Bowen Island is 12 miles norhtwest of Vancouver, but it is a world away in feel. Sitting right in the entrance to Howe Sound, Bowen Island can be reached by
Water Taxi in 30 minutes from Granville Island in downtown Vancouver or
20 minutes by
BCFerries from the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal in West Vancouver.
Bowen Island's restaurants include The Breakfast Café,
the Tuscany Cafe, Blue Eyed Mary's and Doc Morgan's Inn.
Bowen Island makes a great daylong getaway if you're visiting Vancouver. You get
a chance to ride the water taxi or ferry and a chance to experience island life first hand.
Although Bowen is small, about 20 square miles, it has 23 miles of coast line and
is home to a surprising variety of wildlife, including eagles, grouse, herons, cormorants,
mink and deer.
A short walk from the ferry terminal is Crippen Regional Park and Killarney Lake.
The trail around Killarney Lake takes about 45 minutes, and the terrain is neither
steep nor especially rugged. Killarney Lake is a good place to picnic. If you'd
rather swim, Bowen Island has excellent beaches and warm water during the summer.
Right in Snug Cove you'll find Bowen Island Kayaking where you can rent kayaks, rent
bikes or rent a hiking guide. You can also sign up for kayak lessons, tours, including
sunset and full moon tours, bike tours and special summer kayak camps for kids 8-12.
See the Bowen Island Kayaking website for more information.
Bowen Island is home to many artists, some of whom display their
work at Artisan Square.
There are no campgrounds and no RV facilities on Bowen; however,
there are a number of excellent Bed and Breakfasts including:
The Log
House By The Sea
Twiggleberries
Bed and Breakfast
The Lodge
at the Old Dorm
Union Steamship Cottages
Bay Breeze
Bed and Breakfast