In March, spring is arriving in British Columbia, particularly in coastal towns where the moderating influence of the Pacific Ocean brings mild temperatures. British Columbia’s coast is one of surprising diversity, where countless adventures and unique experiences capture the imagination and beckon all would-be explorers. The question is never what to do, but what to do first?

Here are a few places to start.

# 1 DEEP COVE

Just a 30-minute drive from downtown Vancouver, a winter paddling tour with Deep Cove Canoe and Kayak explores the fjord at a leisurely pace, often in silence and alongside seals playing and eagles fishing; it’s a journey backed by snow-capped mountains that seem to spring from deep beneath the water below, rising sharply into the sky above.

# 2 BOWEN ISLAND

For a quick escape beyond the Vancouver, Bowen Island is a scenic 20-minute ferry crossing from West Vancouver. It’s simple to self-guide once there, but when boutique company Bowen Island Tours takes the reigns, your appreciation for island life is sure to deepen. Their Off the Beaten Track to Artisan Square excursion, for example, wanders through the woods along lush, secluded paths lined with waist-high ferns and towering trees. Ocean and mountain viewpoints provide scenic rewards along the way before the tour wraps at the island’s Artisan Square, a cultural hub that promises both culinary and creative adventures.

# 3 VICTORIA

Located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is the provincial capital of British Columbia, and the government’s parliament buildings are located right on the waterfront of the city’s Inner Harbour. Visitors can step outside their hotel and within a few short steps be kayaking or whale watching from the nearby marinas and docks. With the mildest year-round climate in Canada, visitors in March can expect to see spring in full bloom in the city’s many gardens and hanging baskets.

# 4 PARKSVILLE

Located on Vancouver Island and accessible by ferry from Vancouver, Parksville is where resident Orcas and dolphins can be spotted from secluded coves, and 250 species of birds flit annually through beautiful, nearby wetlands. Tigh-na-Mara Seaside Spa Resort provides the perfect jumping off point to explore this region and, much thanks to its famous Grotto Spa, is a destination in and of itself.

# 5 GALIANO ISLAND

Accessibly by ferry from Tsawwassen, Galiano Island features rugged headlands, tidal lagoons and white shell beaches of Montague Harbour Marine Provincial Park, the oldest park in the Canadian Gulf Islands. The Marona Del Mar Spa at the cosy Galiano Inn, integrates the landscape into its offerings, with sea salt, seaweed and glacier clay making appearances in its healing signature treatments; once buffed, kneaded and polished, retreat to your private seaside cottage to sit fireside, breathe in the salty air and listen to the firewood snap and crackle. Or, experience the landscape gastronomically; foodies are abuzz about nearby Pilgrimme Restaurant, which dishes up an ever-rotating selection of locally harvested ingredients, as well as British Columbia wines and craft beers.

# 6 TOFINO

Few places boast the wondrously wild allure of Vancouver Island’s west coast. The charming town of Tofino os ground zero for spectacular winter storm watching; behold in fascination at The Wickaninninish Inn, a revered Relais & Châteaux gem, or a number of other properties perched on the edge of the province. Long Beach Lodge Resort not only has front row seats to each mesmerizing tempest, but each room includes rain boots and hearty jackets for diving into the thick of them while the bold can take surfing lessons (complete with board and wetsuit) for a more literal immersion in the region.

# 7 HAIDA GWAII

Surfing isn’t naturally what comes to mind when one thinks of Haida Gwaii. But every winter, after the salmon have run through the region and grey whales have migrated east and south again, the North Beach Surf Shop’s annual Expression Session surf festival kicks off the season, and surfers drift north to carve out their stories on perfect — and often empty — waves. Thanks to “room and board,” a seasonal package offered by the North Beach Surf Shop in conjunction with eco-tourism lodge North Beach Cabins, it’s never been so easy to paddle out.