Comox is a town south of the Comox Peninsula in the Georgia Strait, east coast of Vancouver Island. The people who lived here thousands of years ago called the area kw'umuxws (Kwak'wala, from the language of the K'omoks, for plentiful) due to the warm and dry summers, gentle winters, fruitful soil and bountiful sea life. Farmers, a lumber industry and a fishing industry got attracted to this area for those reasons in the mid-19th century. That was when the area was opened for settlement. The name was eventually anglicized to Komoux and then to Comox. The village was isolated for over fifty years. There was no way to the outside world unless by ship. During the First World War, roads and a railway were built into the area, and during the Second World War, an air force base was installed near the village. Now Comox is home to a Royal Canadian Air Force base (CFB Comox), an airport for military and commercial airlines. That brought a new kind of prosperity to the area. Comox has developed into a popular tourist attraction in recent years. It is due to its fishing opportunities, local wildlife, year-round golf and proximity to the Mount Washington ski area, the Forbidden Plateau, and Strathcona Provincial Park. Comox has a high rate of growth and increases in the median age of residents, and that's because the mild climate has attracted many retirees. Comox town is in the Comox Valley, with several other communities, including Courtenay, Cumberland, and the unincorporated hamlets of Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay,Black Creek and Merville. The area's signature landmark is the Comox Glacier which is so close that it's visible from many parts of the town. Based on archaeological evidence, there was a Coast Salish fishing settlement at Comox for at least 4,000 years.
Average Weather in Comox
Comox has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, which means temperate weather year-round. The average summer temperature is 22°C (72°F) and rarely reaches 30°C (86°F), while winter is mild and the temperature rarely goes below zero.
The Best Time to Visit Comox
The best time to visit Comox is from mid-July to mid-August, when you can enjoy warm-weather activities.
There are floatplane services from downtown Vancouver to Comox Valley Marina.
Ferry to Comox
There are many ferry services from the mainland to Victoria or Nanaimo where you can take a bus or a taxi to Comox. Also, you can head north from Vancouver on Highway #101 and take the Powell River ferry to Comox.
Comox Valley offers four seasons of fantastic experiences. It is an adventurous and culinary destination to go carving down an alpine ski run with a fantastic view of the ocean, Nordic skiing through a lush and scenic forest, or scuba diving in clear blue waters. The joy of thrilling mountain biking or hiking your way along with one of the many rivers in the area, paddle the wonderful shorelines or tee off at one of many world-class golf courses, and hiking to Brown's River Falls and Trent River Falls are some for you. Comox Valley is very vibrant with amazing festivals. The festivals throughout the year are to celebrate everything from music and shellfish to fine art and aviation.
Gardens, Parks, and Natural Green Attractions in Comox
Hiking to Brown's River Falls and Trent River Falls
Services in Comox
Public Transportation in Comox
Public transportation in Comox includes bus, ferry, airplane, and taxi.
Where to Stay in Comox
Most of the lodgings are concentrated around Cliffe Ave in Courtenay.
Hotels: Crown Isle Resort & Golf Community Best Western The Westerly Hotel Old House Hotel & Spa Bayview Hotel
Self-Catered Accommodation: Ginger Giraffe B&B Serenity lodge bed and breakfast Stafford House Bed & Breakfast Arbour Cottage Bed & Breakfast Royston House Bed & Breakfast on Royston Salsbury House B&B Little Bear Garden View B&B
Hostels: Port Augusta Inn River Heights Motel Super 8 by Wyndham Courtenay Comox Valley Inn & Suites Travelodge by Wyndham Courtenay The Riding Fool Hostel Kingfisher Oceanside Resort and Spa
Guesthouses: Kye Bay Guest Lodge & Cottages Lake Trail Guesthouse
Shopping in Comox
Crown Isle Plaza
Comox Centre Mall
Driftwood Mall
SmartCentres Courtenay
Everything Wet Store The
La Cache, clothing store
Joe Fresh, a clothing store
Lake Trail Thrift Store
Mercedes Lane Boutique Comox
Food and Beverage Services in Comox
Restaurant and Café in Comox
Sushi Wara
Surfside Fish'n Chips
Phat Parrot
Blackfin Pub, Comox Valley
Toscano's Mediterranean Grill
Martine's Bistro In Comox
Smitty's Restaurant
Comox soup shack
Sushi Kobo Takeout
Spice Hut Indian Cuisine.
Garlic & Pepper Eatery
Tidal Café
Benino Italian Café & Gelato
The Mill Coffee
Komox Grind Espresso & Smoothie Bar
Milano Coffee Comox
Garlic & Pepper Eatery
On fly Café and Red Wagon Caf'EH
Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries, Pubs, and Bars in Comox
Beaufort Vineyard & Estate Winery
Wine Cottage
Signature Wine Cellars
40 Knots Winery
Blue Moon Winery
Corks and Caps by VanIsle Wine Beer Makers
Ace Brewing Company Limited
Gladstone Brewing Co.
New Tradition Brewing Company
Land & Sea Brewing Company Ltd.
Wayward Distillery
Health and Wellness in Comox
Sport and Wellness Centers, Spas, and Recreational Therapy in Comox
A relatively short and easy trail in the Comox Valley area is the hike to Trent Falls. Stay on track because its wild nature has much to offer. Hiking along the Trent River with its perfect swimming and fishing opportunities and watching the waterfall with a deep pool under and the wildlife around it brings you joy, especially if you are with the family.
The Hike to Century Sam Lake is highly recommended for experienced hikers. You will have everything to make a good adventure! Hiking in a wilderness area with stunning mountain views and a unique landscape would make a perfect day. Beautiful lake, cool caves, stunning nature and wildlife viewing, and forest walk make your experience very rewarding!
Experienced and beginner hikers will be surprised hiking Lake Helen Mackenzie and Battleship Lake Loop with its stunning atmosphere in an alpine area and fantastic scenery. This trail includes well-kept facilities and a campground that make it suitable for all family members. Have a nice day-hike not to miss the attractions to see.
The Courtenay Riverway Heritage Walk makes it possible for you to hike in a paved path where nature is around you. It is easy to find wildlife for photography while hiking. Take your dog with you and choose between hiking, walking, running, and biking. As the trail is suitable for all ages and is close to Courtenay, it is one of the popular hiking trails in the area that gets crowded on sunny days.
Snowmobilers and sledding enthusiasts have the chance to go snowboarding in the morning and waterskiing in the afternoon. The warm dressing is critical during snowmobiling in Mount Washington. Besides, the fantastic view there is fabulous for photography.
As the second busiest winter recreational destination in BC, Mt. Washington Ski Resort in Comox Valley offers a wide range of snowboarding facilities. Mountain climbing enthusiasts who choose Mount Washington for snowboarding have the chance to look across the Strait of Georgia and other spectacular views, such as the Strathcona Provincial Park region.
Being the busiest winter recreational destination in BC, Mount Washington provides you with incredible winter activities, including snowshoeing. While you are on the snow, enjoy a 360-degree panorama of the Strait of Georgia and the Sunshine Coast from Powell River to Sechelt. Moreover, several nearby resorts are ready to offer service to visitors annually.
As one of the biggest and most visited ski resorts in Comox Valley, The Mount Washington resort is a summer-winter destination primed with several facilities to serve skiing followers. The high rate of snowfall and spectacular views of the ocean, and ample facilities for winter activities multiply the attractiveness of Mount Washington.
Home to many campsites with all kinds of facilities and services right on the shoreline, Buttle Lake campground offers you the best opportunities to explore the shore. There you can do a lot of activities and enjoy seeing marine creatures. Annually, the campground welcomes RV and vehicle campers. Also, you can have a good time camping in your tents.
The fundamental core of life is your thirst for adventure; therefore, visiting Circlet Lake is a must. Circlet Lake Campground has enough attraction to fascinate you. Alpine forest, easy access, waterfalls, and lakes are just some attractions bewitching visitors and mountaineers for camping there. Some wooden plateau tent pads are provided on the lake, while some are off the lake for campers who need more seclusion.
Once you got bitten by the travel bug, remember to stop by Kwai Lake. Its campground offers an excellent time camping with impressive views all around you. Paved road access, well-maintained trails make the campground a suitable place for campers. A backcountry campground nestled right in an area that is home to diverse flora and fauna. Campers can have an ideal walk-in, wilderness camping adventure.
When you do not expect it at all, endless excitement on Helen Mackenzie Lake will strike you. There, campers would experience backcountry camping, and all the amenities and convenient facilities that enthusiasts may need are provided. You will be fascinated by breathtaking views and various flora and fauna. It has trails through beautiful meadows by the crystal water while the mountain is spreading upfront.
If you got a few days free and you plan to spend it on Vancouver Island, pay a visit to Fillongely Provincial Park to experience every possible way of camping. Nestled amongst lush green deciduous trees, visitors would enjoy excellent hiking trails with picturesque sights. This quiet, clean, and grassy park provides you with exciting activities and a gorgeous ocean and forest view.
Despite its name, if you favour it, you can do tent camping with a sea view right in the center of Vancouver Island. one of the most significant fishing camps, Deep Bay s full of surprises for anglers. Not to mention that if you visit, you can observe various fantastic wildlife there. So, put your hesitates aside, and plan to visit Camping in Deep Bay RV Park this weekend.
Looking for a place on Hornby Island to stay the night while enjoying yourselves? You would better stop by camping in Ford's Cove Marina and camp with your RV or tent. This campground has cute oceanic views and glorious sunsets with gorgeous mountains. The Ford's Cove Marina Campground sites are charming, well-maintained, and spacious, with a pleasant grassy and treed atmosphere and beautiful scenery.
Union Bay, a charming seaside village on Vancouver Island’s east coast, is celebrated for its deep harbor—the deepest in Baynes Sound—and its storied past as a bustling coal port from 1888 to 1960. Nestled in the Comox Valley, just 15 km south of Courtenay, this hidden gem offers a unique blend of historical intrigue, scenic beauty, and modern oyster aquaculture. Visitors can explore Heritage Row’s restored buildings, savor fresh seafood at the iconic Highwayman Saloon, and enjoy coastal activities like kayaking and hiking. With its vibrant history tied to the K’ómoks First Nation and coal mining, Union Bay is a must-visit for history buffs and nature lovers. This article guides you through how to visit, top attractions, permit requirements, and travel tips to experience this historic Vancouver Island destination.
Maple Lake, also known as the jewel of Comox Valley, is a nice scenic local lake with great fun opportunities. Surrounded by second-growth forests and excellent shorelines, Maple Lake provides its visitors with fabulous hiking trails in which you take a nice long walk while enjoying the magnificent scenery of the lake. As an important natural asset of Comox valley, Maple Lake is a peaceful destination to explore the nature.
Mount Albert Edward is the sixth-highest mountain on Vancouver Island. It is located in the center of Vancouver Island in Strathcona Provincial Park and is one of the most easily accessible mountains. Mt Albert Edward is a popular destination among mountaineers at 2093 m (6866 ft.) elevation. It was named for Albert Edward and was first ascended in 1890 by William Ralph. The mountain is a renowned place among mountaineers for skiing and snowshoeing in winters.
Comox is a town with fishing opportunities, local wildlife, year-round golf and proximity to the Mount Washington ski area, the Forbidden Plateau, and Strathcona Provincial Park. Based on archaeological evidence, there was a Coast Salish fishing settlement at Comox for at least 4,000 years. The area's signature landmark is the Comox Glacier.
Courtenay is the biggest community in the area with daily flights from Vancouver, Calgary, and Edmonton. It has scenic beaches, rivers, lakes, and popular activities such as Mt. Washington Ski, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, snowboarding, and world-class golfing. Comox Valley is famous for year-round sports and recreational activities among them are bird watching and photography.
Parksville is known for its scenic, superb sandy beaches. This city is also famous for hiking trails, waterfalls, wildlife, parks, entertainment centres, and many fantastic restaurants and pubs. The city's most popular annual festival is Sandcastle Competition. Englishman River Falls, Little Qualicum Falls, and Englishman River Falls Provincial Park are among the most visited places.
Mount McBride with 2083 m (6834 ft.) height is the seventh highest mountain on Central Vancouver Island. Atop Mount McBride, the 360° panoramic view of Strathcona Provincial Park is rewarding, besides vistas of the highest mountains on Vancouver Island, including Golden Hinde, Mt Colonel Foster, King's Peak, Elkhorn Mountain, and Rambler Peak.
Goose Spit Park is a long narrow coastal park with a view of the Pacific Ocean and majestic mountains. Lots of driftwoods exist all over the beach. Have a nice walk on the long walkway to see lots of crab and starfish or find some sand dollars. Goose Spit Park offers excellent opportunities for water sports like swimming, kayaking, and surfing.
Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens is a fantastic natural garden with delightful paths, a creek, and great open spaces. It is home to plenty of native plants, wildflowers, and birds. The garden features one of the largest collections of rhododendrons in Western Canada, with over 3000 plantings. The best time to visit is from March to the end of June when the rhododendrons are in full bloom.
The Puntledge River cuts its way through the rocks, and it falls where the stunning drops of Nymph Falls appear. It is the crown jewel of Nymph Falls Nature Park, with two drops in the middle of the wood, the wonderful lush green forest. Just drive about 10 km (6.2 mi) from Courtenay to the west to discover the beauties.
A great place to heal and recharge on the Campbell River is Deer Falls, a little piece of heaven. Imagine the water descends into an emerald green pool with the sweetest melody that you could hear and the tall trees surrounding the falls. In summer and late spring, the rocks around the pool become moss-covered and create a fabulous view. Watching bears there in summertime eating salmon is fantastic, but don't limit your expectations; the area has a lot to offer as scenery.
It is a grace finding a waterfall along a river. The Puntledge River makes Stotan Falls a beautiful pond waterfall with a wide area. The waterfall sound melodious by the water pouring smoothly on the large rocks on its way that you can enjoy for hours. Swimming in summer would be delightful while you are in hot water where the green forest surrounds you.
Tribune Bay Provincial Park, or Little Hawaii, has an expansive sweep of white sand surrounded by woods. The park is famous for its unusual rocky shoreline formations, tidal pools, and beautiful white sandy beaches. Its warm and shallow water is ideal for snorkelling and swimming. Being there watching sunsets and a beautiful full moon without any street lights to distract the view would impress you.
The flow of Rosewall Creek forms a waterfall in the middle of a rain forest surrounded by moss-covered rocks. Rosewall Creek Falls is one of the masterpieces done by nature that deserves multiple visits. The water is white and pure, and it seems like it's coming out of a wall made of trees. Visiting the waterfall in summer and spring would be perfect as the creek has a higher water level.
Along the Brown River, there is a river fall that completes its attractiveness. The river's stream cascades from rock cliffs and makes Brown's River Falls. It is also known as Medicine Bowl, a series of falls in a lush green forest. The landscape is worthy enough to sit on a rock and watch it for hours, and the sound of the waterfall is like a piece of music on repeat, which you would not become bored with it.
Share Your Experience With Visitors Of Vancouver Island