is vancouver island worth a second glance as Im going to be stopping closeby on my way to work?

Your question is a bit amusing, almost suggesting that you are going to be driving by Vancouver Island during your simple commute.

Anyway,Victoria is just a most lovely small city. Several excellent restaurants there and in the immediate suburbs at which you can enjoy (if you are not aware of them) excellent B.C. wines, or Canada's best microbrew (Vancouver ale). Most of the rest of the island is just beautiful; unfortunately there is only one main road south to north, one along the southwestern coast, and one over the mountains cross island, and with B.C.'s comparatively low speed limits it can be frustrating to drive them.

you bet! i miss it b/c i have to live now in austria (vienna).

I live on Vancouver Island, so I am biased, but the scenery is pretty gorgeous.
The person who mentioned the bathtub race is behind the times; the race doesn't go to the mainland any more, they race around Nanaimo harbour. But visit the whole island if you have time, Long Beach is a knockout, Cathedral Grove, Victoria, Chemainus.

You bet it is. Go whale watching while there. Stop alone the beach, eat fish & chips on the harbour.

It's very beautiful theirs so much to do!!!!!!!!!

Oh yes. Even just for the ferry trip. Such scenery. Breathtaking.

Vancouver Island is about a 90 minute ferry ride from the mainland. It costs about $48.00 for a car and driver to take the ferry one way. It is beautiful to visit. The city of Victoria has many interesting museums and tourist traps. Its a lot of fun. If you drive the coast it is amazingly beautiful.

well, put it this way, mostly people will just visit Victoria on vancouver island.

Victoria --- very British, British.

if you want classic, that is the place for it. I like to go to the Fairmont Empress for english high tea ~~

Oh yes! My brother lives in Port Alberni and I've been over to visit him twice. It's absolutely beautiful over there. Huge, wide roads, no traffic, friendly people, fresh air and TREES!

There are beautiful beaches and the capital of British Columbia is also over there - it's called Victoria. Well worth a visit.

Every year - in the summer - there is a huge race which is held on Vancouver Island. It's for BATHTUBS and they race across from the island to the mainland (quite a way). They use baths with outboard motors attached and half of them sink! It attracts entries from all over the world and is a big event.

Don't miss it - you'll be so close to the Island it would be a shame to miss it.

By the way, it's a huge island - 286 miles long (almost the length of Ireland) and between 31 and 50 miles across. It is actually 20% larger than Wales!

Definitly!! my dad lives there and its so beautiful. you can go whale watching in a place called oak bay its amazing. definitly worth a visit!!!!