Salt Spring Island Day Trip Itinerary

Hello friends! As a Victoria BC local, Salt Spring Island is a sweet escape I've been lucky to visit many times in my life. The past two times I've visited have only been for day trips, which may seem quick but there's a lot that can get done in a day! So I thought I'd make a little itinerary for one day.

Transportation

To get there from Victoria, I always take the ferry from Swartz Bay to Fulford Harbour. This most recent time I went, we arrived 45 minutes before the 11 a.m. ferry and still missed it (it was a Saturday in May), so if you're planning to go on a weekend, especially in the summer, definitely give yourself at least an hour, because they don't take reservations!

We took the last ferry home (7:50 p.m.), and it wasn’t even full when we left. Also, for a car with two people, the ferry to Salt Spring is around $60, but the ferry back is free!

1. Salt Spring Island Cheese

Located just a 5-minute drive from the ferry, this goat cheese farm is the perfect stop when you first arrive or right before you leave the island! The only thing to keep in mind is that it closes at 5, so if you’re planning on taking the last ferry, it will be closed by then. However, if you want to buy cheese to bring home and don’t have a cooler, it may be best to go later in the day! This place is always a treat and looked more beautiful than ever this trip. You can see the goats on the farm, and there are beautiful sitting areas and gardens to enjoy the cheese, or just soak in the nature. And of course, there’s the shop, where you can sample cheeses, jams, and even buy goat’s milk ice cream! This would also make a great brunch, lunch, or snack stop—just grab some cheese and crackers and enjoy the scenery.

2. Salt Spring Saturday Market

   In the main town of Ganges, the Salt Spring Saturday Market is a staple of the island and runs from April to October. It’s full of food stands, jewelry, art, soaps, crystals, and so much more; a great way to support local businesses and discover really cool products. Ganges itself is such an adorable town. We always stop by Salt Spring Soapworks to stock up (even though they have one in Vic!). On our most recent trip, we stopped by Fishery and Chips for a quick snack and had the most delicious fish tacos!

   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   

3. Sacred Mountain Lavender

This is a super cute place to visit, especially if you're going between June and September when the lavender is in bloom! It's also pretty close to the ferry, so it might be a good stop before or after the goat cheese farm. You can walk around the gardens and read about the different types of lavender, and there’s a shop that sells all sorts of lavender products; mists, soaps, oils, and even ice cream (which we got!). We also ended up picking up some lavender honey.

4. Hike Mt. Erskine

After lunch, Mt. Erskine is a lovely hike to check out! We unfortunately didn’t have time for it on this trip because we took a later ferry, but it’s definitely worth doing if you can fit it in. The trail is about 3.7 km and takes roughly 1.5 hours to complete. It isn’t too difficult, but it’ll definitely get your heart pounding in a good way! The views from the top are stunning, with sweeping ocean panoramas. Plus, it’s a loop trail, which makes it super convenient.

5. Lake Swim!

There are tons of great places to swim on the island, including Cusheon Lake, St. Mary Lake, and Blackburn Lake. We didn’t have time to swim on this trip (and it wasn’t super hot either), but last summer my friend and I found a lovely, secluded spot to swim at what I think was Lake Weston!

6. Salt Spring Wild Cider House

This was our final stop of the day, and we had dinner here. It was my first time visiting, and it was such a great experience! The food was good, but what you’re really here for are the views and the cider. The indoor/outdoor setup is stunning, and we were seated right by the window with the most incredible view. We got the full cider flight and had so much fun tasting each one and trying to guess the flavors. A must-try spot!

If you were to take the 11am ferry to Salt Spring and the 7:50pm one home, and wanted to pack all of this in, here is what I think a nice itinerary would be!

11:00 AM – Depart Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal

11:35 AM – Arrive Fulford Harbour, Salt Spring Island

11:45 AM – Salt Spring Island Cheese Co. (snack, stroll gardens, shop)

12:30 PM – Sacred Mountain Lavender (bloom season only, quick shop + walk)

1:00 PM – Drive to Ganges

1:20 PM – Salt Spring Saturday Market + Ganges town stroll

2:00 PM – Lunch at Fishery & Chips or local café

2:45 PM – Lake swim (Cusheon or St. Mary Lake – bring a towel!)

3:45 PM – Mt. Erskine Hike (1.5 hrs – 3.7km loop, ocean views)

5:30 PM – Salt Spring Wild Cider House (dinner + cider flight)

6:45 PM – Drive to Fulford Harbour

7:50 PM – Ferry back to Swartz Bay

Of course you can always take an earlier ferry or better, spend the night! And there is still so much I want to explore on the island, but I hope this inspires some ideas! All the best fairies!

If you want to take a float plane, that is also a unique option! https://www.getyourguide.com/victoria-british-columbia-l551/victoria-to-salt-spring-seaplane-transfer-t706908/?partner_id=XDXDSMP&utm_medium=online_publisher