Salt Spring Island Artisan Trail: Hop-on hop-off farm tour

Five artisan producers in one loop: cheese, beer, wine, cider and lavender

A hop-on hop-off tour of Salt Spring Island's 28km Artisan Trail loop, with stops at a goat cheesery, craft brewery, estate winery, organic cider farm and lavender farm, ending at Ganges Harbour. You board a small shuttle (20 seats) and choose which stops to visit, spending as much time as you want at each one. The route takes six hours total. Departures run hourly from 10am.

The experience

The Artisan Trail is a loop designed so you control the pace. The shuttle leaves the Salt Spring Visitor Information Centre on Lower Ganges Road every hour on the hour, and you decide which of the five producers to visit: all of them, or just the ones that appeal to you. Each stop has ample time built in, and with only 20 people per departure, the shuttle never feels crowded.

Salt Spring Island Cheese sits at the start of the loop: a tasting room where you sample over a dozen artisan cheeses paired with jams, chutneys and crackers, plus a self-guided tour of the goat farm and viewing windows into the cheese-making process. The courtyard café serves house-made pizzas, salads and gelato made from the same goat milk used for the cheese. Sacred Mountain Lavender, perched on the edge of Mount Tuam near Fulford Harbour, grows 60 varieties across 2.5 acres. You walk the farm, explore the shop, and watch the essential oil distillation process. Salt Spring Brewing Co. sits nestled against a forested mountainside and brews small-batch beer from mountain spring water with local ingredients (island hops, honey and heather), and no preservatives. Garry Oaks Estate Winery overlooks the Burgoyne Valley from a hundred-year-old farm. All wines are estate-grown and bottled, and you can taste in the tasting room or relax in yellow Adirondack chairs on the grounds. Ciderworks sits above an organic orchard of over 425 heritage apple varieties. Their ciders are made with minimal intervention, and the property has ocean views, artisan pizza and apple fritters.

The day ends at Ganges Harbour in Ganges Village, where you can stroll the waterfront. On Saturdays from April through October, Salt Spring's famous market fills Centennial Park between the main street and the marina: locals and visitors browse handcrafted goods, island-made art and fresh produce. The shuttle departs every hour, so you can time your return to fit the rest of your day.

What’s included

• Private shuttle transportation on the Artisan Trail loop.
• self-guided access to all five producer sites (Salt Spring Island Cheese, Sacred Mountain Lavender, Salt Spring Brewing Co., Garry Oaks Estate Winery, and Ciderworks).
• time at each stop to explore, taste and purchase.
• return to Ganges Harbour for the village and market.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 21 May 2027

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Youth (13 to 17 years) · Child (under 13)

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 13 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Salt Spring Hop On Hop Off Tours

Is this one for you?The six-hour loop moves at your pace. You spend as long as you want at each of the five stops and skip any that don't interest you. Book this if you want to taste and explore without a fixed itinerary or a guide narrating the day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (13 to 17 years); Child (under 13).

What exactly is at Salt Spring Island Cheese, and can I watch them make it?

Salt Spring Island Cheese has a tasting room where you sample over a dozen artisan cheeses with jams, chutneys and crackers, a self-guided farm tour of the goat barn, and viewing windows where you watch the cheese-making and packaging happen in real time. The courtyard café serves house-made pizzas, salads and gelato made from the same goat milk.

How does the hop-on hop-off format actually work on this tour?

You board the shuttle at the Salt Spring Visitor Information Centre and choose which of the five stops to visit. You can visit all of them or just the ones you want. The shuttle departs every hour on the hour starting at 10am, and each stop has ample time built in so you're never rushed. With only 20 seats per departure, the shuttle stays small and manageable.

What does Sacred Mountain Lavender have to see and do?

Sacred Mountain Lavender is a boutique farm on the edge of Mount Tuam with 60 varieties of lavender on display and 2.5 acres of organically-grown plants that bloom June through September. You take a self-guided tour, explore the farm shop, and watch the essential oil steam distillation process. They also serve lavender fruitsicles and tea.

What's the difference between the beers and ciders on this trail?

Salt Spring Brewing Co. makes small-batch beer from mountain spring water with no preservatives or chemicals, using local ingredients like island hops, honey and heather. Ciderworks grows over 425 heritage apple varieties on-site and makes cider with minimal intervention, never adding sugar, so the apples' distinctive flavors come through.

Is there anything to do in Ganges after the Artisan Trail stops?

Ganges Harbour and Ganges Village have a waterfront to stroll. On Saturdays from April through October, Salt Spring's famous market runs in Centennial Park between the main street and marina, where locals and visitors browse handcrafted goods, island art and fresh produce.