will find goods and services from outside Sooke  listed geographically. East Sooke Nature lover's paradise with a sparse population and many wide open spaces. Victoria, British Columbia A Traveler's guide to the Garden City of the Canada's west coast.

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Tourism threatened by U.S. passport plan

By Rudy Haugeneder
Black Press
September 07, 2005

The U.S. passport nightmare is turning B.C. tourist and convention leaders into insomniacs.

A new U.S. law, which kicks in Jan 1, 2008, requires U.S. citizens to carry passports in order to re-enter the United States. It also requires Canadian and Mexican visitors to the U.S. to have valid passports.

Rod Harris, CEO of Tourism B.C., said he's worried there's going to be a "significant" reduction in American tourists - no matter how much marketing B.C. does in the U.S. to persuade them to visit the province.

Unless there's a change to the expected U.S. passport regulations, he warned, B.C. will be unable to deal with the impact and the tourism industry "is not going to be successful."

Tourism Victoria CEO Lorne Whyte predicts there will be 7.7 million fewer American visits to Canada between now and 2008.

Whyte said many Americans already believe the passport law - part of the Intelligence Reform Bill passed by the Bush Administration - is already in effect. U.S. statistics show that only 15-20 per cent of Americans have passports.
The tourist industry reports a significant reduction in American visitors this year, believed to be partly due to a higher Canadian dollar and high gasoline prices.

Americans account for 40 per cent of overnight stays and 55 per cent of the revenue earned by Victoria hotels and motels, Whyte said.

Darrell Bryan, general manager of Clipper Navigation, which runs a daily summer ferry service between Victoria and Seattle, said the passports are "an issue that has significant impact on business and leisure travellers as well as the business community in many parts of the United States - largely along the northern and southern borders of the United States."

Part of a consortium of BC. and Washington state tourism organizations and businesses lobbying the American government to kill the passport idea, Bryan said U.S. ferry passengers surveyed by his company don't know the legislation doesn't take effect until the beginning of 2008.
The passport deadline is the end of 2006 for U.S. citizens travelling abroad via flights or cruise ships.