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Sooke, the Tall Tree Capital of Canada

Sooke is a scenic, well-known district municipality and tourist destination on Vancouver Island. It has popular spots that attract both locals and visitors worldwide. Some of the best of them include Whiffin Spit, Sooke Potholes Regional Park, and adjacent Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. Sooke Region Museum and Visitor Centre is where you can get more information about this region, its attractions, and also the history of Sooke.
The area's popularity is mainly based on tourists visiting the wilderness parks, hiking the West Coast Trail and the extremely popular Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Sooke is also famous for its beaches, including Sandcut Beach, French Beach, Fishboat Bay, China Beach, Mystic Beach and more.
Sooke is establishing itself as a renowned destination for cycling and mountain biking. The Galloping Goose Regional Trail, part of the Trans-Canada Trail, goes through Sooke, a cyclers' favourite.
The arts community of Sooke is vibrant and hosts the annual Sooke Fine Arts Festival. Hundreds of tourists attend this festival each summer. The town features the adjudicated art of local and regional artists.

Average Weather in Sooke

Sooke, with its Mediterranean climate, has warm summers and mild winters. The average min and max temperature of Sooke is 25°C (77°F) to 7°C (44°F).

The Best Time to Visit Sooke

The best time to visit Sooke for warm-weather activities is June to October.

How to Get to Sooke?

Sooke Airport Transfers

Victoria International Airport has a direct flight to Sooke, and Vancouver International Airport also has bus and car rental to Sooke. If you are coming from Vancouver, connect to Vancouver Island via BC Ferries.


Seaplane to Sooke

Harbour Air Seaplanes have flights from Vancouver to Victoria, the closest town to Sooke, and you can take a bus or taxi or drive to Sooke for about 40 minutes.


Ferry to Sooke

You can take a direct ferry from Vancouver to Victoria and from there take a bus or two buses to Sooke.

Top 10 Attractions in Sooke

Visiting Sooke

Discovering Beauty and Entertainment in Sooke

Sooke is also known as the Tall Tree Capital of Canada. It is home to spectacular old-growth forests and untouched nature. The reason that brings people to Sooke is its incredible natural attractions such as waterfalls, hiking trails, and parks like Sooke Potholes Provincial Park. It is an excellent place for swimming, kayaking, and watching whales and other marine creatures.


Gardens, Parks, and Natural Green Attractions in Sooke

  • Pineridge Park
  • John Philips Memorial Park
  • Wadams Way Multi-Use Trail
  • Ella Road Park
  • Winfield Place Park
  • Ed Macgregor Park
  • Sooke Marine Boardwalk
  • Millennium Memorial Park
  • Sooke Bluffs Park
  • Sooke Bike Park
  • The Artisan's Garden Plants, Gift & Treasures
Sooke gardens

Beaches, Lakes, Rivers, and Water-based Activities in Sooke

  • Sooke River
  • Kemp Lake
  • McKenzie Lake
  • Young Lake
  • Poirier Lake.
  • Muir Creek Beach
  • Billings Spit
  • Gordon's Beach
  • Ella Beach
  • Sandcut Beach
  • French Beach
  • Kemp Lake Public Access
  • Fishing
  • Sooke Kayaking
  • Canoeing
  • Stand-up paddling
  • Sooke Whale Watching
  • Boat tours

Museums and Art Galleries in Sooke

  • HMCS Cowichan
  • Sooke Region Museum & Visitor Centre
  • GALLERY by Sooke Arts Council
  • Dominguez Art Gallery
  • South Shore Gallery
  • Sooke Fine Arts Society

Entertainment in Sooke

Festivals and Events in Sooke

  • Sooke Fine Arts Show
  • Roses: Varieties, Planting & Care
  • 2021 Chamber Music Workshop
  • Mindfulness in May Youth Art Exhibition
  • Sooke Country Market
  • START Youth Employment Program
  • Community Sailing Days
  • How to Grow Squash & Pumpkins
  • Spring Out Of Hunger Bottle Drive
  • GMOs: Frankenfood or Cornucopia?
  • Rhododendrons

Nightlife and Entertainment in Sooke

  • Sooke Night Market
  • Route 14 Sooke
  • Energetic hangout offering upscale tavern
  • Buffy's Pub

Free Attractions in Sooke

  • Whiffin Spit Park
  • French Beach Provincial Park
  • East Sooke Regional Park
  • Visiting coves
  • Visiting farms
  • Hiking trails
  • Sooke Potholes Provincial Park

Services in Sooke

Public Transportation in Sooke

Public transportation in Sooke includes buses, ferries, and taxis.


Where to Stay in Sooke

Unfortunately, downtown Sooke doesn't give you too many choices regarding accommodation. The lodgings are spread around the district. Here we have a list of hotels and guesthouses near Sooke.

Hotel:
Sooke Harbour House Hotel & Resort
Ty Collwyn Waterfront Retreat
Prestige Oceanfront Resort, BW Premier Collection
Sooke Harbour Resort & Marina - True Key Hotels & Resorts

Guesthouse:
Westcoast Guesthouse
Salty Towers Oceanfront Cottages
Swan Haven
Seascape Island Vacation Homes Ltd


Shopping in Sooke

Great Canadian Dollar Store, SFRS Community Thrift Store, Carolyn's Boutique, B and K Jewelry and Gifts, Evergreen Centre

Food and Beverage Services in Sooke

Restaurant and Café in Sooke

Route 14 Sooke, The Beach Restaurant, Pizzability, Hara Sushi, Restaurants downtown, Maple Ave. Grill, WILD MOUNTAIN Food & Drink

Sooke Restaurants and Cafes

Wineries, Breweries, Distilleries, Pubs, and Bars in Sooke

Tugwell Creek Honey Farm & Meadery is a winery west of the district. Checkerhead Brewing Inc, SOOKE OCEANSIDE BREWERY, Sooke Brewing Company, Bad Dog Brewing Company, and Sheringham Distillery are on the east side of the town. 17 Mile House Pub, Route 14 Sooke, and Vault, Buffy's Pub are pubs in the area.

Health and Wellness in Sooke

Sport and Wellness Centers, Spas, and Recreational Therapy in Sooke

Sooke Turf Field
Sooke Horse Shoe Pitching Club
Sooke Boxing Club
Pure Elements Hair Design & Bodyworks
Le Sooke Spa 
Coastal Roots Health Centre
Diana Buckland Massage Therapy
CloverCare Massage

Sport and Wellness Centers and Spas Sooke

What you Can Expect to Do Near Sooke

Hiking on the Grass Lake Trail

Hiking on the Grass Lake Trail

Wear decent hiking boots for a moderate hiking trail near Sooke. It is not for the faint of heart, but it is an enjoyable trail that leads you to Grass Lake and featuring Monument Mountain makes it possible to have amazing views from the top. Doing the Grass Lake Trail overnight and camping by the lake turns it into a memorable trip. Enjoy the trail in warmer seasons and get a dip into the lake.

Hiking on Mount Manuel Quimper

Hiking on Mount Manuel Quimper

It is time to put your heart into hiking and step into a moderate multi-use trail with some great views along the way and on top. Mount Manuel Quimper has a beautiful summit worth the climb, which gives you excellent vistas of Sooke Harbour and a chance to visit one of the last fire lookouts left on the island.

Hiking on Mount Empress from Sooke Potholes via Mary Vine and Todd Creek Trails

Hiking on Mount Empress from Sooke Potholes via Mary Vine and Todd Creek Trails

Here is a highly recommended and well-marked trail for challenges enthusiasts. Hiking on Mount Empress from Sooke Potholes via Mary Vine and Todd Creek Trails offers you insane 360° views of the Sooke Basin, Victoria, and San Juan Islands.

Hiking on the East Sooke Coast Trail

Hiking on the East Sooke Coast Trail

Hiking on the entire East Sooke Coastal Trail is an experience not to be missed! This beautiful trail is a mix of the fantastic coast and beautiful greenery. Hiking boots are required! The route takes you along bluffs and cliffs by the Pacific Ocean that worth it for the views. This well-marked trail can take full-day hiking in East Sooke Regional Park.

Hiking on the East Sooke Coast and Interior Trail Loop

Hiking on the East Sooke Coast and Interior Trail Loop

The East Sooke Coast and Interior Trail Loop is a well-marked trail with beautiful scenery. It is a combination of an easy access road and a more challenging coastal pass, which offers you incredible viewpoints. This excellent trail is along the Pacific Ocean and allows you to see marine life such as whales from a distance.

Otter Point Park Whale Watching

Otter Point Park Whale Watching

While exploring Sooke Area, if you happen o take a long calm walk on the Otter Point shoreline, you may see whales from the beach. Otter Point Park provided you with other activities, too, such as hiking, wildlife and birdwatching, and also a scenic nature to appreciate.

West Coast Outdoor Adventure Whale Watching

West Coast Outdoor Adventure Whale Watching

As one of the best tourist attractions of Sooke and Vancouver Island, West Coast comprises many outdoor excitements that cannot be denied. You are provided with different wildlife to watch and various food to eat, not to mention that you observe a rare nature that is outstanding. So, chances are high to see different whales and other marine creatures.

Cabin Point Whale Watching

Cabin Point Whale Watching

You would better plan a visit to Cabin Point Coastline between April-September. It is the best time for those preparing for Sooke Whale Watching in one of the famous coastlines for it in the Salish sea. You are given adequate opportunity to gaze upon these marvellous sea creatures.

Beechey Head Whale Watching

Beechey Head Whale Watching

Beechey Head and its loop are two of the hot spots for whale watching in Sooke. In addition to fantastic opportunities for whale watching, Beechey Head is a hiking and nature trip location that offers you excellent activities, such as birdwatching.

Spirit Bay Visitor Centre Whale Watching

Spirit Bay Visitor Centre Whale Watching

Spirit Bay has a rich community offering settlings for whale watching lovers beside incredible wildlife; therefore, it would be an excellent point to start your Sooke Whale Watching. Plus, it has a cute beach. You cannot get over the beauty of it and its scenic views.

Creyke Point Whale Watching

Creyke Point Whale Watching

Featuring wildflowers and fantastic sceneries, Creyke Point Trail is a suitable spot for whale watching, bird watching, and nature trips with splendid beaches and forests. So if you are having a great time in Sooke, remember to stop by Creyke Point to have more fun.

Victoria Harbour Ferry Whale Watching

Victoria Harbour Ferry Whale Watching

Located in the heart of Victoria and adjacent to many whale watching operators, Victoria Harbour Ferry is a starting point for your whale watching tour. Many visitors come here to watch whales annually; not only whale watching but open waterways of Salish make Victoria Harbour Ferry a remarkable place for anglers, wildlife followers and daily tourists.

Fisherman's Wharf Park Whale Watching

Fisherman's Wharf Park Whale Watching

Due to certified whale watching agencies, Fisherman's Wharf Park is a significant place to visit for whale watching enthusiasts. As one of the most prodigious and phenomenal creators worldwide, whales are ample during specific whale watching seasons.

West Bay Esquimalt Whale Watching

West Bay Esquimalt Whale Watching

Featuring Victoria Harbour and West Bay, Esquimalt could be your starting point for whale watching in Victoria. You can also have the pleasure of watching sea lions, seals, porpoises, and a wide variety of marine birds are other stunning creators that may be highly admirable to wildlife watching fanatics.

Cattle Point Storm Watching

Cattle Point Storm Watching

Cattle Point is a part of Uplands Park in Victoria, runs along the coastline of Oak Bay. During falls and winters, especially November through March, the Cattle Point Storm Watching is an exhilarating experience. Watch storms smashing from spectacular vantage points as dark clouds blanket the sky, rains whipping, gusts of winds making barreling high waves.

What you Can Expect to See Near Sooke

Spiral Beach

Spiral Beach

Spiral Beach in Victoria is where the blue of the sea and sky and the Olympic Mountains at a distance is situated in a perfect picture. There are hills along the beach to stand on for a wide view. Walk on the sands and pebbles with the driftwoods around on the beach. Listen to the waves, walk on the shoreline, and have the storm watching pleasure in the fall and winter.

McNeil Bay

McNeil Bay

McNeill Bay has plenty of benches along the seawall to sit and enjoy the landscape of Trial Island, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Olympic Mountain. Do exciting water activities on McNeill Bay Beach and experience its wonderful esplanade and photogenic scenery. It is considered one of the fantastic off-leash dog beaches in Victoria.

Port Renfrew

Port Renfrew

Port Renfrew has been touted as "The Tall Tree Capital of Canada." It is also best known for its trails like Juan de Fuca Marine Trail and the historic West Coast Trail. Enjoy tens of kilometres of shorelines with amazing beaches. Fishing here is considered an opportunity for anglers. Port Renfrew is heaven for other water activities like whale watching, surfing, and kayaking.

Langford

Langford

Langford is a city on the south coast of Vancouver Island and heaven for golfers. You can stay at lodgings and play at challenging hillside courses and enjoy yourself at luxurious advantages like the Amatista Spa. Beautiful parks surround the city, so go hiking through scenic forests or have peaceful moments beside lakes. Langford offers shops, family activities, sheep farms, and a bike park.

Gonzales Bay

Gonzales Bay

Gonzales Bay is a small scenic bay with a crescent-shaped beach. Its sandy beach is often quiet and peaceful. Walking on the Gonzales Bay beach near the ocean can help to release the world's anxiety. Lie on the beach and see the peaks of Olympic Mountain and enjoy the Mediterrane climate. Dogs are allowed off-leash on the beach from September through May.

Jordan River (Settlement)

Jordan River (Settlement)

Jordan River is a small settlement famous among surfers. It has many tourist attractions like Hidden Falls, Mystic Beach and Mystic Falls, Sandcut Beach Waterfall and Sandcut Beach, China Beach, Juan de Fuca Trail Trailhead, and Jordan River Regional Park. Enjoy storm watching, kayaking, and Camping or have a picnic in the area, which could be an experience of a lifetime.

Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site

Fisgard Lighthouse National Historic Site

A trail leads you to Fisgard Lighthouse NHS, the first lighthouse on the west coast of Canada. This historic lighthouse is still operating, but the entrance is not allowed. The keeper's house is open to the public which comprises wonderful exhibitions. There you can see shipwrecks, far-flung lights, storms, and the working equipment the lightkeepers used about a century ago.

Sooke

Sooke

Sooke is known as the Tall Tree Capital of Canada. The area's popularity is mainly based on tourists visiting the wilderness parks, hiking the West Coast Trail and the extremely popular Juan de Fuca Marine Trail. Sooke is also famous for its beaches and is a destination for cycling and mountain biking. The arts community of Sooke is vibrant and hosts the annual Sooke Fine Arts Festival.

Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens

Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens

Point Ellice House Museum and Gardens is a place for history enthusiasts and gardens and interior design lovers. It is a 19th-century Victorian home and garden full of everything nostalgic to you. As one of Victoria's oldest homes, it is located overlooking the scenic and historic Selkirk Water/Gorge Waterway. It includes vegetables, cut flowers, a small fruit orchard, and a greenhouse.

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria

The Art Gallery of Greater Victoria or AGGV is home to artworks from talented artists of Canada and Asia. The building complex of the gallery includes the Spencer Mansion and the exhibition galleries. It also has gardens with a Japanese Shinto shrine. The art gallery is kid-friendly, and the staff is knowledgeable and helpful. The gift shop has gorgeous merchandise.

The Royal BC Museum

The Royal BC Museum

Located in Victoria, the Royal BC Museum is one of Canada's most significant cultural and historical treasures. It showcases natural wonders and includes artifacts, documents, specimens, and everything slightly relevant to British Columbia's natural and human history. The museum also provides a dynamic forum and a safe space for discussion and reflection.

Miniature World

Miniature World

Miniature World is among the top ten attractions in Victoria. It is the World of Smallness, the World of Story Books, and the World of Fact, Fiction, and Fantasy. It presents villages with different themes such as Camelot or the World's Smallest Operational Sawmill or Space 2201 AD and Avian 1 Spaceship. Miniature World is so unique that you may want to visit it every time you're in Victoria.

Willows Beach

Willows Beach

If you are a fan of sun and beach, Victoria has the warmest weather in Canada to take a sunbath and swim, and Willows Beach is located in this area. This white sandy beach is south of Willows Park and has protected water suitable for a family vacation. Get the most out of your visit when you are at the park. Have a meal or drink in its cafe with a view of the sea.

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve

Race Rocks Ecological Reserve was established to preserve intertidal and subtidal communities that became very rich due to strong tidal currents. It features marine mammals like whales, sea lions and seals, birds like ducks, cormorants, black oyster-catchers and bald eagles. Fish species, marine invertebrates, and animals like marine algae and seagrass are among other inhabitants.

Mystic Beach

Mystic Beach

Mystic Beach is placed between the Pacific Ocean and a forest. It gives you a mixture of land-based and water-based adventures. Marine animals, birds, Mystic Beach Waterfall, sunrise and sunset, are worthy of watching. Feel the beach by standing where the ocean kisses the shoreline and listen to the waves. Hiking on the beach and Juan De Fuca Marine Trail could be at the top of the list.

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