Things To Do on Quadra Island
Quadra Island Tours
Quadra Island Tours specializes in family tours for an affordable price. Quadra Island Tours has a trip for everyone, from intriguing ocean tours for up to 10 people, gentle and serene canoe trips on the lakes and fun mountain biking for the whole family. Call today and let us help you plan your perfect Discovery Islands Adventure. We are located at the award winning Taku Resort.
Website: www.quadraislandtours.ca
Email: info@quadraislandtours.ca
Phone: 250-285-3031
Island Cycle
You can have your bike repaired, rent bikes, buy new or used bikes or accessories. Island Cycle is the largest vender of 'Electric Bike Systems' in the area. They feature eProdigy, Pedal Easy, BionX Electric Bikes and Kits. Explore & Discover Quadra Island on a bike!!!!! 15% off all rentals for Otter House guests and friends!
Website: www.quadraislandcycle.com
Email: bicycle@gicable.com
Phone: 250-285-3627
We Wai Kai Campsite & Rentals
Enjoy water play in Drew Harbour or explore Main Lake Provincial Park with your Family Sit on Top Kayaks, Stand up Paddle Boards and Canoes Cheapest Rentals on the Island!! and Enjoy 10% off all rentals.
Phone: 250-285-3111
Quadra Island Kayaks
Quadra Island Kayaks offers 4 tours a day, from a full day on the water to the lovely sunset tour. The east coast of Quadra Island has some of the best sea kayaking on the east coast of Vancouver Island and this is a trip not to be missed while visiting Quadra Island.
Website: www.quadraislandkayaks.com
Phone: 1-877-475-TOUR (8687)
This is such a lovely cabin in an ideal setting. We were able to enjoy not only the delightful scenery but the diverse wildlife Serge & Tanis Geoffroy
Campbell River Whale Watching
Campbell River Whale Watching invites you to experience some of the most spectacular Killer Whale watching and Wildlife viewing in the world. You will experience 5 unique sets of Tidal Rapids on the only tour of it's kind in the world. You can take a Grizzly Tour, go Orca Whale Watching, see Bald Eagles, experience the life of Seals and Sea Lions on an adventure tour of a lifetime.
Website: www.campbellriverwhalewatching.com/
Phone: 1-250-287-2667
Destiny River Adventures
Destiny River Adventures is based in Campbell River. They offer professionally guided river rafting tours ranging from the thrills of whitewater rafting to serene scenic river floats and snorkeling with thousands of returning salmon. Suitable for almost the whole family – seniors welcome!
Website: www.destinyriver.com
Phone: 1-877-923-7238
Protected Water Charters
Fishing from a stable 21 foot Boston Whaler Revenge we will explore the Discovery Islands ranging from Johnstone Strait to Quadra and the Outer Islands and Bute Inlet. Wherever the is great the waters calm the weather the best you’ll find Protected Waters Charters, the best fishing on Quadra Island and Campbell River.
Website: www.protectedwatercharters.com/
Phone: 1-250-203-9067
The Heriot Bay Inn
So far the HBI has been mentioned in every category! Besides great music in an intimate venue, the HBI Adventure Centre can organize trips and tours of all kinds around Quadra and the Discovery Islands. Very friendly folks and community-owned to boot.
Website: www.heriotbayinn.com
Phone: 250-285-3322
Nuyumbalees Cultural Centre
At Cape Mudge on the south end of the island and home to the Cape Mudge First Nation. The museum is a well-designed showcase and interpretive centre for the Kwa'Kwa'Ka'Wa'Kw culture. The museum has a potlatch collection, displays on the Hamat'sa ceremony and there's a Carving and Artists
Centre. Go south from Quathiaski Cove to the village and follow the signs.
Website: www.nuyumbalees.com
Phone: Museum and Cultural Centre 250-285-3733
Phone: Band Council office 250-285-3316
The Community Centre and Blenkin Park
This place often has something going on in the like a festival, a workshop or movie night. There's also a skatepark for those that like to board, and tennis courts for those who like to hit a ball around.
Website: www.quadrarec.bc.ca
Phone: 250-285-3243
Hiking and Biking
I recommend picking up a Quadra Trails Committee map, for $2, to carry around with you. You can buy this at Quadra Island Tours and at random places such as Quadra Foods in the summer.
Kay Dubois Trail
I used to live near this one and it's a great little hike, particularly for vacationers trying to fit many activities into one day and yet still contributing to ultimate relaxation. It's along the water and mellow but still gives you that good hike feeling. It's a clear and easy trail. It's a little short and challenging for mountain biking.
Haskin Farm Trail
Starting at Smith Rd, this is a nice descent to a quiet and fairly secluded area of the beach. Again, a clearly marked trail that'll take you an hour-ish. Note the no horses sign once the descent starts. Before that, be sure not to step in anything brown and hay-like and big, and kinda stinky, because that would be horse poo.
Community Centre Trails
Quite a system of trails in here, but wherever you end up it'll be easy to make it back to where you started, especially since the trails go from West Rd (the Main Rd), to Heriot Bay Rd aka the Back Rd and back. If you have a vehicle parked on one side you could hike back or take the scenic route around and hitch back.
Rebecca Spit
Another one of Quadra's staple hikes, you have to stop in at the spit. To sound like you know what's going on you can refer to Rebecca Spit as 'the Spit', making the 'Rebecca' silent. This place is definitely appropriate for the whole family, it's not challenging and because it's a peninsula you can always march out to the ocean for a little intertidal zone playtime. There are signs saying no biking on the trail part of the spit. And, it's an amazing place for picnics, views, and storm watching.
Heriot Ridge Trail
This trail is a moist, green, very BC coast trail where you hike through the bush, along a rock face and then out onto a ridge. It's very mellow, no insane hills, and is more of a few-hour afternoon hike than a big day hike.
Morte Lake Trail
If you're into single-track mountain biking this is the trail where you should end up. If you don't have much experience you're going to be getting off your bike, so don't push it, I'm not gonna call your mama and tell her you need her to kiss your knee better. It's also a fabulous hike, that'll bring you out to none other than Morte Lake, but it's not a grand mountain view if that's what you're in the mood for. From the Morte Lake parking you can hike to Chinese Mountains if you want. To hike around Morte Lake takes about 2 to 3 hours, but there is a spur that heads out to a view over Seymour Narrows that makes this a full day.
Chinese Mountains Trail
This is the trail that brings you up to a stellar view of the Rockies on the mainland and the Coast Mountain Range on Vancouver Island. The South peak is a short hike, but steep, and the North peak is longer, but not so steep. Depends what you're into that day but the south peak takes less than an hour to get to the top and then there's a beautiful rocky open area to sit and have a picnic or do tai chi.
Nugedzi Lake/Mt Seymour
This trail takes you to some very beautiful terrain and then - poof - you're at Nugedzi Lake. A good climb with a great reward.
Newton Lake Trail
From Granite Bay this trail begins on a logging road and finishes winding into the spectacular emerald lake at the top. If you're feeling ambitious you can continue on, switchbacking down to Small Inlet and Waiatt Bay, but it's a one-way trip so be prepared to cover all that ground again on the way back.
Shopping
Saturday Farmer's Market
We call it a farmer's market, but really it's an everything and anything market, from crafts to massage to bike repairs. Saturdays from early to about 2pm throughout the summer. Beside the Credit Union in Quathiaski Cove.
Quadra Crafts
Heidi's shop is full of the good stuff. She's got pottery by local artisans and a great book and card selection, the kind you find in uppity Vancouver shoppes. Heidi has clothes, second-hand deals, jewellery, and locals soaps and creams. Located beside the Heriot Bay Store in (where else) Heriot Bay.
Phone: 250-285-3721
Hummingbird Office & Art Supply
The ladies in here are just so nice. You can make photocopies, pick up journals and grab art supplies for scrapbooking your summertime
fun times. It's also the only office supply store that I've been into and come out with one of my favourite, side-splitting Quadra stories
(not appropriate for sharing right here and now). In Quathiaski Cove.
Phone: 250-285-3334
Quadra Island Building Supply
If you need supplies to fix something, then you can probably find it here. Chat with the guys at the desk at the back if you've got any questions. The garden centre is attached.
Phone: 250-285-3221
Yellow Dog Trading Company
This shop is one of those places where what you can buy there you really should not be buying anywhere else because it's
good quality bulk and extremely well-priced. So if you're doing some baking, like pancakes or bannock or want dried fruit for
your granola, pop in. In Quathiaski Cove.
Phone: 250-285-2867
Amped on Nutrition
A real jackpot here. Barbara Mindell is a wealth of knowledge about natural health foods and she does food planning and cooking workshops for specific eating habits. She dries her own bananas and it really allows for banana chips to actually be a healthy snack
and not just another fried chip. And Barbara carries the good stuff, she's got all the products from Ferlow Brothers, a product that
one can normally only find at the naturopath's office. In Quathiaski Cove.
Phone: 250-285-3142