VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 259

Skiing and Snowboarding
Vancouver Island is not usually associated with snow sports by outsiders, but locals know
they don't need to leave their island home to enjoy world-class skiing and boarding at Mt.
Washington Alpine Resort (250/338-1386 or 888/231-1499, www.mountwashington.ca ) ,
35 kilometers (22 miles) northwest of Courtenay. The resort receives an annual snowfall of
11 meters (33 feet), and seven chairlifts serve 370 hectares (915 acres), with the vertical
rise a respectable 500 meters (1,640 feet) and the longest run just under two kilometers (1.2
miles). Lift tickets are adult $75, senior $60, and child $40. Between July and mid-October,
the resort welcomes outdoor enthusiasts who come to hike through alpine meadows, ride
the chairlift ($17 per person), mountain bike down the slopes, or go trail riding through the
forest.
Accommodations
The valley's least expensive motels are strung out along Highway 19 (known as Cliffe Av-
enue within city limits) as you enter Courtenay from the south, including the 67-room Anco
Motel (1885 Cliffe Ave., 250/334-2451, www.ancomotelbc.com , $75 s, $85 d), with a small
outdoor pool and high-speed Internet access as a bonus.
Within easy walking distance of downtown is Old House Village Hotel (1730 Riverside
Ln., 250/703-0202 or 888/703-0202, www.oldhousevillage.com , $169 s or d), a modern,
three-story hotel with a fitness center, spa services, a restaurant, and a garden with a covered
barbeque. Each of the 79 guest rooms is decorated in modern, earthy tones; wireless Inter-
net, bathrobes, kitchenettes, and gas fireplaces add to the charm.
Overlooking Gartley Bay south of Courtenay is Kingfisher Oceanside Resort (4330 Is-
land Hwy. S., 250/338-1323 or 800/663-7929, www.kingfisherspa.com , $180-455 s or d),
set around well-manicured gardens and a large heated pool right on the water. The resort
also holds a spa facility, yoga lounge, a bar with outdoor seating, and a restaurant renowned
for its West Coast cuisine (and a great Sunday brunch buffet).
Food
In the heart of downtown, the Union Street Grill (477 5th St., 250/897-0081, 11am-9pm
daily, $17-25) dishes up well-priced global choices that include a delicious jambalaya and
expertly prepared fish from local waters. Save room for a slice of delicious cheesecake. In
the vicinity, the Rose Tea Room (180 5th St., 250/897-1007, 10am-5pm Mon.-Sat., after-
noon tea $12.50) is a friendly little place where older locals catch up over simple sand-
wiches, scones and tea, and decadent rocky road brownies.