Rich in history, folklore and Native culture, Lighthouse Country offers its many visitors a genuinely friendly welcome in a charming rural atmosphere - a fabulous vacation destination with 60 miles of coastline and sandy beaches to explore.

This area provides access to some of the most pristine natural wilderness, beautiful parkland, crystal clear lakes and ancient caves. The trees are huge, the area is green all year round, and the scenery is breathtaking.

Combining natural scenic beauty with a wide variety of unique beachfront motels, cottages, bed & breakfasts, RV parks and campgrounds, visitors to Lighthouse Country can enjoy a wealth of outdoor activities, and are sure to leave with fond vacation memories.

The two lighthouses after which the region is named are the Chrome Island Lighthouse off the southern tip of Denman Island, and Sisters Lighthouse off the northern tip of Lasqueti Island in the Strait of Georgia.

Location: Lighthouse Country is situated in the Oceanside region of central Vancouver Island, and is accessed along the Oceanside Route (Highway 19A), or off the parallel Island Highway (Highway 19) by exiting between Qualicum Beach and Fanny Bay.

• Bowser
  The small waterfront community of Bowser is the main community centre of Lighthouse Country. The Bowser Hotel made history in the 1930's (and Ripley's Believe It Or Not) by having a bartender dog that served beer to patrons, collected their money and returned with their change!

• Deep Bay
  The small oceanside community of Deep Bay is a town seemingly devoted to angling. Mapleguard Point is the elbow of an arm and spit that protect Deep Bay's natural harbour beside much larger Qualicum Bay. A peaceful BC resort community, Deep Bay is a fisherman’s delight, where chinook salmon in the 20-pound range top the scales each year.

• Lighthouse Country has over 60 miles of coastline and sandy beaches. You are always close to the ocean, overlooking Georgia Strait, with all the clams and oysters you can eat.

• Visit the docks at the excellent natural harbour at Deep Bay to watch the commercial fishing boats return with their catches. Deep Bay's prolific herring spawn and shrimp hatches attract the larger Chinook salmon, some up to thirty pounds.

• Baynes Sound offers excellent and easily accessible birdwatching, and is also a popular viewing area for Bald Eagles. Baynes Sound is used extensively by Western Grebe, Common Loon, Trumpeter Swan, Brant, Mallards, American Wigeon, Green-winged Teal, Bufflehead, and mergansers are common. Bald Eagles congregate in large numbers at the mouth of salmon streams during winter. A colony of Brewer’s Blackbird has been known to nest on a gravel bar in Rosewall Creek.

• Horne Lake Caves Provincial Park is located along the Qualicum River, southwest of Qualicum Bay. The 123-hectare park protects seven caves in the Horne Lake Cave system, named after a Hudson Bay Company explorer. Dress warmly and appropriately for caving, and carry a flashlight. Other adventures include canoe and water safety instruction on Horne Lake, kayaking, horseback riding, mountain biking, hiking and fishing. There is a private campground adjacent to the park with a boat launch.

• Spider Lake Provincial Park encompasses Spider Lake and its shoreline, south of Qualicum Bay. This quiet and peaceful 65-hectare park is a day-use only recreation area, and a great place for a family outing, with the warm water lake being noted for its excellent swimming, canoeing and kayaking potential. Paddlers can spend a peaceful afternoon exploring the shoreline and the many secluded bays. Shaded lakeside trails and a lovely sandy beach make Spider Lake a favoured destination.