Vancouver Island

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Arbutus Distillery

Arbutus Distillery tasting room

Walking into Arbutus Distillery and Cocktail Lounge can feel a bit like walking into a wizard’s shop. Inside you’ll find hand-picked botanicals drying on racks along the walls, and mysterious designs adorning the bottles. But what makes this place truly magical is the products themselves, which are made with 100% BC sourced fermentables. You can try everything from their signature single malt Coven vodka to their Baba Yaga Genuine Absinthe to their Empiric blue gin (which performs some interesting tricks – I won’t spoil it for you!).

Some of their fine products

Of course, behind all good magic is a healthy mix of art and science, and Arbutus is no exception. Head distiller Mike Pizzitelli hails from a science and cell biology background and spent some time in Scotland, learning the art of brewing and distilling. Mike brings passion and knowledge to Arbutus and takes great pride in the products that he and his team create.

A site tour will allow the uninitiated the opportunity to sample their unique products, where Mike is all too happy to educate people on the work that goes into producing these tasty spirits as well as their history. We suggest pairing these products with food trucks, live music and good friends. You can visit Arbutus Distillery on our Taste of Nanaimo tour.

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Longwood Brewery

Milo in all his glory

You can’t get much more Vancouver Island than surfing and craft beer. When it comes to the Longwood Brewery, you get a taste of both! A custom-made cedar surf board and zebrawood bar are the focal points of their tasting room and help explain where the inspiration for their name came from. The funky artwork adorning their walls as well as their merch tells you everything you need to know – this is a place for friends and fun (and in the case of Milo – dogs).

The Longwood Brewery is well-known as one of the Island’s premier craft breweries, that provides a consistently delicious product. What you’ll find on tap depends on the season, or what Harley’s been concocting as of late. Their staples include the Island Time Lager (a pilsner), the Steam Punk Ale (a dunkelweizen), The Big One (an IPA), Berried Alive (a raspberry ale) and the Stoutnik (a Russian imperial stout). But this brewery isn’t just inspired by unique flavours, they’re also motivated to provide a truly local product which they refer to as the Terroir of Beer.  Working with local growers to improve the quality and availability of local ingredients has been an on-going priority throughout their many years in business.

Longwood Brewery

This obsession with sourcing quality local ingredients is apparent during a tour of their brewery. Not only do you get to taste the finished product, but you also get to check out the raw ingredients and learn about the process of making these signature brews. And if you’re really lucky, you might even get to pet a scruffy dog. What’s more Vancouver Island than that?

Thinking about tasting some of Nanaimo’s excellent craft beers? You can check out the Longwood Brewery on our Taste of Nanaimo tour. Cheers!

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Exploring is Never Boring – Mount Washington

“The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn’t even think to ask.” – Jeff Johnson

My explorations on Tuesday led me to a place I know very, very well. A place I’ve been venturing to since I was a young lad growing up in Nanaimo: Mount Washington Alpine Resort, one of two ski resorts here on Vancouver Island.

As soon as I turn off the island highway onto the Strathcona Parkway, I feel like a kid again. It doesn’t matter that I’m 28 years old now and no longer that kid and I’m sure it still won’t matter when I’m 60 years old. The feeling I get while snowboarding or “charging” as I like to say is one of pure ecstasy… particularly on powder days!

I love Mount Washington because it offers me the easy-going island vibe along with some incredible terrain and deep snow. Although it wasn’t a famous “Washy powder day”, I couldn’t keep the smile off my face and I definitely couldn’t stop the “woooo’s” from coming out of my mouth! Finding fun lines and fresh tracks always keeps me returning year after year.

Mount Washington also offers some fantastic accommodation, but on Tuesday I chose to stay in “Rhonda”, my mobile chalet that sits in my truck bed. It may not have a 5-star rating, but it’s everything I need and the perfect mountain machine!

It was yet another awesome day spent on the mountain.
Pray for Snow.

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My Place – Brendan Muehlenberg

Everyone has a special place, a place where you have memories, where you can find peace and harmony. A place where you know you are just happy being there. For some it’s a quiet place, for others it’s a noisy place. But all of these places have one thing in common; they are places where you think of first when asked “Where is Your Place?”.

1. Who are you and how long have you lived on Vancouver Island?

My name is Brendan Muehlenberg and I was born and raised in Port Alberni, BC… well, Sproat Lake to be more specific. My dad bought 4 lakefront properties back in the late 70’s when lakefront property was the same price as a 2018 Toyota Prius. Growing up in a family with 3 brothers and 1 sister, no TV and an endless natural playground outside our front door made me into the nature enthusiast I am today. I grew up hiking, exploring and camping on the trails and mountains near Sproat Lake and Strathcona Provincial Park. We also had a 28ft Bayliner which we’d take up the Alberni Inlet into Barkley Sound, specifically the Broken Group National Park. We spent the entire time camping, fishing and exploring, which I think has translated into my love for the West Coast which is where I reside today here in Ucluelet, BC. I made the outdoors my best friend at an early age and I thank my parents every day for their decision to raise us in such an epic place (Vancouver Island).
Read More…

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Exploring Is Never Boring – North Island

“The best journeys answer questions that in the beginning you didn’t even think to ask.” – Jeff Johnson

Having grown up in Nanaimo, like most from this area, I have only ventured north of Campbell River a handful of times. It is common to meet local Vancouver Islanders who haven’t even been that far. If you are in search of desolation, wanting to get in touch with nature or just looking to unwind, there is no better place to be then amongst the trees in the rugged landscape of the north island. Read More…

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Soren – Harvest Time at Chateau Wolff

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Vancouver Island is a place to visit for people of all ages. Join Soren as he tells us about some of his amazing adventures right here on Vancouver Island!

 

Papa knows that I love grapes.  All summer he brought me grapes from his house.  They are so sweet and yummy.  So when daddy asked if I’d go with him to pick some grapes at Chateau Wolff Estate Winery I thought I’d spend the whole day eating grapes!  I was excited to see soooo many grapes on the bushes. BUT we weren’t allowed to eat them, I tried one, and spit it out because it had seeds in it!  Papa makes nicer grapes to eat.  I guess these ones are for wine.  I don’t drink wine as I’m not tall enough.  Maybe when I’m taller I can go on one of daddy’s tours!

IMG_8316Daddy picked a lot of grapes and threw them into a big bin.  Where are they taking all those grapes?  Read More…

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Soren – Exploring the West Coast

Vancouver Island is a place to visit for people of all ages. Join Soren as he tells us about some of his amazing adventures right here on Vancouver Island!

IMG_6501In the summer my family went for a long, windy car ride to BIG beaches on the west coast!  We saw lots of things on the way, BIG trees, birds, cows, lakes, nice people, more trees and then the OCEAN.  When we got out of the car I headed straight for the water.  Waves crashing, big waves, little waves and sand everywhere. We climbed on rocks, we dug big holes, and found funny little animals scurrying across the sand.  I love the sand in my toes, no shoes here just soft sand and LOTS of space to run. I didn’t want to go but mommy said I had to have a nap. I’m a big boy now so I don’t think I need I naps, but mommy disagrees.IMG_6612  I would like to live at the beach, I think that would be a good idea.

The next day we went on walks.  I can walk really far, daddy only had to carry me a couple of times to keep up with mommy and baby.   Everywhere we go there’s new things to see and touch.  My favourite Read More…

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Soren – Something’s Brewing at Longwood Brewery

 

Vancouver Island is a place to visit for people of all ages. Join Soren as he tells us about some of his amazing adventures right here on Vancouver Island!

IMG_0085Mommy and Daddy drink beer, I don’t like beer it smells funny and it’s for adults only. They make lots of beer in Nanaimo, where we live and Daddy takes people on tours to show them how it’s made! Did you know that at Longwood Brewery their beer likes to ride in a hammock? So funny. Beer doesn’t belong in a hammock, it has to stay in the fridge!!

It was real loud in the beer making room. Everywhere you looked there were about shiny, clean tanks that I could see myself in!  Read More…

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My Place – Kyla Karakochuk

Everyone has a special place, a place where you have memories, where you can find peace and harmony. A place where you know you are just happy being there. For some it’s a quiet place, for others it’s a noisy place. But all of these places have one thing in common; they are places where you think of first when asked “Where is Your Place?”.

Kyla - On the Beach1. Who are you and how long have you lived on Vancouver Island?

I am Kyla Karakochuk.  I moved to Nanaimo 16 years ago, and after living in Vancouver, Victoria, Australia and Belize, I wanted to come back to make Nanaimo my permanent home. I have been back for six years now and can’t think of a better place to live! Read More…

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My Place – Mike Bonkowski

Everyone has a special place, a place where you have memories, where you can find peace and harmony. A place where you know you are just happy being there. For some it’s a quiet place, for others it’s a noisy place. But all of these places have one thing in common; they are places where you think of first when asked “Where is Your Place?”.

1. Who are you and how long have you lived on Vancouver Island?

I am Mike Bonkowski. I have lived on Vancouver Island for all the 46 years of my life.

Bonkowski - Mike at Waterton Lakes National Park2. What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?

I do work in a fine-detail industry, and I enjoy hobbies of a fine-detail aspect. I work as a Chartered Professional Accountant, and my hobby interests are coastal BC transportation and related history, and photography of coastal BC transportation in action.

Living all my life on an island, I’m naturally most interested in marine transportation. I grew up riding BC Ferries and seeing the Canadian Pacific rail ferries in action. In my history reading, I’m fascinated by the history of small coastal steamships which were the only transportation link between remote coastal settlements Read More…