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Photo: Paul Gierszewski, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Includes Sidney Spit; other "Gulf Islands National Park Reserve" properties on Saturna, Mayne and Pender Islands can be accessed by BC Ferries, while the smaller islands of D'Arcy, Isle-de-Lis (Rum Island), Princess Margaret (Portland Island), Prevost, Russell, Cabbage and Tumbo can be best accessed by private watercraft or marine charter. Visit the islands for whale-watching, bird-watching, kayaking and scuba-diving.
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve is a national park located on and around the Gulf Islands in British Columbia, Canada. In the National Parks System Plan, this park provides representation of the Strait of Georgia Lowlands natural region, the only place in Canada with a Mediterranean climate of dry, sunny summers and mild, wet winters, the result of a rain shadow effect from surrounding mountains between the region and the ocean. It has similar dominant vegetation as the Pacific Northwest, such as coastal Douglas-fir, western red cedar, shore pine, Pacific dogwood, bigleaf maple, and red alder, but also contains the northern extent of some of the more drought tolerant trees such as Garry oak and Arbutus. The park was created in 2003 as the fortieth national park. It covers 36 square kilometres (14 sq mi) of area on 16 islands and more than 30 islets, reefs and surrounding waters, making it the sixth smallest national park in Canada.
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Bird watching. The adjoining Sidney Channel Important Bird Area is an internationally recognized site important to a variety of seabirds and waterfowl.
Features displays about the history of the surrounding Peninsula, the natural history of the area, the First Nations, the railways on the Saanich Peninsula, and numerous temporary exhibits.
In Sidney on the north edge of the Victoria International Airport. Displays, artifacts, restored historical aircraft and an ongoing vintage aircraft restoration workshop.
Accessed by private ferry. Sidney Spit also offers incredible opportunities for bird watching, as Sidney Island is a popular stop-over for migrating shorebirds. Visitors who wish to camp at Sidney Spit must be registered at a designated campsite before the last ferry leaves the island for the day. Please note that while there is water available on Sidney Spit, it contains high levels of sodium and may not be suitable for people with heart or kidney ailments.