The Comox Valley is filled with creativity, fine cuisine and wide range of the outdoor activities. Situated halfway up the east coast of Vancouver Island, this community of 65,000 is situated between stunning mountains and the sea. It has the charm of a small town but with a touch of urban sophistication and style. The Comox Valley is comprised of three communities, the City of Courtenay, Town of Comox, Village of Cumberland and the surrounding rural farm areas.
There are many festivals throughout the year which celebrate everything from music and shellfish, to fine art and aviation. And with more than 400 farmers and food producers in the region, the diverse selection of restaurants focus on the farm to fork and tide to table culinary tradition with menus featuring the freshest of seasonally local ingredients.
Culture and Local Attractions
Nim Nim Interpretive Centre: Features cultural treasures of the K’ómoks people and family of the late Chief Nim Nim.
Courtenay & District Museum and Paleontology Centre: Local culture and history, flora and fauna, fascinating glimpses into First Nations culture, early pioneering life and the paleontology of the region are all on display. The museum’s star attraction is the reconstructed 14 metre-long fossilized skeleton of an Elasmosaur! Take a guided trip with a museum expert and dig for fossils in the banks of the Puntledge River.
The HMCS Alberni Museum and Memorial: Located in downtown Comox, this museum honours the men who served on the Canadian Corvette HMCS Alberni between 1941 and 1945.
Comox Museum & Archives: Learn about the history, development and exploration of Comox and Vancouver Island through to modern times.
Comox Air Force Museum: Boasts an outdoor Heritage Airpark that takes you on a journey through the colourful aviation history of CFB Comox.
Union Bay Museum: Located along Heritage Row in Union Bay.
Denman Island Museum: Located at 1111 Northwest Road, Denman Island.
I-HOS Gallery: For contemporary native art, the I-Hos Gallery showcases the jewellery, carving, paintings and other works of Vancouver Island First Nation artists.
Spirits of the West Coast Native Art Gallery: Explore the largest variety of authentic Native Art and Jewellery in this area. Enjoy beautiful Totem Poles, Silver and Gold Jewellery, Masks, Prints, Paddles, Argillite and other Carvings from local Master Carvers. Drop by and learn more about the Haida, Coast Salish, Kwakwaka’wakw and other Northwest Coast Native Cultures. Find beautiful and affordable gifts, as well as one of a kind masterpieces.
Comox Valley Art Gallery: Comox Valley Art Gallery regularly features the works of local and visiting artists, while numerous other galleries and countless festivals throughout the year celebrate the creative culture of the Valley and the West Coast.
Sid Williams Theatre: Check out an impressive year-round line-up of music, theatre, dance, and comedy at the Sid Williams Theatre in downtown Courtenay.
Mt Washington Ski Resort: 1700 acres of terrain are serviced by 5 lifts and 4 Magic Carpets at Mount Washington Alpine Resort. In the warmer months visitors can ride chair lifts to the top of Mount Washington for stunning views of the Comox Valley and beyond. Mountain bikers will be very happy to hear lift-access downhill biking will re-open this season. Hikers should make for the Raven Lodge and explore the trails and boardwalks of Paradise Meadows.
Local Schools
North Island College offers approximately 900 individual courses, and approximately 70 credit programs. North Island College has 4 campuses and 4 learning centres.
North Island College International offers several options for international students looking to complete their post-secondary education.
Excel Career College is a private post-secondary college that has been providing education to the community since 1989. Excel offers full-time college programs, corporate training, computer and business courses and private instruction.
Sprott-Shaw Community College provides small class sizes, qualified instructors, hands-on training and a friendly appropriate learning environment for adults of all ages.
