Area Description: The Sooke Ocean Escape Vacation Rental Suites on the tranquil shores of the Sooke Basin are ideally located for a truly wonderful Canadian West Coast Outdoor Vacation with great hiking, ocean kayaking, sport fishing, whale watching and spectacular ocean and mountain vistas. East Sooke: A Great Outdoor Vacation Destination This beautiful, unassuming rural community of 600 homes is a great place for wilderness hiking, easy grade walks, biking, running, ocean kayaking, sailing, whale watching and world class sport fishing. Naturally, this pristine location is also very popular with photographers, naturalists and anyone looking for an eco friendly vacation. Hiking, Biking and Running The temperate climate and profusion of great trails in the Victoria area have made the region home to many of Canada’s Olympic athletes and thousands of other residents who prefer getting their exercise in the great outdoors. ... [Read More]

Area Description: The Sooke Ocean Escape Vacation Rental Suites on the tranquil shores of the Sooke Basin are ideally located for a truly wonderful Canadian West Coast Outdoor Vacation with great hiking, ocean kayaking, sport fishing, whale watching and spectacular ocean and mountain vistas. East Sooke: A Great Outdoor Vacation Destination This beautiful, unassuming rural community of 600 homes is a great place for wilderness hiking, easy grade walks, biking, running, ocean kayaking, sailing, whale watching and world class sport fishing. Naturally, this pristine location is also very popular with photographers, naturalists and anyone looking for an eco friendly vacation. Hiking, Biking and Running The temperate climate and profusion of great trails in the Victoria area have made the region home to many of Canada’s Olympic athletes and thousands of other residents who prefer getting their exercise in the great outdoors. Regional Hiking Trails There are far too many trails in the region to mention them all, however, you will find links to many of them under Hiking and Biking in the site's navigation. The Galloping Goose has an easy grade and appeals to both young and old. The Juan de Fuca Trail and West Coast Trail, however, are in an entirely different league requiring an elite fitness level. The Galloping Goose Trail Cyclists walkers and runners enjoy the easy access to this famous multipurpose trail and its connectors. It is possible to cycle from the major ferry terminals all the way to the end of The Goose at Leech Town, which was once a gold mining area. This old rail bed provides a gentle easy grade as it meanders through scenic Greater Victoria, the western communities and farming communities. Along the way there are paved sections suitable for inline skating; however, most of the trail has a gravel base, more suitable for walking, running and mountain biking. Access to the trail is only a few minutes from the suite at Roach Cove. East Sooke's Coast Trail This local wilderness trail, just a few kilometres from the suite, is considered one of Canada's premier day hikes. This ten km trail is a rough winding 6 hour trip challenging even experienced hikers. One moment you travel across a bluff of windswept pines, the ocean crashing at your feet. Next you enter a dark rain forest at the end of a ravine. Turn a corner and you're back in sunlight, at the edge of the sea. Ocean Kayaking Kayak lessons, tours and rentals are available at Rush Adventures in Cooper’s Cove, 14km away by road but just 4km by water. If you rent for an extended period you can take full advantage of the shared 20’ x 40’ dock down below your suite. Salmon and Halibut Sport Fishing The coastline from Sooke to Port Renfrew is world famous for its Salmon and Halibut Sport Fishing and it is not uncommon to spot twenty or more fishing boats off of East Sooke. Whale Watching Whale watching tours are available out of Sooke by local operator, Sooke Coastal Explorations from May – October. During these excursions you will also enjoy observing other marine wildlife like seals, sea lions. While on the water you will be constantly aware of the rugged nature of the coastline and the awesome presence of the Olympic Mountains. City of Victoria Located just 45 minutes from East Sooke on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia's Capital City, Victoria offers incredible ocean and mountain vistas, the old world charm of a small colonial city and a wonderful all season climate. A vacation in this area would not be complete without a visit to Victoria's world famous Butchart Gardens, Tea at The Empress Hotel and Whale Watching. Other great outdoor opportunities include: beach combing, golfing, birding, hiking, cycling, surfing, kayaking, canoeing, boating, sailing, site seeing and eco tours. There also many wonderful restaurants and a thriving live entertainment scene. Victoria's Inner Harbour The magnificent Fairmont Empress Hotel and the BC Legislative Buildings overlook Victoria's beautiful Inner Harbour, which is a hive activity with street performers, portrait artists and artisans selling their wares. The harbour is also home to the Pacific Undersea Gardens, Royal BC Museum, National Geographic IMAX Theatre, Royal London Wax Museum, Coho Ferry, Victoria Clipper and Harbour Air. A walk past the Wax Museum or a short ride on a Victoria Harbour Ferry will take you to the Fisherman's Wharf which has an eclectic collection of float homes, which is well worth the trip. City and Butchart Garden tour buses can be boarded outside the Empress. Downtown Victoria Within walking distance of the Inner Harbour you will find a large shopping mall, great book stores, many specialty shops, restaurants, outdoor cafes and bars along with outdoor specialty stores like the Mountain Equipment Co-op, Ocean River Sports and Capital Iron. There is a very attractive China Town and in the summer there are often free live outdoor musical performances outside City Hall. Attractions There are far too many things to sea and do to list the on this site so we have picked some of the major ones and provided links at the top of each page to their websites. The suites also have a number of informative brochures available for your information.