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.

Get in
From Victoria, take Highway 1 northbound to Langford. Exit on to Highway 14 (exit for Millstream Road) and follow the highway to Sooke

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.

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.

By public transit

 * Bus route 61 operates during morning and afternoon rush hours from Monday to Friday travels between downtown Victoria and Sooke. The trip takes roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes and costs $3.00. Outside of those hours, the route travels between Langford and Sooke (during this time, it connects with route 50 in Langford, which travels to and from Victoria).
 * There is 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.
 * There is 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.

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.

Do
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:


 * Potholes-SPPP.jpg
 * Potholes-SPPP.jpg
 * Potholes-SPPP.jpg

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



Cope

 * The nearest hospital is in Victoria.

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 and the.

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.