If you’re looking for some fun ideas for accessible day trips from Victoria and you use a wheelchair, check out this great list of places to visit that are easy to explore in a wheelchair!
1. Whiffen Spit in Sooke
Here I am in Sooke at Whiffin Spit park. There is good parking close to the entrance.
It is very accessible and anybody could go there in a power chair, a scooter or a manual chair. There is a wide gravel path and you can see the ocean on both sides.
We took a picnic but the tables were not accessible. My family sat on a bench and we had our lunch anyway.
2. Island View Beach
When I went to Island View Beach, I tried the blue mat that lets you wheel closer to the water. It is a great idea but a very short walk!
The beach has beautiful views of the ocean and you can see Mount Baker in the United States.
3. Malahat Skywalk
Malahat Skywalk has great accessible parking near the entrance.
There is an easy wooden walkway through the forest – with a few short bits that might feel steep if you are pushing yourself or have someone pushing you.
I recommend using a power chair if you have one, but we were able to make it with my manual chair.
When you get to the building, the walkway up to the top is a gentle slope, so everyone should be able to do it. I felt comfortable coming back down.
There is a great view at the top.
4. Goldstream Park
At Goldstream Park we found accessible parking and a wide pathway to the nature house.
There were some places where a power chair would be easier than a manual because of the slight hill, but ok if someone is pushing you.
We went in the fall when the leaves were turning beautiful colours. Some of the trees are really big!
In the nature house we saw some animals on display: bear, beaver, racoon and some birds. Of course they were not alive.
If you are really lucky, around the middle of November, you might see the salmon. Lots of salmon come back to the river where they were born so they can lay their eggs.
This is a great spot for a picnic and there are accessible tables near the parking spots. Come and visit!
5. BC Forest Discovery Center
One of my favorite places to go is the BC Forest Discovery Center in Duncan. You can take an accessible ride on a real steamtrain and see lots of old-time trains, cars and equipment.
Check their website before you go to see if they are running the steam train or the gas train on the day of your visit.
Also check their to make sure it’s open before you go, as they are closed some days of the week.
I wrote more about my experiences at the Forest Discovery Center here in this article – check it out to learn more about how to navigate it in a wheelchair.
You can also read my articles on why you should ride the Halloween Train and the Christmas Train here in these articles.
Summary
So those are some of my favorite day trips to go on near Victoria, BC! Hope you enjoy them!
