Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
mid-Sept., $35-40), where amenities include coin-operated showers, power hookups, and
a playground, and the facility is within walking distance of a general store. Right by the
ferrydock,
Hornby Island Resort
(4305ShingleSpitRd.,250/335-0136)offersboatrent-
als, tennis courts, a restaurant and pub, and a laundry room. The motel rooms ($110) have
water views but need renovating, the cabins ($900 per week July-Aug., $120 per night in
spring and fall) are perfect for families who need to spread out, and a limited number of
RV sites ($35 per night) are off to one side.
Every hour, 8am-6pm, a small
ferry
(250/335-0323, adult $9.10, child $4.45, vehicle
$21.45) departs the southern end of Denman Island for Hornby Island, a short, 10-minute
run across Lambert Channel.
The three communities of
Courtenay, Cumberland,
and
Comox
lie in the beautiful Co-
mox Valley, nestled between Georgia Strait and high snowcapped mountains to the west.
Thevalleyliesalmosthalfwayuptheisland,220kilometers(137miles)fromVictoria,but
direct flights to the mainland have created a mini boom in the last two decades. The three
towns merge into one, but each has its own personality: Courtenay, the staid town with a
compact downtown core and all the visitor services youneed; Cumberland, away from the
water but historically charming nonetheless; and Comox, a sprawl of retiree housing de-
velopments and golf courses that extends across a wide peninsula to the ocean.
The valley's largest town and a commercial center for local farming, logging, fishing, and
retirement communities, Courtenay (pop.55,000)extends aroundtheheadofComoxHar-
bour. It's not particularly scenic but has a few interesting sights and plenty of highway
accommodations. It was named for Captain George Courtenay, who led the original sur-
veying expedition of the area in 1848.
Sights
As you enter Courtenay from the south, you pass all sorts of restaurants, the information
center,andmotelaftermotel.Continueintotheheartoftownandyoucometothepleasing
downtownareawithitscobbledstreets,old-fashionedlamps,brickplantersfullofflowers,
and numerous shops. The main attraction downtown is
Courtenay and District Mu-
