The Best Islands in Canada in 2016 By Ellie Nan Storck Ellie Nan Storck Instagram Twitter Ellie Nan Storck has been a travel writer and editor at the world's leading travel publications since she cut her teeth in the industry in 2015 at Travel + Leisure. She currently serves as the lead travel editor for Dotdash Meredith's Performance Marketing team, where she assigns and edits articles for brands like TripSavvy and Brides. Ellie Nan has traveled all over the world and stayed in roughly 100 hotels—experience that has informed the dozens of travel articles, hotel reviews, and destination guides she has written and assigned. * Former digital editorial assistant at Travel + Leisure * Former associate digital editor at Departures * Former hotel editor at TripSavvy * Received a master's degree in creative writing from Dartmouth College Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines Published on July 6, 2016 Share Tweet Pin Email Island life in Canada is perhaps a road less traveled: the island destinations that our voters rated are a departure from the aqua-blue water, piña coladas, and white-sand beaches you typically imagine when you daydream about your next island getaway. What these oases do provide is quite unique: natural Canadian beauty, ample opportunity for adventure, local island charm, and some of the best seafood in North America. Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe—to share their opinions on the top cities, islands, cruise lines, spas, airlines, and more. Readers rated islands on their natural attractions and beaches, activities and sights, food, friendliness, and overall value. For voters, one of the biggest reasons to visit the top Canadian islands is to experience the breathtaking — and rugged — landscape. You can hike through old-growth forests to hidden hot springs, or watch whales breaching through the gray-blue waves of the Pacific. Adventure lovers can also seek out ocean kayaking or ride horses through the wildflowers. There are plenty of other reasons to love Canada’s windswept islands, of course. Readers raved about the friendly locals and commented on the relaxing atmosphere. “The people of Cape Breton Island are very helpful, and love to tell island stories — they’re very kind, loving people,” wrote one reader. Another agreed that the "remote and quiet" island was called home by very lovely people. Expect hyper-local cuisine and supremely fresh seafood. “The lobster lunch,” recalled one pleased traveler, “was out of this world.” Pair anything you order with an British Columbian wine, and you’ll feel instantly connected to these lands, which sometimes seem at the edge of the earth. For those who love the great outdoors, a trip to any of these Canadian islands is guaranteed to be an exceptional experience. 01 of 03 No. 3: Cape Breton Island Getty Images Score: 82.29 02 of 03 No. 2: Prince Edward Island Getty Images Score: 82.75 03 of 03 No 1: Vancouver Island Andrew Hetherington Score: 85.22 Equal parts romantic and wild, Vancouver Island has nabbed the No. 1 spot for two years in a row. As one reader says, “from wilderness to the culture of Victoria, the island offers a wide range of activities in a small locale.” Visitors have the opportunity to see Vancouver Island from many perspectives: approach by seaplane, summit craggy mountains blanketed in dense forests, or take an epic whale watch. For those undeterred by the possibility of storms or persistent fog, Vancouver Island is an incredibly rewarding — and deeply Canadian — destination. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit