Quadra Island Things To Do

Quadra Island Kayaks
Quadra Island Kayaks is the sister company to Spirit of the West Adventures. 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 West Coast of Vancouver Island and this is a trip not to be missed while visiting Quadra Island.

Website: http://www.quadraislandkayaks.com
Phone: 1-877-475-TOUR (8687)

Aboriginal Journeys
First Nations owned wildlife viewing and adventure tour company located in Campbell River. Enjoy Whale Watching, Grizzly Bear viewing on Aboriginal lands, breathtaking Nature and Marine Wildlife viewing tours throughout Discovery Passage, Johnstone Straits and Mainland Inlet areas. Locally born Transport Canada certified guides with a minimum 30 years experience working and traveling within our waters.
Website: www.aboriginaljourneys.com
Phone: 1-888-455-8101

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

The Heriot Bay Inn
So far the HBI has been mentioned in every category. Lorraine is bringing in good tunes to mix things up and give Duffy and Friends (a hoppin' local Classic rock cover band) a chance to do some dancing themselves. Last weekend I danced to a band that's on the circuit and in demand in Vancouver right now, only I saw them in a killer venue for $5. This weekend the All Girl Band from Cortez is coming and holy, last time I danced to them it was suddenly 2am… I think.
website: www.heriotbayinn.com
phone: 250-285-3322

Cape Mudge Museum and Cultural Centre
Cape Mudge is at the south end of the island and it is Cape Mudge First Nation. Double check that the museum is open but I hear good things from those who have been in. The museum has a potlatch collection and there's a Carving and Artists Centre.There's two ball diamonds and a really big canoe when you take your first right into the village.
phone: Museum and Cultural Centre 250-285-3733
phone: Band Council office 250-285-3316

Abyssal Diving Charters
I don't dive myself but I do know that around Quadra is the best cold-water diving in the world.

The Community Centre and Blenkin Park
This place often has something going on in the like a festival, a workshop or movie night. In the spring is the Juggling Festival and 2005 will be the 3rd annual after the jugglers themselves gave extraordinary feedback on the 1st show. 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. Nice for biking except that I had to get off my bike a lot to get over roots.

Haskin Farm Trail
Nice descent to the beach and then 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. I never know which one I'm supposed to take because all the signs somehow end up confusing me, 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 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, but I've done it, just don't hit anyone, or runover an old lady's dog for that matter. 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
This is the trail that if you're into single-track mountain biking here is 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 Mountain if you want. To hike around Morte Lake takes about 2 to 3 hours.

Chinese Mountain 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.

Beech's Mountain Trail

Nugedzi Lake/Mt Seymour
This trail takes you to some very beautiful terrain and then - poof - you're at Nugedzi Lake.

Newton Lake Trail
Haven't been to this one but I hear it's glorious. You can also keep going past it and stop at this little and yet spectacular green lake.

Shopping

Audrey's Organic Produce
This is a woman to meet. I like her a whole lot, she's what could be described as a brilliant hoot. Aside from her winning personality she delivers the best quality produce, local produce when in-season. She puts together bins or produce and delivers them. It means that my fridge is always full of organic and unique goods, for a very decent price. Definetly worth calling if you're here for a week and want some good quality food.
phone: 285-2114

Butterfly Seafoods Fish Market
It's worth going into the shop just to meet Linda. She's one hilarious, no-nonsense, generous woman. Her and her husband Tim are from multi-generational Quadra fishing families. Linda opened the shop and sells seafood caught by locals in local waters. She makes a mean smoked scallop and candied salmon. Just went in their the other day and bought a wild and fresh and locally caught sockeye salmon. So I made eggs benny for the first time with salmon that had been cooked with kiwi and ginger. Holy.
phone: 285-2897

Explore
This little shop has some really nice candles, local goodies like honey, cd's, pottery, knitting and art. I like this place. My roomate's best friend Kelly manages it, she's a stellar woman, and she's a fun one to chat with. Sometimes they have book launches for local authors, so it's worth popping your head in to see. It's located in the plaza as you head up the hill from the Campbell River ferry two stores to the right of the ever-so useful Laundromat.
phone: 250-285-3293

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. If she's not in the shop for a few minutes she's probably popped next door to the Gateway Cafe for some hot lunch or tea.
phone: 250-285-3721

Heriot Bay Consignment Shop
You can get your marine supplies here, like Ed Jordan's locally-made prawn traps. Also, second-hand books, and household items not to mention ice cream. It's Island Farms ice cream and it's good. It was the first time I ever walked into an ice-cream parlour and could smell the rich and creamy scent of the ice cream.
phone: 250-285-3217

Hummingbird Office & Art Supply
The ladies in here are just so nice. You can make photocopies, pick up journals and art supplies for scrapbooking your summertime fun times. It's also the only office supply store that I've been in and come out with one of my favourite, side-splitting Quadra stories (not appropriate for sharing right here and now).
phone: 250-285-3334

Island Treasures
phone: 250-285-2456

Quadra Island Building Supply
If you need supplies to fix something, then you can probably find it here. The garden centre is attached and there's a parrot that I like to visit when I'm adding green to my life.
phone: 250-285-3221

Quadra Video
A video store. It hasn't really blown me away with the selection but it does have your main blockbusters.
phone: 250-285-2526

Island Cycle
Jack's shop will help you out in any way to get you out biking. Jack is a man of all trades and also a teacher in the off season. You can rent bikes, buy new or used bikes and bike parts and accessories. Jack can fix your bike and I've even seen him let a fellow fix his bike on Jack's stand using Jack's tools because Jack was perhaps off biking himself creating new trails for bikers of all levels, that's just the kind of guy Jack is.
website: www.quadraisland.ca/islandcycle
phone: 250-285-3627

Yellow Dog Trading Company
Cecelia's new 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.
website: www.onquadra.com/yellowdog
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.
phone: 250-285-3142

Batoche
This gallery is located in the Village Square plaza, where the gas station is located. It has First Nations art and Coastal art and just fine stuff.
phone: 250-285-2044

Sprigs in Bloom
Also in Village Square, this place puts together some fancy flower arrangements, and has painting and pottery.
phone: 250-285-2241

The Sea Chest
Located at the Heriot Bay Inn, there's some excellent books about the sea and touring books for the area. Also, there's an excellent selection of knitted items, homemade cards, and pottery. And if you're camping at the HBI, or heading off on a trip, there are little shampoos and toothbrushes.
website: www.heriotbayinn.com
phone: 250-285-3322