James Smith, your Comox Valley & Vancouver Island, BC Realtor

As you drive the Island Highway (Highway 19), it’s always a treat to look across the Strait of Georgia at landmarks on the mainland and the spires of the Coast Mountains that rise on the eastern horizon.

As you head up island towards the Comox Valley and Campbell River, the peaks and glaciers of Vancouver Island’s ranges that rise in the west now vie for your attention, principally the imposing Comox Glacier, Forbidden Plateau, and Mount Washington.

Take your time as you meander through this laid-back region. Its rhythms are subtle, but with gentle probing they reveal themselves, showing greater complexity than first meets the eye. This is a serenely rural part of the journey up island, as the highway winds past well-kept farms. Flowers abound in the gardens that front many of the homes along the way. Streams, little rivers and mightier rivers such as the Puntledge and the Campbell empty into the Strait of Georgia.

From the highway you catch glimpses of quiet green forest settings on the banks that line each river’s course. Come late summer, these streams teem with spawning salmon.

The name Comox is derived from the Kwakwala Indian word Komuckway, meaning Place of Plenty, a reference to the abundant game and berries in the Comox Valley. European settlers adapted the name to Komoux, then finally to Comox. Rich in natural beauty, with a superb climate, Comox Valley now offers a unique blend of recreational experiences, from warm sandy beaches through rich, rolling farmlands to the alpine playground of Mt. Washington and the Forbidden Plateau.

With year-round recreational activities like skiing, swimming and golfing, and all amenities close by, Comox Valley certainly lives up to its name, billing itself as the Recreational Capital of Canada! Where else could you dive in the morning, play a round of golf before lunch and ski in the afternoon – all amid such breathtaking surroundings?

The Comox Valley’s central location on Vancouver Island makes it the perfect launching point for day trips to nearby communities and attractions. Explore alpine meadows or mysterious caves, experience the picturesque charm of island life, visit the magnificent orcas in their natural habitat, or spend the day touring a historic townsite – all of these adventures and more, are just a short drive away!

The valley cradles the friendly seaside communities of Fanny Bay, Buckley Bay, Union Bay, Royston and Saratoga Beach, and Denman and Hornby Island in the Gulf Islands chain. The larger towns of Cumberland, Courtenay and Comox service the valley, which incorporates the outlying rural communities of Merville and Black Creek – all surrounded by a beautiful valley and the largest glacier on Vancouver Island.

Population: 60,000

Location: The Island Highway (Highway 19) now supersedes the old Island Highway (Highway 19A). Highway 19, a four-lane expressway, allows you to move quickly between Nanaimo and Campbell River. Highways 19 and 19A link the Comox Valley with southern Vancouver Island. Approaching from the north, Highway 19 links the Comox Valley and Campbell River with the northern half of Vancouver Island. The Comox Valley is a two-and-a-half hour drive north from Victoria, or a 75-minutes drive from the ferry terminals of Departure Bay and Duke Point near Nanaimo.

BC Ferries operates a route between Comox and Powell River on the British Columbia mainland. The Comox Valley Regional Airport is served by three major airlines, with 12 daily flights between Vancouver and Comox and direct flights from Calgary. Small aircraft and float planes land at the Courtenay Airpark near downtown Courtenay. Daily coach lines connect all parts of Vancouver Island with the Mainland, and local bus service is also available in Courtenay, Comox and Cumberland. Those traveling by boat will find a full range of facilities including moorage, showers, restaurants and shops adjacent to the Comox Marina.