CONTENTS

LIST OF MAPS vii

1 THE BEST OF & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 1

1 The Best Travel Experiences ...... 1 8 The Most Dramatic Drives...... 8 2 The Best Active Vacations ...... 2 9 The Best Walks & Rambles...... 8 3 The Best Nature- & 10 The Best Luxury Hotels & Resorts. . .9 Wildlife-Viewing ...... 3 11 The Best B&Bs & Country Inns . . . . .10 4 The Best Family-Vacation 12 The Best Rustic Accommodations: Experiences...... 4 Lodges, Wilderness Retreats & 5 Native Canadian Culture & Log-Cabin Resorts ...... 11 History...... 5 13 The Best Northwest Regional 6 The Best Museums & Cuisine ...... 12 Historic Sites ...... 6 14 The Best Festivals & Special 7 The Most Scenic Views ...... 7 Events ...... 14

2 BRITISH COLUMBIA & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES IN DEPTH 15

1 British Columbia & the Canadian 4 Books, Film & Music: British Rockies Today...... 15 Columbia & the Canadian 2 Looking Back at British Columbia Rockies in Popular Culture ...... 23 & the Canadian Rockies ...... 16 5 A Taste of British Columbia & 3 The Lay of the Land ...... 21 the Canadian Rockies ...... 26

3 PLANNINGCOPYRIGHTED YOUR TRIP TO BRITISH MATERIAL COLUMBIA & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 29

1 When to Go...... 29 3 Getting There & Getting Around. . .36 Calendar of Events ...... 33 4 Money & Costs...... 39 2 Entry Requirements ...... 34 5 Health ...... 40 Bringing Children into Canada . . . . .35 6 Safety ...... 41

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4 SUGGESTED ITINERARIES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES 48

1 The Canadian Rockies in 1 3 The Wild & the Sophisticated on Week...... 48 in 1 Week ...... 51 2 The Back Roads of Interior B.C. 4 The Best of Vancouver in 1 Day. . . .53 in 1 Week ...... 50 5 The Best of Victoria in 1 Day...... 54

5 VANCOUVER 57

1 Essentials ...... 57 5 Exploring Vancouver ...... 81 2 Getting Around ...... 64 6 Outdoor Activities...... 86 Fast Facts: Vancouver ...... 66 7 Vancouver Shopping...... 92

BRITISH COLUMBIA & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES CANADIAN THE & COLUMBIA BRITISH 3 Where to Stay...... 67 8 Vancouver After Dark...... 96 4 Where to Dine ...... 74

6 VICTORIA 103

1 Essentials ...... 103 Taking Afternoon Tea ...... 115

CONTENTS 2 Getting Around ...... 106 5 Exploring Victoria ...... 116 Fast Facts: Victoria ...... 107 6 Outdoor Activities...... 121

3 Where to Stay...... 108 7 Victoria Shopping...... 124 4 Where to Dine ...... 112 8 Victoria After Dark...... 127

7 SOUTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND & THE GULF ISLANDS 131

1 Essentials ...... 132 4 North of Victoria: Goldstream 2 The Gulf Islands ...... 135 Provincial Park ...... 155 3 West of Victoria: & 5 Duncan & the Cowichan Valley. . . 156 Beyond ...... 152 6 En Route to ...... 163

8 CENTRAL VANCOUVER ISLAND 166

1 Essentials ...... 166 4 En Route to Vancouver 2 Nanaimo & Gabriola Island ...... 168 Island’s West Coast...... 180 3 Parksville & . . . . . 176 5 The West Coast Trail & Pacific Rim National Park ...... 181

002_591536-ftoc.indd2_591536-ftoc.indd iviv 44/28/10/28/10 110:510:51 AMAM Broken Group Islands ...... 187 7 Courtenay & Comox ...... 197 v 6 Denman & Hornby Islands ...... 194 BRITISH COLUMBIA & THE ROCKIES CANADIAN 9 NORTHERN VANCOUVER ISLAND 203

1 Essentials ...... 203 Forbidden Plateau:

2 Campbell River & Quadra What’s in a Name?...... 213 Island ...... 204 4 West to Gold River & Nootka 3 Strathcona Provincial Park...... 212 Sound ...... 214 5 Telegraph Cove, Port McNeill, Alert Bay & ...... 215

10 THE SUNSHINE COAST & WHISTLER 223

1 The Sunshine Coast ...... 223 From Peak to Peak ...... 232 2 Whistler: North America’s Premier Ski Resort...... 228

11 NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA 246

1 The Inside Passage & 4 The Yellowhead Highway: From CONTENTS Discovery Coast...... 247 Prince Rupert to Prince George . . . 260 2 Prince Rupert ...... 248 5 Prince George...... 266 3 The Queen Charlotte Islands . . . . 256 6 The Alaska Highway...... 270

12 THE CARIBOO COUNTRY & THE THOMPSON RIVER VALLEY 272

1 Cariboo Country Essentials ...... 272 6 Quesnel...... 282 2 En Route to 100 Mile House. . . . . 274 7 East to Barkerville & 3 100 Mile House & the South Bowron Lakes ...... 283 Cariboo District ...... 276 8 The Thompson River Valley...... 285 4 Williams Lake ...... 278 Houseboating on the 5 West on Hwy. 20 to Bella Coola . . . 280 Shuswap Lakes ...... 288

13 THE OKANAGAN VALLEY 293

1 Essentials ...... 293 4 Oliver ...... 295 2 Touring the Wineries ...... 294 5 Penticton ...... 297 3 Osoyoos ...... 294 6 Kelowna ...... 302

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1 Revelstoke ...... 312 5 The Kootenay Valley: 2 Mount Revelstoke National Cranbrook & Nelson...... 326 Park...... 318 6 The Upper Columbia Valley: 3 Glacier National Park ...... 319 A Golfing & Recreational Paradise ...... 334 4 Golden...... 321 Exploring the Columbia River Wetlands...... 323

15 GATEWAYS TO THE CANADIAN ROCKIES: CALGARY & EDMONTON 337

1 Calgary: Home of the Annual 2 Edmonton: Capital of Alberta . . . 356 Stampede ...... 337 Fast Facts: Edmonton ...... 359

Fast Facts: Calgary ...... 340 BRITISH COLUMBIA & THE CANADIAN ROCKIES CANADIAN THE & COLUMBIA BRITISH The Calgary Stampede ...... 343

16 THE CANADIAN ROCKIES: BANFF & JASPER NATIONAL PARKS & MORE 371

1 Exploring the Canadian Rockies. . . 371 4 Jasper National Park...... 401

CONTENTS 2 Kananaskis Country & 5 British Columbia’s Rockies: Canmore ...... 377 Mount Robson Provincial Park & Yoho & Kootenay National Riding Herd at a Guest Ranch. . . . . 381 Parks...... 413 3 Banff National Park ...... 382 6 Waterton Lakes National Park . . . 417

17 FAST FACTS 421

INDEX 425

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British Columbia ...... 30 Whistler Village ...... 229 The Canadian Rockies or Prince Rupert ...... 249 Interior B.C. in 1 Week ...... 49 The Cariboo Country & the Vancouver Island in 1 Week ...... 52 Thompson River Valley ...... 273 The Best of Vancouver in 1 Day . . . 54 Kelowna ...... 304 The Best of Victoria in 1 Day ...... 55 Southeastern British Columbia . . .313 Greater Vancouver Area ...... 58 Mount Revelstoke & Glacier Vancouver ...... 60 National Parks ...... 319 Victoria ...... 105 Alberta ...... 339 Vancouver Island ...... 134 Calgary ...... 341 The Gulf Islands ...... 138 Edmonton ...... 357 Nanaimo ...... 170 The Canadian Rockies ...... 372 Pacific Rim National Park ...... 183 Banff Townsite & Banff National Park ...... 383 Campbell River ...... 205 Jasper Townsite & Jasper Southwestern British Columbia . . .225 National Park ...... 403

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