COMPANION PROGRAM

Guests of attendees are in for a treat as we have three days of excursions planned that highlight beauty and culture of Vancouver Island.

Monday, August 11:
Malahat Skywalk and Unsworth Vineyards with dinner at Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Marine Provincial Park.

  • Companions will be picked up (9:00 am) at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre following breakfast.
  • The first stop is the Malahat Skywalk, offering the ultimate Island experience where explorers of all ages can enjoy breathtaking views and adventure, high among the trees and surrounded by the sea. Immerse yourself in pristine nature: a steep, forested mountain, high above the Salish Sea. Previously, only agile explorers could enjoy such experiences of the wild. Now, the TreeWalk and Spiral Tower make this environment easily accessible, including strollers and wheelchairs.
Malahat Skywalk
  • Next stop is Unsworth Vineyards for a family-style lunch and wine pairing. No question, rain is in play on Canada’s west coast and a big reason why it’s so green and beautiful, but what makes Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley so special is best said by the First Nations Salish translation of ‘Cowichan’: warm land.
Restaurant at Unsworth Vineyards
  • Companions will be returned to their hotel (either the Coast Bastion or the Marriott Courtyard) by 2:00 pm with enough time to freshen up before meeting conference attendees for a traditional First Nation Salmon Bake dinner. Known as Saysutshun by the Snuneymuxw, this family friendly park is accessible only by foot passenger ferry or boat. With breathtaking views of the Coastal Mountains and the Harbour City, the island offers a unique natural, historical and cultural experience for visitors.
Saysutshun (Newcastle Island) Marine Provincial Park

 

 

Tuesday, August 12:
Cathedral Grove and Coombs Old Country Market followed by a tour of Nanaimo from the water and dinner on board the Magic Spirit.

  • Companions will be picked up (9:00 am) at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre following breakfast.
  • Cathedral Grove, located in MacMillan Park, is one of the most accessible stands of giant Douglas fir trees on Vancouver Island. The park protects and preserves an internationally significant representative example of Douglas fir old-growth forest within the Coastal Western Hemlock Biogeoclimatic Zone. Here visitors can stroll through a network of trails under the shadow of towering ancient Douglas fir trees, majestic pillars untouched by the modern world, some more than 800 years old.
Cathedral Grove
  • The Coombs Old Country Market started as a roadside stand providing fresh produce to travellers heading to the west coast of Vancouver Island. Over the years it has evolved and grown into a landmark of Coombs, with gifts, groceries, great food, and goats… on the roof! Guests will have free time for shopping(and photos with goats!) before going for lunch at Cuckoo in Coombs Authentic Italian Restaurant. Companions will return to their hotel by 2:00 pm.
Coombs Old Country Market
  • A guided tour of the Port of Nanaimo’s waterfront operations followed by dinner and entertainment on board the Magic Spirit, a three-level yacht with panoramic windows, a spacious wraparound deck and a beautiful top sundeck where guests will soak in the beauty of Nanaimo’s surrounding waterfront.
The Magic Spirit cruise vessel

Wednesday, August 13:
Yellow Point Cranberry Farm and Nanaimo’s Downtown Arts District

  • Companions will be picked up (9:00 am) at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre following breakfast.
  • Yellow Point Cranberry Farm is a 43-acre family run farm with  Visit the farm kitchen, take a tour, enjoy the tasting room and sample some of the 30 different cranberry products that are produced on site.
Yellow Point Cranberry Farm
  • Following lunch, guests will have time to browse Nanaimo’s Downtown Arts District, a creative playground where independent spirits, trailblazers, and nonconformists come to create, challenge, and inspire. Sites include the Nanaimo Art Gallery, the Artisans’ Studio, the Nanaimo Ceramic Arts Studio & Gallery, the Port Theatre and much, much more.
Nanaimo’s Downtown Arts District