Europeans were first drawn to Vancouver Island for fur trading in the late 1700's, but today Canada's second most populous island boasts many more attractions.

Whether it's watching a pod of killer whales in the wild, sipping pinot noir from a local winery or reeling in a salmon, you won't spend too much time in your hotel room once you're on the island.

And the golf isn't bad, either.

From Victoria in the south to Campbell River in the north, the Vancouver Island Golf Trail stretches 155 miles along the east coast. In between are 11 courses that offer a great mix of challenging golf and spectacular scenery. Here are five of the courses to check out along the trail.