For the next couple of days we were on the island visiting Sooke and its surrounding small towns. They are located on the South Eastern most tip, past Victoria.
We would be staying at Sooke Harbour House. Our visit coincided with a handful of launches at the property and we were lucky to be able to experience them all then.
We would be driving to the island in the 2027 Lincoln Aviator Reserve, offering us luxury and durability for our quick getaway. There was plenty of room across three rows and six seats. The last one easily folded down and popped back up with a push of a button, to allow for additional cargo. This was ideal for our luggage and anything else we decided to pick up along our travels.
The Aviator Reserve is the highly popular, mid-level trim of Lincoln’s premium three-row midsize SUV. It is positioned between the entry-level Premiere and the ultra-luxury Black Label. It focuses on performance with a heavy dose of high-end technology and comfort.
The ability to fully adjust and customize the first two row of seats from the top of your head rest to each individual butt cheek and thigh was lovely. There is also the added comfort of the massaging function. I appreciated its ability to help rotate my hips and add some mobility to an otherwise long-sitting drive.
We caught a BC ferry from Tsawassen terminal to Schwartz Bay in Victoria,then took the 60 minute plus ride to the resort. The drive didn’t feel that long as we punctuated it with small stops at a local mall to pick up provisions, and then took a pause at the famed Sheringham Distillery for a complimentary spirit tasting.
At the latter, my guest made her way through their entire gin, liqueur, and whiskey line before picking up a bottle of their coffee and chocolate liqueur to have later. She found the two mixed together complimentary and thought it would be a lovely add-on to our morning beverages, seeing as we were on vacation.
This would be my first time at Sooke Harbour House, and my guest’s second. But since then the property has come under new management, and has seen significant renovations that includes a refreshed paint job and an updated and more modern look and we got to experience it all across three days and two night.
We were given a tour of the property, speaking to what is to come. We learned what sets them apart is that each room in unique on to itself. They have over 20 rooms in total, and all of them a single bed room, except for our room 201. This unit gave my guest and I our own beds and a privacy door. While sharing the rest of the space: living room with sink, balcony with reclined seats; and bathroom with claw tub, standing shower, and stain glass feature.
We spent the majority of travel at the resort. They are definitely the crown jewel of Sooke and to not fully utilize all the amenities would be a shame. In truth, if we had another night and day here, we would have absolutely more that we could and would do. There were so many other spots within the resort and on the property that we didn’t get a chance to enjoy.
Full review of our stay, their new chef and cuisine across dinner, room service, and breakfast, all in a separate post.
We did spend one day to drive around and take in some of the nature and scenery of the island, taking the recommendations of the locals.
On our second day we started our journey into the interior of the island and stopped at the neighbouring town of Shirley for brunch. Here, all the surrounding locals come to Shirley Delicious for their cafe essentials. They serve hot and cold caffeinated beverages, have pastries and desserts for grab and go; and for something more substantial, they serve hot sandwiches with soups of the day.
The space also houses a collection of local vendors to shop from. From sauces and spices to creams and cosmetics. This is all located in the main cafe that you enter through its triangle shaped entry way. This leads right to their front counter with plexiglass pastries.
Past this in their covered seating area that is decorated with a substantial collection of metalwork art. Saws and scissors made into animals, plus painting and other curiosities that doubles as decor.
Additional seating is available on their shaded patio outside, with additional covered tables being built during our visit. Apparently this is a destination and a hub during peak season.
Here, we had a couple of focaccia sandwiches with their cream corn soup of the day. My guest ordered the turkey with actual slices of turkey meat and cranberry, and I a grilled vegetable sandwich with the add on of thick cut bacon. We found things tasty and it gave us enough energy for all our hiking and exploring ahead.
We would stop at the nearby Sheringham Lighthouse, which is also where the distillery we visited early got its name. This was an easier hike through Sheringham Point Park that bought us right to the light house and its surrounding views.
Our next stop was by a Jordan River lookout. We were able to park within spitting distance of the water’s edge. On this day it was particularly windy and the waves were extra choppy. Here I was able to scavenge for seaweed, shells, and rocks.
We also wanted to check out some tide pools so attempted to head to Mystic Beach. However, we didn’t realize that to get to the beach from the parking lot required a one hour hike. After sometime navigating the tree roots and uneven forest floor, we thought to ask two hikers that were set to pass us, and they confirmed the time needed to undergo this journey. So we decided to turn back, having a schedule to keep. I was able to observe and pick some of the local island mushrooms here, but nothing viable.
I was disappointed that we didn’t get to reach our original intended target, so took us back to the resort and past it to check out the famed Sooke Potholes. Unfortunately I too was disappointed by this. It was not what I expected. I imagined a series of closely spaced dips in the water, to create what is essentially individual pools. I thought the pattern of this would speckle the water’s surface. Instead, it was a single large dip, only visible for the highest view point. It was still a majestic force of nature, just not what I had envisioned driving to it.
Our trip would end with trying the new Sooke Harbour House brunch on the very day it was launched, just before taking the drive and ferry ride back to mainland Vancouver.
Historically everyone travels to Tofino or stays in Victoria. However there is so much in the south eastern tip of the island, and had I more time I would have loved to explore it all in detail.
