British Columbia Canada Blog

If you are looking for a place to stay around Vancouver then Maple Ridge is a great option. Maple Ridge is only 40-45 minutes drive away from Vancouver. If you are travelling through the region then choose to stay at Maple Ridge Inn & Suites.   

 Reasons to choose Maple Ridge Inn and Suites:

1. Competitive prices. They often offer great discount deals to familes, seniors, business travellers so do ask them about their deal of the season.

2. You can take advantage of their fitness center, which features state-of-the-art equipment as well as a whirlpool.

3. Comfortable rooms with king and queen sized beds plus in-room coffee and tea and complimentary movie channels.

4. Guests can also enjoy delicious home-style meal, at the Pantry family restaurant right.

5. Fully equipped meeting and banquet facilities ideal for group’s meetings or parties up to 100 people.

The other reasons that the guests choose to stay at Maple Ridge Inn and Suites is that they offer stylish and high quality furnishings, air conditioning, in room coffee and tea, hair dryer, iron and ironing board, and a 27′ inch television with four 24h movie channels.

In addition, suites feature fridges, microwave, and a second television which is perfect for families with kids. One of their special units is their Jaccuzi Suite perfect for after a round of golf, or a special occasion like birthdays and anniversaries. Business travellers will love the fact that they offer complimentary wired internet in guest rooms and wireless internet in the lobby.

Have you ever had a chance to stay at Maple Ridge Inn and Suites (Formerly Best Western)? Do share your experience with us and our readers.

Are you ready for SERF 2009 ?

This weekend, on Saturday, September 19th the Squamish Equinox Rock Festival is going to be the hottest event in British Columbia. The Squamish Equinox Rock Festival is an outdoor concert on the Squamish waterfront featuring live music, a beach bar, bonfire, and amazing 360 degree views.

An all-ages Squamish Music Festival starts at 2 pm and will continue till wee hours of the night. This year BC residents and tourists can enjoy 8 bands, DJ Riddim, Slackers slacklining, Play & Trade’s tricked out gaming car, an awesome Kid’s Zone (about 2000 Sq. feet), a healing drum circle, food vendors and SERF city marketplace. SERF has a community vibe inclusive of all. So take one last juicy bite out of summer and shake fall’s hand with your dancing shoes on at Squamish Music Festival 2009.

 If you are one of the first 1000 people to attend SERF between 2 - 5pm and get a chance to win a $500 Travel Voucher from Sunsational Vacations!

Check out the bands playing at Squamish Equinox Rock Festival this year:

1. Wassabi is a spicy five-piece, alternative-thinking band from small town of Nelson, B.C and they have been busy spreading their positive west coast vibes.  The band’s sound fuses everything from roots reggae, funk, jazz, hip hop, rock and everything in between. Hailed as one of Canada’s best live independent bands, Wassabi draws crowds of good people, positive thinkers and happy souls. 

2. Brave New Waves Reggae , surf and ska-influenced band from Victoria is floating through its second year. They say keep your dancing shoes on always, and don’t be afraid to sing anywhere!

3. Jam ’n’ Tonics: Converging in Squamish, the five folks who are the Jam ‘n’ Tonics create an energetic, bilingual, organic sound. Their vocal harmonies and sharp insightful lyrics are influenced by folk, rock and happy hour on the patio.

4. Lotus is an indie female band from Vancouver, BC. Formed in 2000 their music is an up-tempo mix of lyrical realism, winsome vocals, and sleek musical grooves. Lotus’s music is a fusion of “urban folk, rock, pop, and blues into one uniquely Canadian genre.”

5. Mindil Beach Markets is a rock/reggae/folk/hip hop group based out of Victoria, BC. They are a band that is difficult to cram into a nutshell, with song styles ranging from funky and bumping to powerfully emotive. Having grown up on the serene Sunshine Coast, all five band members are accustomed to a laid back lifestyle and exhibit an innate appreciation for the simple beauty found in nature. This perspective clearly manifests in their music, lending an organic and pure harmony to the nostalgic summer time vibe of their songs.

6. Zombie’s Locker is the essence of a ‘local band’ built on the exceptional songwriting talents of bass player Todd drummer. The guitar player Ben Lens of Davy’s Locker fame, another local favourite, has joined the original Zombie’s roof band to make a statement with classic rock roots and current political themes.

7. The Dead Heathers formed as a group a couple of years ago in the Squamish Valley. The Dead Heathers are a 5 piece band with an original sound, one could say “a unique blend of country, blues, and rock”.  Playing a wide variety of instruments, the band has a high energy, driving new sound, with groovy bass patterns and explosive drumming.

8. The Overcomers are a band with a pop-rock sound and a Nashville edge with Mario Iacovone on guitar and his wife Anne on lead vocals and guitar. Together the couple have been composing new tunes for their up and coming album with fellow bass player and composer, Andre Chamberlain. As a trio, they found jamming together to be a favouritepastime and many of the songs are born out of those jam sessions. Recently, The Overcomers have added drummer Jeremy Radawiec and backing vocalist Naomi Lang to complete a full band ensemble

9. DJ Riddim Fernandez began music with his trusted hand drum and progressed into drum machines and then to record players and now after DJing for several years have started creating music.

Hope you have fun at Squamish Music Festival 2009. Don’t forget to share your pictures with us.

Did you  hear, what Darron Kloster (Times colonist) said about discounted hotel accommodations on Canada.com. He mentioned that the prices for hotel accommodations across Canada have dropped down especially in our beautiful British Columbia. Now, isn’t thata great reason to travel this fall. See the data that Darron presented:

• The average price for a hotel room tumbled 17 per cent around the globe in the first half of the year — the lowest level in five years. (As per survey by Hotels.com)
•  Victoria’s major hoteliers, mostly in the Inner Harbour area, cut rates by eight per cent to $130 a night
• Calls to smaller operators indicated price cuts ranged from $10 to $70 depending on the month.
• Whistler cut rates by 27 per cent to $173 a night.
• The occupancy rate in Greater Victoria’s 4,400 hotel rooms slipped to 60 per cent over the first six months of the year — down four per cent from 2008, according to the latest figures from Bourree’s Chemistry Consulting. The average daily room rate was $116, off $6 from a year ago, while revenue per available room slid more than $8 to $70.32.
• Mandy Farmer, who runs the Accent Inn chain of six hotels across British Columbia, said occupancy was better than last year in the Okanagan and Kamloops areas, but weaker at properties in Vancouver and Victoria.

Instead of taking trips to Europe this fall, I am going to take more weekends trips to nearby beautiful BC destinations. How about you? Are you going to take advantage of discounted hotel rates in BC?

You can save some money on your BC trip by staying at economical places like Travelodge.  We just came across a great Travelodge discount deal on smartcanucks.ca. Check it out below:

Travelodge Canada - 50% off the 2nd night stay! (BC, ON, AB)

Travelodge Canada has a nice hotel deal going on right now. You can get a 50% discount on your 2nd night! I don’t see an expiry date for this one, so I’d scoop this deal right up before it’s gone! This offer is only available to residents of Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.

Offer Code: SGL

Book online or call Travelodge reservations at 1-800-578-7878 and quote the Honey of a Hotel Deal offer, stating the offer code above.

Of course there are a few conditions:
The 50% discount will be applied at the completion of your stay. Available only at participating properties in Canada. Only a limited number of rooms will be offered at the “Honey of a Hotel Deal”, rate and may not be available during certain high seasons, holidays or special events. Offer not valid in connection with other special rates, discounts or programs or in connection with meetings, conventions or groups. 50% discount applies only to standard room charges (single or double occupancy) and does not apply to food, beverages, other incidentals, service charges or taxes. Extra person charges may apply. To qualify for the “Honey of a Hotel Deal” rate, a guest must stay consecutive nights at the same hotel.

Other Related links:

British Columbia Accommodations

There are a lot of things to do and see in the city of Victoria but my favourite 7 are:

1. Take a walk in downtown Victoria which is absolutely lovely.

2. Enjoy a free self guided tour of the parliament building from Monday-Friday (8.30 am to 5.00 pm). Visitors are allowed on certain floors and if possible do check out the parliament building during night when it’s brightly lit like a newly-wed wife.

3. Visit Craigdarroch Castle Historic House Museum for a magical and awe-inspiring experience which was built in 1890 by a wealthy coal Baron Robert Dunsmuir with finest materials and offers best views of Victoria from its top tower.

4. Try fresh Sea Food in one of Victoria’s fine dining restaurants. There are plenty of restaurants offering variety of fish, crabs, lobsters and other fresh sea food and you got to try it while in Victoria. Make sure you check the menu before making reservations because some of these can get pretty expensive.

5. The Butchart Gardens (located on Vancouver Island, 23 km (14 miles) north of Victoria) are worth a visit too. These Gardens have an magnificent floral display and will surely impress you. 

British Columbia  is known for its beautiful award winning Golf Courses. If you are a golf connoisseur, then you ought to plan a golf vacation in BC. Check out a few of my favourite Golf Courses in British Columbia:

1. Gallagher Canyon/Pinnacle : Gallagher’s Canyon is one of my all time favourite Golf Course. This lovely Golf course is more suited to experienced players. It’s a peaceful course with breathtaking views of Kelowna and Okanagan Lake. For less experienced players, Gallagher Canyon’s partner course-Pinnacle is a more suitable option.

2. Hyde Mountain Golf Course: Hyde Mountain Golf Course located in Sicamous, British Columbia is Shuswap regions one of the finest Golf Course. Overlooking the Mara Lake, this Golf course features elevation changes and breath taking views of the lake. If you plan to play at this golf course then don’t forget to take your camera becauseI am sure you’ll want to take some pictures.  Hyde Mountain is located 3kms off Trans Canada Highway in Sicamous, BC (Halfway between Vancouver and Calgary). Just turn off the Trans Canada Highway at Old Spallumcheen Road. There are some good bed and breakfast lodging options in the surrounding area to make your vacation truly special.

3. Predator Ridge : This Summer, Predator Ridge is offering rooms starting $99/night which include suites on the Golf Course with a view, kitchens, fireplaces and comfy duvets. While staying at Predator Ridge Golf Community you can also take advantage of Concept Salon and spa, yoga and spinning classes, winery tours and orchard walks. You can choose to stay the the Predator Ridge Golf community, Kelowna or Vernon.

4. Salmon Arm Golf Club: This Golf Club is one of the oldest in the Okanagan Valley and has been ranked in the top 50 Golf Courses by the Score magazine. Besides a championship course, the Golf course also has a 9-hole beginner friendly executive course.

5. Sonora Dunes Golf Course: Sonora Dunes Golf Course is located in Osoyoos, British Columbia and offers a 9 hole pristine desert golf course. Sonora Dunes is located next to the Spirit Ridge resort and Spa in Osoyoos.

If you have had a chance to play at one of British Columbia’s world Class Golf courses, then share your experience with us today. You might be the next lucky winner for our Golf getway vacation package for two. Email us at: aditi@bctravelguide.ca