Salt Spring Island - the Metropolis of the Gulf Islands

Salt Spring Island is known as the "Metropolis of the Gulf Islands" due to its larger size, population, and varied amenities compared to other islands in the Southern Gulf Islands. While the islands are generally interconnected and have a unique character, Salt Spring Island stands out as the most developed and bustling, offering a wider range of services and attractions. 

Baker Ridge Trail

Credits: https://www.crd.ca/parks-recreation/find-park-or-trail/baker-ridge-trail

This trail, together with Quarry Drive Park Trail, make for a nice hiking loop. Park at the end of Baker Road, take the stairs down to the water’s edge, then turn right down the beach. check the tide tables before you head out because at high tide there is not much beach to walk on.  After a few hundred meters you’ll see a concrete ramp and steps leading back up to the ridge. Follow that trail (Quarry Drive Park Trail) up and over the ridge and you end up on Quarry Drive. Turn right, walk a couple of hundred meters to the end of the cul-de-sac, where you’ll see Baker Ridge trail that takes you back to Baker Road. This trail is steep and you need to be careful when descending it. The entire loop will take between 45 minutes to an hour depending on your hiking speed.

We saw a heron and several bald eagles at Baker Beach.

Vesuvius Beach

Credit: https://www.hastingshouse.com/salt-springs-best-beaches/

A popular spot near the Vesuvius ferry terminal, community tables and chairs, as well as large driftwood benches, make for comfortable lounging while enjoying the sun fading over Vancouver Island. If you like geology, Vesuvius Bay beach also boasts some fascinating rock formations. Best of all, the water here is warmer than other beaches for anyone who wants to take an ocean swim. Take a left on Langley Street when heading west on Vesuvius Bay road and walk down the stairs to the beach. 

Ganges Junction

Ganges Village is the bustling commercial center of Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, Canada, and is located on the island's west coast. It's known for its shops, galleries, restaurants, and the Salt Spring Market. The village is a bustling harbor town where many of the island's services and attractions are located. 

We passed by Salt Spring Chocolates, which was a hit with many kids.

Baynes Peak via Armand and Mountain Trail (5.6km, 270m elevation gain)

Credits: https://bcparks.ca/mount-maxwell-park/

Originally established for its distinctive landmark viewing point in 1938, Mount Maxwell Park contains one of the highest points on Salt Spring Island in the Southern Gulf Islands. This point, called Baynes Peak, offers superb views of Vancouver Island, the surrounding Gulf Islands and the mainland of British Columbia.

The hike was pretty moderate elevation, and had a lot of shade and bushes.

Cusheon Lake

Cusheon Lake is a lovely lake which serves as a drinking source or a place to chill and take a dip in.

Ruckle Provincial Park

Credits: https://bcparks.ca/ruckle-park/

With its seven kilometres of shoreline, rocky headlands, and tiny coves and bays, Ruckle Park provides hours or even days of enjoyable exploration. There are lots of interesting trails in the area such as Ruckle Park Shoreline Trail and the Chris Hatfield Loop.

Ruckle Heritage Farm

Credits: https://rucklefarmsaltspringisland.com/about-ruckle-heritage-farm/

Ruckle Heritage Farm was established in 1872 by one of Salt Spring Island’s earliest settlers, Henry Ruckle, and is the oldest operating family farm in the Gulf Islands and is a significant property among British Columbia’s working farm heritage sites.

We saw a turkey with its adorable little children.

It had a really adorable farmstand selling cookies, jams and jellies, meat and chilled beverages. We enjoyed the ginger molasses and chocolate chip cookie. Payment is based on an honor system.

Salt Spring Island Goat Cheese

Salt Spring Island Cheese specializes in hand-packaged artisan goat cheeses. Their cheeses are all handmade, using traditional methods and only natural ingredients. The list of what we put in our cheese is short – 100% pure goat milk, sea salt, dairy culture, and rennet.

You can watch some of the goats at the back. You can also walk around the area, and view how they make the cheese.

We had the great fortune of sampling some delicious cheeses such as lemon chèvre, chilli chèvre and ruckles. It was creamy and mild. We will definitely be buying some cheese!

I believe they have a cafe, which offers pizzas and other tasty dishes. It is was not open when we were there.

We also tried the goat milk gelato - chocolate and mango flavours. It tasted like regular gelato, and had a very silky and smooth texture.

Sacred Mountain Lavender Farm

Sacred Mountain Lavender is a boutique lavender farm nestled on the foothills of sacred Mount Tuam on Salt Spring Island B.C. Established in 2001, Sacred Mountain Lavender has been growing organically for over 20 years. Their lavender flowers are harvested and steamed distilled at the farm to produce our renowned quality pure essential oil. They offer visitors handcrafted lavender products of the highest quality to enhance their wellbeing and relaxation.

The person there was very friendly and knowledgeable, and I enjoyed browsing the lavender products, such as essential oils, body soap, lavender sachets and food such as lavender chocolates, coffees and teas. The products were packaged beautifully, and I like that the source of the products seems to be right from the farm. They offer fruitsicles and lavender ice cream too.

The lady explained how the lavender was distilled, and allowed us to take a look at the farm, even though the lavender was not blooming yet. It was a great experience for lavender lovers! We are excited to try the lavender stress-relief roll-on and body soap!

Ganges Village

Ganges Village is the main commercial center of Salt Spring Island in British Columbia, Canada. It's a bustling village known for its shops, restaurants, art galleries, and the popular Salt Spring Market held on Saturdays.

Wander around, and you will find many interesting eateries, food trucks, art galleries, commercial businesses etc.

The harbour was a beautiful spot to walk around, breathe in the fresh air and observe the boats.

We saw some lovely paintings at an art gallery.

My husband had a delicious “The Old School” smoked meat sandwich from Buzzy’s Luncheonette.

Churchill Beach

Churchill Beach is a nice beach to relax at. We saw a dead heron, and unfortunately, a lot of dead crabs.

Salt Spring Kitchen Co.

Offering flavour-filled condiments for people who love to eat, share, and entertain, the jams and preserves here are made in small batches, with all-natural, simple ingredients. In the tasting room, you can sample their different jams. All of them were great, but the Sunny’s jam, which is their take on an Okanagan creamsicle – apricot, raspberries, orange and vanilla, as well as peach lavender, stood out. They also carry Salt Spring Island cheeses, which makes it convenient to stop by and grab some cheeses.

Maverick’s Coffee and Ice Cream, The Wood Shed and Francis Bread are also in the same block of shops.

The Glass Foundry

The Glass Foundry recycles scrap glass into wholesale giftware, creates unique glass art, designs energy-efficient glass furnaces, and offers classes, workshops and video instruction.

They had beautiful art pieces.

Salt Spring Wild Cider

Making cider on Salt Spring using apples that are literally rooted in the islands history is what Salt Spring Wilder Cider does. They shake fruit from the trees that tell us stories of the islands’ history and then sharing that story in each bottle.

You can visit them at their cider house and restaurant to try a tasting, share a bottle, or sit down for a full lunch and dinner (indoor and outdoor seating). 

The view of the orchard was relaxing.

Duck Creek Park

This is a cool, shaded creek and open meadow, which provides a lovely field and stream hiking loop – approximately a 45 minute walk. 

Lavender & Black

Lavender & Black is a family run farm, distillery and shop. They grow a wide range of flowers and aromatic herbs, including helichrysum, lavender, rosemary, sage, and many others. They also sell a nice range of products. It was wonderful to walk around the farm and observe the different types of lavender.

Sunset Beach

This is a nice beach to relax at.

Sunset Farm

Along with pet donkeys and goats turkeys and horses, this sheep farm is over 300 acres, owned and leased.

Along with the farm, Sandy tends to her shop on the farm which hosts a delightful mix of woollen goods, handmade crafts and collectibles.

Southey Point Beach

Southey Point Beach is a popular spot for beach activities and enjoying the ocean. It's a beach with easy access to the water and is known for its picturesque views, making it a great location for a walk or a picnic. 

Fernwood Point Beach

The dock at Fernwood Point Beach extends 400 feet into Swanson channel. The pier is a long, narrow walk-on structure, located on an exposed shore and can be very rough.

Saint Mary Lake

Credits: https://northsaltspringwaterworks.ca/st-mary-treatment-plant/st-ml-water-quality/

St. Mary Lake is Salt Spring’s largest single water source. Considered a critical island resources, St. Mary is designated a multi-use lake providing drinking water, fishing and recreational use.

Saturday Farmer’s Market

This is a favorite event, with many artisans and food vendors showcasing their goods. Everything here is made, baked or grown in Salt Spring Island.

Eateries

There are many great options for eateries.

We tried Barb’s Buns, which serves affordable and delicious pastries and smoothies.

We also tried the okonomiyaki from Kitchen Kodama Food truck, which was freshly cooked and appetizing.

Sights & Sounds of California

Tips:

• Definitely get your gas pumped at the Costco gas stations if you have Costco Membership. It is probably one of the cheaper places for gas :>

• You can purchase an unlimited data plan from T-Mobile online via Amazon.

Stop: Golden Gate Bridge

You can’t say you’ve gone to San Francisco without having made a stop at the Golden Gate Bridge! An iconic symbol of San Francisco and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world, the Golden Gate Bridge is truly a magnificent beauty and engineering wonder featuring color, sound and light. The Golden Gate Bridge is an orange vermillion suspension bridge that covers the Golden Gate Strait - the Pacific Ocean entrance to San Francisco Bay.

A San Francisco sunset at Golden Gate Bridge is a skyline sight not to be missed.

Stop: Stockton Bakery/Golden Gate Bakery

The largest Chinatown outside of Asia as well as one of the oldest Chinatowns in North America, Chinatown is a bustling cultural centrepiece. Before you leave, stroll down Grant Avenue, the main tourist thoroughfare lined with shops. Restaurants here get really crowded at dinnertime; reservations are highly recommended. Asian pastries in Chinatown are an absolute treat! Golden Gate Bakery egg tarts were really great. Prices at Stockton Bakery are definitely more reasonable for the quantities, and there is a variety of egg tarts, sponge cakes and bolo buns. Bakery suggestions include Stockton Bakery and the very popular Golden Gate Bakery (egg tarts are sold at $3.75 USD).

Stop: Stanford University

Stanford was founded almost 150 years ago on a bedrock of societal purpose. Our mission is to contribute to the world by educating students for lives of leadership and contribution with integrity; advancing fundamental knowledge and cultivating creativity; leading in pioneering research for effective clinical therapies; and accelerating solutions and amplifying their impact.

Stanford University is among the most selective institutions of higher education in the U.S. and the world. It is regularly ranked as the most selective because of the number of applicants and the percentage that are accepted. The campus itself is one of the most stunning campuses I’ve seen.

The University still enjoys 8,180 acres (almost 13 square miles) of grassy fields, eucalyptus groves, and rolling hills that were the Stanfords' generous legacy, as well as the Quadrangle of "long corridors with their stately pillars" at the center of campus.

The general concept for the University grounds and buildings was originated by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of Central Park in New York. A brilliant young Boston architect, Charles Allerton Coolidge, further developed the concept in the style of his late mentor, Henry Hobson Richardson. The style, called Richardsonian Romanesque, is a blend of Romanesque and Mission Revival architecture. It is characterized by rectilinear sandstone buildings joined by covered arcades formed of successive half-circle arches, the latter supported by short columns with decorated capitals. It reminded me of Tuscan architecture.

Stop: Stanford Dish Loop Trail

One of the most popular walks and runs on the entire Peninsula is known as The Dish, named after the large old radiotelescope used for research in the Stanford foothills and visible from throughout the area.

The trail is dedicated to field research activities and is also enjoyed by visitors for recreational purposes.  It is one of the last unbroken expanses of open space in the lower foothills. Stanford's 150'-diameter radio telescope ("Big Dish"), used for SETI research, is located here, as is a smaller radio telescope ("Little Dish"). Other research and teaching programs also use the dish area for environmental study and habitat restoration. 
Rain or shine, you'll find hundreds of locals and Stanford students walking or jogging the trail.
The paved trail climbs the hills and offers spectacular views of the Peninsula, the campus and the coastal mountains. On a clear day visitors can see San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose and the East Bay. The main loop trail is 3.5 miles and takes about an hour and fifteen minutes to walk.

Stop: Half Moon Bay State Beach aka Venice Beach

A mere 45-minute drive from San Francisco lies Half Moon Bay, an idyllic enclave and truly the most picturesque escape from the big city.

Half Moon Bay is situated on the San Francisco Peninsula, 45 minutes south of San Francisco on Highway One, but it might as well be half a world away. Home to the world-famous monster waves at Mavericks, Half Moon Bay is a sleepy beach town with a strong connection to the ocean. A broad expanse of sandy beach curves around the scenic bay and defines four beaches—Francis, Venice, Dunes, and Roosevelt.

You’ll definitely want to spend as much time as possible by the Pacific Ocean at the amazing Half Moon Bay State Beach.

Stop: Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Just north of town at Moss Beach, the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is a great place to see harbor seals and explore tide pools—look for purple sea urchins and sea stars in the craggy rocks. Definitely the place for an ecology or geology enthusiast! There is a variety of algae, crabs, sponges, seastars, mollusks, and fish in the inter-tidal; the area between low and high tide. The Reserve is set aside to protect this complex but fragile community for us and future generations

Stop: Apple Park Visitor Center

Step into the heart of the Apple empire at this contemporary building—the only part of the Apple Park campus that’s open to the public. Here, you can tour the innovative exhibition space for a behind-the-scenes look at Apple’s journey, technology, and design principles, head up to the roof terrace for a lovely view of Apple Park, and rub shoulders with other creatives at the cafe. Of course, the highlight of the center is the massive Apple Store where you can browse their full range of products and snag exclusive merchandise. Merchandise was quite expensive though, at $20 USD for a mug and $40 USD for a tee-shirt.

Stop: Google Visitor Experience Centre

The Google Visitor Experience in Mountain View, California was a really educational and eye-opening experience. From interactive art installations to offerings from local businesses to a California-fresh eatery, the new public destination has plenty of interesting sights for people to enjoy.

Stop: Meta Sign

It was pretty legendary getting to visit the Meta Office sign!

Interestingly, the logo can resemble an M for “Meta,” and also at times an infinity sign, symbolizing infinite horizons in the metaverse. The Meta symbol was designed to dynamically live in the metaverse — where you can move through it and around it. Cool stuff for one of the biggest technology companies in the world!

Stop: Lombard Street

Known as the “Crookedest Street in the World,” Lombard Street is one of San Francisco’s most popular landmarks. Every year, hordes of tourists walk or drive down its eight sharp hairpin turns. Surrounded by Russian Hill mansions and cleanly manicured landscaping and flowers, it is also one of the city’s most scenic streets. Take a spectacular photo at the bottom looking up or enjoy the breathtaking view from the top looking out onto the San Francisco Bay, the Bay Bridge and Coit Tower.

It may look treacherous, but Lombard Street’s switchbacks were built to increase the safety of the street. The natural steep grade was thought to be too precipituous. In the 1920s, a property owner suggested creating a series of switchbacks which not only added to the street's scenic appeal but made it safer for pedestrians.

Stop: Coastal Trail: Lands End to Golden Gate Bridge

This is a really scenic and easy hiking trail.

The California Coastal trail is actually a huge mega-trail connecting Mexico to Oregon. For this segment in the Presidio (the park and former army base that make up a protected area around the Southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge), you'll walk a 2-3 mile stretch from Baker Beach to the Golden Gate Bridge along the rocky coastline. With views of the bay throughout, it's a gorgeous way to approach the bridge; plus, it's much less touristy than the other walking approach, which starts in Fisherman's Wharf.
Meander atop the coastal bluffs and explore the ruins of the Sutro Baths, enjoying mesmerizing views of the Golden Gate Bridge along the way.

Stop: Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts is a free attraction that features a beautiful dome and curved columns.
When you walk around the Palace of Fine Arts, you will see many beautiful architecture and special art on the walls. It was truly an enchanting sight. Walking around the perimeter path and enjoying the lagoon and view of the structure was really enjoyable.

Other Places that I Recommend Visiting:

• Stanford Bookstore

• Stanford Shopping Mall

• Gilroy Premium Outlets

• In n Out - a California institution. We found it pretty good, but not outstanding… diners seemed to love it though :)

• Gombei - very tasty home-style Japanese cuisine

• Peets Coffee - very good coffee, there are several outlets in California

• Golden Gate Park is worth a stop - we spotted actual buffalo roaming around!

• Tried San Tung - very long line, but affordable food

Credits:

• https://web.stanford.edu/dept/registrar/bulletin0809/4796.htm

• https://www.visitcalifornia.com/places-to-visit/half-moon-bay/

• https://goop.com/ca-en/place/california/san-francisco/presidio-activities/coastal-trail-presidio-park/

• https://www.sftravel.com/article/guide-to-san-franciscos-palace-fine-arts

• https://www.sftourismtips.com/palace-of-fine-arts.html