Archive for the 'Vancouver Island' Category

Coming Soon- Vancouver 2010:10 part series

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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

Victoria BC in February

If you hate big tourist crowds then February is the right time to visit Victoria. As it is a low key season, you can get great deals on hotels and flights. If you’re in Victoria there are numerous attractions to see such as: The Parliament Building, the BC Museum, Empress Hotel, City Tours, Butchart Gardens, Whale Watching Tours and much more. Check out some pictures of Victoria in February.

China Town   Market Square

Victoria Harbor   Parliament Building at Night

Laurel Point Inn   Parliament Building

Empress Hotel   Downtown Victoria

Victoria Accommodations

Victoria Activities

Top 10 Places to Visit in BC

It’s quite difficult to only name the top 10 places to visit in British Columbia because I am sure I could name 100.  I know I am going to leave something important out with so many beautiful towns and cities across the province, but here goes…

  1. Victoria
  2. Kelowna
  3. Revelstoke
  4. Clearwater
  5. Tsawwassen
  6. Prince Rupert
  7. Bella Bella
  8. Radium
  9. White Rock
  10. Terrace

If you do get a chance to visit any of these places in British Columbia do take the time and spend 3 or 4 days in order to really absorb all that each city has to offer.  Checkout over accommodations and activities in over 130 British Columbian Cities here.

Related Posts:

Top 5 pubs in Whistler

Top 10 BC breweries

Top 10 Weekend Getaways

Top 3 BC Adventures

If you enjoy the outdoors, look for adventure and appreciate nature then
British Columbia is a perfect holiday destination for you!  The top 3 adventure activities in BC include Whale Watching, Kayaking and White Water Rafting.

Whale WatchingVancouver Island is home to some of BC’s best wildlife viewing.  Take in a whale watching tour that leaves from Tofino, Uculetet or Victoria.

Kayaking/Canoeing:  What better way to spend a holiday than on the water, kayaking in and out of untouched bays.   You will be surprised at how much wildlife you will see on this adventure.

White Water Rafting:  If you are looking for an adrenaline rush, than this is for you.   Some of the best white water rafting in BC can be found in the Kootenay Rocky Region.  Check out the tours departing from the town of Golden.

Plan a trip and experience all three adventures.  You will be sure to write home about this BC holiday!

Spoil Yourself on Vancouver Island

Every once in a while, I think it is important to spoil yourself, and I know the perfect place to do this….The Wickaninnish Inn.  The Wickaninnish is located in Tofino, BC which is on the Westcoast of Vancouver Island 

Vancouver Island is accessible by both ferry and airplane.  Ferries depart from Washington State, Tsawwassen (South of Vancouver), and Horseshoe Bay (North of Vancouver).  Once on the island, you will enjoy your drive to the beautiful West coast.  The road from Nanaimo is one of the most spectacular in the world where you will travel through old-growth forests of the Cathedral Grove. 

The setting of the Wickaninnish Inn is truly breathtaking.  The Inn sits on a rock ledge that offers panoramic ocean and beach views from every guest room. They have 75 deluxe guest rooms and suites with fireplace, soaker tub and individual balconies.  For services, the Inn offers a full-service spa for some pampering; a coffee lounge to sit back and watch the waves crash along the shoreline, and a gourmet restaurant to dine at called the Pointe.  The details in the rooms are outstanding.  Our room had a private bar, beverage station, individual book selection, our own suite of cds, down duvet, large screen television, AVEDA aromatherapy products and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the ocean, even from our tub.  This place truly is heaven on earth!

Camping in British Columbia

I try to never visit the same campground twice!  This is because there are so many amazing places to explore in BC, and I don’t want to miss out on experiencing as much as I can.  My 3 favorite campgrounds are Mabel lake, Otter Lake and Little Qualicum falls.   

Mabel Lake Provincial Park is located in the Thompson Okanagan Region, near Lumby.  You take Hwy 6 east from Vernon to Lumby and then follow the signs turning north onto Mabel Lake Road.  The campsites are fairly big and very private.  The campground is on a sandy beach and is surrounded by lush trees.  Things to do here include watersports, fishing, swimming, biking and hiking.

Otter Lake Provincial Park is also located in the Thompson Okanagan Region, just bordering the  Vancouver Coast Region.  It is located 33 km northwest of Princeton off Hwy 5A toward Tulameen.  This campground is very private with a natural setting in the trees. The Park is surrounded by the Cascade Mountain Range, home to lots of wildlife including otters, beaver and red squirrel as well as, mountain goats, cougars and grizzly bears.  The Lake is great for watersports, swimming and fishing.  It can be a little cool, but very refreshing.  There are also lots of nature trails along the lake with beautiful views.

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Campground is located in the Vancouver Island Region, 19km west of Parksville.  The campground has a River and lake nearby for lots of fun activities.  The park also has lots of walking trails with beautiful viewpoints to the impressive waterfalls.   The campsites are large and very private, like most provincial parks. If you are planning to visit any of these campgrounds in the summertime, I would definitely recommend making reservations.   Both Otter Lake and Little Qualicum Falls can be reserved through BC Parks.

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