Salt Spring Island is well-known for many things: the beauty of the terrain, a kind climate, hiking and biking trails, kayaking and golfing, and those are only a few of the activities that draw people to the island.
There are spas, and restaurants and performing arts events well-worth attending, but for me, there’s nothing like shopping on Salt Spring Island – one of the gulf island to the west of Vancouver Island. Salt Spring Island is a shopper’s delight: Boutiques and specialty stores carry items from all over the world, as well as stocking many wonderful products created by local artists and artisans. These island artists work in a wide variety of mediums, including wood, metal, ceramic, reed, stone, glass and more, creating paintings, photographs and sketches, vases and frames all manner of items ranging from large pieces of furniture to earrings – items that both practical and imaginative.
Specialty stores run the gamut from handcrafted wood furniture and artworks to photography, hand crafted jewelry, toys, organic soaps, savory gift foods like Ice Wine Jelly and Camembert Cheese, aroma healing crystals, an array of lavender oils, sachets and teas, and gifts for the spirit. There are numerous book stores and you’ll find maps, charts and guide books readily available.
Since Salt Spring is an arts and crafts centre, you’ll find that a number of the local artisans, spinners, weavers, painters, sculptors will open their studios for tours.
Here’s a little list of some of the many stores on Salt Spring Island for you to scope out on your next trip.
Salt Spring Shopping
Aroma Crystal Therapy
ArtCraft
ArtSpring/Performing Arts Centre
Avanti Glass Studio
Earth Tribe Designs
Flat Earth Photography
Galleons Lap Photography
Ganges Village Cobbler
Graffiti Theatre
Harlans Chocolates
Jill Louise Campbell Art Gallery
Martinus Jewelry Studio
Mouat’s Clothing Company
Salt Spring Island Archives
Salt Spring Lavender
Salt Spring Painters Guild
Salt Spring Photo
Saltspring Soapworks
Salt Spring Woodworks
Seachange Savouries
Stitches Quilt Shop
West of the Moon
Windflower Moon
Travelling Around Salt Spring Island
Salt Spring Island is located off the east coast of Vancouver Island and so you’ll find that ferries leave Vancouver Island from Victoria, Nanaimo and Powell River/Comox and take you to the three ferry entrances on Salt Spring. Once there you have your choice of how to travel around the island.
There’s a bus system that travels all the main routes on Salt Spring Island; there are shuttle services that operate between the ferry terminals (Fulford, Long Harbour, Vesuvius) and Ganges, Ruckle Park, and Fernwood; and there are cabs, cars, motorbikes, and bicycles you can rent; you’ll find navigating around the island a doable and friendly experience.
There are a number of hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts in the Sidney area to pick from including our sponsors, Best Western:
Sidney Accommodations:
The BEST WESTERN PLUS Emerald Isle Motor Inn is a charming hotel located just minutes from the Victoria International Airport in Sidney, British Columbia. This hotel is near the Centre of the Universe Observatory, the Butterfly Gardens and the Saanichton Fairgrounds.
The Sidney hotel offers spaciously-appointed guest rooms and suites, microwave, refrigerator, and cable satellite television and free wireless high-speed Internet access. Additional amenities include a fitness center, dry cedar sauna, hot tub, full business services and the Mary Winspear Conference Centre. Pets are welcome with restrictions.
Contact info:
BEST WESTERN PLUS Emerald Isle Motor Inn, 2306 Beacon Avenue, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 1X2,
Canada Toll Free: (800) 315-3377 Phone: (250) 656-4441
Fax: (250) 655-1351
Email: frontdesk@bwemeraldisle.com
Come and enjoy Vancouver Island and please tell your friends about us.
Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.