Your Top 10 Things to do in Campbell River, B.C. in May 2026
- May 19
- 11 min read
Luxx Life Canada Real Estate Group
May in Campbell River is that rare sweet spot — the Island is waking up, the trails are clearing, the golf courses are lush, the crowds haven't arrived yet, and the whole world feels like it's been freshly washed and set out to dry in the sun.
This is the month. Right now. This is when Campbell River shines.
Whether you're a local rediscovering your own backyard, a visitor stepping off the ferry for the first time, or someone seriously considering making this extraordinary place your home — this guide is for you. Pull on your boots, top up your coffee, and let's get into it.
ELK FALLS PROVINCIAL PARK & THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE
The One That Stops You in Your Tracks
If you do nothing else in Campbell River this May, do this.
Elk Falls Provincial Park sits just minutes from downtown — a short drive out Highway 28 — and it delivers one of the most dramatic natural experiences on Vancouver Island. The Campbell River thunders through a narrow basalt canyon and drops spectacularly over Elk Falls, one of the most photographed waterfalls in BC.
The suspension bridge spanning the gorge puts you directly above it all — the rushing water below, old-growth Douglas fir and western red cedar towering above, eagles occasionally drifting overhead. It's the kind of view that makes you stop mid-sentence and just stand there.
In May specifically: The falls are running strong and full. The forest is intensely, vividly green. Wildflowers are emerging along the trail edges. Crowds are still light compared to the summer rush. It's as good as it gets.
The park also connects to the Millennium Trail network and the Canyon View Trail (more on that next), so you can build a full day of exploration using Elk Falls as your anchor.
Practical info: Parking lot off Brewster Lake Road, approximately 2 km from Campbell River along Hwy 28. Free to access. Accessible for most fitness levels. Dogs welcome on leash.
Pro tip: Go early morning. The light through the canyon mist in the first hours after sunrise is genuinely magical — and you'll likely have the bridge to yourself.
CANYON VIEW TRAIL
Follow the River Through Living Rainforest
Right next door to the Elk Falls experience — and deeply worth doing as a separate adventure — the Canyon View Trail is one of Campbell River's hidden gems.
This 6 km loop follows the Campbell River through some of the finest coastal rainforest on the Island. You get to cross the canyon on an 80-foot walkway, with highlights including stunning trees, whitewater rapids, and — in season — spawning salmon. The trail traces both sides of the river, looping back through old-growth forest that makes you feel genuinely small in the best possible way.
In May, the forest floor is carpeted in ferns and trilliums, the river is running high and loud, and the whole corridor feels alive. Campbell River has more than 50 kilometres of trails and 1,500 hectares of parkland and natural space — and the Canyon View Trail is among the finest of all of them.
The trailhead is at the John Hart Generating Station off Highway 28 — about 10 minutes from downtown. Look for the signs once you're in the parking lot.
In May: The river is powerful and photogenic. The forest is lush. Bears are beginning to emerge in the area (another reason to make noise on the trail). Steelhead anglers work the pools below.
Best for: Families, photographers, anyone who wants to feel like they've stepped into a nature documentary. Total loop takes just over an hour at a comfortable pace.
GOLF AT NATURALLY PACIFIC RESORT & THE CAMPBELL RIVER GOLF CLUB
World-Class Swings With Mountain Views
May is arguably the finest month to golf on Vancouver Island. The courses are lush from the spring rains, the fairways are firm but forgiving, the mornings are cool and crisp, and you're teeing off with mountain and ocean views that most golfers only dream about.
Naturally Pacific Resort offers world-class golf on its championship 18-hole course, alongside extraordinary dining, a luxury spa, an indoor pool, hot tub, and patio space with gas fire pits.
For a unique day on the green, the on-site Velocity Lounge + Driving Range offers a remarkable experience — tee up and watch virtual technology track the ball's path on screens at each bay.
Naturally Pacific Resort was recognized as one of Travel + Leisure's 100 Best New Hotels of the Year on the 2025 It List, and holds a Michelin Guide PLUS designation and AAA Four Diamond rating.
Even if you're not a golfer, the resort is worth visiting for a meal at Carve Kitchen + Meatery. The restaurant is a modern take on the classic steakhouse led by executive chef Ryan Watson, sourcing ingredients from local producers to complement its own 22,500 square-foot garden — which guests can tour twice a week starting in spring. The OMG onion rings stuffed with duck confit are not optional.
For golfers: Book tee times early — May weekends fill up. The course is playable and scenic from the very first warm days of spring.
The full experience: Golf in the morning, lunch at Carve, a stroll through the resort gardens, fire pit drinks at sunset. That's a perfect Campbell River day.
DISC GOLF
Trees, Fairways & Fresh Air — For Everyone
Campbell River's disc golf scene is one of those local secrets that residents love and visitors discover with genuine delight.
Disc golf has exploded in popularity across Vancouver Island, and Campbell River has embraced it fully. The courses here take full advantage of the natural landscape — forested holes, elevation changes, and the kind of canopy coverage that keeps you playing even if May decides to deliver one of its occasional soft rain days.
It's accessible to all ages and fitness levels, completely free to play (discs available at local sports retailers), and provides a wonderful way to spend three or four hours moving through beautiful forest with friends.
In May: The courses are in prime condition. Moss and fern are vivid underfoot. The light filters through the canopy in that specific Pacific Northwest way that makes everything look slightly cinematic.
Perfect for: Families with kids, groups of friends, solo explorers, people who want to be active outdoors without the intensity of a major hike. First-timers can pick up a starter disc for under $15 and be playing within minutes.
NATURALLY PACIFIC'S IMMERSION SPA + WELLNESS
Because Adventure Deserves a Recovery Day
You've hiked the canyon. You've played 18 holes. You've kayaked the estuary. Now: you rest, and you do it beautifully.
Immersion Spa + Wellness at Naturally Pacific Resort blends coastal tranquility with contemporary design to create an experience that feels both restorative and refined. Guests are welcomed into an atmosphere inspired by the elements, where thoughtful details and curated spaces encourage deep relaxation from the moment you arrive.
The spa's signature experience centres around its soothing mineral pool, state-of-the-art experience showers, and a collection of treatments designed to nurture body and mind. Therapies feature celebrated wellness brands including Nuakiri MD, Aromatherapy Associates, and Kerstin Florian.
Immersion Spa + Wellness offers a full range of signature body treatments, massages, facials, and beauty services — including blowouts, waxing, pedicures, and manicures — designed to support optimal wellness.
In May: Spring is the perfect time for a reset. Pre-summer rush, this is the quiet window when you can book a treatment without the August madness. Split the day however you like — adventures in the morning, spa in the afternoon.
Book ahead: Treatments fill up, especially on weekends. Call 1.866.910.4567 or book online at naturallypacific.ca.
KAYAKING THE CAMPBELL RIVER ESTUARY
Paddle Into One of BC's Most Productive Wild Spaces
The Campbell River estuary is one of those places that reminds you why people fall permanently in love with this part of the world.
A rich, living interface between the river system and the Discovery Passage, the estuary is a haven for wildlife — blue herons stalking the shallows, seals hauled out on exposed gravel bars, eagles in the cottonwoods, possibly a black bear working the river's edge. In May, the estuary is active and wild in equal measure.
Kayaking here puts you at water level — in the thick of it, quiet enough not to disturb the wildlife, close enough to feel genuinely immersed. Single and double kayaks are available from local outfitters, and guided tours are available for those who want context and expertise along with their paddling.
The route: Launch from the estuary access points and explore the channels, sloughs, and tidal margins at your own pace. Early morning is best — glassy water, active wildlife, and the mountains of the Discovery Passage reflected in perfect stillness.
Skill level: Suitable for beginners in calm conditions. The estuary is sheltered and manageable for newcomers to kayaking. Guided options available.
In May: Water temperatures are rising, days are long, and the estuary is buzzing with birdlife as migratory species pass through. Expect bald eagles, great blue herons, mergansers, and if you're lucky, a seal surfacing alongside your boat.
THE ROTARY SEAWALK & BICYCLING TO QUADRA ISLAND
Miles of Beauty, Right at the Water's Edge
The Rotary Seawalk is a beautiful 8 km paved walkway that follows the shoreline of Discovery Passage. If you have a bike, the Greenways Loop circles the city along nature trails, pathways, and the seawalk for an even longer adventure.
The seawalk winds through waterfront parks, past public art and First Nations totem poles, with the Discovery Passage shimmering beside you the entire way. On a clear May day, the mountains of the mainland are visible across the water. Seals and eagles are regulars.
But the real adventure? Cycling to Quadra Island.
Load your bike onto the BC Ferries crossing from downtown Campbell River — a 10-minute ride across the Discovery Passage — and arrive on Quadra Island for a completely different world. The island's road network is perfectly suited to cycling: manageable hills, low traffic, and destinations worth pedalling to.
On Quadra by bike:
Rebecca Spit Marine Provincial Park — a stunning sandspit with views back toward Campbell River and out to the Strait of Georgia
Heriot Bay and the Heriot Bay Inn — a legendary pub with a patio and cold beer at the finish line
April Point Resort — waterfront dining and gorgeous Discovery Passage views
Local art studios and galleries — Quadra has a vibrant arts community
In May: The ferry runs regularly, the roads are quiet before summer tourism arrives, and the wildflowers on Quadra are spectacular. This is a full-day adventure that costs almost nothing and delivers everything.
MCIVOR LAKE & THE SURROUNDING LAKES DISTRICT
Crystal Water, Forest Trails & That Feeling You Can't Put Into Words
Campbell River is ringed by lakes — and in May, as the air warms and the days grow long, they become irresistible.
McIvor Lake is a local favourite — a beautiful lake surrounded by forest, accessible by a short trail that loops around its perimeter. The McIvor Lake Trail is a moderately challenging 1.2-mile loop that's great for hiking, mountain biking, and trail running. The lake itself is pristine, the forest around it feels ancient, and on a warm May morning the reflections on the water are extraordinary.
But McIvor is just the beginning. The lakes of the Campbell River region include:
Buttle Lake (Strathcona Provincial Park) — One of BC's great lake experiences. The Buttle Lake shoreline trail winds through old-growth at the water's edge with mountain reflections that photographers travel across the country to capture.
Upper Campbell Lake — Huge, wild, and easily accessible from Hwy 28. Fishing, kayaking, and simply sitting by the water watching osprey dive.
Brewster Lake — Quiet and local, popular with families for spring picnics and fishing.
Mohun Lake — A hidden gem with a provincial campsite and stunning forest surroundings.
In May: Trout fishing opens up across the region's lakes. Water levels are high and clear. Campgrounds begin to open — Strathcona's lakeside sites are among the best in BC. The days are long enough to hike in and still have time to fish before dinner.
Take a picnic. Take a kayak. Take a fishing rod. Or just take yourself and sit by the water for an hour. All of it counts.
TRAIL RIDES: ON HORSEBACK OR BY ATV
Get Deep Into the Backcountry
There are ways to see the landscape of Campbell River that a trail map simply can't prepare you for — and a guided trail ride is one of them.
Whether you're in the saddle of a horse winding through old-growth corridors and creek crossings, or behind the handlebars of an ATV cutting through logging roads and wilderness trails with the mountains visible above the treeline — this is adventure that gets into your bones.
Horseback trail rides offer a pace that matches the landscape perfectly — slow enough to notice the details, elevated enough to see over the underbrush, quiet enough to spot wildlife that would disappear before a noisier machine arrived. Spring riding means green meadows, blooming wildflowers, and horses that are as happy to be outside as their riders.
ATV tours take you to terrain that's otherwise inaccessible — the high ridgelines, the backcountry logging roads, the creek crossings, the viewpoints that overlook the whole Campbell River region from above. Local guide operators know these routes intimately and know how to read the spring conditions.
In May: Trails are opening up. The backcountry is accessible but still feels genuinely remote. This is the sweet spot.
Book with a local outfitter: Check with Destination Campbell River (campbellriver.travel) for current operators and availability. Group and private options available.
RIPPLE ROCK & DISCOVERY PASSAGE WILDLIFE TOURS
The Legend Under the Water — and What Lives Above It
Every Campbell River resident knows the story of Ripple Rock.
Ripple Rock was a former underwater mountain located in the Seymour Narrows of the Discovery Passage. It was blown up in 1958 in a blast that reached 1,000 feet high — at the time, the largest non-nuclear peacetime explosion in history. The rock had been responsible for sinking over 100 vessels and killing more than 100 sailors. Its removal transformed navigation through the Discovery Passage.
Today, you can view the Seymour Narrows from the Ripple Rock Trail — a moderately challenging hike that ends at a viewpoint above some of the fastest tidal water in the world. The narrows are genuinely dramatic — water churning through the passage at speeds that make the surface boil and spin.
Discovery Passage wildlife tours offer opportunities to see everything from bald eagles to humpback whales, seals, and sea lions. Eagle Eye Adventures, celebrating 25 years of wildlife tours, is the first certified Responsible Whale Watching Company in the world — based right here in Campbell River.
In May: Early humpback whales are appearing in the passage. Grey whales continue their northward migration. Orca sightings begin to increase as the season progresses. Peak whale watching season runs June through September, but May sightings are increasingly common — and the boats are less crowded.
Discovery Pier downtown is also worth a visit — the seasonal concession opens in May, rod rentals become available, and even non-anglers come down for the famous ice cream cones and the chance to watch what comes up from the deep.
BONUS: DON'T MISS THESE IN MAY
🍺 Beach Fire Brewing — House-made brews, communal seating, and a lively environment with live music, trivia, and comedy nights. The perfect end to an active day.
🐟 Discovery Pier Fishing — Built-in rod holders, bait stands, fish cleaning tables, and covered areas make this downtown pier a classic Campbell River experience. The seasonal concession stand opens in May.
🌊 Campbell River Farmers Market — Opens in spring and becomes a Saturday ritual. Local produce, artisan goods, prepared food, and the warmest community gathering in the city.
🦅 Bald Eagle Watching at the Estuary — Campbell River has one of the highest concentrations of nesting bald eagles on the BC coast. The estuary and river mouth in May are prime viewing territory.
🏛️ Museum at Campbell River — An award-winning institution where you can explore vibrant contemporary exhibits of First Nations cultures, sit behind the wheel of early logging equipment, and connect with the layered history of this remarkable region. A rainy May afternoon well spent.
🥃 Shelter Point Distillery — An artisanal distillery producing acclaimed single malt whisky and other spirits from Vancouver Island grain and water. Tours and tastings available — a genuinely unique Island experience.
🎸 Spirit Square (June preview) — Free live music begins in Spirit Square in June — Wednesday evenings early in the season, then Fridays later on. By late May the energy is already building.
THE FINAL WORD
Here's the truth about Campbell River in May:
The crowds haven't arrived. The prices are still shoulder season. The trails are in perfect condition. The golf courses are green and gorgeous. The spa is quiet enough to actually book. The water is alive with wildlife. And the days are getting longer by the minute — more light, more time, more of everything this place has to offer.
May in Campbell River isn't just a good time to visit.
It's the best time to remember why you live here — or to realize, for the first time, that maybe you should.
Questions about living in Campbell River or exploring the region? I'm here.
Thinking about buying or selling on Vancouver Island? Let's talk.