Early-Arrival Itinerary #1

Walking Snug Cove & Artisan Square

This is a great itinerary for walkers arriving early to Bowen. If you have a car, park it in the Cove at one of the extended parking areas you'll see in the map here. You can also easily drive to all of these destinations as well. 

• As you leave the ferry, stay to the right and head to the Visitor Information Centre on Cardena Road (behind the library) for brochures and answers to all your questions (open spring, summer & fall)
• Go north up Cardena for 1 minute, to the Causeway, with views to the Crippen Park Lagoon and the Coast Mountains
• Head back the way you came and cross Bowen Island Trunk Road (the main road) and grab breakfast at the Snug Cafe, a locals' favourite hang-out
• Walk the boardwalk, latte in hand, passing the Marina and "BowFest Field" to the trail start for Dorman Point. If you feel up for a short hike, at the top you'll be greeted with easterly morning sun hitting spectacular views of UBC & Vancouver
• Return via the "Bowfest Field," crossing to the baseball field, and up Davies Lane to Village Square. Grab a cold beverage at the Ruddy Potato or the General Store.
• Got more hiking juice in you? Head up to Artisan Square via the trail from Village Square to look at the galleries and shops
• Walk the roads or trails back to the Bowen Island Community School. From there, either:
  • Go down Mount Gardner Road or the Crippen Park trails to check out the Meadows, the Knick Knack Nook (thrift store), and beyond that, Killarny Lake, if you still have a few hours to spare; OR
  • Find the trail by the school parking lot and west garden; take that to join up with the Crippen Park trails, heading west to return to Snug Cove via the trails

West Side Explorers' Itinerary

The west side has a few interesting spots to explore that many who stick to Snug Cove will miss. Check seasonal business hours before setting out, and consider bringing a picnic and beverages if you choose to do some walking or hiking. 

Start your journey heading west on Bowen Island Trunk Road / Grafton Road.

• On your drive out, stop at Alderwood Farms to peruse their specialty shop and butcher. Make a mental note to return before closing on your way back if you'd like to pick up dinner items, or just browse or pick up snacks (crackers and specialty cheeses, for example) for your day out. 
• If you haven't had your morning cup of coffee yet, turn left on Sunset Drive and find Ruddy Potato Kitchen Garden Cafe on your left. Their covered outdoor seating area is a nice place to wake yourself up and have a quick bite. Check their hours beforehand. Another dining option is the Cup Cutter restaurant at the Golf Course, but do check the hours first, as they are open seasonally.
• Head to the golf course for some golf, or walk the trail that runs the perimeter of the course. (please don't walk the trails on the green, we don't want you to get a ball on the noggin). 
• Stroll east down from the golf course parking area to Seymour Bay for a view of West Vancouver.
• Up for some more walking? Cape Roger Curtis is an easy walk along arbutus-lined waterfront trails, lovely at sunset.
• Head back to Snug Cove for dinner or grocery shopping, on your way home.

History-Lovers' Itinerary

Bowen Island has a rich past, most notably for its "Steamship days" of the 1940s, which gave Bowen a party isle reputation. History-lovers will enjoy this circuit that highlights the historic sites and sources of information. There is so much history here, once at the Heritage Cottages or the Museum & Archives, they will no doubt lead you down further paths of historic inquiry. Be transported back in time as you travel this route.

• Bowen Island public Library - The "BI" section has two books on Bowen Island's past, written by Bowen Islanders. The main building itself is a historic site, once the Old General Store, built in 1924, that supplied holiday goers and locals alike.
• Cenotaph - Cross the road to see the memorial, built in 1939, for the Bowen Island friends and neighbours who fought and died in WWI. This is where Bowen Islanders gather each Remembrance Day.
• Crippen Park historic cottages - There are two historic cottages open to the public, and many more scattered throughout Davies Orchard in Crippen Park (below the baseball field). Pop in to the interpretive centre cottage (Cottage 20, Davies' Lane) and ask for a tour of the historically-furnished cottage. Email bowenheritage@gmail.com to check for hours in the off season.
• Crippen Park - Wander the cottages, then cross the road to the north side of the park. This park, on both sides of Bowen Island Trunk Road, was once populated by hundreds of cabins for summer visitors. Find the remaining seaside cottage near the lagoon and causeway. Walk the trails going west to Miller road, then turn left on Miller, until you see the Museum and Archives building near the intersection at Bowen Island Trunk Road.
• Museum and Archives - Enjoy the current exhibit and chat with the knowledgeable curator and staff about your particular historic interest in Bowen Island. With rich displays and photos, and themed exhibits, this stop gives great context for your own visit to the "Happy Isle."

Nature-Lovers' Itinerary

Bowen is a green jewel in Howe Sound, just being here is to be in nature, so perhaps an itinerary seems redundant. However, we've listed a route here that includes some ecological features and educations sites you might be interested in if natural history is your thing.

• Start in Crippen Park, in Snug Cove, by the Causeway.
• Find a large interpretive sign by the lagoon/Causeway, describing natural features.
• Walk the Causeway and peer over the sides. Often ducks, swans, and geese hang around, and around November you'll see salmon making their way up the fish ladder to the lagoon.
• Return to the Crippen Park entrance by the seaside heritage cottage, and walk the shaded trails west to Bridal Veil Falls and the fish ladder. Walk down the stairs here for a closer look at what wildlife you might find around the waterway.
• Return up the stairs and continue down the trail to Miller Road, and cross it, following the Hatchery trail west towards the Meadows. Stay left to find the Bowen Island Fish & Wildlife Club's Terminal Creek Hatchery (and beyond that, the Knick Knack Nook and the Recycling Centre)
• Return the way you came but take a left to stroll the Meadows (click for history of the Meadows), one of Bowen's most peaceful places. 
• Walk through the Meadows, north to the bridge at the flooded alder forest, where you'll see evidence of beaver damming.
• From here, walk west to Killarney Lake, and enjoy the 1-hour walk around it, or head east back to Snug Cove.

• If you're with a car, drive down Mount Gardner Road to see Opa, one of the oldest trees on Bowen Island, and while you're there, have a meditative walk around the Labyrinth. Both are located at Xenia Retreat Centre. (Please respect the retreat centre's privacy, and do not explore further than these two features).
• Drive to Cape Roger Curtis to wander the salad and arbutus tree-lined path along this coastal scene, with views out to Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, perfect for sunsets. Keep yours eyes peeled for otters and harbour seals in the waters along the shore.