BC Ferries open up new roads
A summertime promotion makes riding the ferries more affordable for RVers.
With 24 routes covering a thousand miles of coastline, BC Ferries can take your RV places you might not have thought about. According to Deborah Marshall, executive director of public affairs for BC Ferries, destinations including the North Coast, Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the Gulf Islands are accessible to most RVs.
“We do accommodate RVs,” said Marshall, “but on smaller routes space would be a bit more limited for RVs.”
Marshall said summer 2015 brings back a great promotion for RVers. BC Ferries’ Size Up the Savings runs from June 17 through Sept 13 on two routes. RVers will enjoy a 66 per cent savings on the fee paid for all additional length over 20 feet. Normally the extra length fee is $6.35 per foot, but the Size Up the Savings cost for extra length is only $2 per foot.
The promotion applies on Wednesday and Saturday starting at 4 p.m. until the last sailing, and Sunday morning before 9 a.m. on the Metro Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Victoria (Swartz Bay) and Metro Vancouver (Tsawwassen) to Nanaimo (Duke Point) routes.
Victoria’s historical points of interest
This summer at RV West it’s all about destinations of historical interest. If you’re in Victoria, the number of historic destinations are practically too numerous to list. Check out the Tourism Victoria website for more details.
- Fort Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site will give you a look into Canada's Pacific Ocean past. This site is also home to the Vintage Cadillac Car Show July 12.
- How about castles? In Victoria? Yes, two in fact: the Craigdarroch Castle Historic House Museum and Hatley Park National Historic Site. Hatley is an example of an Edwardian castle estate with period gardens. Craigdarroch's Victorian architecture includes stained glass windows, woodwork and period artifacts. Make the 87-step climb up the tower for spectacular views of Victoria and the inner harbour.
History in Nanaimo
- If you roll off the ferry into Nanaimo, be sure to stick around for daily cannon firings and bagpipes at the Bastion, 12 noon every day until Labour Day. The Bastion, built in 1853, originally housed the Hudson's Bay Company outpost but is now a museum.
- Heritage walking tour maps are available from the Visitor Centre or the Nanaimo Museum.
- If you didn't know Nanaimo had coal mining, then look into the Morden Colliery Historic Provincial Park.
- Visit the Vancouver Island Military Museum and explore military history.
