BC Ferry service links the British Columbia Mainland and Washington State to the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. Riding a ferry is like taking a holiday cruise, providing you time to stretch your legs, get something to eat, browse the gift shop and observe marine traffic and wildlife.

Take the Circle Tour from the Sunshine Coast to Courtenay. It offers four ferry/highway routes linking the Comox Valley with the Mainland and lower Vancouver Island and provides discounted ferry fares.

Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Swartz Bay (Victoria)
Tsawwassen (Vancouver) to Duke Point (Courtenay)
Horseshoe Bay (Vancouver) to Departure Bay (Courtenay)
Powell River to Comox
Prince Rupert to Port Hardy
Bella Coola to Port Hardy
From Washington State, you can travel to Vancouver Island via several routes. Schedules and information can be found at the Washington Ferries website.

Princess Marguerite: Seattle to Victoria
Victoria & San Juan Cruises: Bellingham to Victoria
Victoria Clipper: Seattle to Victoria
Victoria Express: Port Angeles to Victoria
Washington State Ferries: Anacortes to Victoria

Fly to Courtenay:

Numerous direct flights from the Vancouver International Airport and Calgary International Airport land daily at the Comox Valley Regional Airport (YQQ) in Comox.

Pacific Coastal also offers a convenient service to and from Vancouver. Call 1-800-663-2872 for schedules and reservations.

WestJet Airlines operates non-stop flights between Comox and Calgary, with connections to other WestJet serviced airports out of Calgary. Call 1-888-937-8538 or 1-800-538-5696 for schedules and reservations.

Travel by Bus (Coach)

Island Coach Lines
Information & reservations:
Duncan (250) 746-4841
Victoria (250) 385-4411.

Rail Travel to Courtenay
VIA Rail travels between Victoria and Courtenay. Stops in the Cowichan area include Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill, Cowichan Station, Duncan, The BC Forest Discovery Centre, Chemainus and Ladysmith and finally Courtenay. Please check with VIA rail to ensure that this service is still running.

VIA Rail - 1-888-VIA-RAIL or 1 888 842-7245

Nestled between the Beaufort Mountains and the Strait of Georgia, Courtenay is a small oceanfront town beside Comox. The area has a number of small communities,, farms and forested areas located on the central east coast of Vancouver Island. Courtenay is in one of the most diverse recreational and cultural destinations in the world, the Comox Valley. Here you can ski, golf, fish, sail, scuba dive, hike and go to the theatre all in the same day. Dine on some of the best seafood anywhere on the West Coast. You can dig for fossils, see historic aircrart or walk through a replica of a coal mine. The area is abudent with wildlife, birds, whales and much more. The area boasts some of hte best arts and crafts on Vancouver Island.

The Courtenay area has over 40 parks and numerous beaches are ideal for swimming, fishing, boating, hiking and camping. Watch spawning salmon head upstream to the Puntledge Hatchery, amuse your children on some slides and swings or attend an interpretive program at Miracle Beach.

Strathcona Park is the largest and oldest Provincial Park on Vancouver Island. This wilderness area is accessible from Mt. Washington and Forbidden Plateau and offers spectacular hiking, mountain biking, camping, canoeing and wildlife viewing.

Seal Bay Regional Nature Park has a number of connecting wooded trails on the Comox Peninsula. The paths are great for hiking and biking and some are wheelchair accessible. The beach can be accessed by a steep path. On the beach watch for seals, sea lions, and bald eagles.

The COMOX Riverway is a paved path that runs along the Courtenay River and estuary. This is a prime location for viewing many species of birds and watching small planes take off and land from the Courtenay Airpark. The Courtenay Riverway is a popular place for walkers, cyclists and roller-bladers and its level grade accommodates wheelchairs and infant strollers.

Goose Spit, Saratoga Beach and Miracle Beach are three favourites locations for beachcombing where you can observe sand dollars, sea shells, etc. Please leave the marine life where you find it.

Courtenay Location

ACCOMMODATIONS
There is a variety of good accommodations in Courtenay and throughout the surrounding Comox Valley including hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, camping and more.