The Shiloh

h Please feel free to contact us for more information on our friendly rates and availability. Historic Mayne Island is a quiet, pastoral, and unspoiled refuge at the outer edge of the southern Gulf Islands. Thousands of ferry passengers soak up views of Mayne Island's lighthouse and forested shoreline as boats steam through the turbulent waters of Active Pass, the southern maritime gateway between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. Only a tiny percentage of these travellers ever set foot on Mayne Island. As a result this island of around 1,100 full-time residents is uncrowded and serene even on summer weekends. Off-season is still quieter here as the locals cocoon and vacationing urbanites enjoy a break from their hectic routines. Kayaking, boating, swimming, and other water activities are top draws for active types during the spring, summer, and fall. Cycling enthusiasts with strong legs embark on day-long circumnavigations of the island, riding down and up well-paved roads lined with century-old farms and forested tracts of land. Many Mayne Island visitors de-stress by nesting down in comfortable accommodations. The pleasure of doing nothing for a weekend or week is enlivened by a range of comfort activities. Mayne Island vacations begin the moment BC Ferries sets sail for Village Bay. Once on the island, beachcomb at any of 14 shoreline access points (indicated by a starfish on the Mayne Island Map & Visitor Guide, available for free at BC Ferries info racks and at some retail stores on the island). Dine in a handful of good restaurants. Browse art galleries and home studios. Spread out a picnic blanket at the Georgina Point lighthouse or Dinner Bay Park. Purchase organic produce at area farms. Wander around Miners Bay while investigating the island's rich history and culture. Take a round-trip water taxi to the Salt Spring Island market on summer Saturdays. Or sign the kids up for environmental and creativity programs offered on Mayne by the Gulf Islands Centre for Ecological Learning. The island has no Visitor Centre, making the free annual Map and Visitor Guide essential reading. Find it aboard the ferries and in local retail spots.