February 23, 2013 | Tips from Travellers >
Cumberland, Arts, Culture & History Tours
Find more information about Cumberland - Arts, Culture & History Tours
Every year, the Taiwanese Lantern Festival comes to Cumberland, BC. Colourful lanterns are displayed in a local hall for a week, and on the Saturday night, floating lanterns are released into the chilly February skies. They look like jellyfish, rising slowly through the darkness, and as they grow smaller, they create shifting constellations before vanishing.
February 18, 2013 | Field Reports >
Vernon, Food, Wine & Relaxation Tours
Find more information about Vernon - Food, Wine & Relaxation Tours
When you need a break from the ski hill, you can relax at Sparkling Hill Resort or even take in some of the world famous Okanagan wineries. Wineries are not just for summer. Watch and find out more!
February 18, 2013 | Field Reports >
North Vancouver, Snowshoeing
Find more information about North Vancouver - Snowshoeing
There is a reason snowshoeing is the fastest growing winter sport in the world and there is no better place to try it out than beautiful British Columbia!
February 07, 2013 | Tips from Travellers >
Osoyoos, Wineries & Vineyards
Find more information about Osoyoos - Wineries & Vineyards
View a larger image on flickr.com
Vancouver B.C. to Okanagan Valley, October 2012 - 397 km It’s true. We saw it for ourselves. We toured, we tasted and we were smitten. On the Eastern side of British Columbia’s Coastal Range is the land of wine, warmth and sunshine - by some records more than 2000 hours of it yearly. Bouncing off rivers, warming crystal lakes it ripens voluptuous apples, peaches, plums and pears in Okanagan orchards. It also provides ideal conditions for the growing of grapes, a fruit that produces 35 per cent of British Columbia’s agricultural revenue, in an area that is highly promoted for its climate and attractions.
Friends and family told us since our arrival in Vancouver from Toronto six years ago: “You must do an Okanagan wine tour” we had toured other wine regions in France, Switzerland, Italy, Argentina and Chile, but we had not yet driven the 397 kilometers to Osooyos B.C. where the “pocket desert” of the Okanagan hosts one of the nation’s best wine growing regions.
In late September, when a grey veil of cloud dropped out of the late summer sky and our neighbors disappeared in fog across False Creek we decided this was it. Time to see for ourselves if the sunny tales were true and if the wines really did have legs.
If you like to read the whole story please go to: deborahmacneill.com
January 16, 2013 | Tips from Travellers >
Kamloops, Fishing
Find more information about Kamloops - Fishing
View a larger image on flickr.com
This past fall, while on a fishing trip up at Red Lake which is located about 50km North of Kamloops, Exploring Kamloops managed to snap some shots of the lake as fall sets in. The water was like glass, and the colors were well, gorgeous! If you have never been to Red Lake, you need to know 3 things.
The drive there is crazy. The only road that takes you up there is a winding gravel road that features 100ft drops (not sure on the exact height, but it's a mountain so it's high), steep inclines that take you up for kilometers and mountain cows. Mountain cows which are cows that wander the mountains and love to just pop out when your coming around a corner.
The lake is beautiful. The lake appears to be spring fed and is relatively clear. The elevation of the actual lake is about 950m so it tends to boast milder weather then some of the other popular lakes in the hills. The lake has a max depth of about 35m and is home to both Brook Trout and Rainbow Trout. This year the biggest Brookie we've pulled has been 4.5 lbs and the biggest Rainbow we pulled has been a 5 lb'er. However a friend of dad's brought in an 8 lb Rainbow last week, so there are some big ones in there.
Locals and visitors alike, are pretty awesome. There a few cabins sprawled along the North side of the lake that has both seasonal and year-round residents. Some lots have gorgeous permanent cabins on them, while some just have trailers and out buildings. Everyone we've met while at the lake has showen a high level of respect to the lake, the lifestyle, and the community in general. Each time we've been to Red Lake, we have always been greeted with a nod or a wave from the other boats on the lake and have been welcomed among the locals with no hesitation. In the past, when fishing at a lake with a close-nit community built around it, it has not been uncommon for us as visitors to be met by hostile, unwelcoming locals. There has never been an inclining of that at Red Lake.
On this particular trip, we didn't end up catching any fish. The weather has just turned colder and going up, we knew there had just been a hatch of the fish's natural food the week before so our bait did little to tempt the already full fish. However, the lake offered a beautiful backdrop to a relaxing day on the water.
If any of you are thinking about going to Red Lake, there is a copy of a depth map of the lake offered free by The Angler's Atlas.The lake has 2 very shallow areas where it's easy to snag your tackle that are best to avoid if you are trolling, as well as a handful of deep trenches that are awesome to fish on those hot summer days.
We definitely loved Red Lake this past summer, and are looking forward to fishing it into the fall and winter. Our freezer stash of Rainbows and Brookies we've caught up there is a great way to help us live local and makes for an amazing way to enjoy the Kamloops Area in any season.
October 27, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince Rupert, Car / Van / Motorcycle
In July 2012, we went camping in North Carolina and South Carolina. It was one of the hottest vacations we'd ever done. If you are familiar with tent camping, you know that tents don't breathe, and although we did camp on the coast, the breezes never made it as far as our campgrounds. The ocean temperatures must have been in the high 30s (C).
Our habit is to discuss/plan/decide on the next year's summer vacation on our way home from the current one. We've planned our vacations to the Grand Canyon, Gaspe, Alaska, Newfoundland, the coast or Washington/Oregon, North Dakota etc this way. We have many trips on our bucket list.
We thought of a cruise up the inside passage, and decided it was time to see some of BC. While looking for an inexpensive trip on a cruiseline, I "tripped" across the offer from BC Ferries. For a reasonable price, we could start in Vancouver, travel the inside passage and drive back down from Prince Rupert. Being true campers/drivers of long distances to get where we want to be and see, this appealed to us.
I contacted BC Ferries, but found out I can't book a 2013 trip until January - when the new rates are published. So, I've left my name/email etc. with their promise to contact me as soon as I can book the trip.
Since then, I've sent for and received the BC Trip Planner package and I've purchased a current Frommer's Guide on BC, I've got my hiliters out, pinned up my map and planned our route. Because it doesn't cost a dime to reserve a rental car, I've booked the car. This past week, I've booked our flights on West Jet (I don't figure the price will go down between now and Aug 2, but it's a gamble, for sure). I'm paying for the flight with my TD Visa points, so again, I'm not yet out of any cash.
October 22, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Mount Washington Alpine Resort, Hiking
Find more information about Mount Washington Alpine Resort - Hiking
Mt. Washington, located on Vancouver Island, is renowned for fantastic skiing in the winter and remarkable hiking in the summer. But when we arrived in late October, it became immediately apparent that this was neither season.
As we left our car, a gust of bitterly cold wind sliced through my sweater. A skiff of snow covered the leaves, as if all the world had been dusted with icing sugar. The red leaves and golden grasses had now been dressed in a ghostly lace of frost. We set out along the trails of Paradise Meadows and saw very few people. The two or three hikers we passed were well bundled in rain gear, and kitted out with scarves, gloves, and bright red noses.
The temperature started cold, then warmed, then snow billowed around us, then the sun burned through the clouds and warmed our faces. The weather lurched from one extreme to another. We felt like we were standing on the middle of a teeter-totter, with one end in August and the other in December.
It was silent and beautiful. During summer and winter, the mountain can feel crowded with skiiers and hikers, but autumn provides a time for quiet reflection, when we can peer into the icy pools and admire the last crimson leaves. This season of transition reminds us of change, and you can almost feel the icy breath of Winter on your neck, creeping closer. When we stopped on the trail to take some footage, a chipmunk scurried up to my boot, placed its paws brazenly on my toes, and looked at me with suspicion. Why are you here, it seemed to say, when you could be home with a cup of hot chocolate in hand?
The answer is simple: I wouldn't want to miss this! The dramatic greys and silvers, the brooding forest, the eccentric shifts in the weather, all provide a breathtaking way to welcome the change of seasons.
September 05, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Ucluelet, Whale Watching
Find more information about Ucluelet - Whale Watching
View a larger image on flickr.com
Whale watching tours offer the promise of sightings, but what usually grabs our attention are the tour brochure photos. It's easy to poke fun at the images showing a whale popping out of the ocean within feet of your boat. For our recent wedding anniversary, my husband and I treated ourselves to a four hour Islands, Whales and Bears tour with Ucluelet's Subtidal Adventures. And out in the middle of the Barkley Sound on a sunny weekend afternoon, we struck gold. Here we were, slowly cruising along the water, when a friendly Humpback whale decided to surprise the seven of us. Captain Brian turned off the boat's motor, allowing the whale to pay us repeat visits, within a few feet from the Dixie IV, a charming 1950 former Canadian Coast Guard search and rescue boat. There were no words to describe the reaction that each one of us felt inside upon encountering this curious Humpback. Outside, it was obvious gasps of joy combined with jockeying to get the best angle for photos. After several more moments, the beautiful immense creature finally bid us farewell with an elegant tail dive back into the deep blue sea. This was undoubtedly a rare gift! We did spot more gray and humpback whales during the tour, but none came as close to us as this one had. Our small group also had the chance to view a black bear, sea lions, seals and bald eagles around the Broken Group Islands, a destination for nature lovers on the west coast of Vancouver Island. While Subtidal Adventures offers both the 36 foot Dixie IV cruiser and The Discovery (a 27 foot Zodiac), we opted for the quieter, more relaxing wooden boat while enjoying the beautiful day and nature's bounty. Our four hour tour costs $89 per person plus tax (children 6-12, $69; under 6, $49). Visit the website for more information and schedules. Various ecotours are available year-round.
September 04, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Comox, Science, Nature or Animals
Find more information about Comox - Science, Nature or Animals
As I tugged my wetsuit over my legs and my partner grabbed the camera gear from the trunk of the car, he glanced over my shoulder towards the water.
"We're being watched."
I turned, expecting to see someone on the beach, but all was still. Most of the beachcombers were on the other side of Goose Spit, a sandy finger of land that juts out into Comox Bay on the east coast of Vancouver Island. We, however, needed calm water for our underwater photography, and we were the only people on the protected side.
"No, look out farther,"; he replied quietly.
I raised my sightline a few feet offshore. There, a glossy black dome with two puppy-dog eyes and trembling silver whiskers bobbed on the surface: a harbour seal.
We were close enough to hear the whisper of her breath on the water. Under her curious study, we checked the camera, strapped on weight belts, and adjusted our masks. She watched us until we stepped into the bay. Then, she dropped out of sight, as quiet as a ghost.
We filmed jellies, crabs and fish, but while I was quite aware of her presence around us, we never saw the seal again. I caught glimpses of motion out of my peripheral vision as we dove. She flitted through the murky depths like a shadow, watching us fumble in her aquatic home.
Sometimes, on the BC Coast, it can feel like you're a million miles from civilization. But our silent friend provided us with a poignant reminder: whether on land, in the forests, or on the sea, you're never really alone.
September 04, 2012 | Tips from Travellers >
Pemberton, Hot Springs
View a larger image on flickr.com
Labour Day weekend marks the end of summer and the beginning of fall in BC, and is usually one of the last weekends for fair-weather campers to head out before the cold weather sets in.
To make the most of the long weekend, a few friends and I decided to head far enough away (ie: meaning no cell reception), but still close enough to Vancouver that we weren't driving the entire time. We decided on St. Agnes' Well/Skookumchuck Hot Springs -- a remote campsite with natural hot springs located four hours north of Vancouver along the Lillooet River.
The campsite had the usual BC elements -- big trees, snow-capped mountains, situated along a rushing river (and a couple nearby lakes) -- with a dash of the Gold Rush History that's present in this part of the province: it's accessed by a gravel logging road that makes up a section of the historic Gold Rush Trail, and two small, overgrown cemetery plots along the way had headstones dating back to the 1960s.
The hot springs were the biggest draw (and such an affordable luxury for camping!). Fed from a natural spring, they've been developed into a series of rustic, outdoor thermal baths located in the middle of the campsite. There's a single- to two-person barrel, a few multiple-person "canoe-like" tubs, and one sheltered A-Frame bath house. The baths stay open 24-hours and at night are lit by candles.
We also brought rods to cast for fish in the river, and took advantage of the Sea to Sky Highway on the drive back: in Pemberton, we stopped for coffee and lunch, and outside Squamish, we jumped off the dock into Alice Lake, then tested the waters over at Murrin Lake.
There's certainly no shortage of things to do or scenery to take in along this slice of the province -- it was the perfect "official" end to summer!