Vancouver Island is bigger than most visitors expect. You won't see all of it in five days — but you can ride the best of the south and centre: the wild southwest coast, the Cowichan Valley, old-growth forest and the surf towns of the Pacific Rim. Here's how we'd do it, starting and finishing in Victoria.
Day 1: Victoria to Port Renfrew
Spend the morning in Victoria — the Inner Harbour, a coffee downtown, and a stop at our store at 508 Herald Street. In the afternoon, ride Highway 14 west through Sooke and along the Juan de Fuca coast to Port Renfrew. It's a short day in distance and a big one in scenery. Stay overnight in Port Renfrew.
Note: fuel is limited west of Sooke — see our Pacific Marine Circle Route guide for details.
Day 2: Port Renfrew to Parksville
Take Pacific Marine Road through the forest to Lake Cowichan (62 km, with no cell service along the way), then Highway 18 to Duncan. Ride north through the Cowichan Valley — Cowichan Bay and Chemainus are both worth a stop — and on past Nanaimo to Parksville or Qualicum Beach for the night. That sets you up for an early start west.
Day 3: Parksville to Tofino
The highlight of the trip. Highway 4 takes you past Cameron Lake, through Cathedral Grove's giant trees and into Port Alberni (fill up here). West of town, the road climbs over Sutton Pass and winds along Kennedy Lake to the Pacific Rim. From Nanaimo, it's roughly 190 km and about three hours of riding to Tofino. Our Victoria to Tofino guide has the details.
Day 4: Tofino and Ucluelet
Give the bike — and yourself — a lighter day. Ride the short stretch through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve between Tofino and Ucluelet, walk Long Beach, and watch the surfers. If the weather turns, this is a good day to have in reserve.
Day 5: Back to Victoria (or on to the mainland)
Ride Highway 4 back east and choose your ending:
- Back to Victoria: south on Highway 1 over the Malahat. Victoria to Tofino is about 310 km, so this is a full day in the saddle.
- On to the mainland: catch a BC Ferries sailing from Nanaimo to the Vancouver area and save yourself the ride south.
- Heading home to Washington: ride to Victoria and take the Coho to Port Angeles, or BC Ferries from Swartz Bay to Tsawwassen. See our guide to ferries between Washington and Vancouver Island.
Got more time? Head north
With an extra two or three days, add the North Island: Comox, Campbell River and beyond, all the way to Port Hardy. Highway 19 north of Campbell River gets quieter and more remote the further you go — plan your fuel stops carefully.
When to go
The main riding season on the Island runs from late spring to early fall, when the days are long and the roads are dry more often than not. Summer weekends are busy on the routes to Tofino and the ferries, so book accommodation and sailings early. The Island can be ridden year-round, but from November to March expect rain, early darkness and the odd closure on the west coast.
Packing tips
- Layers: it can be warm in the Cowichan Valley and cool and foggy on the coast on the same day.
- Offline maps: large parts of this route have no cell service.
- Something warm for the evenings: coastal nights are cool, even in August.
Start your trip at 508 Herald Street
We're in downtown Victoria, open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 am – 6 pm. Drop in before you set off — we're always happy to talk routes, and if your trip lines up with one of our Sunday Fuel mornings, come join us.
Distances and route information last checked in November 2026. Check DriveBC and BC Ferries for current conditions before you ride.