Sooke - Sooke

Sooke is a town of 13,000 people (2016) at the southernmost end of Vancouver Island. Sooke is best done as a day-trip from Victoria but can also be a stopover on the way to Port Renfrew.

Looking south from Whiffen Spit

Get in

It is possible to take a bus to Sooke (Take the #61 bus from downtown Victoria. There are about 20 buses daily. The trip takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes and costs $3.00) but you will be restricted to the small residential core of Sooke. It is also possible to bike (or walk!) to Sooke along the Galloping Goose Regional Trail, which is connected to Victoria and Langford and passes just east of Sooke. The best way to get to Sooke is to drive; take Highway 14 (Sooke Road) SW from Langford.

There is n bus service to East Sooke via Sooke and the bus stop at the 17 Mile Pub. This allows access by bus to the Anderson Cove entrance to East Sooke Park.

Get around

The best way to explore Sooke is on foot, but once you want to go see some of the sights beyond the four block town centre, you will need a car.

See

The town of Sooke is basically a starting point for trips farther west up the island and is quickly becoming a larger community as the city quickly expands. For things to do in Sooke, visit the Sooke Region Museum , take a trip out Whiffen Spit, especially during a tide shift where you can watch the seals eat salmon and fish as they are washed out of the basin, and hike the trails of East Sooke Park, which is across the Sooke Basin from the town of Sooke.

Do

Lush rainforest in East Sooke Park

Check out a few of the interesting shops in the town's heart. Once you tire of this, jump in your car and head out to see some of the town's more natural sights:

  • East Sooke Park is a huge regional park located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. With over 50 km of hiking trails through forests and along rocky coasts, this is one of the most underappreciated hiking locations in Greater Victoria. To reach, drive east out of Sooke along Highway 14 and turn right on Gillespie Road (turn left, just past the 17 Mile Pub if coming from Langford or Victoria). Follow Gillespie Road to East Sooke Road where you can turn right to access the Pike Road and Anderson Cove entrances, or turn left then right on Becher Bay Road to reach the Aylard Farm entrance.
  • You will pass Roche Cove Park on Gillespie Road on your way to East Sooke. There are a few trails here and if you don't have time to explore the expansive East Sooke Park, then this is a nice alternative.
  • 1 Sooke Potholes Provincial Park (Turn onto Sooke River Road on the east side of the Sooke River bridge (left if heading from Sooke, right if heading from Victoria) and follow the road to the park.). A very popular location for a dip during the summer for Victoria residents. The Sooke River plunges through a series of deep pits creating perfect cool pools to take a plunge on a hot day. 
  • 2 Whiffin Spit is a 1-km-long spit of sand that stretches out into the ocean, protecting Sooke Harbour. A pleasant walk to the tip of the spit past sandy beaches can be done here. To reach, follow Highway 14 west out of town, then turn left on Whiffen Spit Road.
  • The Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra. Under the direction of Norman Nelson since 1997, performs six sets of concerts annually. There is a workshop for musicians who need a tune-up, and a concerto competition for tomorrow's stars. See their website for concert dates and venues. 

Buy

  • Saltwest Naturals, 7585 Lemare Cres, ☏ 1 778-977-3994. W-F 11AM-5PM. Cooking salts and bath salt products, infused salts (e.g., lemon, onion & garlic, chocolate, maple, ancho chili, salt & pepper). Ask for a tour of their plant. (updated May 2018)
  • Marshall-Inman Gallery, 4568 Otter Point Rd (take Hwy 14/Sooke Road (which becomes West Coast Road) for 10 km, turn right into Otter Point Road at Gordons Beach (and not before), take the second entrance on right), ☏ 1 250 642-5555. Daily 10AM-5PM. Wood & pottery workshops and gallery on a llama farm overlooking the Juan de Fuca Strait 10 min from Sooke Village. Call ahead. Woodwork, hand-crafted furniture, pottery & clay art. (updated May 2018)
  • Blue Raven Gallery, 1971 Kaltasin Rd, ☏ 1 250-881-0528, ✉. Jewellery, stone carving, glass, totems, masks, prints. (updated May 2018)

Eat

  • 17 Mile House Pub, 5126 Sooke Road, ☏ 1 250-642-5942. This pub-style restaurant is (you guessed it!) 17 miles away from Victoria, along Highway 14. If heading from Sooke it will be on your left. 
  • 1 Mom's Cafe, 2036 Shields Road, ☏ 1 250-642-3314. Mom's is the most popular restaurant in Sooke and the perfect place to fill yourself up after a hike at East Sooke. This diner-style restaurant that opened in the 1970s is on the corner of Shields Road and Eustace Road in downtown Sooke. 
  • 2 Stone Pipe Grill, 2038 Otter Point Rd (corner of Sooke/West Coast Rd & Otter Point Rd), ☏ 1 250-642-0566. Daily 11AM - 9PM. Serves a tasty mix of sandwiches, burgers, steaks and curries. 
  • Point No Point Resort, 1505 West Coast Road, ☏ 1 250 646-2020. West, outside of Sooke. Serves lunch and tea daily. 
  • Sooke Harbour House, 1528 Whiffen Spit Road, ☏ 1 250-642-3421, toll-free: 1-800-889-9688, ✉. 5:30PM-9PM. (updated Jun 2015)

Sleep

There are numerous B&Bs and campgrounds around Sooke, but here is a selection of some of the pricier and more interesting accomnodations:

Go next

Your only real options are to drive west along Highway 14 to explore the Juan de Fuca beaches and Port Renfrew, or head back to Victoria.

However, the Galloping Goose Trail, a hiking and biking trail between Victoria and Sooke, passes near the town. Two convenient access points are the 3 Ludlow Rd Parking Lot and the 4 Sooke River Rd Parking Lot.

If you have a couple of days and want a coastal hike, consider the Juan de Fuca Marine Trail which runs between Port Renfrew and Jordan River. Unlike the longer West Coast Trail, the Juan de Fuca Trail has fewer logistical challenges and has several access trails along the route so it is possible to complete the whole distance or do shorter day trips as time or weather dictates.

Routes through Sooke
Port Renfrew ← Juan de Fuca Provincial Park ← W BC-14.svg E → Langford → Victoria via BC-1 (TCH).svg
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