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Vancouver, Whistler &

Why Go? Vancouver ...... 354 visitors are never short of superlatives Whistler & the when writing their postcards home. It’s hard not to be Sunshine Coast ...... 374 moved by looming mountain ranges, wildlife-packed for- Whistler ...... 375 ests and uncountable kilometers of pristine coastline that Sunshine Coast ...... 378 slow your heartbeat like a sigh-triggering spa treatment. Vancouver Island ...... 380 But ’s westernmost province is much more than a nature-hugging diorama. Victoria ...... 380 Cosmopolitan Vancouver is an animated fusion of cuisines Southern Vancouver and cultures from Asia and beyond, while historic Victoria Island ...... 390 and resort town Whistler have their own vibrant and allur- Cowichan Valley ...... 392 ing scenes. And for sheer character, it’s hard to beat the prov- ...... 393 ince’s kaleidoscope of quirky little communities, from the Parksville & Qualicum ..395 rustic Sunshine Coast to the laid-back Southern Gulf Islands. Pacifi c Rim National Wherever you head, of course, the great outdoors will Park Reserve ...... 396 always be calling your name. Don’t just point your camera Tofi no ...... 397 at it. BC is unbeatable for the kind of life-enhancing skiing, kayaking, hiking and biking that you’ll be bragging about to everyone back home.

Best Places to Eat When to Go Vancouver, BC » C Restaurant (p367 ) °C/°F Te m p Rainfall inches/mm » Araxi Restarant & Lounge 40/104 16/400

(p 377 ) 30/86 13/320

» Raincity Grill (p367 ) 20/68 9/240

» Red Fish Blue Fish (p387 ) 10/50 6/160

» Tojo’s (p 369 ) 0/32 3/80

-10/14 0 Best Places to Stay J FDNOSAJJMAM » Free Spirit Spheres (p396 ) December– July & August September & » Wickaninnish Inn (p398 ) March Powder Beaches, bar- October Great action on the becues and a surfing and » Spinnakers Guesthouses slopes of Whistler plethora of over- the start of the (p 385 ) and Blackcomb lapping festivals storm-watching » Nita Lake Lodge (p376 ) Mountains in Vancouver season in 126ºW 125ºW 124ºW C o 352 a 19 s Toba Inlet t To (75km); Redonda (110km); Quadra Island Cape Scott Provincial 19 Island Park Desolation Sound Heriot Bay Marine Provincial Park Cortes Campbell Island Jervis Lake Inlet 50ºN Quathiaski Powell Cove Lake Campbell Lund River S 101 u n 28 Powell River s h Saltery Buttle i Gold River n Bay Lake Mt Washington Ferry Blubber Bay e (1590m) Earls Egmont Courtenay Cove Texada Comox C VANCOUVER, WHISTLER & VANCOUVER ISLAND ISLAND VANCOUVER & WHISTLER VANCOUVER, Island o a Strathcona Comox Denman s Provincial Park Lake Island t Hornby Halfmoon Buckley Bay Island Bay False Bay 101 Sechelt Hot Springs 19 Great Central Qualicum Cove Lake S Flores Beach t r Island Parksville a 4 i Coombs t Clayoquot Sproat erry Sound Meares Port F Island Kennedy Lake Alberni Lake Departure Bay Gabriola Tofino Nanaimo Island

4 Vancouver Island 19 49ºN Pacific Rim Kildonan National Park (Long Beach Unit) Lake Ladysmith Cowichan Youbou Pacific Rim National Park Lake (Broken Group Islands Unit) Cowichan 1 18 Duncan Barkley Sound Nitinat Cowichan Lake River Cowichan Pachena Point Bay Carmanah Walbran Pacific Rim National Park Provincial Park (West Coast Trail Unit) Carmanah Juan de Fuca Provincial Park Potholes P A C I F I C Provincial Park O C E A N S Cape tr Jordan 14 Flattery ai River Sooke t o f J u a n W a s h i n g t o n 126ºW 125ºW 124ºW

Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island Highlights 1 Stretch your legs on 2 Surf up a storm (or just 3 Knock back some lip- a seawall stroll around watch a storm) in Tofi no smacking beers at a Victoria Vancouver’s Stanley Park (p398 ) on Vancouver Island’s (p370 ) brewpub (p 355 ), then enjoy a relaxing wild west coast 4 Ski the Olympian slopes at Third Beach sunset Whistler (p 375 ) and enjoy a warming après beverage while