This article is brought to you by Adventure World/Destination British Columbia.
With grizzly bears, snow-capped peaks, hiking trails, glacier-fed rivers and an outdoor lifestyle to be envious of, it’s no surprise Australians adore the Canadian province of British Columbia. Many of us, at least temporarily, make it our home away from home, while many more explore its coastline, mountains, country towns and cities on frequent visits. If you haven’t been yet, you can rest assured it’s well worth the flight, and if you have been, there is always something new to discover. Here are six reasons why you should visit British Columbia time and again.
Vancouver culinary culture
Let’s start in BC’s biggest city. As the arrival point to Canada for Aussies, we know and love Vancouver. And it helps it’s a city with nature at its heart. Visit year-round and you can join locals cycling and running through city parks, hiking in forests, kayaking the harbour and exploring the mountains on Vancouver’s North Shore.
One of the things we love most about Vancouver, however, is that adventurous travellers can enjoy the great outdoors while still having access to a plethora of Michelin star restaurants, bars and breweries; check out Adventure World’s amazing BC’s Coastal Adventure.
Tried and tested Granville Island (actually a peninsula, and one which you can reach a variety of ways, including via a fun water taxi ride) never disappoints. This local Vancouver favourite is the city’s leading destination for food and art lovers, and a guided tour helps you make the most of it. Taste your way around the Public Market or grab a table at The Sandbar for seafood and harbour views.
If you’re famished after exploring the city and its harbour, another top foodie spot is The Shipyards. This former base for ship-builders, in Lower Lonsdale on Vancouver’s North Shore, is now home to restaurants, shops, and two boutique hotels, with plenty of public space, and even a splash park (in summer), and ice-skating rink (winter).
No matter the season, Whistler is famous for being a magnet for Aussie skiers and bike riders. However, it is also hugely popular with sightseers who enjoy a good meal (or more than one) in a very picturesque place (isn’t that all of us?). On Adventure World’s Sip and Savour Canadian Flavours tour, you can arrive in Whistler in style, via a seaplane from Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, located on pristine Vancouver Island. This 12-day tour includes some very special culinary treats, such as dining on maple-glazed wild BC salmon on a mountaintop patio – and that’s after travelling up Blackcomb Mountain in a four-wheel drive – yes, please.
The Great Bear Rainforest
You don’t have to go far in British Columbia to find yourself immersed in nature, but a truly magical slice of wilderness is the Great Bear Rainforest. Running up the coast of BC, the 6.4m ha rainforest is home to grizzly and black bears (plus the rare white-furred Spirit bear, which is a black bear with a recessive gene that causes the pale/white fur), wolves, and eagles, while offshore there are orcas, dolphins, sea otters and more. The best way to experience the rainforest is to stay at a remote wilderness lodge, which you can reach via a floatplane from Campbell River.
On Adventure World’s week-long Grizzlies of the Great Bear Rainforest trip, which is available May-October, you base yourself at a remote lodge and set off each day to search for bears from boats or viewing platforms. You learn about the Indigenous communities, and have the chance to go on guided wildlife tracking walks, search for marine animals, enjoy bird watching and go kayaking. You may even be lucky enough to see that famed Spirit bear, something you’ll be boasting about to your grandkids one day.
Vancouver Island
With driftwood-strewn beaches, timber trails through coastal forest, excellent farm-to-table fresh produce, a plethora of wineries, cideries and craft breweries – and a relaxed lifestyle – Vancouver Island is a dream road trip destination, especially from early spring to the end of autumn. You can hire a car in Vancouver before boarding the vehicular ferry to Victoria, or you can fly over and hire a vehicle there. Victoria is beautiful, with its pretty harbour and majestic parliament buildings. Along with the aforementioned, many people are lured to the city to visit the incredible Butchart Gardens. The 120-year-old gardens are spread across 22 ha and are a National Historic Site of Canada, and you could spend hours there wandering the grounds.
To explore Victoria’s neighbourhoods, join a guided cycling tour to Chinatown, Beacon Hill Park and more. You will then want to head (in your car) to one of the newest attractions on the island, the seriously gob-smacking Malahat Skywalk. Follow an elevated walkway through forest before climbing a 10-storey spiral tower for 360-degree views of BC’s beautiful fjords and islands.
Another highlight of Vancouver Island is the coastal community of Tofino, where you can kayak to Meares Island for a guided walk through old-growth rainforest, and spot wildlife such as sea lions, otters, whales and black bears. Round out your island trip with stops in Campbell River and Port Hardy and learn about Indigenous culture and history. Adventure World’s Island Wildlife and Adventure tour departs from late May to late September.
Journey via rail
Travelling further east in BC, you find country towns, farmland, lakes, rivers and the Canadian Rocky Mountains, all of which you can see via rail or on a road trip. If you prefer to leave the driving to someone else, hop aboard the famous Rocky Mountaineer. This luxury rail journey starts in Vancouver and takes you through the Fraser Valley, past rushing canyon waters, to the Coast and Cascade mountains, stopping at Kamloops overnight before travelling on to the Rockies and across the border into Alberta.
After a taste of Banff National Park and surrounds, you can return to Vancouver by rail again, but this time watch the world go by aboard Canada’s VIA Rail network. Relax in the viewing car, where windows extend to the ceiling for the best outlook of dense forests, sapphire rivers, jagged peaks and quiet towns passing by. Experience the two train trips as part of the Mountain Peaks Rail Loop, a 14-day Adventure World itinerary highlighting highlights some of the best of regional BC. Stopovers, such as Kamloops and Kelowna offer fantastic outdoor, culinary and winery experiences, along the way, too.
Road tripping
If you prefer road over rail, hire a car and head east along BC’s highways and country roads. There are plenty of great communities to call into, and one of my favourites is the mountain town of Sun Peaks. In winter, Sun Peaks is a premier ski destination with small-resort charm, while in summer, it’s a hiking, golfing and biking mecca.
You can spend two nights in Sun Peaks on Adventure World’s Summit, Sips and Serenity tour, a two-week round trip out of Vancouver. A standout feature of the itinerary is a stay at the adults-only Sparkling Hill Resort in the lake community of Vernon.
No expense has been spared at this wellness resort, which literally sparkles with more than 3.5m beautiful Swarovski crystals. It’s not about the bling, though; adventurers can reset and rejuvenate in multiple saunas and steam rooms, as well as a hydrotherapy area and a cryo cold chamber. It’s just what you need after kayaking, cycling, hiking and eating your way through British Columbia.
This article is brought to you by Adventure World/Destination British Columbia.
