6 Things About Life On Vancouver Island That Made Me Realize It Isn't For Me
There are so many things I'd miss in Vancouver! 😢
Ashley Harris. Right: Vancouver Island.
The views expressed in this Opinion article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Narcity Media.
Don't get me wrong, Vancouver Island is a beautiful place and I love to visit it all months out of the year, but after living in Vancouver my entire life, the thought of moving there full-time sends a shiver down my spine.
I know there is just so much in my hometown of Vancouver that I would miss.
I've been to Tofino, Victoria, Nanaimo and Sidney on Vancouver Island multiple times and they are perfect, for a vacation that is.
Being close to a big city is important in my books and even though others may disagree, here are a few reasons why I could never justify settling down on the island forever.
The concert scene
Vancouver Island does get its fair share of artists, but Vancouver has Rogers Arena and BC Place which is where all those big-time performers seem more likely to hit up.
Living on the island would mean an entire weekend trip just to see one of my favourite artists sing in the city.
Being close to the mountains
Life just wouldn't be the same without easy access to all the local ski mountains, such as Cypress, Whistler and Grouse. If you're an avid skier like me, the winters in Vancouver are so great because of just how close you are to the mountains.
Plus, if you want to make a day trip to Whistler, it's super easy to do so from Vancouver.
Hitting up the wine country is much easier
Personally, I love to visit our very own wine country in Canada, the Okanagan. It's already kind of a trek to get there, and if I lived on the island, it would make it that much longer.
It takes 4 hours and 28 minutes to drive from Vancouver to Kelowna and from Vancouver Island, that's at least an additional two hours to account for.
The restaurant scene
Although Vancouver Island has a top-notch restaurant scene, the city of Vancouver just has so many more options.
Being a huge foodie, my love of trying new restaurants, plus clinging on to some of my favourites in the city, would make it just so darn hard to say goodbye.
Easy access to the U.S.
Heading to the U.S. for a weekend getaway is super easy when living close to Vancouver.
It's around a 50-minute drive from Vancouver to Peace Arch Border, making it super convenient to head over whenever I might need or want to.
The shopping
This one basically goes hand in hand with easy access to the U.S. Whether you want to dip down there for the weekend to shop, or hit up a local Canadian mall, living in Vancouver comes with so many great shopping options.
From Target in the U.S. to The Amazing Brentwood shopping mall, or even Pacific Centre, there is so much to pick and choose from.
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