British Columbia Canada Blog

Get ready to celebrate 6th annual Edgewater Casino Celtic Fest in Vancouver starting tomorrow, Wednesday - March 11th and running until March 15th 2009. This is a wonderful opportunity for visitors and Vancouver residents to enjoy music by top international and Canadian Celtic recording artists.

Celtic Festival will also feature Irish dance troupes, a literary pub crawl, tribute play to Robbie Burns, Scotch-tasting event, St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 15th and much more. All in all there will be about 60 events scheduled at 10 popular venues and two outdoor stages around Vancouver, with headliners like Ashley MacIssac and The Paperboys.

Most of the events will be hosted by our favourite comedian Maureen Langan. Enjoy the full scoop on this festival at: Celtic Festival Vancouver

Image courtesy of CelticFest

 Guess what everyone in Vancouver is talking about? Nothing but Canada’s premier music awards i.e. 2009 Juno Awards which are going to be hosted in the city from March 26th- 29th by our favourite comedian Russell Peters at GM Place. The Vancouver Host Committee has got the city buzzing with excitement as they have some very special plans for this event. Vancouver is gearing up to greet tourists in a most warm and enthusiastic manner along and to showcase their local talent and vibrant music community.

It’s an opportunity for music fans to enjoy Jazz, Blues, Country, Rock, Pop, Urban, Classical and Fusion all under one grand event. I am excited about autograph sessions with musicians, a street party, a charity hockey game, and dozens of other concerts by prominent musicians. Tell me, which music lover wouldn’t want to catch performances by  Sarah McLachlan, Nickelback or Simple Plan?The Music at 2009 Juno Awards will be by: Music from Sea to Sky. So, mark your calendars and get ready join in the celebrations.

For more details, check out: Juno Awards 2009

Wondering which attractions to check out while visiting Vancouver? Review the list below and take your pick.

1. Dr. Sun Yat Sen Chinese Garden : Let your heart and mind relax at Chinese Garden. Chinese Garden are breathtakingly beautiful and take you back in time to 15th century China.

2. Vancouver Maritime Museum: Maritime museum helps you understand rich maritime history and traditions of the pacific coast in its own adventurous way. You can easily step back in time to 1944 on board Canada’s famous RCMP St Roch and explore the many permanent and changing exhibits, boats in heritage harbour and enjoy other family activities. 

3. Vancouver Flea Market: Shoppers don’t forget to visit Vancouver Flea market to get the best bargains. This 25 year old market has something to offer everyone.

4. Vancouver Museum: Your trip to Vancouver wouldn’t be complete without visiting Vancouver Museum popularly known as Centennial museum. There is much to explore here ranging from Vancouver’s history to the world heritage collections.

5. BC Sports Hall of Fame and Museum: Sports enthusiasts love BC sports hall of fame and museum which is Canada’s most dynamic sports museum and showcases BC’s best athletes and sport legends.

6. Vancouver Aquarium: Did you know Vancouver’s aquarium is the largest in Canada and for visitors convenience it is open 365 days a year. You can not only enjoy beautiful sea life here but also get close and personal with animals by going on Animal encounters.

For a quick tour of Vancouver city, get on a hop on-hop off bus and get the feel of the city at your own pace.

 There are tons of events that are organized in BC every year. Many of them attract tourists from all over the world to this beautiful region of British Columbia.

• My all time favourite BC event is Okanagan Wine Festivals. They are held four times a year. We have Spring Wine Festival (first 10 days in May each year), Summer Wine Festival (held during second weekend of August at Silver Star Mountain resort in Vernon), Fall Wine (it is held in the Okanagan Valley during Autumn season) and Ice Wine Festival Resort (held in January at Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops.) A Visit to one of these festivals  is a must for Wine Connoiseurs.  
•  Kelowna’s Wakefest is a popular event among young people in North America. Although it was banned in 2008, it looks like it will be returning to Kelowna in 2009 after organizers of Wakefest agreed to a series of conditions set out by Kelowna’s Outdoor Events Committee. If you love wake boarding then do participate in this sporting event.
• Merritt Mountain music festival is considered to be Western Canada’s number one country music festival. The 17th annual Merritt Mounatin music festival will be held July 9-12th 2009. Some of North America’s top country singers and artists showcase their talent and charm the audience at this annual mountain music festival.
• Vancouver Folk Music Festival is held at Jericho Beach park every year and is scheduled for July 17-19, 2009. This will be the 32nd year for this folk festival and the tickets are already on sale. Buy them in advance to avoid disappointment later.
• Pemberton Music Festival attracts music lovers from all across the nation to this small little town in July. Pemberton is a farming village in the shadow of Mount Currie and very near to the world-famous Whistler resort. Last year, over 120 artists performed over 4 days, across 4 stages, and headline acts included Nine Inch Nails, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, Coldplay, Jay-Z, The Tragically Hip, The Flaming Lips, Interpol, and Black Mountain. There were about 40,000 fans at this event. Unfortunately, 2009’s Pemberton Music Festival has been cancelled.
• Bulkley Valley Exhibition will be held for the 90th year from August 27 to 30, 2009 in Smithers, British Columbia. This non-profit, four-day fair held in late August and preceded by a festive parade includes livestock, horse and dog shows, rides at the Midway fairground and saddle bronc, steer wrestling, and the wild cow milking contests.
• Wild at Art festival being held this year from March 6th-15th 2009 in Callaghan Valley, Squamish and Britannia beach includes music, dance, theatre and culinary arts.
• If you are visiting Vancouver during May 22nd-May 24th 2009 then do check out Eat Vancouver food and cooking festival which is being held for the 7th year this season. EAT! Vancouver is Canada’s largest consumer food, beverage and cooking festival taking place at BC Place Stadium, Vancouver, BC on May 22, 23 & 24, 2009. This food show will feature hundreds of food, beverage and kitchen goods exhibitors along with wineries, breweries, restaurants, cooking demonstrations, wine and cheese seminars, cookbook authors, and chef competitions. You will be able to spot several chefs from Food Network at celebrity cooking stage. 

You will also get to watch the excitement of heated competitions at the ‘Iron Chef’ style Citytv’s Master Chef Competition, there will be wellness Pavilion where exhibitors will be featuring products specifically tailored to enhance your health and well being, food and nutrition for a healthy balanced life style, the chefs of favourite Lower Mainland restaurants will  be serving appetizer portions of their signature recipes for a nominal charge ($1 - $4) per item, Beer, wine and spirits will be well represented in the Tasting Pavilion where you can sip and taste hundreds of different beverages and of course you can shop too as there will be about 250 booths setup to cater to your taste buds.Show hours for 2009  Eat Vancouver event are:  Friday, 4 to 9 pm ; Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm ; and Sunday, 11 am to 5pm and admission costs are: $15.00 adult, $6 for children 7-14, 6 and under-free, Seniors (65+) $12

The other local events that might interest you include:

• 15th annual BC wine and Oyster festival scheduled this year for Friday, June 19th 2009 (5.00 pm to 7.00 pm) is being presented by the Coast Victoria Harbourside Hotel & Marina and its’ famous Blue Crab Bar & Grill in support of Greater Victoria Eldercare Foundation. During this festival, you will get to savor juicy oysters on the half shell, or barbequed with a selection of delectable sauces prepared by the Blue Crab culinary team and if oysters aren’t your thing, there will be other tasty seafood treats along with a selection of bread, cheese and deli meats. For more information, visit: Greater Victoria Eldercare foundation.
• The Brant Wildlife Festival runs this year from March 6 to April 26 in Parksville, Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island. The events at this festival include: Wildlife viewing, marsh walks, nature photography, Big Day Birding, eagle release, Voices of Nature concert and much more. For more information on the events, call the festival office at 250-586-1311.
• Oh and don’t forget that BC is home to Winter Olympics in 2010 so be ready to catch the action right here on BC tours under Vancouver 2010 series

Last week my friend Carla told me that she was visiting Vancouver for the weekend and asked me about some lodging options. She was back in the office today so I asked her, “How was your trip to Vancouver?” She was her usual cheerful self and told me that she had a fantastic time. She stayed with her fiance at a Bed and Breakfast called ‘A Harbourview Retreat.’ This 1912 house was renovated in 1998 and is nestled in one of Vancouver’s exclusive neighbourhoods.

This Vancouver Bed and Breakfast is close to unspoiled Vancouver Beaches, natural trails, university Golf Course, restaurants and shopping. You can also easily access UBC, Granville Island, Stanley Park and Gas town. You can relax while sipping coffee on your private deck or enjoy the sunset while soaking in Hot tub located in the garden.

A Harbour View Retreat is located on 4675- West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia. For more information about this lovely Bed and Breakfast call: 1-866-221-7273

Check out other Vancouver accommations below:

Vancouver Lodging

Victoria is one of the popular places to visit in British Columbia and now there is one more reason to visit it and that is 6th annual ‘Dine Around and Stay in Town Event, Victoria.’ Starting February 19th up until March 8th 2009, you will get to enjoy mouth-watering food in some of the best restaurants of Victoria at a reasonable price paired with fantastic wines of British Columbia.

In this event participating restaurants will offer three course menus to the guests for $20, $30 and $40 CDN per person. Of course, these menus will all be paired with BC VQA wine suggestions. Visitors will also get some wonderful deals from Victoria’s hotels and accommodations like rooms starting from $79, $89, $99 and $129 CDN.

Did you know that Victoria has the second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America and over 50 local restaurants are participating in this wine and dine event? There are plenty of good restaurants to choose from so take your pick, make reservations and enjoy.

For more information, visit:  The British Columbia Restaurant & Foodservices Association

Other Related Links:

Victoria Accommodations

Vancouver Island

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

I recently had a trip to Whistler, which is the most popular ski resort in British Columbia. I must say, it is one of the most fascinating places in the world and Ofcourse, Skiier’s paradise. Check out some Do’s and Don’ts from a Whistler Lover:

 Do’s

1. If you are visiting Whistler anytime between (Nov-April),  make sure to carry your heaviest jacket, warmest trousers and lovely toques. It can get really chilly in Whistler.

2. I would definitely recommend making accommodation arrangements at least 2 weeks prior to your arrival date to get suitable place to stay. Believe me, it can get very busy in Whistler and last minute travel arrangement plans can leave a bad taste in your mouth.

3. Do try to get a unit with kitchen facilities because you will need a lot of energy to try all those fun activities that Whistler has to offer. Also, if you are planning to stay for a couple of days then having your own cooking facility can save you a lot of money on eating out.

Don’ts

1. Do not shop unless you absolutely have to because things are a bit expensive in the Whistler village.

2.Do not trust the Weather Gurus because climate can change quiet drastically in and around Whistler. We drove from Kelowna to Whistler on Friday morning and roads were fantastic and weather was fabulous. On our way back it took us over 5 hours just to reach Vancouver from Squamish.

3. Don’t try extreme sports ( like heli-skiing, rock climbing, mountain biking)without expert guidance unless you are really good at it because Whistler can be cruel at times. Also, make sure you carry good map with you all the time.

 Enjoy Whistler but be safe.

Related Links:
Ski BC
Whistler Skiing
Whistler Resorts

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

Vancouver – the most beautiful city on Earth? The most desirable city to live in?  The answers are YES, but… you must love rain. Where I’m from in the prairies, it occasionally rains for an hour or two off and on through the spring, summer and fall. Say, from 5 to 7 pm. You can get away without rain gear just by waiting it out. It often just rains for a few minutes while a storm blows past. That’s NOT Vancouver.

When I moved to Vancouver 10 years ago I was not prepared. I’d prepared myself to live in “The most beautiful city on Earth” and the city that has repeatedly made the top 5 in the most desirable cities on Earth to live. What I found was not rain from 5 to 7 pm but rather, rain from September to April! Constant rain too. The best though are the lifers that shrug it off and say, “We’ll at least its not snow, and 20 below, like on the prairies!” Well, having lived in both places, let me tell you that I’ve never been colder than when I lived in Vancouver. With the temperature barely above freezing, the wind blowing and everything within 100 miles is soaking wet - my bones were cold! And how do you warm up when everything is damp? On the prairies, one prepares for the winter and the cold weather by dressing appropriately. When the snow falls, we just brush it off and continue. You can’t brush off rain. Sure, you can dress appropriately in rain gear, but ‘appropriately’ would mean waterproof coat, pants, hat, gloves and rubber boots! If your gear keeps the rain off, you’ll still be soaked by your own sweat!

So how is Vancouver so beautiful then? When it’s at its best, it’s spectacular. When the North Shore mountains are freshly covered in snow, the sky is blue and the sun is shining, it takes your breath away and makes you forget about the 8 months of grey and rain that you just endured. So in summary, Vancouver may be the most beautiful city on Earth and a very desirable city to live in, but be warned, it’s not like that very day of the year. I can’t wait to hear what the world thinks of Vancouver during its two weeks in the spotlight in 2010.

Related Links:
Vancouver Accommodations