The Best of British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies
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03 555723 Ch01.qxd 4/22/04 8:54 AM Page 4 1 The Best of British Columbia & the Canadian Rockies British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies, which stretch across the provin- cial border into Alberta, are extravagantly scenic and quietly sophisticated. The diversity of landscapes is astounding: You’ll travel from cactus-studded desert to soaring mountaintops and on to wilderness ocean beaches. You can visit tradi- tional Native Canadian villages, thread through market stalls in the largest Chi- nese community outside of Asia, and cheer on cowboys at an old-fashioned rodeo. As for creature comforts, British Columbia and the Rockies are famed for their luxury hotels, rustic guest ranches, quiet inns, and B&Bs. And the food? With Alberta beef, Pacific salmon, and some of the world’s most fertile farm and orchard land, these two provinces champion excellent regional cuisine. Finally, there’s no better place to get outdoors and enjoy yourself: These areas are flush with ski resorts and golf courses, hiking is a near universal passion, and you’ll find no better spot on earth to try your hand at adventure sports like sea kayaking, trail riding, or scuba diving. This guide is chock-full of recommendations and tips to help you plan and enjoy your trip to western Canada; the following are some places and experi- ences you won’t want to miss. 1 The Best Travel Experiences • Wandering Vancouver’s West know good food? The afternoon tea End: Vancouver is one of the most at the Empress is world-renowned, cosmopolitan cities in the world, a little stuffy, and very expensive; and wandering the streets, people- if that doesn’t sound like fun to watching, and sipping cappucci- you, we’ll show you other places nos at street cafes can fill an entire where tea is more reasonably priced weekend. Stroll up Robson Street and a lot less formal. See chapter 4. with its busy boutique-shopping • Ferrying Through the Gulf scene, turnCOPYRIGHTED down cafe-lined Den- Islands: MATERIALThe Gulf Islands, a hud- man Street, then stride into 405- dle of cliff-lined, forested islands hectare (1,000-acre) Stanley Park, between Vancouver Island and the a gem of green space with old- British Columbia mainland, can growth cedars, miles of walkways, only be reached via ferry. Hop and the city’s excellent aquarium. from island to island, staying at See chapter 3. excellent country inns and B&Bs; • Taking Tea in Victoria: Yeah, it’s peddle the quiet farm roads on a little corny, but it’s also fun— your bike, stopping to visit artists’ and delicious. Tea, scones, clotted studios or to quaff a pint in a cozy cream—who said the British don’t rural pub. The romantic getaway 03 555723 Ch01.qxd 4/22/04 8:54 AM Page 5 THE BEST ACTIVE VACATIONS 5 you’ve been dreaming of starts and the mighty Columbia River rise in ends right here on these idyllic a verdant, trench-like valley, tow- islands. See chapter 5. ered over by the 3,600m (11,800- • Traveling the Inside Passage: ft.) Canadian Rockies. Nowhere The 15-hour Inside Passage ferry else will you find such a variety of cruise aboard the MV Queen of the championship golf resorts in such North takes you from Vancouver a dramatically beautiful landscape. Island’s Port Hardy along an other- See chapter 12. wise inaccessible coastline north to • Skiing the Canadian Rockies: Prince Rupert, near the southern You can hit all three ski areas in tip of the Alaska Panhandle. Orcas Banff National Park with a one- swim past the ferry, bald eagles price ticket, using the frequent soar overhead, and the dramatic shuttle buses to ferry you and your scenery—a narrow channel of skis from resort to resort. The ski- water between a series of mountain ing is superlative, the scenery islands and the craggy mainland— astounding, and—best of all—you is utterly spectacular. See chapter 9. can stay at Banff’s luxury hotels • Wine Tasting in the Okanagan for a fraction of their astronomical Valley: The Okanagan Valley in summer rates. See chapter 14. central British Columbia has some • Riding Herd at a Guest Ranch: of the most arid climatic condi- The edge of the Great Plains tions in Canada, and with irriga- nudges up to the face of the Cana- tion, grape varietals like merlot, dian Rockies in Alberta, making cabernet sauvignon, and pinot noir this some of the most fertile and flourish here. Vineyards line the beautiful ranching country any- edges of huge, glacier-dug lakes where. For more than a century, and clamber up the steep desert- ranches have welcomed guests to valley walls. Taste delicious wines, their rustic lodges and cabins, go for a swim, play some golf, eat at offering trail rides, cattle drives, excellent restaurants, and do it all evening barbecues, and barn again tomorrow. See chapter 11. dances that’ll keep you entertained • Golfing Southeastern British whether you’re a greenhorn or an Columbia: The upper reaches of old hand. See p. 336. 2 The Best Active Vacations • Hiking the West Coast Trail: Hik- • Scuba Diving off Vancouver ing the entire length of the rugged Island: According to no less an 69km (43-mile) West Coast Trail, authority than Jacques Cousteau, from Port Renfrew to Bamfield on the waters off Vancouver Island Vancouver Island, takes 5 to 7 days, offer some of the best diving in the but it’s truly the hike of a lifetime. world. Nanaimo and Port Hardy This wilderness coastline, edged are popular departure points, with with old-growth forest and lined outfitters ready to drop you into the with cliffs, is utterly spectacular, briny world of the wolf eel, yellow- and can be reached only on foot. edged cadlina, and giant Pacific If you’re not up for it, consider a octopus. See chapters 6 and 7. 11km (7 mile) day trip on the • Kayaking Clayoquot Sound: Pad- more easily accessible stretch just dle a kayak for 4 or 5 days through south of Bamfield. See p. 149. the waters of Clayoquot Sound on 03 555723 Ch01.qxd 4/22/04 8:54 AM Page 6 6 CHAPTER 1 . THE BEST OF BRITISH COLUMBIA Vancouver Island’s wilderness west six alpine lakes, with minimal coast, from the funky former fish- portages in between. There are no ing village of Tofino to a natural roads or other signs of civilization hot-springs bath near an ancient beyond the launch point, except Native village. Along the way, you’ll some well-placed cabins, campsites, see thousand-year-old trees and and shelters. The full circuit is a glaciers, whales, and bald eagles. 7-day trip, but the memories will And if the pocketbook allows, you last a lifetime. See p. 244. can stop in at one of two resorts • Heli-Skiing near Golden: Heli- that offer some of the best cuisine copters lift adventurous skiers to in the world. See p. 155. the tops of the Selkirk and Purcell • Salmon Fishing from Campbell mountains that rise just west of River: Even though salmon fishing Golden, accessing acres of virgin is not what it once was, Campbell powder far from the lift lines and River is still the “Salmon-Fishing crowds of traditional ski resorts. Capital of the World.” Join a day CMH Heli-Skiing (& 800/661- trip with an outfitter and fish the 0252) offers a variety of holidays, waters of Discovery Passage. Get most based out of its private high- ready to hook the big one! Even if country lodges and reached only your trophy salmon gets away, by helicopter. See p. 283. you’ll see plenty of wildlife: bald • Cross-Country Skiing at Can- eagles, seals, even orcas and por- more: The 1988 Olympic cross- poises. See p. 171. country skiing events were held at • Rafting the Fraser & Thompson Canmore, on the edge of Banff Rivers: This 3-day white-water National Park. The routes at the extravaganza flushes you from the Canmore Nordic Centre (& 403/ slopes of the glaciered Coast Range 678-2400) are now open to the down through shadowy canyons public and offer 70km (43 miles) to the roiling waters of the mighty of world-class skiing. See p. 333. Fraser River, second in North • Lodge-to-Lodge Trail Riding in America only to the Columbia Banff National Park: See the River in power and size. A number park’s backcountry without getting of outfitters in Williams Lake offer blisters on your feet. Instead, get river options ranging from half-day saddle-sore as you ride horseback thrill rides to multiday trips with on a 3-day excursion, spending the catered camping. See p. 239. nights in remote but comfortable • Canoeing Bowron Lakes Provin- mountain lodges. Warner Guid- cial Park: Every summer, canoeists ing and Outfitting (& 800/661- and kayakers set out to navigate a 8352) provides all meals and lodg- perfect 120km (74-mile) circle of ing, plus oats for Silver. See p. 341. 3 The Best Nature- & Wildlife-Viewing • Tide Pools at Botanical Beach other sea creatures, these potholes near Port Renfrew: Waves have are some of the best places on eroded potholes in the thrust of Vancouver Island to explore the sandstone that juts into the Pacific rich intertidal zone. See p. 121. at Botanical Beach, which remain • Bald Eagles near Victoria: Just a water-filled when the waves ebb. few miles north of Victoria is one of Alive with starfish, sea anemones, the world’s best bald eagle–spotting hermit crabs, and hundreds of sites: Goldstream Provincial Park.