British Columbia Canada Blog

Any successful event requires a lot of planning and if it is something much awaited like Vancouver Olympics 2010 then the planning is followed by a lot of training, special changes and follow up to make sure things are moving along smoothly as planned. Vancouver is also gearing up for some changes to ensure that no one is disappointed in Vancouver as the host city for Winter Olympics 2010. After all, we want Olympics to be held here again and again.

Let’s look at some changes that Vancouver/ Vancouverites and neighboring areas will be going through during Winter Olympics 2010:

1. Early Spring Vacation has been announced for school children in Whistler and Squamish with schools closing from Feb 19th to March 1, 2010.

2. The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is closing for the entire Games from Feb 12th to 28th 2010 allowing for almost 3,000 parking spaces to be used as part of the Olympic Bus Network’s park-and-ride.

3. Vancouver will literally be converted into a partyzone. There will be live broadcast sites with giant screens in Vancouver’s downtown and Yaletown community. Robson Square will be a hub of activity around the outdoor ice rink. The city’s popular Granville Island market will be taken over with a celebration of Francophone culture.

4. Also, there will be parties in Richmond, near the Olympic oval, and in Surrey where the city is planning a $3 million, 13-day celebration with music and live broadcasts.

5. Another major change is the fact that the jury trials have been delayed between Feb. 6th and March 1 2010. The provincial courts will be processing day-to-day criminal matters, but because many police officers across the province will be deployed for Olympic security, they won’t be available to testify at any criminal trials province-wide.

6. Marine security in Vancouver’s False Creek will be restricting access to boats or escorting boats in and out of their slips near the athlete’s village.

7. If you are flying into Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet via float plane or helicopter, you will be subjected to added passenger and luggage screening, and new restrictions are being placed on carry-on baggage.

8. Think twice before planning to drive during Vancouver Olympics because there will be lot of transportation restrictions. Checkpoints will also be set up north of Squamish on the Sea to Sky Highway stopping unnecessary vehicle traffic from getting through to Whistler.

Despite all these changes most of us are still very excited about Winter Olympics 2010. Let’s hope to have a great time.

Other Related Links:

Transportation during Vancouver Olympics 2010

Meet Canadian Vancouver Olympics 2010 Athletes

Opening Ceremony of Vancouver Olympics 2010

If you are travelling to Vancouver around Halloween which is being celebrated this year on October 31st then do participate in Halloween festivities and experience the colorful culture of Vancouver.

Check out the guide to Halloween events in Vancouver below to finalize your plans:

1. Return Of The Living Dead Halloween Costume Party: Gossip Nightclub in Vancouver, BC (located on 750 Pacific Blvd, Downtown Vancouver) will host Halloween Costume Party on October 31st starting 9.00 pm until 2.00 am. You can buy tickets at clubzone for $20/person.

Return Of The Living Dead series has been Vancouver’s biggest & Scariest costume party for the past 4 years. Over 1,000 party people will be in full effect as cash and prizes (including giveaways from LRG) are up for grabs for best (funniest, scariest, creative etc. costumes. Costumes are a must! Also see Gossip transformed with $5,000 in haunted décor to keep you in the spirit.

 2. Dooms Night 2009: Dooms Night 2009 will be celebrated at Pacific Coliseum (located on 100 North Renfrew, Vancouver, B.C) on October 31st starting 10.00 pm. The tickets for Dooms Night Halloween event are priced at $75/person and can be bought at clubvibes.ca or TicketMaster 

 The event has been known annually as Western Canada’s biggest all-night massive. Solid Entertainment will be transforming the coliseum into an uncanny circus carnival. As well as frightening acrobats will be performing in the air with dead corpse, ghouls & ghost dangling above you. The event will be featuring some of the worlds finest DJs and artists with a cast of your favorite Vancouver locals. You will not want to miss out as an expected attendance of 4500+ party goers in costume dance from dusk to dawn. 

3. Halloween Howler Club Crawl 2009: Enjoy a freaky Vancouver bus tour this Halloween 2009 being celebrated on Friday, October 30th 2009 starting 6.00 pm to 2.00 am at The Blarney Stone, Vancouver (located 216 Carrall Street, Vancouver Gastown) Imagine party bus transportation between four of the hottest downtown clubs. The clubs and dance floors will be packed, and bus captains will be stationed on every party bus to keep the party rockin’ between clubs. The tickets are priced at $31.60/person and can be bought at the Club Zone.

For planning your Vancouver trip, visit: BC Travel Guide

 Vancouver, British Columbia -home of Winter Olympics 2010 is a popular tourist destination in Canada but not all tourists who visit, Vancouver city get a chance to explore Vancouver Island. Vancouver Island located just off Canada’s Pacific coast is separated from the mainland by the Strait of Georgia. It is 460 km (286 mi) long and up to 80 km (50 mi) wide.

For Vancouver Island accommodations, we strongly recommend choosing a Bed and Breakfast property as it will surely enhance your experience of Vancouver island.

At the southern tip of the Vancouver Island is the capital of BC- Victoria known for its historic parliament, narrow streets dotted with cafes, pubs and colourful gardens and world-famous Butchart Botanical Gardens.

The newest big attraction on Vancouver Island is  nearby Sydney — the Shaw Ocean Discovery Centre. The aquarium is a 10-minute drive from the Victoria Airport and Swartz Bay ferry terminal.

Here invertebrates and marine plant life numbering in the thousands inhabit 17 aquarium habitats. The other features include the Gallery of the Drifters, where algae, delicate jellies, and other plankton appear to be suspended in backlit aquariums. For more info, visit www.oceandiscovery.ca 

Find Victoria accommodations here.

Activities available on Vancouver Island include:

- Skiing

- White-water rafting

- Caving

- Mountain biking

- Surfing

- Diving and Snorkelling

- Whale- Watching

- Trekking and Hiking

Plan your Vancouver Island activities with BC travel Guide

Yesterday, I came across a very interesting article on Yahoo, called “ Canada’s Top 10 Hotels” by Bob Harris- a Forbes traveller but what was more interesting was the fact that five of British Columbia’s Hotels were featured in this list (List was compiled by the Forbes Traveler 400 board of experts, who had gathered to determine Canada’s finest luxury hotels and resorts.) Curious to know, which BC hotels made it to the list? Check it out below:

Four Seasons Whistler and Fairmont Chateau Whistler : These resorts offer high-end accommodation with amenities like quality spa, excellent location, multiple whirlpools and finest dining facilities.

On Vancouver Island, the Sooke Harbour House was the clear choice in the British Columbia capital of Victoria along with Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino  .

Finally, in the city of Vancouver, the Opus Hotel (a youthful 96-unit boutique property) located in Yaletown district, made it to the list.

If you get a chance do travel to these outstanding BC hotels and if you have a favourite Hotel in British Columbia, do share it with us. 

Related Links:

British Columbia Accommodations

British Columbia Bed and Breakfasts

Vancouver has been a popular choice for BC residents and other travellers for starting their cruise ship journey for over 30 years. Currently, Vancouver is home to two cruise ship terminals Canada Place and Ballantyne Pier and now joining the ranks of Vancouver is another BC city-Nanaimo. Nanaimo, British Columbia is set to get $22 million cruise ship terminal which will be jointly funded by the federal and provincial governments.

Read more details below courtesy JOC News Service :

Both the feds and their provincial counterparts will contribute $8.5 million in stimulus funding, with the remaining $5 million to be provided by the Nanaimo Port Authority. The new facility will allow cruise vessels to berth directly in the Nanaimo Assembly Wharf area, eliminating the need to shuttle passengers to and from the harbour area by boat. Officials hope the project will help promote tourism and contribute to economic activity within the city. Construction is expected to begin in January 2010 and is expected to be completed by December 2010.

If you are visiting Vancouver from overseas for the first time then don’t get overwhelmed by the things to do and places to visit. Check out our list below to see our favourite places on Vancouver Island:

1. Gordon Bay Provincial Park:

Gordon Bay provincial park located on the shores of Lake Cowichan, north of Duncan on Vancouver Island is absolutely gorgeous and great place for family camping. The lake is warm in the summer and hence great for swimming. Set in one of Vancouver Island’s sunniest valleys, this area boasts the highest average annual temperature in Canada. Other activities you can try here include: Fresh water fishing, Waterskiing and windsurfing, hiking and walking, birdwatching etc .

2. Tofino and Clayoquot Sound:

If you are keen on whale watching, sea kayaking and surfing then Tofino is your ultimate destination. Bring your surfboard and wet suit and have a fabulous time.

3. Parksville and Qualicum Beach: Parksville and Qualicum beach are popular with families interested in having a beach vacation. These oceanside communities are Canada’s Riviera. Parksville is also known for its beach festival and sculpture competition which is held here every year and is popular with tourists and locals alike.

4. Strathcona Park:

Strathcona Provincial Park is one of the oldest provincial park in British Columbia and is a must visit for tourists who enjoy rugged mountain wilderness, rivers, creeks and streams. Summers in Strathcona are pleasantly warm and snow fall can be expected on mountain slopes during November through March. Hiking or Backcamping are the best ways to discover Strathcona Park. Fishing is a very popular activity in the area. Butte Lake, the largest water body in the park, Della Falls -one of the largest water falls in Canada and Forbidden Plateau are most popular visitor -oriented areas.

5. Saltspring Island:

Salt Spring Island is located half way between Nanaimo and Victoria in British Columbia on the eastern side of Vancouver Island and is house for large number of artists, sculptors, artists, musicians and wild life like sheep and deer  which can be easily spotted on the Island.

If you get tired after exploring Vancouver city, then do visit these different parts of Vancouver Island to discover true Canadian beauty. 

Other related things:

Vancouver Island Accommodations

Discover Vancouver Island

People in British Columbia are quite health conscious and believe in an active lifestyle. They are always seeking ways to improve the quality of their lives.  No doubt, events like Body, Soul and Spirit Expo 2009 are a huge hit with BC residents and visitors. Originally Body, Soul and Spirit Expo was going to return to Vancouver after winter olympics 2010 because of expansion and renovation of Vancouver Convention Center but I guess response from BC residents changed it all.

Body, Soul and Spirit Expo 2009 will be held in Vancouver from October 23-25, 2009 at 999 Canada Place.  Everything related to healthy living whether it be ideas, alternate medicine, concepts, products will be featured at this year’s expo. The timings for the event are:

Friday, October 23rd 2009 from 3.00 pm to 10.00 pm

Saturday, October 24th 2009 from 10.00 am to 9.00 pm and

Sunday, October 25th 2009 from 11.00 am to 6.00 pm

The guests will also have a chance to attend various health related workshops, seminars and lectures during this event. So, don’t miss this event if you want to get some tips on healthy lifestyle in British Columbia. For more information, check out:

Body, Soul and Spirit Expo 2009

The majority of people around the world have been talking about the vibrant city of Vancouver, the host for Vancouver 2010 Winter Olymoics paying a little less attention to the other venue cities like Richmond, Whistler and Cypress Mountain. 

Many other BC cities neighboring Vancouver like Squamish, Pemberton, Surrey, Delta, New Westminster, Port Coquitlam, Burnaby and Port Moody etc have also been preparing for Vancouver 2010 Winter olympics in their own special way. Learn more about these towns below:

Richmond: The city of Richmond is located only 30 minutes from downtown Vancouver and is a thriving multi cultural community which has developed rapidly over the last few years and this growth will continue until Vancouver 2010.

Whistler Mountain Resort: This friendly ski- resort is located about 115 kms from Vancouver in the coastal mountains of BC. It has about 8000 acres of skiable terrain making it an excellent choic for Vancouver 2010 winter olympics.

Squamish: This lovely little town is often called ‘The outdoor recreation capital of Canada’ is known for sports like windsurfing, mountain biking and rock climbing.

Surrey: The city of Surrey is about 40 minutes from Vancouver and the second largest city in British Columbia.

Port Coquitlam: The city of the Coquitlam has more than more than 68 parks and trails to offer visitors.There are plenty of bike paths, sports fields, picnic areas, playgrounds etc here. 

Duncan: Duncan is popularly known as the city of totems and is located in the heart of Cowichan region. There are about 80 totem poles erected throughout the city which lend it a unique historic charm.

West Vancouver: If you want to enjoy sandy beaches, seaside walks, hiking trails, marinas and hiking trails then visit the waterfront community of West Vancouver which stretches about 89 kilometers.

Wildplay element parks located on Vancouver Island, 75 minutes north of Victoria, and approximately 15 minutes south of Nanaimo is one of my favourite spots in British Columbia because there is always something exciting happening here. Whether you crave aerial adventure like tree Course or want to take a big jump, they have it all.

Did you hear about the recent Naked Bungee Jumping event that took place at Wildplay Element parks on February 21st and 22nd 2009. Some brave souls bared it all, not just for fun but a great cause.

This year about 146 jumpers shook off their clothes, had a great time and raised 5020.28 dollars for BC Schizophrenia society. Check out the details and some really enticing pictures at Wild Play Parks, British Columbia and if you are planning to visit Vancouver Island, do take out some time and embark on a new adventure at Wildplay Element Parks.

No one can deny that Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in British Columbia and Western part of Canada. Areas like Yaletown, Coal Harbour, Gas Town, West End, Granville Island etc make city of Vancouver so unique and special. Did you know that Chinatown in Vancouver, BC is the second largest Chinatown in the western part of North America after San Francisco ? This multi-cultural and vibrant city has a lot to offer to the tourists. Imagine what kind of special arrangements will be made to welcome tourists and athletes to Winter Olympics 2010.

Now, readers of British Columbia tours have one more reason to rejoice. Starting next week, our expert BC travellers will share with you some interesting information related with Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. In this weekly- 10 part series we will inform you about best restaurants, attractions, events, hot spots, job opportunities etc in Vancouver and surrounding region.

Are you ready to enjoy Vancouver 2010: Winter Olympics with us ? In the meantime, check out the following related links:

Vancouver Accommodations

Vancouver Activities

Vancouver Attractions