I came to Salt Spring Island on the first weekend of October to attend the Paper Covers Rock Festival, where I taught a class on Filipino folklore. Getting to Salt Spring from Vancouver is easy. You have to drive to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal, and catch a Gulf Islands ferry to Long Harbour. The locals refer to the route I took as the milk run route, where it stops at various islands before it goes on Salt Spring. This route is more frequent and is two hours long, but I’ve been told there’s a more direct ferry that is less frequent, but doesn’t stop much prior. I recommend this milk run route if you want the scenic view to Salt Spring Island, we spotted a whale on ours!

Go Shopping in the Village

The first thing to do is go shopping in the village! I’m a big book lover, so I immediately went to Black Sheep Books and Salt Spring Island Books. There’s also the library just in the heart of the village. There is a lot of artisan crafts sold in the heart of the village too! We just missed having lunch at Buzzy Luncheonette and Barb’s Bakery, which are both top rated. We enjoyed walking along the boardwalk, and sitting in the park after the long trip on the ferry.

Treehouse Cafe

Treehouse Cafe is a cute little cafe with a tree growing inside of it. Highly recommend their hummus platter, only because the naan is out of this world!

The Restaurant at The Saltspring Inn

We tried to get into Feast, which was highly recommended by locals. But alas, we had no reservation and it is a unique farm to table experience. But! The Inn was nearby and having a comforting meal there was great after our ferry ride. We had pub classes: chanterelle pizza, chicken wings, fries and coconut prawns.

Salt Spring Island Brewery

If you have the chance, check out the brewery on Salt Spring. Not only can you drink some fantastic local beers, but you can play board games too!

The Coffee Can

This is a cute little coffee shop in a container, and their coffee is delicious. It is also served in a little paper box, which was a surprise to me! It is clever design that reduces waste.

The Saturday Farmer’s Market

This is something you must do if you are here on a Saturday. If you do not have a car or do not want to drive around the island, most of the vendors set up shop here. We were able to get some Salt Spring Wild Cider and Salt Spring Island Cheese, and we’ll have to visit the cidery next time! But if you are looking for some beautiful handmade gifts, this is the place to be.

Del Vecchio

While at at the Farmer’s Market, we got a fresh slice of pizza from Del Vecchio, and the crust was absolutely divine! If you want a quick bite and not have to wait in line at the market at food stalls, this is a good quick bite.

Salt Spring Island Coffee

A little pit stop after the farmer’s market, we had Salt Spring’s iconic coffee at their coffee shop in the village. I enjoyed some cookies with my coffee!

Moby’s Pub

My partner really wanted a beer and a chill sit down. With scenic views of the harbour, and a free EV charger, we parked ourselves and had more delicious pub food. The service was great, the staff are so friendly!

Cassette

This was another spot locals recommended. It is a dive bar, but the burgers were delicious. Anywhere blasting 90s Mariah Carey while serving up double stacked burgers is my place.

Salt Spring Island Chocolate

Salt Spring Island Chocolate was one of our last stops, and I got some bars for gifts. Josh and I enjoyed a scoop of espresso ice cream and walked the boardwalk after.

The Fritz Movie Theatre

We didn’t go, but a local recommended this for next time. This is a movie theatre that once was a church, so it has a retro vibe! The Roses were playing, and we just missed it!