Getting There

Most flights to Victoria International Airport connect in Seattle or the city of Vancouver, taking just under an hour from each. If you want to break up the trip, spend a day in either city and travel by ferry (bcferries.com or victoriaclipper.com) to the island the next day—the ride is an hour and a half from Vancouver and three from Seattle. Rent a car in Victoria; the drive to Fairburn Farm from the ferry station or airport takes about 45 minutes.

WHERE TO STAY

If you want space to spread out—plus a full kitchen in which to experiment with your farm finds—reserve the private cottage, which has two bedrooms, a sitting room, and a washing machine. The cottage is basic but very comfortable, though the three rooms in the main house (each of which has a queen bed and a bathroom) have a more charming style.

Jernigan serves breakfast daily in the cozy dining room, as well as dinner three times a week. Nearly every ingredient is from Fairburn or a nearby farm (in summer, you may be lucky enough to have her corn-and-zucchini soup). She'll cook basics for kids, like pancakes or pasta, on request.

A high chair and a foldable crib are available. Jernigan can arrange for a local babysitter, if you want to have a grown-ups-only dinner or take a cooking class.

The cottage starts at $195 a night; rooms in the house start at $160 a night. 3310 Jackson Rd., Duncan, (250) 746-4637.

RESTAURANTS

Head to this waterfront fish-and-chips restaurant when you need a fried fix—the virtues of ultrafresh fish will trump any fried-food guilt. The interior is very old-school diner; if it's a nice day, ask for a to-go pack of cod and prawns and eat on the nearby dock.
1759 Cowichan Bay Rd., Cowichan Bay, (250) 746-1550.

You'll smell this bakery—which specializes in organic bread—for blocks before you see it. Pick up some granola for breakfast and some bread to eat with the locally made cheeses at Hilary's Cheese Company next door.
1725 Cowichan Bay Rd., Cowichan Bay, (250) 746-7664.

The preparation at this 20-year-old seafood restaurant and foodie destination may be a bit fussy, but the atmosphere isn't: Kids are welcome in the waterfront dining room (with entertainment courtesy of the seals in the bay outside), and the chef will make pasta or a burger if your child isn't quite ready for raw oysters.
1528 Whiffen Spit Rd., Sooke, (250) 642-3421.

ACTIVITIES

A few minutes from Fairburn, this park along the river is a quiet gem. Just beyond a wooden playground at the entrance is a mossy forest; kids will love cooling off in the river and crossing the wood-planked suspension bridge.
Koksilah Rd., near Howie.

With some of the island's oldest cedars, this 1,200-acre forest is a northwestern wonderland. The flat, half-mile Upper Goldstream Trail is easy enough for little kids and offers a big payoff at the end: a waterfall.
Off Highway 1, about 15 minutes from Victoria.

Families are encouraged to linger all day at this farm, which sells fresh apple juice and cider and allows you free run of the orchard (look out for fairy houses).
1230 Merridale Rd., Cobble Hill, (250) 743-4293.

The friendly owners of this 200-plus alpaca farm give free tours through the pasture. You'll often see dozens of cartoonishly cute newborns.
4275 Howie Rd., Duncan, (250) 746-0708.

About an hour from Fairburn, this string of beaches has shallow, waveless waters. At French Beach, you'll see packs of kids making forts out of driftwood, and farther down the road is the broad, sandy China Beach. You're likely to spot whales from the shore, but for a closer look, go whale watching with West Coast Wildlife Adventures.
6971 West Coast Rd., Sooke.

Owner Bob Liptrot will introduce kids to his 100 hives (the best part is wearing the beekeeping suit) while grown-ups sip honey wine (take home the ambrosial Vintage Mead).
8750 West Coast Rd., Sooke, (250) 642-1956.