Little Local - September 4

It’s back-to-school at our house: a Grade 2-er, a Kindergartener, and a daycare/preschooler all starting fresh. Needless to say, it’s been a busy week!

It’s a gentler weekend on the events calendar, perfect for easing into routines, but there are still a handful of things going on if you want to get out of the house. And if a day or weekend trip is calling, we just came back from Jordan River and I’m sharing our favourite family spots along the Juan de Fuca Coast.

But first…

🏆 Winners of the Summer Adventure Passport

Thank you to everyone who participated in our first Summer Adventure Passport! It was such a fun, community program that inspired many families to explore new places and visit local businesses.

We had over a hundred entries! And the randomly selected winners are:

Ultimate Date Night: Victoria Gilbert & Aurora
Local Foodie: Amy Siletta & Jack
Sweet Treats: Alayna Allan & Demi

⭐ Congratulations winners!! I’ll email you all privately to coordinate.

Exploring the Juan de Fuca Coast

Just past Sooke and stretching up toward Port Renfrew is one of the most incredible stretches of coastline on the island. If you’re looking for kid-friendly beaches for beachcombing, tidepooling, and wild West Coast scenery, this is it! You can easily go for a day, or make it a weekend (or longer!) with a mix of good eats, hidden gems, and cozy stays.

🍴 To Eat

There are a few great spots along the way, but if you’re staying a night or longer, do a grocery shop before you leave Sooke as there’s not much once you’re further out.

• Stoked Pizza (Shirley): One of our favourite wood-fired pizza spots. Takeout only, and it’s a popular spot so order ahead!

• Shirley Delicious (Shirley): A quirky café in the woods with baked goodies, brunch, lunch, coffee, and treats.

• Haliwoods (Port Renfrew): Fish and chips worth the drive. Crispy, fresh, and perfect after a beach day.

🐚 To Explore

• Sombrio Beach: Just a 15min walk from the parking lot brings you to a spectacular beach with big rounded rocks, dark sand, and tidepools. A popular camping spot too! Walk left along the beach for about 10 minutes and keep an eye out for the little entryway to the hidden waterfall ✨!

• Botanical Beach: A longer drive from Victoria (about 2 hours), but absolutely worth it. From the parking lot, it’s a 1km walk down to the beach. Prioritize Botanical if you’ve got little kids, but if you have extra energy, you can continue to Botany Bay. Once on the beach, head right and around the point for some of the most incredible tidal pools filled with sea stars, anemones, and marine life you won’t find elsewhere.

🛌 To Stay

• Airbnb: There are lots of family-friendly places to stay in Shirley and Jordan River. We stayed at this cabin when we had just two kids and loved it (needed a bigger place this year).

• Camping: Rustic but rewarding. Think pit toilets and pack-in/pack-out, but also the magic of falling asleep (and waking up) to the sound of waves just steps from your tent.

• Point No Point: A dreamy cluster of cabins in Shirley on the water. Family-friendly, but also perfect for a special kid-free getaway.

🌲 Tips for Families

• Plan for mixed weather: Sunshine one minute, rain the next. Bring rain jackets, extra layers, and spare clothes for kids.

• Know your trails: Sombrio’s waterfall walk is fairly short and kid-friendly. Other parts of the Juan de Fuca Trail are rugged so choose hikes to match your family’s abilities.

• Tidepool treasures: Check tide charts before exploring. Low tide = the best views of sea stars, crabs, urchins, and anemones.

• Pack snacks + water: Once you’re past Sooke, services are sparse. Stock up, and make sure you have gas in the tank!

• Watch the roads: The highway is gorgeous… but windy. If anyone in your crew gets carsick, pack Gravol, ginger chews, or make extra stops along the way.

🌿 Thistle & Wren: A favourite local boutique for beautiful kids’ clothing, thoughtful gifts, and a well-curated preloved section that makes sustainable shopping easy. You’ll always find something special here!

🦷 Wheely Clean: Skip the dentist office because Wheely Clean’s mobile hygiene vans come to you! They’re fantastic with kids, now offer teeth whitening, and make family dental care stress-free. Book your visit online!

🌱 Wild Child Playgroup: Every Tuesday at The Grove (St. Barnabas Church), kids 0–7 can dig into nature play: mud kitchen, gardening, art, and more. A fun, hands-on way to learn and connect outdoors. Register online.

📅 Upcoming Events

🤱🏻 15th Annual La Leche League Garage Sale
Saturday Sept 6th
Donations are being accepted in the driveway at 1128 Topaz Ave this Saturday. All proceeds go to la Leche League Canada, who help families with breastfeeding. Garage Sale on Friday 12th (5pm-8pm), Saturday Sept 13th & Sunday Sept 14th (8am-7pm).

🦦 Museum Tots – Otters
Saturday, Sept 6 | 10:30–11:15am
A gentle, hands-on session for littles with stories, play, and otter fun at the Maritime Museum. [Info]

🎸 Music in the Park
Saturday, Sept 6 | 5:30-7:30pm
Hang out at Herm Williams Park with live music from Back Beat. Bring a blanket and enjoy the evening! [Info]

🐇🌕 Otsukimi Bunny Moon Market
Sunday, Sept 7 | 11am–4pm
Celebrate the moon with local makers, food, and family-friendly Mid-Autumn traditions. [Info]

🌼 Grandparents Day & Fall Plant Sale (Abkhazi Garden)
Sunday, Sept 7 | 11am–4pm
Celebrate grandparents with a garden stroll and fall plant sale at the beautiful Abkhazi Gardens in Oak Bay. Free admission all day! [Info]

🎡 Metchosin Community Day
Sunday, Sept 7 | 11am–5:30pm
Enjoy a free family festival with a pet show, market, contests, hayrides, live entertainment, and a lamb & salmon BBQ. [Info]

🏒 Peninsula Panthers Public Skate (Panorama Rec)
Sunday, Sept 7 | 12:15–1:30pm
Lace up for a family skate; bring helmets and come early for rentals. [Info]

🎨 Salty Sundays: Linocut Printmaking Workshop (Maritime Museum)
Sunday, Sept 7 | 2–4pm
Get creative with linocut printmaking—beginners welcome! [Info]

🛍️ Oak Bay Night Market
Wednesday, Sept 10 | 4–8pm
Evening market with local vendors, food, and live music—perfect midweek outing. [Info]

🥕 Woodside Farm’s Fresh Food Experience
Saturday, Sept 14 | 10am-4pm
Bring your family for some fun in the sun, eat some fresh garden food, pet the friendly animals, take a hay ride, run the Apple Maze and so much more! [Info]

🍎 Sooke Apple Festival
Sunday, Sept 21 | 10am–3pm
Celebrate the harvest with a free, family-friendly day at Sunriver Orchard! Enjoy heritage apple varieties, pie by the slice, cider, live music, kids’ activities, apple-press demos, and a chance to support the community garden. [Info]

Final Note: I do my best to keep everything accurate, but I am only human so the odd mistake might sneak in! If you catch one, feel free to let me know.