• This topic has 22 replies, 18 voices, and was last updated 8 years ago by mav12.
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  • Things to see & do in BC, Canada?
  • agent007
    Free Member

    Thinking specifically British Columbia and the area around. Will be planning on renting a car or van and doing a bit of touring so don’t mind driving for a day or two or turning it into a bit of a roadtrip.

    I can snowboard well and mountain bike averagely well but also looking more for other stuff worth doing and seeing that’s not boarding or biking related.

    Two windows to go are 2-3 weeks some point in July, or later in the year around mid October (which is probably more likely). Which would be best from a weather and getting things done point of view?

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    If you fancy some wild beaches, you can take the car on the ferry from Vancouver to Nanaimo and drive 5-6 hours north to Port Hardy. From there you can drive to the west side of the island via approx 60km of forest service road (very easy to drive and navigate, I even managed to hitch hike 40km of it!).

    From the end of the road you have the choice of hiking to Raft Cove (very wild and secluded apparently although becoming more well known, bit of a surf break also) San Josef Bay (v. easy to access so popular) or Guise Bay (1 day’s relatively easy hike).

    Bears and wolves are common in the area although I only ever saw tracks. You can camp on all the beaches and the wild west coast really is spectacular over there.

    prettygreenparrot
    Full Member

    The list is too long to start. An amazing area of the world.

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    globalti
    Free Member

    It might be too late to plan and book to walk the West Coast Trail on Vancouver Island but it would be worth driving over and camping for a night a few miles along the trail at one of the sites, if that’s allowed. It has its own special atmosphere. I remember visiting a museum of Native American history in Victoria, which was absolutely excellent and gave me a much better understanding of those people.

    jimjam
    Free Member

    prettygreenparrot – Member

    The list is too long to start. An amazing area of the world.

    Pretty much. Massive place full of incredible scenery and things to do. 944,735 km2

    Personally I’d go during the summer, just so you have more freedom to explore. I have no real interest in winter sports though.

    ravingdave
    Full Member

    Did a similar thing with Mrs ravingdave a few years ago; except we included eastern Alberta.
    the sea to sky highway is simply stunning (from Vancouver to whistler) and is a must drive; never seen anything like it. As is highway 93 (icefield parkway) from Banff to Jasper – but that’s in Alberta.
    weather in October could be tricky for sights – they might all be covered by cloud, rain or snow! the summer months would be best – although as an alternative late august/early September would be great as the leaves will be changing and all the animals out ready for hibernation/winter.

    get onto Vancouver island its beautiful and as 13thfloormonk said, got some great beaches and seascapes. Victoria is a great town.

    Kelowna is lovely as well in Okanagan valley; less extreme countryside but gorgeous on the side of Okanangan lake (great wine too)

    one word of warning; if you haven’t been before; do not underestimate the size of the country! Vancouver island is almost the size of the UK, but looks tiny on the map and take over 9hrs drive the length of.

    hope this help
    Dave

    agent007
    Free Member

    Thanks some great suggestions there, keep them coming. Is October likely to be cold and miserable then?

    bruk
    Full Member

    Spent a few weeks travelling around many years ago, a highlight was a canoe trip round Bowron Lake circuit. Never done a lot of canoeing before or since but it was amazing gliding down a lake in complete silence with the mountains surrounding you visible in a reflection on the water.

    Looks like October may be too late though.

    Bowron Lake Circuit

    Otherwise Vancouver has to be visited as does Vancouver Island if you have the time.

    13thfloormonk
    Full Member

    Vancouver island is almost the size of the UK

    Well, people in BC like to say that but in reality its barely the size of Scotland (see jimjam’s map) 8) Still an awesome place, my favourite bit of BC.

    October is not at all likely to be cold and miserable, in my experience it’s like a UK September i.e. changeable but lots of potential still to be nice.

    The west coast of Vancouver Island traditionally catches the worst of the weather I think.

    tuskaloosa
    Free Member

    I’d say go in July or if you can swing early September.

    Assuming you are going by yourself no kids etc?

    Lots to do – Start with Vancouver itself
    – Walk around Stanley Park
    – If the nudist beach is your thing there is Wreck Beach
    – Vancouver Aquarium is in Stanley Park
    – You could cycle along the sea wall starting from English Bay via Yaletown around to Granville Island all the way up to Kitsilano
    – Gastown

    North Vancouver
    – Kayak around Deep Cove
    – Grouse Grind (was never a particular fan of this but a lot of people like it) – visit Grouse itself
    – Capilano Suspension Bridge

    Around Vacouver
    – Whistler – a ton of things to do in Whistler itself
    – Pemberton – Mountain biking / White water rafting

    Vancouver Island
    – Victoria itself
    – or Sooke
    – a few provincial parks to visit
    – Grizzly Bear watching .. I think this is based in Knight Inlet
    – Cowichan Bay
    – Tofino

    Something we promised ourselves we’d do is rent a boat and sail around the Queen Charlotte and Haida Gwaii Islands

    – Then you have the Okanagan – Wine country (it does get really hot in Summer)

    I prefer the Kootenays – a road trip around the Rockies taking in Nelson, Yoho National Park (Lake Louise), Golden (there’s a great hunting lodge of the beaten path – Beaverfoot Lodge)

    Hopefully the above will give you a flavour of what you can do in BC. Enjoy.

    agent007
    Free Member

    Thanks all, some awesome suggestions here and thanks for taking the time to reply in such detail. Looks like October it may have to be due to work commitments etc. Is there likely to be snow higher up in Whistler by then?

    Are there plenty of friendly hostels and campsites if I didn’t want to go so far as hiring a mobile home?

    globalti
    Free Member

    Yes, loads.

    reluctantwrinkly
    Free Member

    Do NOT go to Vancouver, you may not want to leave!, you can see why it is one of the most popular places in the world to live. As said, Granville Island, Gastown, Chinatown (be careful which route you take as you can find yourself in a really depressed area) Ferry to Vancouver Island takes a very scenic route through the Islands to Nainamo (Victoria and Butchart Gardens, Whale watching from Telegraph Cove further up the east coast) Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler although we did it when it was being reconstructed, Icefield Parkway. We went late September and it was very pleasant. I want to go again now after typing this. Absolutely awesome place. We also took the Inside Passage ferry from the top of Vancouver Island to Port Hardy but probably wouldn’t do that again as it meant a lot of dull driving to get back down to the Icefield Parkway.

    muddyground
    Free Member

    Do stop at any hot springs you see. Vancouver, interesting? Been four or five times now, wouldn’t call it that. Pleasant, nice, pretty, yes, but not interesting, no. Just drive with no plan – amazing place.

    rs
    Free Member

    October can be great, like 25 degrees in the bike park, beer on the patio great, top of Whistler may see the occasional dusting but you won’t be doing any skiing, bike park closes early October, ski season starts late November usually so think about that if those things are important to you.

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Kootenays my favourite area too. Lakes, mountains, chilled little towns. Bliss.

    The riding is on the batshit crazy metal side though! I saw a blue graded trail which had a 6ft ladder drop at the start.

    onlysteel
    Free Member

    I’d also add the Museum of Anthropology at UBC, Sunshine Coast and hiking in the coastal range. 2 weeks won’t be long enough! Bear in mind that it is a maritime climate, so sunshine isn’t guaranteed. I’d aim for the summer dates.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    We loved Vancouver – really, i could live there….

    We also went to Squamish, ended up climbing up and walking on The Chief. Amazing place (and so was deep cove on the way).

    Whistler felt very toy town. And the lifts were closed, so we didn’t bike.

    it was a while ago, film pics and all…

    thekingisdead
    Free Member

    Fabulous place. My lasting impressions are of the beaches on Van Island. Simply stunning. (Pacific rain forest, or something like that)

    twicewithchips
    Free Member

    There used to be a rather good fish restaurant on the pier in Tofino.
    Head East up to the National Parks?

    oliverracing
    Full Member

    Went for a once in a lifetime family holiday in 2012, it’s an amazing place, with some truly amazing sea kayaking (we went with these people), camping on beaches and islands.

    Loved it so much I’m panning back solo (or with any friends that wish to join me) to explore a bit more of the area august next year!

    EDIT:Yep nice seafood restaurant on the seafront in Tofino, but you must go to SoBo, we spent 4 nights in Tofino and went there on the second night on a recommendation, only to end up going back the next 2 nights as the food was amazing!

    wrecker
    Free Member

    Not sure if it’s the fish and chip place but shelter restaurant is lovely. we went to tofino. Went for a run in the morning, sea kayaked in the afternoon followed by food in shelter then I proposed on Mackenzie beach in the evening!

    mav12
    Free Member

    whale watching from tofino ,plane ride over the rockies whistler was good too and cheap in the summer months, canoeing on lake louise the place is awsome best holidays i have ever had

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