The Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina offers the seclusion one is looking for while camping, yet with the amenities and conveniences one desires. Surrounded by forest and ocean, and located in the wilds of Metchosin, you feel like you are out in the middle of nowhere, but in reality, only 30 km's from the bustling city of Victoria.
We booked a three-night stay at this RV resort at the beginning of July and were pleasantly impressed.
Highlights
- Semi-private sites
- Oceanfront sites available (some with private viewing decks)
- Pull-through sites available
- Full hookups
- Cable TV and Wi-Fi internet (although no cell service)
- Coffee House and Snack Bar
- Onsite store, complete with fishing tackle and equipment
- Clean washrooms with private showers (coin-operated – $1.00 for 4 minutes of hot water)
- Full-service marina
- Boat-launch ramp
- Boat, kayak, and paddleboard rentals
- Fishing gear rentals
- Laundry facilities (coin-operated)
- Extremely friendly and helpful staff
As you can see from the image above, each site is separated by tall cedar hedges, which offers a lot more privacy than many other privately run campgrounds. And yes, just like it shows in the photo, the grounds are truly immaculate!
We highly recommend splurging on one of the Premium Oceanfront sites (sites 35 – 52). And for a bit of extra indulgence, sites 35, 36 & 37 are labelled as Ultra Premium sites for their private wooden viewing balconies!
For those that enjoy the most modern conveniences while camping, the resort will loan you cable boxes, or power adapters (as some sites are 50 amp only) for a deposit. When you return these items upon checkout, bring in your receipt for a refund. And although the area has no cell-coverage (what so ever), the resort does offer free Wifi…which actually works!
There is also an onsite coffee shop and store, which offers freshly baked goodies and a few breakfast and lunch items. The store carries a variety of goods, including a few grocery items, games, clothing, hats, locally made products, and a great variety of tackle and fishing gear.
Dog-Friendly?
Dogs are welcome at the resort but must remain under control and on a leash at all times. There is a small off-leash play area available for your convenience.
Family-Friendly?
Although the Resort doesn't have a playground (much to the disappointment of my kids), there are still plenty of things for them to do. Our children enjoyed riding their bikes on the paved roads of the Resort and playing outdoor games in the picnic and viewing area.
The highlight for them was being able to fish from the marina docks. We brought our own fishing gear with us, however, if that is not an option for you, gear is available to rent or buy from the onsite store.
The only thing to be mindful of is the Otters and Harbour Seals. They also like to “fish” around the docks, and often take the bait right from you (but not in an overly aggressive kind of way)!
Wildlife Viewing Opportunities
The area is surrounded by wilderness, so wildlife is in abundance. Harbour Seals and Otters hang out near the marina docks, while Eagles soar overhead. We also saw plenty of deer and a few racoons (even wandering around during the day).
While there are no warnings posted about leaving food containers out, we had a bit of an uneasy confrontation with two racoons during the night. They got into our dog's food bin (which was latched shut), and we had a hard time getting them to leave. After that, we made sure everything was put away each night…including the BBQ.
Fishing Opportunities
The resort is situated on the waters of Juan de Fuca Strait, which offers some of the best fishing opportunities on Southern Vancouver Island. The Strait is the key migration route for all five species of Pacific Salmon, which makes the waters in front of this resort a great location for fishing year-round.
People also have great luck with Halibut, Rock (bottom) Fish, and crabbing.
In fact, as you can see from the image above, a large crab grabbed hold of our son's fishing line and bait right at the dock!
If you'd rather book a fishing charter, the Resort has that option too.
Boat Rentals
In order to get the most out of our experience, we decided to rent a boat from the Resort. They boast that “Pedder Bay Marina maintains the largest and most affordable fleet of fishing boat rentals on Vancouver Island”. While I can't confirm nor deny this claim, I will say that we were extremely happy with our rental service, and found the price quite reasonable.
Rentals are on a daily first-come, first-serve basis. So if renting a boat is something you are interested in, my suggestion is to get to the store first thing in the morning and fill out the rental agreement. Your hourly rate only starts once you leave the docks. We had absolutely no problems securing a mid-week rental.
Boat rental includes a marine map of the area, a fishing net, and a fish finder. All other gear is available to rent (or buy), or you can bring your own.
Other Things to Do in the Area
Matheson Lake
A short 10 – 15 minute bike ride (or half-hour walk) from the Resort will lead you to beautiful Matheson Lake.
In the hot summer months, Matheson Lake is perfect for a fresh-water swim. There is a sandy beach to enjoy a picnic on, or you can sprawl out on the rock ledges surrounding the lake. You can also bring your non-motorized or electric motorboat and try catching the stocked Rainbow Trout.
The trail leading to Matheson Lake is found in the unserviceable area of the Resort. This same trail also accesses a portion of the Galloping Goose Trail.
The Loop Trail
If hiking is your thing…the loop trail that surrounds Matheson Lake is 3.8 km's long and should take you approximately 1.5 hours to complete. It is a moderate trail, with a few challenging sections along the western section of the route. The views are totally worth the effort!
The trail does not allow bikes, but there is a bike rack conveniently placed at the trail entrance (I would suggest using a bike lock if you are planning on walking the entire loop).
As long as your dog remains under control at all times, dogs are allowed on the trail off-leash. However, from June 1 – September 15, they must remain on a leash when passing through the beach area. Dogs are not permitted to stay in the beach area.
East Sooke Park
A 10-minute drive from the Resort you will find East Sooke Regional Park, or more specifically, the Ayland Farm access point.
Encompassing 1422 hectares of natural and protected coastal landscape, East Sooke Park is the largest in the Capital Regional District. There are over 50 km's of trail systems within the park, including the challenging Coast Trail.
The Ayland Farm access point is popular for picnickers and those looking for easy excursions. A 5-minute walk through an open field leads you to a pocket beach (shown in the image above). This beach is the perfect spot to discover intertidal life or watch River Otters scurrying across the sand.
Driving Directions from Pedder Bay Resort
- Head northwest on Pedder Bay Drive towards Rocky Point Road
- Turn left onto East Sooke Road
- Turn left onto Becher Bay Road
- Follow to the very end
So tell me, have you stayed at Pedder Bay RV Resort and Marina?
Please let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Although we may differ in opinions on the type of campsite we like, our recent stay here was the beginning of one of the best holidays I’ve had in a long time!
Yes, and there is a great lesson here…being without the ability to use your cell phone is a REALLY good thing!