The visitor's guide to

Salt Spring, Gabriola, Galiano, Mayne,

Pender and Saturna Islands

Top, Folklife Village on Gabriola Island; above, a tranquil harbour scene

With just a 20-minute ferry ride from Nanaimo, visitors can quickly sink into the bliss of warm summer days on Gabriola Island. 

From superb kayaking to viewing ancient petroglyphs to curling up with a book on the beach, pleasures abound on Gabriola that are sure to rejuvenate your soul. 

The most northern of the Southern Gulf Islands, Gabriola offers 45 km (28 miles) of shoreline for beach enthusiasts, kayakers, boaters and nature lovers. About 4,500 people call Gabriola home with a good mix of old and young, artists and entrepreneurs, retired folk and those who commute to work in Nanaimo and Vancouver. 

Gabriolans enjoy six waterfront parks and public access to many beaches.  Cyclists especially enjoy the views of farmland mixed with ocean vistas along the 30-km (18.6-mile) North Road-South Road loop. Berry Point Road offers cyclists an easy route to Gabriola's sea and sandstone. A real bonus on this route is the views of the mountains on the mainland, Entrance Island Lighthouse from Orlebar Point and, on most evenings, the lights of Vancouver and Gibson's Landing. 

Camping is available at Descanso Bay Regional Park, less than one kilometre from the ferry, as well as a couple of commercial campgrounds on the island's south end. Two trails at Drumbeg Park let explorers discover views of Gabriola Passage and Valdes Island. This park preserves a Garry oak ecosystem and is a favourite swimming spot. It's one of the best places to marvel at the sandstone rock formations. 

Sandwell Park, established in 1988 to protect the archeological sites, includes a petroglyph and shell middens. More petroglyphs, some 50-plus, can be found at Petroglyph Park.  These ancient carvings are intriguing and their origins remain a mystery. The Gabriola Museum has replicas of the petroglyphs on their property, which people can do rubbings on so that the originals can be preserved. 

Gabriola Sands Provincial Park offers a unique setting: two beaches, one on either side of a narrow strip of land. The "sunny side" is a favourite of island children as nature offers the delight of discovering sand dollars or moon snails at lower tides. The Taylor Bay side is the easiest access to a public beach on the island, with parking just a stone's throw from the beach. The annual Sand Sculpture Competition is held at Gabriola Sands.

The historic Malaspina Galleries can be viewed along the shoreline from Gabriola Sands at low tide or down a short trail at the end of Malaspina Drive. A sculpted, cave-like sandstone feature, the galleries measure approximately 90 metres (300 feet) long by 3.5 metres (11 feet) high — a glorious example of nature's art.  

As the "Isle of the Arts," Gabriola is home to varied and talented artists, who produce functional and decorative pottery, wearable art, glass sculpting and mosaics, silver jewellery, acrylics, watercolours, wood carving, metalwork and more. Take the Thanksgiving Studio Tour, when many island artists open their studios to the public.

The Saturday farmers market at the agricultural hall on South Road is also a great spot for arts, crafts and food.

Pre-booking accommodations is recommended during the busy summer months. Gabriola offers a wide variety of places for visitors to stay, from homes offered as vacation rentals to rustic camping.

The visitor info centre at Folklife Village is open every day in the summer months.