• Introduction
• Islands with Natural Beauty
• Island Beach Retreats
• Grand Island Hotels
• Historic Islands
• Mediterranean Islands

Islands with Natural Beauty

Untouched swaths of wilderness and whale-dotted waters mark these escapes, where being in direct communion with the landscape is as simple as walking out the door.

VANCOUVER ISLAND, BRITISH COLUMBIA
The 12,400 square miles of wilderness here offer plenty of places to get lost among the thick groves of Sitka spruce and Douglas fir. The village of Tofino, on the island’s western coast, is the perfect base for exploring the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, a gathering ground for bald eagles, black bears, and whales. For the ultimate in deluxe adventure, stay at the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort (from $4,690/three nights all-inclusive, includes roundtrip floatplane, all meals, guided activities, and spa treatments; wildretreat.com), where guests bunk in luxury tents in the middle of a breathtaking river valley. Getting There: Take a ferry from Vancouver or Powell River, British Columbia; Seattle, Bellingham, Port Angeles, or Anacortes, Wash.; or fly to Victoria International Airport from major U.S. cities.

MAGDALEN ISLANDS, QUEBEC

The Magdalens—in the middle of the Gulf of St. Lawrence—are so remote that many of the inhabitants descend from people who were originally shipwrecked here in the early 19th century. These days, the 13,000 residents live in a handful of small towns, leaving plenty of room for rolling hills speckled with wild-flowers and country lanes. The main entry point is the ferry port on Cap-aux-Meules, from which the 50-mile Route 199 branches out to the tips of the archipelago. The 1,700-acre East Point National Wildlife Reserve provides a sanctuary for egrets and kingfishers, while red sandstone makes for spectacular cliffs best viewed via sea kayak. Domaine du Vieux Couvent (from $124/night; domaineduvieuxcouvent.com), a former convent on a seaside bluff, is an elegant retreat. Getting There: Take the ferry from Prince Edward Island or fly from Montreal to the Magdalen island of Havre aux Maisons.

CHANNEL ISLANDS, CALIFORNIA
Just 45 minutes from Santa Barbara, these islands are often considered the Galápagos of North America, thanks to the abundance of native species like the island fox and the island night lizard. Wildflower-filled canyons, secluded beaches, and remnants of a 13,000-year-old native culture are just some of the highlights. Every effort is made to conserve the islands’ pristine conditions, so visitors must bring in everything they need, even drinking water. Each island has a campground ($15/night; nps.gov/chis), some of which overlook the Santa Barbara Channel, home to many whale and dolphin species. Getting There: Take a ferry from Ventura or Santa Barbara, or fly from Camarillo to Santa Rosa Island, Calif. 

ORCAS, SAN JUAN ISLANDS, WASHINGTON

The best place to view Orcas’s fjordlike central harbor is from the 2,400-foot summit of Mount Constitution (the highest point in the San Juans). You’ll hike past waterfalls and lakes to Douglas fir–lined ridges, and, with luck and binoculars, spot a passing pod of the island’s namesake mammal. The rugged shoreline, with countless inlets and pebbly beaches, is enticing for kayakers and hikers alike. Check into the Outlook Inn (from $64/night; outlookinn.com), a blend of 19th-century bed-and-breakfast rooms and modern suites with patios and window seats overlooking the tranquil expanses of East Sound. Getting There: Take the popular Washington State ferry from Anacortes (1.5 hours north of Seattle), or fly from Seattle via floatplane or airplane.

GULF ISLANDS, BRITISH COLUMBIA

The six main islands at the southern end of this archipelago are usually overlooked stops on the ferry route between Vancouver (on the mainland) and Victoria (on the southern tip of Vancouver Island). But these conifer-studded retreats—picking up where the northernmost San Juan Islands leave off and filling the Strait of Georgia with secluded coves, sandstone cliffs, and densely forested ridges—are worth the detour and are ripe for exploration. Disembark at Sturdies Bay, on Galiano Island, and hike to the top of Mount Galiano for panoramic views of mist-shrouded old-growth forests, tidal lagoons, and passing pods of whales that patrol the placid straits between islands. Beneath the surf, divers in dry suits swim among sea anemones, six-gill sharks, giant Pacific octopuses, and well-preserved wrecks, while circling kayakers wait until midnight to stir up pools of phosphorescence with their paddles. Head toward the northern tip of the island, where the lone cabin of Hidden Ridge B&B (from $130/night; hiddenridgegaliano.com) is an enclosed, single-room gazebo with French doors leading to a patio high above the sea. Getting There: Take a ferry from Tsawwassen (40 minutes south of Vancouver), or a floatplane from Vancouver.

See Fort Lauderdale Travel Guide