When I think of the vacations I’ve most enjoyed, those that stand out have balanced opportunities to see, savour and experience a place, with a healthy dose of relaxation – it is a vacation, after all. However, it wasn’t until I was immersed in Vancouver Island’s newest destination – Naturally Pacific Resort , in Campbell River – that the realization crossed my mind. That first trip to Italy was amazing, but was a whirlwind two weeks of trying to pack in the cities, sites and food.
A winter trip to San Diego yielded a shorter but more relaxing week of exploring by foot, punctuated with a few daytrips, all from a comfortable, central “base camp.” All of which brings me to a recent mid-week getaway to Campbell River, a community of about 36,000 people on the east coast of northern Vancouver Island, and a jumping-off point for all manner of outdoor adventures (check out a few exciting new packages for fall, below). Today, it’s also an amazing place to relax.
Located about 3 1/2 hours north from Victoria, or an hour and 45 minutes from Nanaimo, the 100-room Naturally Pacific Resort opened in May at the 18-hole Campbell River Golf Club , designed by Graham Cooke and rebuilt in 2017. The pet-friendly resort was developed by the Mailmans, a fourth-generation Campbell River family, and resort owner Amanda Mailman had a direct hand in both the vision and design, we were told during a tour of the hotel and grounds with Ondrea Ross, Director of Sales and Marketing. Alr.
