CAMPBELL RIVER - MORE THAN JUST A FISHING TOWN! We had NO IDEA how incredible this town is to visit!

Welcome to Campbell River, the Salmon Capital of the World! We are Scott and Steph. A couple of adventurers traveling around Vancouver Island in our converted ford transit camper van with our adventure pup Boston terrier named Google. Nestled on the edge of Vancouver Island, this vibrant coastal city offers breathtaking ocean views, world-class fishing, and rich Indigenous culture. One of the best ways to take in the full scope of Campbell River’s natural beauty is the Greenways Loop. A full 28 kilometres of pathways that take in the stunning views of the oceanfront. This beautiful loop connect parks, forests, ocean, and wild natural beauty. First let's go explore the vibrant downtown of Campbell River. The have a very famous dock here where people can fish right off the dock with the proper licence and there are even cleaning stations if you catch something. Next let's go to the Aquarium - Discover the wonders beneath the waves at the Discovery Passage Aquarium — a hands-on, catch-and-release aquarium located in the heart of Campbell River, British Columbia. Nestled on the shores of the iconic Discovery Passage, this community-powered gem offers an up-close look at the rich marine life that thrives in local waters. From colourful anemones and curious crabs to graceful sea stars and mysterious jellies, every visit reveals something new. Kids and adults alike can touch, learn, and connect with the ocean through engaging displays and passionate staff who love to share the secrets of the Salish Sea. Open seasonally and designed with sustainability in mind, the aquarium showcases local species and returns them safely to their ocean home. Whether you're a visitor or a local, the Discovery Passage Aquarium is your gateway to exploring the incredible underwater world of Campbell River. Now time for some adult beverages at the Beach Fire Brewing Company. Located in downtown Campbell River, this brewery offers small-batch craft beers like a pina colada sour ale, salted Mexican lime lager, and the unique Baikie Island Spruce Ale, a blonde ale with spruce tips which are hand picked from Baikie Island. Partial proceeds from the beer are donated to Greenways Land Trust to help in their restoration efforts of the island. This is the perfect chill spot that also has a dog friendly patio. The Campbell River has 3 main dams: The John Hart, Ladore and Stratchona. These are owned and managed by BC Hydro and provide roughly 11 percent of Vancouver Islands electricity. Currently ongoing seismic upgrades costing roughly 1.8 billion dollars are underway and expected to be completed in 2029. After these upgrades these dams are expected to withstand a magnitude 9 earthquake. Currently a portion of Campbell River along the river mouth risks devastation if a massive earthquake occurs prior to the upgrades being completed. Now lets go check into our campsite at Elk Falls Campground. This campground is only 10 mins from downtown and is very beautiful with large campsites that are very quite and peaceful. It is right on a river as well so there are nice trails to walk around. You can book your campsite here at https://bcparks.ca/elk-falls-park/ . Here Scott will be making us his famous pork chops that are marinated in equal parts yellow mustard and hoisin sauce. Fantastic meal before we head to bed to watch a movie. Ripple Rock- On April 5, 1958, history was made when Ripple Rock—an underwater mountain that had claimed dozens of ships and over a hundred lives, was obliterated in what became the largest non-nuclear explosion ever at the time. Engineers drilled through solid rock from nearby Maud Island, packing the core with 1,270 metric tons of explosives. At exactly 9:31 a.m., the charges detonated, The explosion dramatically changed the Seymour Narrows, making it safer for ships and marking a monumental feat of engineering. You can watch the full Ripple Rock explosion documentary here    • Ripple Rock Explosion April 5th 1958   0:38 Greenways Loop 1:30 50th Parallel 2:18 Time to Explore 4:33 Discovery Passage Aquarium 5:38 Beach Fire Brewing 6:33 Campbell River Dams 7:42 Campground 8:14 Scott's BBQ 9:45 Movie Time 10:28 Elk Falls 13:16 Ripple Rock #campbellriver #VancouverIsland #ExploreBC ##BeautifulBC #rivercampbell #ripplerock #ripplerockexplosion #camping #campingvancouverisland #vancouverislandhiking #NatureLovers #VanLife #bcfishing #fishing #dams #dam #bbqshow #earthquake #ford #fordvanconversion #vanconversion #bostonterrier #travelcouple #Canada #fordtransit #vanlifers #bcparks #campingbritishcolumbia #britishcolumbia #discoverypassage #salishsea #aquarium #pnw