Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina, Victoria, BC.
After what seemed like an eternity in Nanaimo, March 1st brought with it our first move in three long months. Our original plan when we first set out on this crazy adventure was to spend the winter at Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina but we were unable to secure a reservation. In hindsight, it probably worked out for the best as we heard from some of the people who did spend the winter there that they got substantially more rain then we did in Nanaimo, which seems impossible. I would have hated for all the winter rain to influence my opinion about the park, because, spoiler alert, this park is awesome!
Location
Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina lies just 20 minutes South West of Langford, BC which is right on Hwy 1. It is also just 20 minutes from Sooke and 5 minutes from the small village of Metchosin. It’s very unique location makes it feel both remote and conveniently located, if that make sense. The town of Sooke has everything you’ll need for your stay, the city of Langford has anything you’ll want. Between the two you have ample choice for groceries, gas, restaurants and shops. We prefer to avoid the big box establishments and support smaller, local businesses wherever possible. I found the most convenient place for groceries to be The Red Barn Market, a small locally owned farm stand that has grown into a chain of small grocers. As a rule, we try to eat as little processed food as possible and The Red Barn Market had everything we needed. If you’re like us and and you like to let someone else cook occasionally there are two great options less than 5 minutes away. We usually eat out once a week and we tried both My Chosen Café and My Chosen Pizza which are located in the same building in Metchosin. Both were fantastic! We also ate at the West Coast Grill which is located inside the Prestige Oceanfront Resort in Sooke. The resort is located right on the coast with beautiful views of the ocean. Make sure to make a reservation if you want a window seat. The catch of the day that day was Snapper so we both had to try the Fish & Chips and it was probably the best Fish & Chips I’ve had in a long time, if not ever. The meal was ample and included a small bowl of chowder, which, as someone who is not a huge seafood person, was not for me; but Lesley loved it. If you’re looking for fantastic food, a fine dining atmosphere and affordable prices, definitely make the drive to Sooke and check out The West Coast Grill. The marina at Pedder Bay had it’s own little Café which I’ll touch more when I talk about the park’s services.
The island in the middle of Matheson Lake.
Pedder Bay has a lot more to offer than just groceries, shops and restaurants. It is just 2 minutes away from Matheson Lake Regional Park, which offers a great hiking trail around the lake and a perfect place for water activates and fishing. The best part is that you can access the park from the Galloping Goose Trail, a 60 km trail that runs from Victoria to Sooke and is perfect for cycling, if that’s your thing. There is a small side trail less than 1 km long called the Galloping Gosling that connects the Galloping Goose Trail to the RV Park. We hiked around Matheson Lake starting from our campsite. The hike ended up being just shy of 10 km and took us just over 2 hours. If you’re looking for a little more rugged hike, you can make the one hour drive to the Juan de Fuca Trail, a 47 km long trail that runs along the west coast through old growth forests and beaches. While you’re never too far from the road or civilization, I suggest coming prepared for back country hiking. Parts of this trail are remote and sustaining an injury is a very real possibility. If you park at the China Beach day use parking lot you’ll find yourself just two short kilometers from Mystic Beach, a scenic beach with rugged coastline, cliff faces and a waterfall that pours down onto the beach.
A Harbor Seal watching some fisherman clean their catch at the Marina.
And of course, I can’t talk about Pedder Bay’s location without talking about the ocean. The bay itself is beautiful and calm, perfect for kayaking or paddle boarding. It is full of birds, harbor seals and otters. If you like to fish, you can rent a boat from the marina and head out to explore several other nearby bays and inlets in search of salmon and halibut. Pedder Bay is one of the most unique placed we’ve ever stayed, I honestly don’t think there is a more perfect location for an RV Park or Marina.
Park Layout
Pedder Bay is a medium sized resort with just under 80 serviced sites. When I actually looked at the park map to see how many sites it had, I was surprised; the park feels much smaller than 80 sites. We don’t enjoy huge RV parks and the fact that this one is as big as it is while still feeling small was a pleasant surprise. The park offers both pull-through and back-in sites and has several price point options. You can choose between Standard, Oceanfront Premium, or Ultra Premium Oceanfront. There are even three sites they call Ultra Premium Oceanfront Deck, which include, you guessed it, a deck at the rear of your site overlooking the bay. We were on one of the Ultra Premium Oceanfront sites with a beautiful view of the bay. The site was full service with 50 amp power and included a picnic table and a firepit, which was located at the very rear of the site so you could enjoy both your campfire and view at the same time. Of their 80 sites, only 12 are 50 amp so be sure to book well in advance if you absolutely require 50 amp service. Most of the sites are fairly private with 6-8 foot hedges in between and comfortably fit our trailer, truck and setup without feeling cramped. There are several trees around the park but not enough to really provide any shade to speak of, which shouldn’t be a big deal as the area is not really known for its sweltering heat. One thing to note is that if you’re going to reserve one of the Oceanfront sites you will be required to back in on your blindside, but the park offers you ample room and getting backed into our site was no problem at all. Make sure you leave yourself enough room to put your chairs out behind your trailer so you can really take advantage of the view.
Park Services
Pedder Bay offers all of the services you’d expect from a luxury RV park even though they don’t call themselves luxury. Laundry, washrooms with private showers, firewood, cable tv and Wi-Fi are all available. We have our own in trailer internet so I can’t speak to the quality of the Wi-Fi but I will say that I have never seen more Wi-Fi antennas at a park then there were here. They also have their own TELUS cellular network which provided us great cell service and internet for work and streaming. The park also included some of the best outdoor communal spaces I’ve seen at an RV Park. There were several covered sitting areas, large fireplaces and family sized picnic tables all situated on a small hill overlooking the marina. Pedder Bay is definitely a more adult oriented park, which suited us perfectly, and while I didn’t see a lot of places for children at the park, there is certainly a lot you could do in the surrounding area. But if you’re the kind of family that likes to relax at the trailer while sending the kids off to play at the park playground, Pedder Bay is probably not for you. The staff at the park were all friendly and diligent and the grounds were in impeccable shape. Everything was neat, tidy and well looked after. All of the walkways were well maintained and the staff were always hard at work getting the park ready for busy season.
Stand-Out Services
This is where Pedder Bay really shines. On top of all the expected services, you also get all of the services that come with a marina. There is a small licensed café inside the marina, great for an afternoon latte or beer. If you’re feeling a little indulgent they even have a selection of baked good to choose from. The Marina also has snacks and ice cream if you have a sweet tooth. The marina is equipped with a small tackle shop and even rents fishing gear if you didn’t bring yours with you. As I mentioned before, they have boats available for rent but if you’re looking for just a relaxing paddle, you could also rent a kayak. If renting your own boat is not your thing, there are several fishing charters you could hire for the day. If you’d rather watch the sea life than catch it, there are plenty of tour companies near by in Victoria or Sooke for whale watching. I have often questioned RV Parks calling themselves “Resorts” but with everything Pedder Bay has to offer, it truly deserves the title. There is enough to do either at the resort or close by that you could easily stay here a for a week without every getting in your vehicle.
Affordability
Pedder Bay was one of the more expensive parks we’ve stayed at but you really do get what you pay for. We payed $750 for two weeks during shoulder season for an Ultra Premium Oceanfront site. You could easily save yourself some money by booking a Standard site and enjoying the beautiful views from one of the many communal sitting areas. I am currently writing this review from a park in Tofino that was several hundred dollars more than Pedder Bay and, aside from equally beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean, lacks in every other way.
Final Thoughts
We were really worried about our time at Pedder Bay. We had spent so much time hyping it up in our minds and looking forward to our time there that it could have very easily not met the expectations we had for it. Luckily, not only did it meet and exceed our expectations, but, we have found an RV Resort that we will continue to visit for years to come. In fact, we have already booked another week there in late spring before we leave the island. There is just so much to do and see close by. Where else can you camp in the middle of BC forests right on the shore of the ocean and have all the conveniences of the big city just 20 minutes away? Do yourselves a favour and add Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina to your list of “Must Visit” places. You won’t be disappointed.