Help- need advice on visiting Vancouver Island in the winter

[rickvikki]

Hello everyone: We are thinking of spending this winter on Vancouver Island. I have been looking at a few rv parks open in the winter near Victoria. I would really appreciate any tips on where to stay, is the weather ok in the winter (Nov to March)? I know it will be rainy, but hoping there are days you can actually get out in the kayak etc. Our other option is Osoyoos, BC. but from what I see the weather is a bit too cold to spend Nov. to March there. What are your opinions on Osoyoos.

Thanks, Vikki and Rick

[trigley]

One thing I forgot to mention is that with the present El Nino the coast is having an extremely hot summer. The water will probably be warmer and this may result in a drier than normal fall as has already been the case with the summer.

[trigley]

For a few years before and after retirement we traveled to the wet coast (Vancouver Island) several tomes at various seasons to see if we wanted to move there. We did not take an RV.
Not being large city people we avoided Victoria and found the area north & south of Nanaimo more to our liking, say from Chemainus to Parksville\Qualicum.
We bought good rain suits and resolved to be active regardless even when raining. Nov Dec, very short days as elsewhere but seemed worse as often heavily clouded and very dull by mid afternoon. The dampness can certainly chill you and seemed worse than similar temperatures as home would. I found night driving uncomfortable in the city as streets were usually wet resulting in a lot of light reflection.
Feb March days are getting longer, seemed to be more sun, nice greenery, flowers coming out on shrubs,lots of nice hiking and biking. Sure there was still rain but tolerable. They can get some real storms though with very strong winds. It seemed the temperature was often higher when it was raining probably because of the air coming off the ocean as opposed to the mainland.
We didn't move, more for family reasons. Would we go again? Sure but probably not before mid Feb. probably not with an RV and probably because the dollar value or health made it unattractive to go south.

Osoyoos. We have not stayed there in the winter but know many who have. (Not Rv's). The common comment seems to be the lack of sunshine.
You could probably find the sun by taking a short drive out of the valley but you would be entering winter. We did buy a recreation property in another B.C. valley closer to home. Definitely more wintry than the Okanagan but factors are probably similar. Based on our experience I think you could anticipate midwinter, 0C type temperatures with only a very few degrees difference between daytime highs and nighttime lows. Limited winds ard less fluctuations in weather conditions than we get east of the mountains. Also limited precipitation.

[Tothill]

It really depends on what else you want to do over the winter.

On Vancouver Island you can golf year round, Kayak - just dress for the weather, fish, hike, visit wineries, just about everything you can do in the summer. The days are just cooler, damper and shorter.

Snow is a rare thing and because many locals cannot drive well in it, it is best to avoid the roads. My son's university in Nanaimo closes if there is snow, because the campus is built on a hillside and there are stairs running up and down. They cannot keep the clear of snow and it is a safety concern.

[n7bsn]

Actually as you move up to coast to say Parksville there are more parks open all winter, and you might find the rates lower.
All depends on your wants and needs.

Most years if you see any snow, it will be melted by the end of the day. Rarely it will last a couple days. Very rarely (every 10 to 20 years) there will be a heavy wet snow that will last a week or more. If you know that's coming, just plan on sitting tight.

[bcbouy]

osoyoos is ok in the winter if you don't plan on doing anything. to say it's quiet is an understatement.my fil lives there and we don't visit till the summer.there's just nothing to do.victoria is beauliful all year long.it can get a little windy sometimes,but its fairly mild.lots of great museums and things like that.lots of things to see and do.i lived there for a couple years back in the late 80',early 90's.