ARROWSMITH /COOMBS, VANCOUVER ISLAND

This region is located just north of Parksville heading towards the Pacific Coast. Hilliers, Coombs, Errington and the surrounding region manage to capture the entrepreneurial spirit of local artisans, antique collectors and independent shop owners in a rollicking mix of farmers' markets, curio shops, artists' studios, roadside produce stands, a butterfly sanctuary, a rodeo, a store with a resident family of goats on its roof, and a funky amusement area that operates throughout the summer.

Unique on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, visitors run the risk of throwing off tight travel schedules once they lose themselves in this browser's paradise...maybe that's why they invented 'Island Time'?