with kids! 
Vancouver Island is absolutely breathtaking. With its stunning landscapes and vibrant communities, wheelchair accessible Vancouver Island offers a range of experiences for travelers of all ages and abilities. While there are plenty of caves and waterfalls that we couldn’t get to with a wheelchair, Vancouver Island has enough wheelchair accessible splendor that we could’ve stayed a month and we still wouldn’t have been able to do it all. In fact, we were there for a week and I felt like we were just getting started. This guide focuses on Victoria, Tofino, and the spaces in-between – since that’s as far as we were able to make it.
When to Go
Vancouver Island is a year-round destination with distinct seasonal advantages.
- Spring (April to June): Ideal for mild weather and fewer crowds. This is when the island’s gardens and parks are in full bloom (Victoria is known for it’s beautiful wheelchair accessible gardens).
- Summer (July to August): Offers warm temperatures and a lively atmosphere with festivals and outdoor activities. However, this is also peak tourist season, so expect higher prices and crowded spots. We visited the first week of August. The temperatures were mild and the crowds were reasonable. We never encountered the kind of crowd that impacts accessibility
- Fall (September to October): Known for its crisp air and beautiful autumn colors. It’s a quieter time to visit with moderate temperatures.
- Winter (November to March): Cold and wet; but, also a peaceful time to explore the island, with fewer tourists and often lower rates on accommodations.
Getting There and Around
By Air
You can fly directly to the island for surprisingly low costs. We didn’t do this because we were renting a car to get us through not only our week on the island, but the following two weeks to road trip back east. Picking up a rental on the island to return in Montana was exorbitant.
Victoria International Airport (YYJ) is the best airport location to fit with this guide, but Comox Valley Airport (YQQ) is another option. Both airports are wheelchair accessible with amenities like accessible restrooms, ramps, assistance services, and nearby car rental options.
By Ferry
You can ferry in from multiple locations, but accessibility varies drastically by ferry!
We came in through Port Angeles, because we’d rented a van in Seattle. This was not the best plan. While the website says the ferry is accessible, there was no elevator to the upper decks and each deck was split into multiple levels with more stairs. If we’d planned ahead more thoroughly, we could’ve worked with the ferry to split up and have our wheelchair user board via the passenger ramp. I’m not sure how they would work that out for a solo traveler, and the step-free area of the boat would still be extremely limited. There would at least be access to an accessible restroom. At this point in our trip, our son was doing pretty well walking with his orthotics so we just carried him up the stairs and he maneuvered the boat on foot. If this port is your only option, I suggest you call ahead to see if you can work out a better plan. The website does say they’re happy to assist.
BC Ferries provides wheelchair accessible services between Canada’s mainland and the island. The ferries have designated accessible parking spots, ramps, and accessible restrooms. We took the ferry from Victoria into Vancouver and it was absolutely seamless. There were multiple elevators to take us to different floor options – including accessible work and play spaces, dining options, a coffee shop, and indoor and outdoor viewing areas. Each floor was it’s own, even level. It was on this boat that we also had some whale sightings!
Getting Around
While Victoria does have an accessible bus system and accessible taxi options, you’ll want your own vehicle to navigate farther into the island. There are plenty of remote scenic destinations and you’ll want the freedom to stop at any accessible pull offs that catch your eye!
What to See
First, allow me to remind you that Vancouver Island is bigger than it looks on a map. If you want to drive from end to end it will take you over seven hours one way. In fact, just the drive to Tofino (less than halfway across the island) from Victoria takes over four hours, thanks to having more mountains than roads.
Because of that, we only hit a few destinations that were at the top of our list. I would have loved to have made it to Telegraph Cove, but time just didn’t allow. Below are the places we were able to experience and their wheelchair accessible highlights.
Victoria
Beacon Hill Children’s Farm:
This little farm in a city park offers a neat way to interact with farm animals.
The entire experience was wheelchair accessible, with packed gravel paths. Admission is by donation and proceeds go to care for the animals.
Fisherman’s Wharf:
This was our first view pulling in on the ferry from Port Angeles, and a view worth taking in! Beyond the wharf you can stroll through a charming downtown of boutique shops, eateries, and some iconic totem poles.
The sidewalks are wide for easy navigation but some shops do have steps to enter. Street parking is limited.
Chinatown:
We love experiencing the sub-cultures of a destination. Chinese-Canadian’s make up a big part of Canada’s population and even on this small island they have a thriving Chinatown to show for it.
While parking seems a bit wild, there are handicap spaces right in town that should make it easier to navigate. Look closely at the sidewalks because some of them are not where you expect parking to be. Most restaurants are zero-entry with accessible restrooms. Many shops are stereotypical of Chinatowns with very narrow isles and tight spaces to maneuver once you’re inside.
Butchart Gardens:
World-famous for its stunning gardens, Butchart Gardens provides wheelchair access with paved paths and accessible restrooms. The Gardens offer wheelchair rentals on a first-come, first-served basis.
Royal BC Museum:
This is one I wish we’d been able to do, because it looks like they’ve packed so much inside! The museum offers wheelchair access throughout its exhibits and facilities. It sounds like an excellent place to explore the island’s natural and cultural history.
Tofino
Tofino is THE destination in Vancouver Island. I’ve heard it’s where the Prime Minister vacations, along with everyone else looking for a beautiful getaway where mountains meet the ocean. Tofino has also been making a lot of improvements for accessibility and inclusion. That means that you’ll be able to find wheelchair accessible beaches and trails, but that some places are still getting caught up and might not have handicap parking or a path to the accessible restroom. Because it’s over four hours from Victoria and there is so much to do, I recommend staying at least two nights between Tofino and Ucluelet. You can check out all of Tofino’s accessible options, here, but I’ve put our favorite highlights below!
MacKenzie Beach:
This is the best accessible beach option in Tofino. The beach access from Hellesen Dr. has accessible parking, bathrooms, an entrance ramp and a Mobi-mat available to get you on the sand (May long weekend until the Thanksgiving long weekend in October).
Cox Bay Beach:
We chose this beach because of the scenic overlook, but the wooded trail was not wheelchair friendly. There was no handicap parking, but the path to the ocean was wide and packed for easy rolling. There was even a wheelchair accessible porta-potty at the end of the trail, before accessing the beach. We loved this trail to the ocean because it was through tall cedars – not the open dunes entrance we’re used to on the east coast. The beach itself is mostly hard packed sand, which was easy to roll on even with a manual chair. There is a brief transition, about ten feet long, of fluffy sand in between the trail and the packed-sand beach.
Hotel Zed:
Hotel Zed offers a lot of cool amenities that are open to all. This could be a great lunch stop, extended by hotel activities. They have a boardwalk trail to a viewpoint overlooking the Tofino Inlet.
Downtown:
The town is designed with cyclists in mind, which means there are plenty of paved multi-use trails and wide roads for safe wheelchair navigation. There are lots of fun shops and restaurants to explore. Some of them are up steep hills or have steps to enter. It’s a fun vibe to experience, even if just for an evening stroll before dinner.
Whale Watching:
We were still a little seasick from the ride over, so we didn’t go on accessible whale and bear safari tour, but wheelchair accessible boats are so hard to come by that I can’t not share it.
Ucluelet
Unpopular opinion: we enjoyed Ucluelet more than Tofino. The views are similar, the small town vibes are just as alive, and everything was cheaper and easier to navigate. There was still a lack of handicap parking, and there were many shops we couldn’t get into, but we could roll up to the water right in town and there were accessible family-friendly shops that the kids enjoyed.
Wild Pacific Trail:
Paved wheelchair access is available at the lighthouse, and beyond if a gravel trail is manageable.
In Between
On the way from Victoria to Tofino is actually where we found all of our favorite things! These are more than a way to break up the drive – they are worthy destinations on their own. Don’t skip these. In fact, travel just for these, if you must.
Absolutely mind blowing 360 views over land and sea from a fully wheelchair accessible tower in the sky. The boardwalk path takes you from the parking lot across the treetops to a spiral path leading you up to 200 meters above sea level. If you’re up for an adventure, you can take the slide down. There’s a playground at the bottom (not an all abilities play area) as well as ice cream, snacks, and endless photo opportunities. Yes, even the bottom is a great view!
When you’re done, exit across the same boardwalk you used to enter. There is also a gravel road to exit, but it was pretty bumpy and steep for a wheelchair. There are accessible restrooms on both ends of the trail, but the restrooms by the entrance nicer and have push-button access.
The Skywalk is about half an hour from Victoria.
Cathedral Grove is about halfway between Tofino and Victoria, making it the perfect place to take a driving break. Park in the handicap space on the west side of the road (on the right, if you’re heading to Tofino) and take the boardwalk trail through the ancient cedars. The forest is humbling, in the best way.
Wally Creek:
Wally Creek is a tiny pullover on the right hand side about 40 minutes before you hit Tofino. The view of boulders in the creek with the mountains in the background is pretty from car, but it’s known as a place for scampering across the rocks and swimming in the creek, if you’re able. We didn’t swim… because it was freezing… but the boulders were smooth enough for safe crawling and we made it out to the creek.
This classic Vancouver Island road trip destination felt a little anti climactic when we only found one goat on one roof, and he was too far to get a good photo. That said, the farmer’s market and diverse styles of stores, shops, and dining make for a one-of-a-kind experience. It’s also one of the rare food options along the long route across the island. Be prepared to pay accordingly.
The experience flows beyond the main building, and so does the parking. It may be best to park at the shops just before or just after the actual market. The main paths are paved, with some areas of loose gravel in front of off-shoot shops. All of the shops we saw were wheelchair accessible.
Englishman River Falls and Goldstream Provincial Park:
These are both gorgeous parks with waterfalls that we didn’t get to explore. While they have a reputation for both splendor and accessibility, I’m not able to vouch for them. Until next time, at least.
Where to Eat
We are budget travelers and did a lot of eating in. That said, we loved our homemade treats at Martha’s Delectables in Victoria, and the brick oven pizza at Basic Goodness in Tofino. Both have ramped side entrances. We can also never pass up an authentic Chinese meal, and Ocean Garden did not disappoint (It’s also the cheapest lunch in the area).
Where to Stay
Tofino has partnered with Spinal Cord BC for an accessibility audit for all of their hotels, which means each hotel is able to provide accurate information to help you plan. Wickaninnish comes highly recommended.
We stuck with our budget-friendly go-to: HomeExchange! We stayed in beautiful homes in Victoria and Ucluelet and it came to about $4 per night based on our membership fee split over how many nights we’ve used. A wheelchair accessible HomeExchange is a little trickier than a hotel, since there are not as many accessible homes and you may need to be flexible with your dates to match home-availability. It’s also important to communicate with the homeowner to make sure that the “accessible” label matches your needs. Overall, it’s been amazing for us to be able to stay in homes around the world. We have our own space after the kids go to bed, and extra bathrooms for medical needs.
Check out Access BC for more accessible options in the area!
What to Skip
An “accessible” destination doesn’t always mean that what’s accessible is worth it. Little Qualicum Falls is beautiful. It’s also “accessible.” That said, the accessible trail takes you directly over the top of the waterfall, where you can only see water flowing under the bridge. There is no accessible view of the actual falls.
Craigdarroch Castle is beautiful and worth a quick peek, but there are too many stairs to even try exploring inside.
Just Go
Vancouver Island’s blend of natural beauty and vibrant urban experiences makes it a bucket list destination for travelers of all ages and abilities. It’s one of the most beautiful places we’ve visited. With accessible attractions, accommodations, dining options, and transportation, the island ensures that its wonders are truly within reach. Everywhere we went we saw initiatives for accessibility and inclusion, which means it’s only going to keep getting better.