When we returned from Mexico I decided to look for a getaway in the coming months and found a house sitting gig on Salt Spring for 4 nights. I thought it would be nice to have something to look forward to.

I found one pretty quickly and about a week ago we took care of 2 dogs and a cat in a lovely home not far from Ganges. The cat was super chill and wanted nothing to do with us while the dogs were so cuddly and really made us laugh.

The weather was not great but we braved the elements and hiked out to Daffodil Point as well as went up Mount Erskine. There are so many options for hiking it’s hard to choose but honestly there are views everywhere. We also rode the north end of the Island, a 24km loop of hills and more hills. We stopped at a cafe called Off the Hook http://offthehookrestaurant.ca for a snack and a coffee midway. It was really good albeit a bit pricey.

A trip to Salt Spring is not complete without a visit to Salt Spring Wild http://saltspringwildcider.com and Salt Spring Brewing http://saltspringbrewing.com. Nick had a vanilla stout which he said is one of the best pints he’s ever had. The bartender was a lovely young woman who plays in a band with her boyfriend on the side and hails from Alberta. She’s been on Island for about 2.5 years and loves living there.

At the cider house we shared a flight of ciders and I really liked the semi dry and the Saskatoon berry blend. Of course the settings at both places are rustic and beautiful.

On Saturday morning we went to the Ganges farmers market for a look around. I bought kimchi and some beautiful Portuguese garlic. There was some amazing artists, woodworking and baked goods as well. The coolest thing was they have doggy daycare by donation. All proceeds go to the SPCA; the market is free of dogs and people can still bring them along. Win/win!

We also went to Foxglove Nursery; this building is spectacular. The greenhouses are built of big chunky beams and there are water features and sitting areas throughout. I told Nick he needs to up his game at home. So much inspiration here.

It was a great, relaxing few days of exploring and reading. I’ll definitely head back over there to try more of the restaurants and hopefully get some better weather.