| British Columbia Travel: BC Travel Guide and Essential Information
British Columbia (BC) travel is a refreshing experience combining cosmopolitan class, wild wilderness and open waters. BC is one of the most diverse provinces in Canada mostly known for its endless coastlines and towering mountaintops. In addition to these picturesque features, BC travel also features an award-winning wine country as well as a surfer’s paradise on the West Coast of Vancouver Island.
The largest and most popular city in BC is Vancouver, voted the “Best City in the Americas” by Conde Nast Traveler magazine for the second year in a row. In the survey, the city scored above all other cities for ambience, friendliness, culture and sites, nightlife, lodging and shopping. Vancouver boasts fine coffeehouses, designer shops, unique galleries, top restaurants, beautiful parks and more –all within easy walking distance.
Along with the ski resort town of Whistler, Vancouver is also the home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games making it a must-see in your travel BC itinerary.
Vancouver Island is similar in size to England and hosts BC’s second largest city, Victoria, as well as numerous other getaways. Victoria is the provincial capital and home to the legislative buildings and many civic cultural centres. Like Vancouver, Victoria is a city perched on the Pacific Ocean. The prime tourist hub is the area surrounding the Inner Harbour which includes shops, restaurants and museums. When you’re finished exploring Victoria’s ‘turf’, head out to the ‘surf’ for a whale-watching excursion.
If Vancouver Island’s city life is a little too fast-paced for your vacation, a moderate trip up island will showcase BC’s wild coastline. Long Beach is almost entirely contained by the Pacific Rim National Park with the towns of Tofino and Ucluelet capping the ends of the peninsula. For those who savour the natural beauty of nature, Tofino is a must-see. A trip to the third most populous area of the province known as the Thomson-Okanagan will bring you to the province’s premier wine country surrounding Lake Okanagan –BC’s largest lake. If you’re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of the famed Ogopogo
surfacing from the lake’s depths. Kelowna is located near the centre of the lake and is home to many lake-front resorts, golf courses and Big White Ski Resort. Big White’s sister resort, SilverStar, is situated in Vernon, only an hour away from Kelowna. The Columbia-Kootenay region of the province hugs the border of Alberta and is home to the towns of Kimberley, Golden, & Fairmont. These towns are excellent areas for wilderness exploration, hiking, skiing, white-water rafting and more. The most well-known ski resorts in the area are Panorama and Kicking Horse. Several rocky mountain hot springs also draw crowds including Radium & Fairmont while
Golden leads to the historic Crow’s Nest Pass which crosses the Rocky Mountains leading to
Alberta.
This BC travel guide would not be complete without mentioning the northern region of the province. Although BC’s North is not top-of-mind for most travellers,
it is home to many of the province’s numerous parks, charming cities, majestic mountains, crystal-clear lakes and historic forests.
Quick BC Facts
Provincial Capital: Victoria
Time zone: Pacific Standard. When it is 12:00 noon in New York City, it is 9:00 AM in BC.
Area code: 604 and 778 in the greater Vancouver area, 250 in outlying areas.
Major Airport: Vancouver International Airport (YVR) located just outside Vancouver.
Language: English
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