how to visit british columbia

British Columbia Tourism Information

Why visit british columbia.

British Columbia is the most-visited part of Canada, and tourism is the province’s second-biggest industry. Home to the country’s most ample concentration of stereotypical Canadian natural beauty as well as the thoroughly modern oceanside city of Vancouver , British Columbia has long been one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading vacation destinations.

Orientation

The vast majority of British Columbia’s most popular tourist destinations are found in or around the city of  Vancouver , which is located on a peninsula in the province’s southwestern corner, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean . From there, the cities of  Victoria and Whistler  are relatively easy to visit and leave within the same day. The rest of British Columbia, often called the interior , is largely rural, and is visited mostly by tourists interested in camping or other outdoor activities.

A view of Granville Island and False Creek. James Chen/Shutterstock

Downtown Vancouver’s most iconic tourist area is Historic Gastown , a street of modern shops and restaurants in a neighborhood that has been partially preserved and partially recreated to resemble a typical street from the late-19th century, when Vancouver was founded. The most iconic sight is the Gastown Clock , a large faux-Victorian timepiece that noisily vents bursts of steam every 15 minutes.

Vancouver Tourism

Vancouver is located on the tip of a peninsula that is fairly small geographically, but quite dense with buildings and people. The False Creek inlet and a couple of bridges separate the northern downtown core from the more residential south. The Lion’s Gate Bridge is attached to the peninsula’s north, and leads to North Vancouver , which is a completely separate city associated mostly with higher-end real estate and the waterfront  Lonsdale Quay Market .

Famed Vancouver landmarks include B.C. Place , a sports arena with a state-of-the-art retractable roof, the Vancouver Public Library , which was designed to resemble Rome’s famous coliseum, Canada Place , a convention centre and cruise ship port topped with a distinctive white sail roof, and the Harbour Centre building, which is one of those very tall buildings many large cities seem to have offering amazing panoramic views and a revolving restaurant at the top. There are a couple visible remnants of Vancouver’s stint hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics , most notably the giant snowflake-like Olympic Cauldron .

Stanley Park is one of the world’s biggest parks and is located on a peninsula on the edge of downtown. It’s home to a collection of totem poles and the large and modern Vancouver Aquarium . Circling the park’s perimeter on a route known as the Seawall is popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists.

A free downtown shuttle brings visitors to the expensive Capilano Suspension Bridge Park , a popular tourist attraction that centres around a 450-foot suspension bridge over the Capilano River as well as a newer glass bridge “cliffwalk” and other forest-themed attractions.

• Official Website, Tourism Vancouver
• The Top 10 Things to Do in Vancouver, TripAdvisor
• 10 Top Tourist Attractions in Vancouver, Touropia

Robson Street remains Vancouver’s most fashionable shopping area, though two enormous — and very pricy — department stores, Nordstrom and Holt Renfrew , offer strong competition. The two are conjoined by a small mall known as Pacific Center . The small and pretty marina-adjacent Granville Island Public Market is home to a lively marketplace of fresh fish, produce, baked goods, and candy, as well as some artisanal shops.

A half-hour drive from Vancouver brings you to Metropolis at Metrotown , the largest mall in British Columbia.

Granville Street is the city’s main bar and club district and contains Vancouver’s most popular live music venues. The area in and around the historic Gastown district (see above) is also home to several bars and clubs and becomes a hub of activity after dark. Davie Street is the gay area.

Aboriginal Art

Raven and First Man (1980), the masterpiece sculpture of Bill Reid (1920-1998), Canada's most famous aboriginal sculptor, on display at the Museum of Anthropology .

Museums and Galleries

The Vancouver Art Gallery sits in a refurbished downtown courthouse and is devoted primarily to traveling exhibits from around the world. It’s best known for containing a permanent collection of paintings by Emily Carr (1871-1945), British Columbia’s most famous landscape artist.

A half-hour drive outside the downtown core located on the sprawling, wooded campus of the University of British Columbia , the Museum of Anthropology is the city’s most famous museum, best known for its extensive collection of art and sculptures by the aboriginal peoples of North America’s west coast.

Telus World of Science is an iconic ball-shaped structure housing a mostly child-centric interactive museum of science, as well as an IMAX theatre.

Victoria's Inner Harbour with the B.C. Legislature looming in the background. GTS Productions/Shutterstock

Haida Gwaii 's moist and erratic island climate often features winters that are warmer than than summer.

B.C. Tourism Outside Vancouver

The city of Victoria is located on the confusingly-named Vancouver Island , which is actually nowhere near Vancouver proper (leading many tourists to call it “Victoria Island” instead). Only accessible as a day trip, getting there from downtown requires a long drive and ferry ride to reach the Island, followed by another long drive from the Island’s harbour to Victoria itself. The city has plenty of distinctive 19th century architecture, particularly the grand Empress Hotel and British Columbia Parliament Buildings . The Royal B.C. Museum is considered the province’s best. A half-hour drive north of Victoria are the Butchart Gardens , an enormous flower garden located in an abandoned quarry pit.

The west coast of the Island contains smaller communities known for natural beauty, beaches, and a laid-back way of life. The small coastal city of  Tofino is the most popular hotspot, and is a much-loved destination for surfers.

The Haidi Gwaii islands are located about 300 kilometres north of Vancouver Island, close to the Alaska Panhandle. Extremely remote, the “Galapagos of the North” can only be accessed by several hours of plane or ferry travel, but are home to more exotic nature, wildlife, and aboriginal ruins than anywhere else in the province.

• The Top 10 Things to do on Vancouver Island, TripAdvisor

B.C. Mountains

B.C. is known primarily to tourists for its mountains, though different ones offer different appeals. The province’s preeminent ski resort is based around the twin peaks of Whistler Blackcomb , with top-end hotels, restaurants, bars, nightlife, shopping, and — of course — some of the world’s best slopes. During the winter months it becomes a boisterous hive of young tourists from all over the world.

Cypress Mountain is a smaller resort located closer to Vancouver, and is a more family-friendly destination lacking the Whistler party scene. Grouse Mountain is even smaller, and is a particularly popular destination during the non-winter months thanks to various summer attractions, including ziplines and lumberjack competitions, and is popular with hikers who enjoy attempting the gruelling “ Grouse Grind .”

Resort hotels in Whistler Village. spa/Shutterstock

British columbia tourism resources.

• Official British Columbia Tourism Website
• British Columbia, Lonely Planet
• British Columbia Travel Guide, Fodor's

The Stanley Park Seawall is an iconic nine kilometre pathway running along the coastal perimeter of Vancouver's Stanley Park. A beautiful paved trail beloved by cyclists, joggers, or just those out for a leisurely stroll by the oceanside.

Granville Island , one of Vancouver's most iconic shopping areas, home to a wide variety of fresh and specialty foods, as well as souvenirs galore.

The iconic gondola bringing visitors to the peak of Grouse Mountain .

The beaches of Tofino , a mecca of surfing on Vancouver Island .

Planning the Ultimate British Columbia Road Trip

Kevin Miller / Getty Images 

British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province in Canada, bordered by the Pacific Ocean on one side and the Rocky Mountains on the other. In addition to mountains and coastline, forests dominate British Columbia's geography, creating a diverse and beautiful landscape to traverse by road trip.

Since the northern portion of British Columbia is largely unpopulated, extremely mountainous, and underdeveloped, the ideal tour would stick primarily to the province's lower portion. The two best options are to drive a loop from Vancouver, hitting the charming mountain villages that dot the Rocky Mountains along the way, or to spend your time touring Vancouver Island, known for its untamed, surf-centric beaches.

BC roads are, for the most part, well-maintained, safe, and clearly marked, but some routes are winding and mountainous. Visitors should be aware of weather conditions, especially between late October and April when snow, fog, and ice can affect the roads. Driving through the Rocky Mountains during this time is not advisable for inexperienced winter drivers.

Always check the weather forecast and the road report before traveling. For information on current road conditions, visit the British Columbia Ministry of Transportation . 

Basic Rules of the Road

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Driving in Canada is very similar to driving in the U.S. Canadians drive in the right lane, like Americans, but they measure distances in kilometers instead of miles. Consider these regulations:

• Drivers may not use hand-held electronic devices while driving. Talking on the phone or texting could earn you a ticket for distracted driving, which can cost upwards of $350.
• International visitors may drive in BC for up to six months with a valid driver’s license from your country.
• Driving under the influence of any substance, such as alcohol or drugs, is illegal, even though marijuana products are legal throughout the province.
• Seat belts and car seats appropriate for the age and size of your child are mandatory.
• Common speed limits in BC include 30 kmh (20 mph) in a school zone; 50 kmh (30 mph) in built-up areas; 80 kmh (50 mph) on rural roads; and 110–120 kmh (70–75 mph) on major highways and expressways. The maximum speed limit in BC is 120 kmh (75 mph).

Planning the Logistics

If you plan to fly into Canada and rent an RV or car for your road trip, the most logical place to start is either in Calgary in the neighboring province of Alberta or in Vancouver. Seattle , a two-hour drive away from the Canada/U.S. border, would also be a convenient takeoff point for a drive around British Columbia. Flying into the U.S. instead of Canada can sometimes be more convenient or affordable. 

Calgary is a major airline hub that's about 118 miles (190 kilometers) from the BC border. If you arrive in Calgary and rent a car, you can make a splendid drive to Vancouver via Banff and Lake Louise, two of Canada's most stunning mountain destinations.

Camping is also an excellent option for accommodation during your trip; campgrounds in British Columbia are abundant and range in service level, from pit toilets and hand-pumped water to full washrooms with hot showers and electricity. If you plan to stay in hotels and lodges, it would be best to book far in advance, especially for summer.

Option 1: East of Vancouver Loop

Jenske Arts / FOAP / Getty Images

This trip option, east of Vancouver, can take between five and 10 days, depending on whether you include the eastern cities of Revelstoke and Golden in your itinerary. In any case, you'll first want to get from Vancouver to Whistler along the stunning Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99). This 750-mile (120-kilometer) route is extremely scenic, offering ocean views to one side and mountain panoramas to the other. At the end of it is the famous ski destination—Whistler—one of the best in the world and home to two mountains, Whistler and Blackcomb, that hover a mile above the village. 

From Whistler, head northeast to Kamloops , (a four-hour drive). You'll see the terrain change from coastal mountains to near-desert. Worthwhile stops along the way include Nairn Falls Provincial Park, Pemberton, and Lillooet. The latter two towns were a hub of Gold Rush activity in the 19th century and are steeped in First Nations (indigenous) culture. But instead of staying in Kamloops, continue an hour past—still on the TransCanada Highway —to Salmon Arm, which is far more charming. 

If you have the time, continue east to Revelstoke and Golden, two of BC's most beautiful destinations in the Canadian Rockies and home to some epic ski resorts. In this region, you can visit hot springs and provincial parks whose lakes are full of that azure-blue glacial water that Lake Louise is known for. Because of the mountainous terrain and limited roads, you'll likely want to head back the same way you arrived, on Highway 1. On the return, stop by places you might have passed the first time around, like Craigellachie and Sicamous, both sleepy-but-scenic resort and retirement towns.

At Sicamous, head south to Kelowna  (a two-hour drive), also known as the gateway to the Okanagan Valley and its wine region. Sporty travelers love the wide array of outdoor activities here: hiking, golfing, boating, and more. From there, drive down through Penticton to Osoyoos, stopping at any winery that appeals to you. Mission Hill and Quails Gate are two of the better known and visually striking wineries, but there are dozens of others. You're now on the way back to Vancouver along the very southern part of British Columbia. From Osoyoos, hop onto Highway 3, through Hope and then on to Vancouver, about a four-and-a-half-hour drive. 

Option 2: Vancouver Island

Known for its rugged, diverse, and beautiful geography, moderate climate, and unhurried way of life, Vancouver Island sits just off the mainland of British Columbia. It's home to the provincial capital of Victoria, but not the province's most populous city, Vancouver.  Vancouver Island is fairly big, requiring about six hours to drive from its south end to its north end. It takes three hours to drive from Nanaimo (mid-island on the east) to Tofino (mid-island on the west) alone.

Victoria makes for a great stopover, with Butchart Gardens beckoning a half-day tour and Craigdarroch Castle requiring at least a few hours. There are plenty of museums to explore and whale-watching tours departing from here, too. After staying in Victoria for a night or two, road trippers can continue to Parksville (about a two-hour drive away) for sprawling, sandy beaches, then proceed for three hours to beautiful Tofino, a small coastal town with a major surf culture.

The hippie-ish town of Tofino is brimming with forests, trails, and beaches (that are slightly cold for swimming, but stunning nonetheless). It offers a diverse culinary scene and activities such as whale watching, black bear viewing, and sea kayaking. End your trip at the picturesque fishing village of Telegraph Cove or Port McNeill for a grizzly bear safari.

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British Columbia

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Attractions

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Stanley Park

One of North America’s largest urban green spaces, Stanley Park is revered for its dramatic forest-and-mountain oceanfront views. But there’s more to this…

Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, National Marine Conservation Area Reserve & Haida Heritage Site

Haida Gwaii

This huge Unesco World Heritage site encompasses Moresby and 137 smaller islands at its southern end. It combines a time-capsule look at abandoned Haida…

Sea to Sky Gondola

Squamish & Around

On a warm summer’s evening, with a 7.5km ascent under your belt and a pint of craft beer on the table in front of you, there are few better places in…

Bowron Lake Provincial Park

Forming a natural circle with sections of the Isaac, Cariboo and Bowron Rivers, the park's 116km canoe circuit (permits $30 to $60) is one of the world’s…

Butchart Gardens

Vancouver Island

Far more than just another pretty flower arrangement, Butchart is a national historic site and a triumph of early-20th-century gardening aesthetics. With…

Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

One in a magnificent seven of BC national parks, Pacific Rim is replete with wave-whipped beaches and brooding forests, most of them far from civilization…

Garibaldi Provincial Park

This 1950-sq-km park is justly renowned for hiking trails colored by diverse flora, abundant wildlife and panoramic vistas. Summer hikers seem…

Royal BC Museum

Arguably the finest museum in British Columbia and carrier of a ‘royal’ prefix since 1987, Victoria’s flagship sight mixes the cream of BC’s provincial…

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Must Do Canada

The Best Things to Do in Canada

48 of the Best THINGS TO DO in British Columbia

June 1, 2020 By Matthew G. Bailey 99 Comments

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Updated: January 31st, 202 2

There are so many incredible things to do in British Columbia. From lush rainforest to high mountain peaks and the Pacific Ocean, British Columbia is an incredible province to explore. Living next door in Alberta , we’ve been to BC many times and have experienced it from north to south and from east to west.

Although British Columbia is home to the mildest climate in Canada, it’s also about as diverse as it gets. From being able to go surfing and skiing (possibly during the same day) to being able to hike some of Canada’s tallest mountains or exploring one of North America’s most dense cities, BC is a treasure trove for tourists and locals alike.

Whether you’re planning to explore the cities, the mountains, the ocean or everything in-between, we’ve got you covered in this comprehensive travel guide to the wonderful province of British Columbia.

Table of Contents

Things To Do in British Columbia

Whether you love cities or the great outdoors, there is so much to do and see in British Columbia. From hiking in the rainforest to visiting wineries to walking around the streets in one of the most densely populated cities in North America, BC is truly one of Canada’s great treasures.

We’ve been to British Columbia many, many times. Living in Calgary, BC is our next-door neighbour, and considering it’s the #1 tourist destination in Canada, there are lots of fun things to do. From swimming in wild hot springs in the North to getting splashed by humpback whales in the South, this travel guide will help you plan your next trip to Canada’s wild west coast.

What To Do In Vancouver

Vancouver is a world-famous city and for good reason: It’s beautifully situated right between mountains and oceans while enjoying some of Canada’s mildest weather. It’s also one of the most densely populated cities in North America, which brings thousands of incredible restaurants, bars, and shops, as well as a vibrant life that can’t be found in many cities. However, it’s also surrounded by nature, creating a nice balance between the concrete jungle and the real outdoors.

Explore Stanley Park

No matter how many times we visit Vancouver, we always visit Stanley Park. It’s Vancouver’s first urban park and remains the largest with over 400-hectares of natural West Coast rainforest. It’s filled with beautiful beaches, local wildlife, historical landmarks, and the Vancouver Aquarium, which we’ll talk about below.

Visit the Vancouver Aquarium

While visiting Stanley Park, you may want to check out the Vancouver Aquarium as well. This is Canada’s largest aquarium with more than 70,000 beautiful creatures, including dolphins, anacondas, sea otters, sloths, and more. The Vancouver Aquarium is also well respected for its research and marine stewardship and is a great place to learn about the region’s marine life.

Grab a Bite to Eat on Granville Island

Located in the heart of the city, this little peninsula has become a popular hub for food and drink. Granville Island has a wonderful food market, a famous brewery, and a variety of cool shops. In the summer, it’s also alive with boat taxis, paddle-boarders, and kayakers.

Grouse Mountain

As Vancouver’s top outdoor attraction, Grouse Mountain is a great place to go for gruelling mountain hikes or, for those less inclined to work out, an easy gondola ride to get jaw-dropping views of the city and the surrounding mountains. In the winter, it’s also popular for skiing and snowboarding.

Capilano Suspension Bridge Park 

Capilano Suspension Bridge sits 140 metres over a river, crossing towering evergreens and a cedar-scented rainforest. It’s also home to the Treetops Adventure, seven suspended footbridges offering views 110 feet above the forest floor, and a new Cliffwalk attraction. It’s one of the top attractions in Vancouver, attracting close to one million visitors every year. If crowds aren’t your thing, another option is the free but smaller Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge .

Forbidden Vancouver Walking Tours 

If you’re looking to learn about Vancouver’s past in a fun and entertaining way, we highly recommend a walking tour with Forbidden Vancouver. We learned so much about Vancouver’s “dark history” and our views of Vancouver will never be the same.

Museum of Anthropology

This research and teaching museum, located at UBC, is renowned for its displays of world arts and culture. Most notably, they have an excellent permanent exhibition on the First Nations of the Pacific Northwest. With over 535,000 archaeological objects, this place can easily fill a day.

Vancouver Whale Watching

British Columbia is a fantastic province to experience whale watching and you don’t even have to go far from the major city.  Vancouver whale watching takes place just 20-minutes away in the historic fishing village of Steveston. We’ve had spectacular whale watching experiences around Vancouver and also out in Port Renfrew on Vancouver Island. While nature can be unpredictable, your chances of seeing them are very high.

Looking for more info? Don’t forget to check out our ULTIMATE GUIDE to the best things to do in Vancouver . 

What To Do in Victoria and Vancouver Island

Vancouver Island is an adventurer’s paradise. It’s truly incredible how many things you can do on one island. From whale watching to hiking the rainforest to surfing, this is one of the best spots in all of Canada.

Visit the Butchart Gardens

Visited by more than one million people each year, the Butchard Gardens has become an icon of Victoria, as well as a National Historic Site of Canada. This breathtaking 55-acre garden is home to 900 plant varieties, 26 greenhouses, and 50 full-time gardeners! Whether you’re travelling solo, with your family, or on a romantic date with your partner, the Butchard Gardens is a must-do when visiting Victoria. It’s just a stunning place to walk around.

Explore the Royal BC Museum

Founded in 1886, the Royal British Columbia Museum is a great place to learn about BC’s natural and human history. There are three permanent galleries inside, including Natural History, Becoming BC, and the First Peoples Gallery. The natural history collection alone has more than 750,000 records of specimens that are almost exclusively from the province. You can also watch educational films and commercial films at the IMAX Victoria theatre and it’s conveniently located within walking distance from the inner harbour.

Take a Victoria Food Tour

If you’re looking for a combination of food and history while walking around the beautiful city of Victoria, we highly recommend taking a Taste of Victoria Food Tour . While the food was delicious, we equally loved learning about the history of Canada’s oldest Chinatown as well as the many buildings while strolling around with our friendly guide.

Craigdarroch Castle 

Craigdarroch Castle is a definitively Victorian experience. It is a shining example of a “bonanza castle” — massive houses built for entrepreneurs who became wealthy during the industrial age. This legendary Victorian mansion has four floors of exquisitely stained glass windows, intricate woodwork, and fabulous Victorian-era furnishings.

Visit Fisherman’s Wharf

This not-so-hidden treasure is a great place to eat food, shop at unique stores, and go on eco-tours. This place was busy with people eating fresh seafood when we visited, but our favourite part was touring the floating homes and just imagining what it would be like to live in his spectacular location.

For more things to do, check out our travel guide to the best things to do in Victoria BC !

Wild Renfrew

Within easy reach of Victoria, Port Renfrew is welcoming, affordable, and incredibly wild. Here, you can go hiking on some of Canada’s most famous hikes, visit numerous beaches, go whale-watching, and so much more. Best of all, it’s home to the Wild Renfrew Seaside Cottages, which are rustically beautiful and open up to amazing views of the rugged coastline. There’s nothing quite like waking up, walking into the living room, and looking out at the sea.

Orca Spirit Adventures

Known worldwide for its whale watching and marine wildlife viewing opportunities, the small village of Port Renfrew is perfectly placed for eco-tourism, at the junction of the famous West Coast and Juan de Fuca Trails. While wildlife is never guaranteed, we had the best whale-watching tour of our lives here. We saw dozens of Orcas and dozens of humpbacks, all in the span of a couple of hours. In fact, the humpbacks came so close to the boat that we even got sprayed by their blowhole! This company also operated out of Victoria, BC, but there are many other whale watching tours as well.

Glamping at Brown’s Bay Resort

Outdoor enthusiasts can try a new way of camping! There are two different types of glamping tents available for individuals looking to relax in the campground. We stayed in a deluxe, luxury oceanfront tent, which was fully equipped with everything we needed. Our bathroom made us feel like we were in a 4-star hotel. Their cliffside tents, on the other hand, are for individuals looking for a more rustic camping experience. These tents only come with power but have easy access to a nearby-shared bathroom and shower building.  There’s a variety of options for waking up to Seaview vistas and you’re only 20-minutes from Campbell River!

Eagle Eye Adventures Grizzly Bear Tour

With a 99.9% success rate, it’s safe to say you’ll see some wildlife with Eagle Eye Adventures. Not only did we see humpback whales and orcas but we also joined them for a day of grizzly bear watching! It was such an incredible experience to see grizzly bears up close, eating salmon in the streams. They even have hydrophones so you can listen to the whales communicating under the water. Whether we were eyeing bears, whales, or eagles, this was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Snorkelling with Salmon 

Totally unique to the Campbell River area is the chance to go snorkelling with salmon! You can do this in a nearby canyon, swimming above tens of thousands of them or you can be more adventurous and go for a fun float down the Campbell River, flowing up and over rocks and by hundreds of big salmon. A very cool experience, which can be done by tour or by renting your own gear and going alone. We decided to rent our own gear from Beaver Aquatics, which was much cheaper to do. However, if you don’t have a car, this may not be an option.

Elk Falls Provincial Park

If you’re around the town of Campbell River, we highly recommend a trip to Elk Falls Provincial Park, even if just for a short hike into the impressive 25-metre (89-foot) waterfall. However, there’s also camping, salmon fishing, and a variety of hiking trails. In addition to the powerful waterfall, there’s also a suspension bridge surrounded by an old-growth forest, perfect for both the young and old. The hike to the falls is only about 30 minutes or less.

Go Surfing in Tofino

Whether you’re someone just wanting to try surfing for the first time or a pro looking to catch the next big break, Tofino is a surfing paradise. There are a variety of places to go and a variety of surfing schools to choose from. You can also just rent a board and go by yourself. During our visit, we partnered with the Surf Club at Long Beach Lodge Resort. With beautiful Cox Bay Beach right on their doorstep, this is an amazing place to learn surfing. We’ve participated in many surf lessons and this was by far the best. Plus, there is a free hot tub to use afterward.

Tofino is an incredible place so make sure you check out our full guide to the best things to do in Tofino !

Wildplay Nanaimo 

If you’re looking for a thrill, go to Wildplay Nanaimo. Not only is there a 150-foot bungy jump, but there are also zip lines, adventure courses, and a 140 km/h primal swing! This is the ultimate place to test your fears. I was so thrilled to find a bungy jump in Canada that’s done by the ankles. Despite it being my sixth time jumping off a bridge, it was no less scary. It’s the real deal and so much fun! Great for kids and adults!

Scuba Diving

Not a lot of people think of Canada when it comes to scuba diving, but Vancouver Island is actually known as one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world. Of course, it’s a different scuba diving experience compared to the tropical areas it’s usually known for. The water is cold for starters, and the sea life is quite different. However, we did our diving just off Nanaimo, diving down to 60 feet while looking at colourful fauna, a variety of fish, wolf eels, and a swimming scallop! We also went snorkelling with seals, which was an equally special experience.

Stand Amongst Giants at Cathedral Grove

Another very special part about visiting Vancouver Island is the chance to stand among massive 800-year-old Douglas Fir trees, some of the largest in the world, in MacMillan Provincial Park. This 301-hectare park, located just 16 km east of Port Alberni, is famous for Cathedral Grove, where you’ll find trees that measure up to 250 feet tall (75 metres) and up to 29 feet (9 metres) in circumference.

What to Do in Kelowna

Kelowna is the heart of the Okanagan Valley and one of the warmest regions in Canada. This is where you’ll find one of Canada’s most famous wine regions as well as massive Okanagan Lake, a 135-km lake stretching all the way from Penticton to Vernon!

Go on a Kelowna Winery Tour

Whether you sign up for an actual tour or just go on your own self-guided wine adventure, Kelowna is a great place for trying a variety of delicious Canadian wines. In fact, the Okanagan Valley is one of the top three wine regions in Canada and a trip here would not be complete without enjoying some grape alcohol. There are dozens of wineries scattered in and around Kelowna as well as many more in Lake Country and Vernon. We only visited one winery during our stay and it was the famous Summerhill Pyramid Winery, which creates organic biodynamic wines. They gave us the complete tour of how they grow the grapes right up until they age them in an actual on-site pyramid, which they believe gives a unique energy to the wine!

Take a Helicopter Tour

We love getting high in the sky for aerial views of the places we’re visiting and Kelowna is a great place to get up in a helicopter. We went with Valhalla Helicopters as they brought us over vineyard, the city, Okanagan Lake, and the nearby canyon! Helicopter tours are a great way to get a different perspective of an area and something we highly recommend doing in Kelowna!

Go Boating on Okanagan Lake

With such a big lake surrounding the area, it makes sense to get out on the lake and take a boat tour. You can tour the city from the water, cruise to other areas, sit back and drink wine, or jump off the boat and into the lake. You can take a big boat, a little boat, or perhaps something like a kayak or a paddleboard. Whatever it is, get out on the water to really see what this area is all about. We went with Kelowna Water Taxi & Cruises, a friendly one-man operation that is just as entertaining as the location itself.

Okanagan Flyboard

If you’re looking for another unique opportunity to get on the water, then flyboarding is the answer. If the thought of hovering over the water on a board propelled by water pressure sounds exciting to you, give this a try. You’ll feel like a superhero once you get the hang of it!

Go Outdoors on the Kettle Valley Railway

We only saw this place by helicopter but it looked like an epic place to go for a bike ride or a long hike. With incredible scenery and views, the  Myra Canyon trestles  are a great place to get outdoors near the city. It’s about a 30-40 minute drive from downtown Kelowna and is part of the Kettle Valey Railway, which happens to be the longest rail-trail network in BC, stretching all the way to Hope!

Go Skiing at Big White Ski Resort

If you happen to be visiting Kelowna in the winter months, then why not going skiing or snowboarding at Big White Mountain Resort. This is one of the most popular ski resorts in the province and also the third largest. Its mountain summit is 2,319 metres with a vertical drop of 777 metres. Home to more than 2,700 acres of skiable terrain and 16 lifts, it’s an awesome way to enjoy the mountains just a short drive from the city of Kelowna.

Looking for more info? Don’t forget to check out our ULTIMATE GUIDE to the best things to do in Kelowna !

What to Do in BC’s Rocky Mountain Region

Reflect at emerald lake.

Not far from the border of Alberta and the famous town of Banff is BC’s Yoho National Park. From waterfalls to lakes to epic hiking and camping, Yoho national park is one of the best in Canada. We didn’t have time to fully enjoy the park but we did take the time to at least visit beautiful Emerald Lake, where we got to see one of the most beautiful mountain reflections we’ve ever seen. Whether you stop for a couple of hours or a couple of days, Yoho national park is a real gem.

Pipe Mountain Coaster

Located in Revelstoke, this single-person coaster takes you for an exhilarating ride down the mountain! We’ve been wanting to do this for years and finally had the chance. You’ll travel up to 42 km/h over 1.4km of twists and turns while enjoying a 279m vertical drop.

White Water Rafting

Some of the best white water rating opportunities in the country are on the Kicking Horse River around the town of Golden BC . From mountain views to white water thrills, this is one of the best summer activities in the area. We LOVE white water rafting on the Kicking Horse. Whether you’re looking for exciting class 4 rapids or something less extreme, you’ll find it here. Our recommendation, however, is to go all out on the upper and lower Kicking Horse River adventure.

Kicking Horse Mountain Resort

Another incredible mountain paradise just minutes from Golden is Kicking Horse Mountain Resort . In the winter, this place offers some of the best skiing in British Columbia whereas in the summer it’s home to epic mountain biking, hiking, and the Via Ferrata experience! It’s also home to Boo the Grizzly Bear. For outdoor adventure, this is a great place to stop!

Radium Hot Springs

Located south of the Trans-Canada Highway on beautiful Kootenay Highway, this is one of the most beautiful hot springs in the country. Located right next to a towering cliff, our favourite time to visit is in the winter when the hot springs are surrounded by icicles and sparkling snow, but it’s great any time of year.

Panorama Mountain Resort

In the summer, this place is great for biking and hiking, but in the winter, Panorama Mountain Resort is one of our favourite places to go skiing. Not only does it have really great ski runs, but it’s also home to an awesome ski-in-ski-out village with restaurants, bars, and their own big hot pools.

What To Do In Northern British Columbia

Since we were coming from the Yukon, we had to drive all the way from Northern BC to Vancouver. Unfortunately, we didn’t have much time to explore but we did stay two nights at Liard Hot Springs and a night in Prince George. One thing is for certain though! We will be back to see what Northern BC has to offer!

Liard Hot Springs

The second-largest known hot springs in Canada are quite incredible. We stayed in the nearby campground for two nights, allowing us to go early in the morning and late at night. The water can be incredibly hot in one corner and quite cool at the opposite end, which is really nice when you need a break. There are also areas that feel like a steamy jungle, which adds to the ambiance. These are a must-do if you’re on the Alaskan highway.

For more places to take a dip, check out our feature guide to the best hot springs in bc .

Muncho Lake Provincial Park

For those who love the outdoors, you don’t want to miss spending some time in Muncho Lake Provincial Park. This secluded 88,420-hectare park is a haven for horseback riding, fishing, rafting, scuba diving, and more. Surrounded by towering limestone mountains, the place is beautiful and unique. This is also a great place for camping.

Dawson Creek

For those beginning the Alaska Highway from the start, you’ll reach a town called Dawson Creek, which is rich in both World War II and pioneer history. To make the most of it, you can take a self0guided walking tour, picking up a map from the Visitor Centre, and spending a good hour or more exploring the downtown, including beautiful wall murals, the Alaska Highway House, the Train Station Museum, and more.

Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark

As the second Global Geopark in North America, Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark is rich in geological heritage. You’ll find an array of hiking trails leading to 21 different destinations and 41 different geosites, including waterfalls, canyons, lakes, meadows, and mountain vistas. There’s also a Dinosaur Discovery Gallery where you can see fossils found in the area.

Fort Saint James National Historic Site

Located just off Highway 16, in the area of Vanderhoof, you’ll find some of the most incredible heritage sites in the country. This seasonal site features the largest collection of original fur trade era wooden buildings and even offers the opportunity to spend the night in the 1896 luxurious Murray House or in one of the tents at the fort, a great experience for the whole family.

‘Ksan Museum and Historical Village

Located along the Skeena River in Haselton is the replicated indigenous village of Ksan. Used for centuries by the local Gitxsan’s tribe, this site is now home to a wonderful museum featuring close to 600 pieces of historical artifacts, totem poles, a carving area, traditional songs and dancing, and an incredible glimpse into what life was like in a traditional village. You can also take a guided tour or spend the night in the campground.

Gitanyow Totem Poles

Home to British Colombia’s largest collection of totem poles, some of which are the oldest known, the town of Gitanyow is well worth the visit. This town was made famous by Emily Carr, who painted many of these totem poles back in 1928. Each cedar pole tells a story, the history, and gives a glimpse into the spirituality of the people who carved them. To get here, find Dease Lake Highway, a short detour from Highway 37.

Meziadan Fish Ladder

For a province famous for its salmon, it makes sense to see them up close and personal via a fish ladder. At the Mediadan Fish Ladder, you’ll find sockeye and chinook salmon as they migrate back to the lake. This 670-foot-long ladder bridges both the upper and lower Victoria Falls, providing a public viewing to see these amazing creatures up close. You may even see bears, wolves, and eagles looking for a bite to eat.

Spatsizi Plateau Wilderness Provincial Park

Spatsizi, which means “red goat” in the native Tahltan First Nation language, is one of Canada’s largest parks and is an important habitat for the beautiful Woodland Caribou. Uniquely home to both the Spatsizi Plateau and the Skeena Mountains, this is an excellent place to see wildlife, as well as go canoeing, fishing, and hiking. Popular sightings include bears, wolverines, beavers, marmots, mountain goats, stone sheep, and more than 140 species of birds.

Nisga’a Museum and Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park

Not many people think of volcanic areas when they think of Canada, but Nisga’a Memorial Lava Bed Park is a great place to experience volcanic areas. But that’s not the only thing that makes it unique. It’s also the first provincial park to be jointly managed by a First Nations tribe and the BC government. It’s a great place for a guided tour and offers an amazing viewpoint above the crater.

Museum of Northern BC

Well, since we’re talking about Nothern BC, how could we not mention the museum dedicated to the area itself. Located on the waterfront in Prince Rupert, the Museum of Northern BC houses a traditional cedar wood longhouse, and various artifacts and exhibits related to the indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest. Used as a trading centre for more than 9000 years, this a great place to see the culture of the coastal nations.

Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands)

Often referred to as the Galapagos of Canada, Haida Gwaii is about as unique as it gets. Voted as one of National Geographic’s Best Trips in 2015, the area is home to the Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve, the National Marine Conservation Area Reserve, the Haida Heritage Site, and the Sgang Gwaay UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the last authentic examples of a west coast First Nations Village.

Fun Facts about British Columbia

• British Columbia is FOUR TIMES the size of Great Britain but has less than 1/10th the population.
• BC’s coastline is longer than 27,000 kilometres!
• Half of BC’s population lives in the metropolitan area of Vancouver.
• BC has the mildest climates of any province and territory in Canada.
• Two-thirds of BC land is forest land, with more than half of that area having little or no human contact.
• British Columbia has three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, six National Parks and over 400 provincial parks, recreation and conservation areas.

Getting to British Columbia

If you’re a visitor looking for different ways of getting to British Columbia, here’s some practical advice on how to get there.

Getting to BC by Car

If you’re planning to drive to BC, it’s sandwiched in-between Alberta, the Yukon, and Washington, USA. Most people arrive by driving in from BC through the Rocky Mountains from Alberta, from the border of Washington, or by plane. Although it’s a VERY large province, it’s fairly under-populated and easy to drive around. If driving from the US, please note that you will have to go through customs.

The Trans-Canada Highway, which goes coast to coast, cuts right through the Rocky Mountains and basically ends in Vancouver (or Victoria, officially). The most spectacular way to arrive in BC is the drive from Calgary to Vancouve r.

Getting to BC by Plane

British Columbia is home to five international airports. These five airports are the Vancouver International Airport (YVR), Victoria International Airport (YYJ), Kelowna International Airport (YLW), Abbotsford International Airport (YXX), and the Canadian Rockies International Airport (YXC). Once you arrive, you can easily rent a car, take a taxi, hop on public transportation, or perhaps, jump on a tour. There are smaller regional airports in BC as well, but most people, especially those visiting from outside the province or country will arrive at one of the three airports mentioned above.

For convenience, Vancouver and Victoria are best for those exploring the coast whereas Kelowna and the Canadian Rockies airport is more convenient for both the Rocky Mountains, interior BC, and the wine region of the Okanagan Valley (Kelowna, specifically). However, for those on a road trip, it might not matter.

Getting Around British Columbia

British Columbia is a large province and is best explored by private vehicle. There are tours, especially for popular areas such as Vancouver, Kelowna, Whistler, and Victoria, and there are some buses as well, but those are very limited in destinations and convenience. Without a doubt, if your goal is to explore various parts of the province, the best way is to rent a car.

Best Time to Visit BC

One of the great things about British Columbia is that it’s a year-round destination for the most part. BC has the mildest climate in the country, which means the winters are much less harsh than other provinces and territories. However, the climate varies greatly on where you go. For example, the mildest climates will be found on the coast, including Vancouver and Vancouver Island. The winters here rarely go below 0 degrees and it will see much more rain than it does snow. On the other hand, the Canadian Rockies in eastern BC, as well as Northern BC will see much more extreme temperatures similar to the rest of Canada.

The busiest and most popular time to visit anywhere in BC is like the rest of Canada, the summer months between June and September. This is when the weather is very warm (or very hot in some areas) and there is much less rain. However, if you don’t mind the rain, even the spring or the winter can be good times to visit the coast, especially if you simply prefer fewer crowds.

In the winter, if you’re looking for snow, you can either head to Whistler, which is just 2 hours from Vancouver, or go east to the Canadian Rockies for some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world. Likewise, if you want to see epic winter storms, you could head to the far west coastal town of Tofino, one of the most famous surf spots in Canada. Depending on what you do will decide what time you come, but here are our personal recommendations.

Despite the crowds, we love the summer. The weather is hot, the skies are often blue, and all the activities are in full effect. However, the fall would be our second favourite season, as the weather is still warm, the colours are changing, and tourists are fewer in number (although still quite a few). The spring can be nice, especially in Victoria as the flowers start to bloom, but there’s certainly more chance for rain. The winter is the rainest time (January to March), but if you’re seeking snow, this is the best time to visit Whistler and the Canadian Rockies.

Road to 150 – British Columbia Road Trip

Back in 2017, we produced one of the largest independent media campaigns the country has ever seen. The Road to 150 was a 150-day road trip across Canada to produce a 12-part video series and mini-documentary about what makes Canada special. BC was our second-last leg of the trip and became the most popular video of our entire campaign. We had around 20 days to explore the province and came up with a perfect itinerary that can easily be shortened if you’re not capturing video all day long.

Coming from the Yukon, we started our trip off in the very Northern stretches of BC, soaking our tired muscles into the beautiful Liard Hot Springs. Despite the north being so beautiful, we had to skip most of it, as it took 3 entire days of driving to reach Vancouver Island. We spent an entire week here, exploring Victoria, Port Renfrew, Campbell River, and Tofino. We had the most epic whale watching tour of our lives, went surfing, went scuba diving, snorkelled with salmon, watched Grizzly Bears eat the salmon, and even went bungy jumping in Nanaimo.

We then moved on to the massive city of Vancouver, learning about its history and biking through one of the most beautiful urban parks in the world. We then continued east to the Okanagan Valley, tasting delicious wine at their very source, fly-boarding over on of the country’s most famous lakes, and taking a helicopter tour to see it all from the sky. We then pushed east, stopping to see the stunning vistas of Yoho National Park before entering Alberta and the town of Banff.

We highly recommend watching the video above and then heading over to our  Canadian Youtube Channel to see more videos about BC and about the country as well.

Looking For More Things to Do in BC?

We were so excited to explore this incredible province. We got to fly to see so much wildlife including orcas, humpbacks, and Grizzlies. We got to shower in waterfalls, go surfing, and scuba dive. We got to bungy jump off of a bridge, tour wineries, and take scenic helicopter rides. This might just be Canada’s most exciting province and we can’t wait to return and dig deeper!

For more, don’t miss our other travel guides:

• Things to Do Golden BC
• Things to Do in Fernie
• Things to Do in Nanaimo
• Things to Do in Kamloops
• Best Wineries in Osoyoos

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About Matthew G. Bailey

Matthew G. Bailey is the founder and editor-in-chief of Must Do Canada. Growing up in Alberta to a mother from Quebec and a father from Newfoundland, Matt spent his childhood playing hockey under the Northern Lights and hanging out in the forest before moving to Calgary and travelling to more than 250 cities spanning 42 countries and 6 continents. He loves travel, learning new things, playing sports, writing, making videos, photography, and scuba diving. You can also find him at LiveLimitless.net .

Reader Interactions

March 18, 2018 at 1:54 pm

What a great post! Thank you so very much for sharing. Thanks to you I have so much inspiration now, just what I need! I’m currently planning a trip for my family and I as my parents have their 35 wedding anniversary and want to do a family trip. We plan to travel to British Columbia some time this year, probably in September. I was wondering if you could please let me know what time of year you were in BC?

Thanks and regards, Kimberley Alsemgeest (The Netherlands)

March 18, 2018 at 7:36 pm

Thanks for the kind words, Kimberley. We were in the Netherlands a couple of years ago but only for four days. We hope to come back 🙂 – As for BC, we were there in September. Approx Sept 6 – 27. The fall is a nice time. Less visitors (still lots) and the weather is still great. Fall colours in some areas. Some whale watching tours start to slow down towards the end of September but other than that, I think most tours and activities would be active. Are you coming this year?

August 18, 2021 at 11:26 am

B.C. is so amazing.

June 5, 2022 at 10:02 am

Wow so many great suggestions on here. I think Wild Play Nanaimo has been the most fun day I’ve had in ages. Highly recommend.

July 14, 2020 at 6:18 pm

I’m going to binge watch all your shows now and visit B.C. whenever possible. You guys create awesome videos and have terrific content. This should be made more discoverable to the world.

July 15, 2020 at 3:55 am

Thank you so much. That really means a lot 🙂

April 3, 2021 at 1:04 am

I live in BC and did not know there were so many fantastic things to do. Can’t wait to get outside and try them all.

April 3, 2021 at 11:08 am

For sure, BC is one of the top tourism locations in Canada 🙂

April 6, 2021 at 9:34 pm

I can’t wait to get outside and try these fun things to do in BC this year.

April 10, 2021 at 1:08 pm

April 16, 2021 at 9:52 am

amazing highlighting the beauty of BC! So much to do!

April 19, 2021 at 5:18 pm

Fantastic and I absolutely love these articles.

April 28, 2021 at 1:24 pm

This site will come in very handy again this year, giving us plenty of ideas for things to see and do, whether it’d be in our regions (because we are still confined to health areas) or hopefully when we get the go ahead to start exploring further!

April 28, 2021 at 8:50 pm

I’m just a BC girl, living in a Manitoba world… can’t wait to get back

May 7, 2021 at 4:52 pm

We can’t wait for travel restrictions to be removed so we can explore more of our beautiful province. We hope to make it to Vancouver island this summer and the Rockies.

May 9, 2021 at 7:34 am

It’s a beautiful province to live in and visit.

May 10, 2021 at 3:48 pm

I want to do all of these! I have had short stops in BC but I can’t wait for the borders to open up so I can properly explore our next-door Province!

May 12, 2021 at 8:46 am

Lucky to be so close to visit!

May 13, 2021 at 1:54 pm

This was sooo helpful! I plan to drive to BC very soon 😍 — thank you Must Do!

May 13, 2021 at 8:14 pm

There are so many great places to explore in BC. No need to travel south. Come see Beautiful BC!!

May 14, 2021 at 5:07 pm

BC is one of the most beautiful places on earth. They don’t call it Beautiful BC for nothing.

May 15, 2021 at 1:51 pm

I love exploring BC.

May 16, 2021 at 10:44 pm

Wonderful article thank you!

May 20, 2021 at 4:33 pm

I miss BC and all the opportunities to be outdoors in nature!

May 22, 2021 at 3:49 pm

Love British Columbia, favourite province!!

May 25, 2021 at 9:32 pm

Awesome article!!

May 26, 2021 at 1:27 am

Live in BC and haven’t done a lot of this! Need to catch up…

May 26, 2021 at 6:12 am

Next Destination 🙂

May 28, 2021 at 11:38 pm

Been to Victoria! Want to go again and spend more time on Vancouver Island. There are a few distilleries I want to visit!

May 30, 2021 at 9:27 am

Love Victoria beautiful Butchart gardens

May 31, 2021 at 10:48 am

BC is SOOOO beautiful. Hope to return soon.

June 10, 2021 at 7:54 am

This makes me want to move to BC today! Hoping to move there within the next year. I cannot wait !

June 10, 2021 at 12:47 pm

Love BC nature! Thank you for sharing , now I have more things to add to my must see list.

June 10, 2021 at 9:59 pm

Othello Tunnels in Hope is definitely on the list for me

June 10, 2021 at 11:03 pm

I would love to see this in person iv seen and heard some beautiful stories and pictures about living in BC but would live to see ut just because of the views

June 11, 2021 at 5:16 pm

Happened upon black bears while biking and a grizzly with three cubs while on an atv and I’m very happy to motor off in the opposite direction. Awesome experience but short lived!

June 14, 2021 at 9:05 pm

this article is really timely for me!

June 15, 2021 at 3:46 am

LOVE all these AWESOME IDEAS!

June 25, 2021 at 12:00 pm

I would love to go the Fisherman’s Wharf 😛

August 19, 2021 at 12:35 am

September 1, 2021 at 5:11 am

The views and scenery are just amazing!

September 3, 2021 at 1:05 am

I agree – grabbing a bite to eat on Granville Island is a must-do.

December 7, 2021 at 2:17 pm

Lived in BC my whole life and only done a couple of these. Good inspiration for a summer road trip.

December 7, 2021 at 11:19 pm

Love bc! So much to do!!

February 16, 2022 at 12:40 pm

Come on over to the West Kootenays and enjoy some of our beautiful area. Hot springs, lakes, rivers, camping, skiing, fishing, word’s longest free ferry, golf courses, culture,……We’ve got lots to enjoy!

February 16, 2022 at 1:19 pm

We’re still waiting on the final go-ahead but we may be doing a video series there in the spring!

March 10, 2022 at 7:04 pm

Did Orca Spirit Adventures and Love Exploring British Columbia! Thanks for all the ideas we can do this SUMMER! We love going to Kelowna also and Vancouver!! So many Fun things to do! LOVE to win a PASS so we can explore more!

March 10, 2022 at 10:18 pm

Nice article. Great to see everything in one place.

March 12, 2022 at 8:23 am

BC in my home province and I so love learning more and more

March 13, 2022 at 7:06 am

Thank you for listing a lot of the amazing things to do and plces to see in BC. Im hoping to make trip out there this year.

March 15, 2022 at 11:24 pm

Wow! Fantastic article on B. C. sp many thing I did not know

March 16, 2022 at 2:55 pm

Gotta do some of these in Victoria!!

March 16, 2022 at 10:53 pm

The North Island of Vancouver Island is BY FAR the most beautiful part of BC!

March 18, 2022 at 1:19 pm

So many Wonderful things to do in BC LOVE LOVE LOVE

May 10, 2022 at 9:19 pm

I’ve always wanted to visit B.C. Hope I can go there one day.

March 19, 2022 at 8:46 am

West Coast is the best coast!! ❤️

March 19, 2022 at 9:28 am

Absolutely beautiful, now I have ideas for things to do in BC this year when we go!

March 20, 2022 at 11:00 am

I’m visiting BC right now so was pleased to read this article. The FORBIDDEN VANCOUVER WALKING TOURS is now on my list.

April 5, 2022 at 10:01 pm

I haven’t been to BC in over 20 years, think it’s time for me to go back!

April 8, 2022 at 4:40 pm

Going in Vancouver soon, this is a very good article of things to do and places to see! Thanks!

May 5, 2022 at 11:39 am

B.C. is such a fabulous place to live, I feel so lucky to be a Canadian

May 7, 2022 at 3:53 pm

I’ve always wanted to go whale watching!

May 9, 2022 at 2:24 pm

I’ve always wanted to go whale watching!!

May 10, 2022 at 2:05 pm

This is a great article! Really highlights some of the best stuff to check out here in BC! I recommend everyone in Canada try and get here once in their lives

May 17, 2022 at 11:40 am

Love it here! There’s really something for everyone.

May 18, 2022 at 11:35 am

This is great. We are newer to BC – nice to have some ideas.

May 18, 2022 at 1:38 pm

Wonderful post! Need to plan a vacation soon!

May 18, 2022 at 7:44 pm

I’d love to try out the Pipe Mountain Coaster one day!

May 23, 2022 at 11:05 pm

British Columbia is an amazing place to visit.

May 26, 2022 at 3:52 pm

Beautiful BC!

May 28, 2022 at 8:32 am

I love how diverse this article is in covering our beautiful province!

May 28, 2022 at 10:29 pm

Lucky to call this place home. From te North to the south it is an amazing place to live. You captured the essence of it well.

May 29, 2022 at 7:49 am

Amazing ideas! I’ll definitely be trying the ones I haven’t already.

May 29, 2022 at 8:52 am

Great list. We visited Rmerald Lake for the first time last summer. It’s magnificent!

May 29, 2022 at 5:41 pm

Great to see recommendations for my home city-Vancouver

May 31, 2022 at 7:50 am

Which route is best to take when driving to Vancouver from Alberta? There are several options. Not sure if one has less traffic or better views?

May 31, 2022 at 8:09 am

There are a few. We haven’t taken the one that goes near the US border, but really, Trans-Canada is the fastest and is super scenic. You’ll go through 4-5 national parks.

June 1, 2022 at 8:19 am

Great article, love BC ♥️

June 4, 2022 at 9:59 am

So lucky to have lived in BC most of my life! Best time to visit is May (before the rest of the herd and weather is still pretty good).

June 6, 2022 at 9:03 am

Just walked through Cathedral Grove. So beautiful!

June 6, 2022 at 5:51 pm

I would love to take my kids to Vancouver Aquarium!

June 6, 2022 at 6:55 pm

So many beautiful places to explore in BC! One of my favorites it the hike into Twin Falls in Yoho National Park. Your website is fantastic!

August 24, 2022 at 9:52 am

So much to see and to do in this beautiful province!

August 25, 2022 at 8:56 am

Love BC !!! So pretty!!

August 27, 2022 at 1:35 am

very interesting things to do and see for sure.

August 31, 2022 at 4:27 am

So many great places to visit

September 1, 2022 at 11:36 pm

Love it! Thanks for sharing so many great spots in BC!

September 2, 2022 at 6:18 am

BC is my home, has bn for generations, I haven’t done alot of the things on that list; simply because I am content with doing my own things, in specific places in my own Beautiful British Columbia world. I like to go places and do different things -when I choose, on my own time and terms.

September 2, 2022 at 7:03 am

Beautiful photos. BC is on my bucket list. Love to visit Victoria for the food.

September 2, 2022 at 9:19 am

I live in BC and some of these “things to do” I did not know about it! So thank you! Will check some of these cool spots out!

September 2, 2022 at 9:32 am

great staycation options to look forward to

September 2, 2022 at 11:12 am

Seen many bears and one cougar while atving in the Kootenays. Love this province!

September 2, 2022 at 11:50 am

Duuuuddddde…. I appreciate your passions but can you shorten it up a little bit? Like, think: snippets… digestible bites… pause and take a breath….

September 2, 2022 at 12:15 pm

After Manitoba my favourite province to visit is beautiful British Columbia.

September 2, 2022 at 9:29 pm

I love BC. Thankfully I’ve been blessed to do many of the things on your great list, but I’ve still got some to go! Thanks for a great post!

September 3, 2022 at 1:22 pm

Absolutely love beautiful British Columbia!! Was just out there last week, all the way from Nova Scotia!

September 6, 2022 at 2:23 pm

Loved the Kettle Valley Railway in the Okanagan. We did the steam train in Summerland & biked on some of the trail.

September 12, 2022 at 8:37 pm

I’ve lived in BC for almost 14 years, and I have seen very little of it. This will definitely give me some trip suggestions.

September 14, 2022 at 9:39 am

So many great things to do in BC. I haven’t seen some of the ones listed in this article. Thanks, I’ll have to check out some of them.

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British Columbia Itinerary – 7 days or 2 weeks

Last Updated on March 1, 2024

British Columbia is one of the most gorgeous places to visit in North America, with its towering mountains, flowing fjords, ancient forests, wine country and energetic cities. British Columbia is also massive, it can take several days to drive across it from north to south! Because of it’s size and geographic diversity, planning a trip can be a bit daunting. This article will help you prioritize and see as much as you can with either a 7 day or 2 week British Columbia Itinerary.

Can I visit British Columbia without a car?

When is the best time to travel to british columbia.

• 7 day British Columbia itinerary without a car
• 2 week British Columbia Road trip itinerary
• What to do if you have more time
• What to pack for British Columbia

Yes! However, it depends on what you want to do on your British Columbia itinerary.

Vancouver and Victoria are both very walkable and even if you have a car I recommend parking it and walking and making use of the fantastic public transportation. It will be a lot less frustrating!

Whistler is also easy to get to and around without a car. You can take a bus from Vancouver and then take the Whistler shuttle anywhere you want to go.

Rural areas of British Columbia are difficult to access without a car, so if you’re traveling car free I recommend sticking with Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler.

You can also take the train from Vancouver to the Canadian Rockies which has a stop in Kamloops in Interior BC. This is a gorgeous train ride although it is expensive.

British Columbia is a wonderful year round destination! Depending on what you want to do should determine the best time for your trip.

Summer is the busiest and most popular travel time. Most of British Columbia has long, sunny days, though it’s important to be prepared for rain any time of year, especially in Vancouver, Whistler and Vancouver Island. Expect crowds and lots of people out hiking, paddling and camping.

Fall is a beautiful time of year with less crowds, except in the Canadian Rockies where it’s very crowded through October. Expect freezing temperatures at night in the mountains and the interior. Coastal areas and cooler and rainier, but not as wet as winter.

Winter is a popular time to visit and travel British Columbia. The mountains have incredible skiing (both downhill and cross country) and there are lots of other winter sports to enjoy. Driving is much slower and involves winter driving conditions. Roads are well maintained but can be treacherous at times or closed during storms. Winter is wet and gray in Vancouver and Victoria, though it rarely snows.

Spring is another good way to avoid crowds and is a bit less wet than winter in coastal areas. Spring can still be VERY wet so be prepared. Ski season usually wraps up in late March or early April and high country areas continue to have deep snow through the spring. Keep this in mind if you’re a hiker, since spring is not ideal for mountains hikes in BC.

7 Day British Columbia Itinerary without a car

This 7 day itinerary is designed for those who don’t want to deal with getting a rental car or driving on their British Columbia Itinerary. This whole trip can be done without a car! If you do have a car, this still makes for a wonderful trip (except for parking in Vancouver and the expense of taking the ferry, which you could skip if you’re driving and stick with the mainland). This chart is a summary, the details are below. If you do drive this route, give yourself plenty of time for all the stops along the Sea to Sky Highway between Vancouver and Whistler.

Day 1 – Arrive in Vancouver

Arrive in Vancouver and stretch your legs after your journey in Stanley Park. Find a delicious dinner and catch the sunset before calling it a day. I recommend staying near Stanley Park or Canada Place for this short, car free visit to Vancouver.

Related : Best things to do in Vancouver

Day 2 – Exploring Vancouver

There are so many wonderful things to do in Vancouver! I recommend starting the day in Chinatown for Dim Sum, which is a meal eaten around brunch time and involves lots of small plates to enjoy and share.

After that, take the bus to the University of British Columbia campus and check out the wonderful Museum of Anthropology. The museum is an ideal place to learn about the First Nations people of what is today called British Columbia, both past and present.

Next, take the bus to Granville Island and explore the many shops, eateries and amazing food! Make sure to take the ferry around false creek. The ferry is not only fun, scenic and very Vancouver, but it can also quickly whisk you back to downtown.

Day 3 – Travel to Victoria on Vancouver Island (4 hours)

Today you’re heading to Victoria on Vancouver Island and British Columbia makes it really easy to do this car free! The ferry terminal is a ways outside of town (on both sides) but you can take a bus that takes you from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria without having to navigate lots of different busses on both sides (which is also an option, though it takes longer and is more complicated).

Head over here for all the scheduling and booking details for the bus and ferry trip to Victoria. The trip takes about 4 hours (including the very scenic ferry ride).

Depending on what time you arrive in Victoria, you will likely have time to wander around town and check out the inner harbor. For a longer walk with expansive views head out Dallas Road along the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

I recommend staying in Victoria’s inner harbor, which puts you in the middle of everything and is very walkable. It’s also easy access to transit.

Related : Best things to do in Victoria

Day 4 – Exploring Victoria

Today is your day to explore the delightful and charming town of Victoria, which is also the capital of British Columbia.

In the morning, walk around town and down the shopping area of Government Street and take in one of Victoria’s excellent museums. I recommend the Maritime Museum or the Royal BC Museum.

In the afternoon, you need to have afternoon tea! This is an institution for generations in Victoria. I recommend skipping the very tourist oriented (and overpriced) tea at the Empress Hotel and instead have tea at Butchart Gardens. In my opinion, this is the best afternoon tea in Victoria . This also gives you the chance to explore world famous Butchart Gardens, which is really beautiful all year.

To get out to Butchart Gardens, you can take the city bus from downtown and it takes about 45 minutes. There are also tour buses you can take to get there which are a bit more expensive but get you there a little faster.

In the evening, make sure to stroll by the British Columbia parliament buildings, which have really beautiful white lights at night all year round.

Day 5 – Travel to Whistler

Today you’re heading from the harbors of Victoria to the towering mountains of Whistler . First, you’ll take the ferry/bus combo back to downtown Vancouver and then take the bus to Whistler. Learn all about the bus service to Whistler here . You will need to take the bus or Sky train a short distance from Pacific Central Station to Burrard to catch your Whistler bus. Plan on the journey taking most of the day.

Not only are you seeing the amazing islands and mountains of the Salish Sea from the ferry on your return trip, you’ll also be traveling up one of Canada’s most beautiful roads on the way to Whistler.

I recommend staying in Whistler Village which is very walkable and you can also take the shuttle around the Whistler area.

Day 6 – Exploring Whistler

Today you get to explore the stunning mountain town of Whistler! Make sure to enjoy some of Whistler’s incredible restaurants, no matter what time of year it is.

I recommend riding the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which you can ride year round. If it’s not a clear day, I would skip this since the view is what makes it really amazing. If you’re a hiker, don’t miss out on the amazing hiking options here .

Whistler is also a wonderful place to take a hike or a walk, there are lots of places to explore close by. Alta Lake has kayak rentals if you want to explore the water in summer and you can snowshoe around it in winter.

If it’s winter, Whistler is a great place to ski! If you’re not a skier, you can enjoy the snowy wonderland on snowshoes too.

Day 7 – Return to Vancouver

Today you’ll take the bus back to Vancouver, which takes about two hours. Depending on the schedule the day you’re traveling, you might have more time to explore Whistler before you depart or Vancouver when you arrive.

Spend the rest of the day doing anything else you missed at the beginning of your trip in Vancouver before heading home.

Ultimate British Columbia Road Trip Itinerary – 2 weeks

If you’re looking for an epic two week road trip adventure in British Columbia, here it is! You’ll want to park and take public transportation in Vancouver and Victoria, which are very walkable and have excellent transit. If you want to stay away from towns altogether, you can spend more time on the open road (driving around Vancouver Island instead of exploring Victoria for example). The chart provides a summary, with details below

Arrive in Vancouver and stretch your legs after your journey in Stanley Park. Find a delicious dinner and catch the sunset before calling it a day. I recommend staying near Stanley Park or Canada Place and leaving your car parked. It’s easy to get around Vancouver without driving! If you choose to drive, know that parking in many locations can be a challenge.

After that, take the bus (or drive) to the University of British Columbia campus and check out the wonderful Museum of Anthropology. The museum is an ideal place to learn about the First Nations people of what is today called British Columbia, both past and present.

Next, take the bus (or drive) to Granville Island and explore the many shops, eateries and amazing food! Make sure to take the ferry around false creek. The ferry is not only fun, scenic and very Vancouver, but it can also quickly whisk you back to downtown. Parking can be a challenge on weekends at Granville Island. Leave the car at your lodging if possible.

Day 3 – Travel to Victoria on Vancouver Island (3 hours – not including ferry wait)

Today you’ll get up and drive to the Tsawwassen ferry terminal. While not technically required, I highly recommend getting a reservation for the ferry in advance if you’re bringing a car ( schedules and booking here ). It could take up to an hour to get there depending on traffic. Make sure to arrive 30-60 minutes before your ferry is scheduled to sail.

The ferry ride is just over an hour and a half, with beautiful views of the mountains and islands of the Salish Sea around you.

Once you arrive at the Schwartz Bay Terminal on Vancouver Island, it’s about a 45 minute drive to Victoria.

I recommend staying in the inner harbor so you can walk to most things in town.

To get out to Butchart Gardens it’s about a half hour drive from the Inner Harbor. You can take the city bus from downtown and it takes about 45 minutes if you don’t want to deal with parking.

Day 5 – Victoria to Tofino (5 hours)

This morning you’ll get up and do some scenic driving on Vancouver Island to the town of Tofino , which faces the open Pacific Ocean. It’s a slow drive but absolutely beautiful and fully worth it to see the stunning surf of the Pacific Ocean crashing against the rocks or exploring the beaches at low tide.

There are plenty of forest walks, waterfalls and beaches to stop at along the way to stretch your legs. Once you pass the town of Parksville, you’ll begin driving across Vancouver Island, going over a pass in the middle. You’ll pass the town of Port Alberni at the head of a long fjord.

When you are almost to Tofino, you’ll be near the town of Ucluelet which is another option for a place to stay on the west coast of Vancouver Island a slightly shorter drive.

Related : Best things to do in Ucluelet and Tofino

Day 6 – Tofino to Whistler (7 hours – not including ferry wait)

Today you’ll enjoy breakfast in Tofino (or Ucluelet) and perhaps fit in another beach stroll before starting your journey to Whistler. First off, you’ll retrace your journey back as far as Nanaimo (about 3 hours).

In Nanaimo, you’ll board a different BC ferry that will take you to the Horseshoe Bay terminal on the north side of Vancouver. Once again, you’ll want to have a reservation and arrive 30-60 minutes early. If you have enough time to explore the city of Nanaimo, make sure to get a Nanaimo bar!

It’s another scenic ferry ride across to the mainland that lasts about an hour and forty minutes.

When you arrive in Horseshoe Bay, you’ll be driving the almost unbearably beautiful Sea to Sky Highway for 100 km (60 miles to Whistler). While the drive is only an hour and a half, there are so many wonderful places to stop along this highway it is likely to take you much longer! At a minimum make sure to stop at Porteau Cove and Shannon Falls.

Related : 17 fun stops on the Vancouver to Whistler drive

Day 7 – Exploring Whistler

Today you get to explore the beautiful town of Whistler! Whistler is world famous for it’s skiing (the Olympics were here after all), but there’s so much more to Whistler than just ski slopes.

I recommend riding the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which you can ride year round. If it’s not a clear day, I would skip this since the view is what makes it really amazing. You’ll see mountains as far as you can see in every direction!

Make sure to take in some of Whistler’s excellent food as well.

Day 8 – Whistler to Kamloops (4 hours)

Today you’ll start your drive to Kamloops, which is a delightful town in BC’s sunny interior of wineries and agriculture! Kamloops is a perfect halfway point to break up the drive to the Canadian Rockies.

Make sure to give yourself time to explore the town of Kamloops as well as stop and taste some delicious BC wine.

Day 9 – Kamloops to Radium Hot Springs (5.5 hours)

Today you are heading to the Canadian Rockies! This post is about a British Columbia itinerary, although the Canadian rockies stretch across British Columbia and Alberta. Many people go straight to Lake Louise, Banff and Jasper. These are beautiful and extremely crowded locations. If you want a little more room, less people and a more relaxed experience, stick with Kootenay National Park and Yoho National Park, which adjon Banff National Park and are every bit as stunning!

Related : Why you should visit Kootenay National Park

I recommend Radium Hot Springs as a base camp for your explorations in the Canadian Rockies, because it’s more affordable and less crowded than Banff and Lake Louise. There are a number of hotels in the town of Radium Hot Springs as well as vacation rentals and one of my favorite campgrounds ever, the Redstreak Campground. Redstreak Campground is operated by Parks Canada and is in Kootenay National Park. You can also walk from your campsite to Radium Hot Springs for your soak.

On the way from Kamloops to Radium, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to stop and stretch your legs. Make sure to stop at the Giant Cedars Trail in Mt Revelstoke National Park and Roger’s Pass.

When you arrive in Radium, make sure to go to Radium Hot Springs, which is my favorite of the Parks Canada operated hot springs. It is MUCH less crowded than the hot springs in Banff. Actually, I recommend doing this EVERY night while you’re in the Canadian Rockies

Day 10 – Exploring the Canadian Rockies

I suggest spending today exploring Kootenay National Park and Yoho National Park. In Kootenay, make sure to stop at Marble Canyon, which is a relatively short walk and absolutely stunning. The drive through the park is breathtaking, even in moody weather. There are plenty of hiking opportunties here as well.

In Yoho, don’t miss gorgeous and internet famous Emerald Lake, with it’s towering mountains, perfect blue-green water and charming photogenic lodge. You can walk around the lake or rent a canoe here if you want to spend some time.

Takakkaw Falls is another fantastic stop in Yoho, if you’re up for the adventurous drive to get there!

Don’t forget to go back to the hot springs tonight!

Day 11 – More exploring the Canadian Rockies

If you’re up for braving the crowds, this is a good day to head to Banff and Lake Louise. I recommend going straight to the shuttle area on the highway for parking and get there as early as possible to see Lake Louise. Get there as early as possible as even the shuttle sometimes includes a long wait. Don’t even think about trying to drive into the Lake if you’re not staying there.

Lake Louise has plenty of hiking trails and canoe rentals to spend your day in and you can also go further up the road (again on the shuttle) to Morraine Lake, which is possibly even more beautiful!

If you’re not tired of crowds, head over to Banff and explore this charming mountain town. There are plenty of shops and restaurants as well as walks and hikes to keep you busy in Banff.

Day 12 – Radium Hot Springs to Nelson (5.5 hours)

Today you’re leaving the Canadian Rockies behind you to make your way back to Vancouver. You’re going to spend three days getting there so you can have some fun and not just be in the car all day. It is possible to drive straight from Radium to Vancouver in one day, which takes about 10 hours (without stops) and backtracks the same roads you’ve already driven.

On this British Columbia itinerary, we’re seeing new things on different roads on the way back!

On your drive from Radium to Nelson, I recommend going the slightly slower way that includes taking a short and scenic ferry across Kootenay Lake and a soak in Ainsworth Hot Springs (which has a super cool human made cave).

Nelson is only a short distance beyond Ainsworth. If you get there early enough to explore this quirky mountain town, you’ll enjoy it’s many shops and restaurants along the river.

Day 13 – Nelson to Osoyoos (3 hours)

Today you could drive all the way back to Vancouver, but I recommend taking your time to explore the agricultural heartland of British Columbia and taste more incredible wine. You’ll be going through mountains and forests to get there, but Osoyoos itself is very dry.

Spend some time enjoying Osoyoos Lake and wine tasting when you arrive.

Day 14 – Osoyoos to Vancouver (5 hours)

Today you’ll complete your British Columbia road trip by returning to Vancouver! Along the way you’ll head up and over the Cascade Mountains to the Salish Sea once again.

EC Manning Provincial Park is a wonderful place for hiking or picnicking. The mountains here are incredible and you’ll continue to see amazing views as you drive from Hope to Chilliwack over a high mountain pass.

Once you get to Chilliwack, you’ll be in the outskirts of Vancouver. If you are flying out, it makes sense to stay near the airport tonight so you’re ready to fly home.

Related : Complete guide to Winter in Manning Park, BC

If you have more time for your British Columbia Itinerary

If you have more time for your trip in British Columbia (lucky you!) here are a few ideas for how to spend it:

• Explore more of Vancouver Island , including the remote north end of the island
• Relax on the quiet and stunningly beautiful Sunshine Coast
• Go further up north along the Cariboo Chilcotin Highway
• Spend more time in BC wine country
• Visit even more hot springs !
• Spend more time in the Canadian Rockies
• Spend more time in Vancouver

Related : Vancouver to Banff road trip itinerary

What to pack for your trip to British Columbia

This post contains affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases .

The weather throughout British Columbia varies quite a bit, with the Vancouver and Victoria area being rainier with more mild temperatures year round. The BC interior is hotter in summer, colder in winter and sunnier and drier year round.

For both of these itineraries, I recommend being ready for rain or sun any day all year! The main difference for winter is to bring more warm layers on colder days. The most important thing is to have an excellent rain jacket and waterproof footwear any time of year in British Columbia.

If you’re doing your British Columbia itinerary in the winter, you might want to consider bringing snow boots as well as a puffy coat if you are leaving the Vancouver and Vancouver Island area.

For summer travelers, it can be rainy and chilly in the summer, but it can also get quite hot. Make sure to bring some light layers for hot days (or warm indoor spaces).

Some specific things I recommend packing for your trip to British Columbia include:

It’s probably not a surprise that the most important thing to consider in what to pack for British Columbia is an  excellent rainjacket . Make sure it’s actually waterproof and not a light windbreaker (although if you’re visiting late July through early September that would likely be adequate if you’re staying in Vancouver).

• Make sure it’s  waterproof  (I like Gore Tex material but it’s not the only option)
• Make sure it’s  big enough to fit over other layers  (especially in winter when you’ll need a warm layer underneath it). I always have a rainjacket one size bigger than other tops I own.
• Make sure it’s  long enough  – this is a matter of personal preference but I prefer one that is long enough to not ride up all the time, especially with layers on
• Get a  lightweight  one – Because rain happens at a wide variety of temperatures in British Columbia, I recommend getting a rain jacket without an insulating layer and getting a separate layer of warmth (like a fleece or puffy) . This will allow you to wear them separately. A light raincoat is also easy to bring in your bag for that sudden rainstorm

If you’re looking for a specific rainjacket to pack for British Columbia, I highly recommend both this  Marmot one from Amazon  and  this REI Co- op one  (also available in plus sizes!). Both of these are excellent rain jackets that are durable and reasonably priced.

Waterproof boots or shoes

This is particularly important in fall through spring. If you’re visiting late July through early September and staying in cities without doing any hiking, then you might be fine without waterproof footwear.

Lots of people wear rubber boots even on city streets when it’s raining, in particular the super popular Hunter rubber boots, which come in a variety of colors. I personally prefer Xtra Tuf Boots ( especially these beautifully patterned Salmon Sisters ones ) because they are also super comfortable for muddy hikes!

If you’re more interested in hiking boots or hiking shoes, that’s another great option for the footwear you pack for British Columbia and it’s totally ok to wear hiking shoes and boots in the city too. I personally recommend Merrells which I wear for hiking. I prefer  hiking shoes  to boots, but if you prefer the extra ankle support of  hiking boots then I recommend these .

In addition to shoes,  wool socks  will help keep your feet warm and if they get wet it’s not totally miserable! Bring lots of extra socks!

Other Essentials

A few other things I consider necessary (in addition to toiletries and person items) include

• Waterbottle – like much of the Pacific Northwest, people carry waterbottles and you can fill them up all over the place
• Umbrella – this can be really handy for summer days or surprise rain showers
• Resuable shopping bag – you can get this when you arrive if you don’t have one or don’t want to travel with it. Effective January 1, 2022 there is a plastic bag ban so you’ll want to have something to carry purchases with
• Layers – you’ll want to be comfortable in a variety of temperatures, so bring clothes you can wear separately or together on warm or cool days.

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24 Best Places to Visit in British Columbia

Written By: The Planet D

Updated On: February 19, 2024

British Columbia is Canada’s four-season playground. With mild winters and balmy summers, BC is filled with beautiful places to visit from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast it has an endless supply of outdoor adventures, world-class vineyards, and beautiful scenery. If you are planning a trip to Canada’s West Coast, these are the best places to visit in British Columbia to add to your travel bucket list.

We’ve been lucky enough to have lived in British Columbia and even though we aren’t BC residents anymore, we make a point of going back regularly. In fact, I think we travel more to British Columbia now that we don’t live there anymore. We have explored all corners of the province and these are some ideas to spark your wanderlust to explore Canada’s West Coast.

Table of Contents

Places to Visit in British Columbia

1. Vancouver

Vancouver is one of the best cities in Canada that offers the perfect blend of urban and outdoor adventures. When planning your travels to British Columbia, chances are you will start in Vancouver . This beautiful city has everything you would want in an urban center yet, it is filled with outdoor activities. Stanley Park is home to the famous sea wall that is perfect for cycling and hiking. There’s the Vancouver Aquarium which is a top attraction in Stanley Park and there are plenty of walking trails, a marina, and the Stanley Park Totem Poles.

Granville Island is a not to miss destination in Vancouver with art galleries, restaurants, cafes, and exhibits on a bustling island in the heart of the city.

Read More About Vancouver

• Where to Stay in Vancouver – Best Hotels & Vacation Rentals By Area
• 26 Best Things to do in Vancouver, BC

2. Whistler

It’s Canada’s winter destination, but Whistler is one of the best places to visit in British Columbia in summer too. Make your way to Whistler Village to enjoy the great outdoors of the coastal mountains. Home to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Whistler is an outdoor lover’s playground with World Cup ski hills, a bobsleigh track, and endless cross country ski trails.

In the summer, there’s fantastic hiking, mountain biking, and rock climbing and Whistler Village is a year-round retreat filled with restaurants, cafes, and plenty of activities.

Read More About Whistler

• 30 Awesome Things to Do in Whistler, BC
• Snowmobile Whistler – Into the Backcountry, We Go
• First on the Mountain – Fresh Tracks in Whistler
• Everything You Need to Know to Go Skiing in Whistler

3. Squamish

Located between Vancouver and Whistler, Squamish is often overlooked as a quick stop on the Sea to Sky highway road trip, but this town is worth spending a few days. It’s a rock climbing Mecca with professional climbers flocking to tackle the Squamish Chief (Stawamus Chief Mountain ).

The Britannia Mine Museum is a fascinating walk through time and there are plenty of waterfalls and hiking trails and whitewater rafting around Squamish. If you don’t want to hike or climb to the top of Squamish Chief, you can take the Sea to Sky Gondola up for high views of Howe Sound, where you can test your nerves by crossing the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge. There’s excellent dining and Squamish is one of the best places in British Columbia to see bald eagles.

• 14 Amazing Things to Do in Squamish BC
• Vancouver to Whistler – Best of the Sea to Sky Highway

4. Sunshine Coast

This drive up the rugged and remote stretch of the BC coast is one of Canada’s best-kept secrets. The Sunshine Coast is located north of Vancouver along the Straight of Georgia. Located on the mainland of BC, one would think it is an easy drive, but the only way to access the Sunshine Coast is by taking a ferry, helicopter, or plane. Taking the ferry from Horseshoe Bay transforms you to one of the most beautiful coastlines in BC.

As you drive north, you’ll come into Gibsons Landing, home to the filming location of the legendary Canadian TV Show, the Beachcombers before you begin the drive up to Lund where you can jump on excursions to Desolation Sound. The Sunshine Coast is also known for some of the best mountain biking in British Columbia.

Read More About The Sunshine Coast

• Ultimate Things to do on A Sunshine Coast Road Trip

4. Desolation Sound

Lund is the jumping-off point for Desolation Sound and it is easy to book tours from the  Lund Resort at Klah a Men  or from Terracentric Coastal Adventures in the Marina. From here you can go out to Hernando and Savory Island which are known as the Hawaii of the North thanks to its sandy beach and Major Rock which is home to a colony of sea lions and to see a large colony of sea birds as well.

It is easy to book water taxis to the islands around Desolations Sound. Prices start at $12 per person one way.  Check rates and times here. Or if you want a real adventure, you can hike all the way up to Desolation Sound as part of the Sunshine Coast Trail.

If you visit Lund, a great place to stay in the   Lund Resort at Klah ah men . This boutique resort is the first of fully-run Indigenous resort on the Sunshine Coast and it was named the Most Outstanding Indigenous Accommodations by Indigenous Tourism of Canada.

6. Okanagan Valley

The Okanagan Valley is one of Canada’s premier wine-producing regions. Located in Southern British Columbia, it is a year-round vacation destination. It’s also one of the premier places in Canada to retire. Consisting of Kelowna and Penticton and Vernon BC, there are plenty of things to keep you busy as you explore this expansive valley that is 200km long and 20 km wide. Okanagan Lake is the main lake of the region.

Considered the fruit basket of British Columbia, there are plenty of vineyards and fruit farms that grow cherries, plums, pears, peaches, and apples. Read more about this region on Best British Columbia Road Trip – Vancouver to Revelstoke

One of our favourite cities to visit in the Okanagan Valley is Kelowna.  This town not only has a glorious wine scene but there’s also a fabulous food scene, distilleries, and outdoor activities galore. One of the best things to do in Kelowna is to hike or cycle the Kettle Valley Railway trail at Myra Canyon.

The trestle bridges of the Kettle Valley Railway in Myra Canyon offer one of the most spectacular views in British Columbia, let alone the Okanagan Valley. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail itself runs from Hope to Castlegar and is actually 650-kilometers long, but the most beautiful views are located just outside of Kelowna in Myra-Bellevue Provincial Park.

Located on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake, there are plenty of watersports in the summer and you can rent paddleboards, kayaks, and jet skis to explore the gorgeous scenery from the beach in downtown Kelowna. Read more at Best Things to do in Kelowna British Columbia

8. Penticton

Another major city in the Okanagan Valley, Penticton should also be added to your list of places to visit in British Columbia. Surrounded by mountains and located between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake, Penticton is a nature lover’s dream. This lovely Okanagan Valley city has lakeside promenades, beaches, hiking trails, and skiing at nearby Apex Mountain. Apex was the first place Dave and I went skiing in British Columbia. Like Kelowna is in the heart of wine country with vineyards and orchards to visit nearby. Watch our flight over the beautiful countryside.

9. Kamloops

When looking for places to visit in British Columbia, Kamloops doesn’t pop at the top of mind, but it is a popular stop on the Rocky Mountaineer so many people may have heard of it. As with so many places in British Columbia, Kamloops has plenty of outdoor activities and it should definitely be added to your list. Stay at the Sandman Signature Hotel on the waterfront.

Another nature-lovers escape, Kamloops has everything you could want to get outside. Hiking through its desert-like valleys is a unique experience with Hoodoos and sandstone canyons lining the way. There are 100 lakes nearby, endless hiking and biking trails and you can learn about BC wildlife at the Wildlife Park which rescues and rehabilitates local wildlife. Check out more at The Rocky Mountaineer Experience – Vancouver to Banff

10. Revelstoke

Revelstoke is often overlooked for Whistler, but this mountain playground is a great alternative to the more popular ski resorts of British Columbia and Alberta . Revelstoke Mountain Resort houses North America’s longest vertical descent at 1713m (5,620 feet) and has some of the best ski conditions in Canada with an average of 10.5 meters (34 feet) of powder each winter. Make sure to stay at The Sutton Place Revelstoke Mountain Resort right in the village next to the hills for optimal adventure and luxury in Revelstoke.

While Revelstoke is known for its exceptional skiing and snowboarding, it is also an amazing place to visit in the summer too. Revelstoke Mountain Resort has adventures for everyone from downhill mountain biking, hiking, an aerial adventure park, and a mountain coaster. But there are plenty of things to do in downtown Revelstoke with an aspiring food scene, shopping, museums, and outdoor adventures in Mount Revelstoke National Park.

Read more about Revelstoke

• The Best Things to do in Revelstoke, BC – Besides Skiing
• Best British Columbia Road Trip – Vancouver – Kelowna – Revelstoke
• 15 Top Ski Resorts in Canada For Winter Fun

11. Glacier National Park

Yes, Canada has its own Glacier National Park and it is located near Revelstoke National Park. Located just 35 minutes from Revelstoke, you can tick off two Canada National Parks while making a base in Revelstoke. It is a year-round adventure paradise. One thing not to miss in Glacier National Park is to hike the Canadian Pacific Railway Line. The Rogers Pass Discovery Centre is a national historic site that has a replica of a historic railway building with a theatre, and an avalanche exhibit and you’ll also learn about the history and wildlife of the area.

12. Yoho National Park

British Columbia is blessed with parks and wide-open spaces and Yoho National Park is another beautiful place to visit in BC. Located in the Canadian Rockies, it offers exceptional hiking and biking and stunning scenery with crystal clear lakes and snow-capped mountains. Yoho National Park creates a Rocky Mountain triangle with Kootenay National Park to the south and Banff National Park to the East in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Canadian Rocky Mountains Park. Check out: Where to Stay in Banff, The Best Areas

The top sights to see here are the natural bridge, emerald lake, Wapta Falls, and Burgess Shale Fossil Site. As with all of the national parks in Canada, you can go camping in the backcountry (with a permit). Permits and passes can be purchased at Parks Canada. One of the more unique things to do at this Canadian National Park is taking a guided fossil hiking tour to see the fossil remains of an ancient sea. Read: The Rocky Mountaineer Experience – Vancouver to Banff

13. Kootenay National Park

Another place to visit nearby is Kootenay National Park. Joining Yoho National Park with Banff National Park this trio makes up the UNESCO-designated Canadian Rockies. Located in the town of Radium, it is snuggled alongside the Alberta border. It’s known for its abundance of hot springs. (including Radium Hot Springs where you can enjoy the hot pools in luxury) and abundance of wildlife. A highlight of Kootenay National Park is Marble Canyon where you can hike through the narrow gorge.

14. Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park

We can’t leave out British Columbia’s Provincial Parks and this Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park is one of the oldest provincial parks in Canada. Located in Southeastern British Columbia, it houses two glaciers, Kokanee and Woodbury that feed 30 lakes including Kootenay Lake. Located in the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park is unique in the fact that most of the park sits above  1,800 meters in elevation. Be prepared when visiting this provincial park, with the high elevation, weather conditions can change frequently.

Make a base in the city of Nelson, British Columbia where you’ll be able to view the peaks of the Kokanee glacier from downtown. Located on the shores of Kootenay Lake, Nelson is a historic downtown is filled with restored heritage homes helping to contribute to it being referred to as the Queen City.

15. Fraser Canyon – Hells Gate

When taking the Rocky Mountaineer through the Canadian Rockies from British Columbia to Alberta, our train journey weaved along the Fraser River through Fraser Canyon. This was our first time witnessing Hells Gate in Fraser Canyon. Located in the heart of Gold Rush country, Hell’s Gate can be visited by taking a gondola down into the Fraser Canyon. The rapids of Hell’s Gate are furious with over 200 million gallons of water squeezing through the narrows of Fraser Canyon each minute. There are observation decks, a cafe, a suspension bridge, and a gift shop so it is well worth the visit.

Taking the Rocky Mountaineer was an amazing way to witness the stunning scenery of British Columbia while taking in its natural beauty from the comfort of a train.

Hope was once famous for being the filming location of Sylvester Stallone’s First Blood, but what makes visiting this town in British Columbia worth it is the Hope Tunnels. The Othello Tunnels in hope are one of the top tourist attractions in interior BC. Similar to the Trestles of Kelowna, the tunnels of hope are a series of trestle bridges and tunnels cutting through the mountains. This was a feat of engineering as the 5 tunnels were blasted and built-in 1914. It is just a 3.5 km round trip, but completely worth stopping to see.

Tofino has become someone of a magical destination in British Columbia. A surfer’s paradise, UNESCO Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Region is a biodiverse ecosystem with old-growth rainforests and dramatic coastlines. Its coastal beaches attract sun lovers and surfers in the warmer months and storm chasers in the winter.

Located just north of the Pacific Rim National Park Tofino’s sandy beaches stretch to wooden boardwalks and stairs winding through ancient, moss-covered cedar and hemlock trees, making you feel as if you’ve reached the end of the earth. Take a kayaking trip to Clayoquot Sound, learn to surf, or head out to view some of the spectacular wildlife. Take a whale watching tour to see as Gray Whales, Humpback Whales, and Killer Whales, frequent these waters. You’ll see grey wolves, sea otters, black bears, and countless bird species.

18. Pacific Rim National Park Reserve

Speaking of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, this is an adventure lovers’ playground. Located on Vancouver Island, Pacific Rim National Park is home to the 100 sheltered islets of the Broken Group Islands and the famous 75-kilometer multi-day West Coast Trail this is the place to go for outdoor adventures. You can make a base in Tofino or Ucluelet, or you can head into the backcountry for camping, hiking, kayaking, and wildlife viewing. Read more about adventures in the Pacific Rim at Kayaking to the Broken Group Islands – How to Survive as a Family

19. West Coast Trail

There are few epic trails that can compete with British Columbia’s West Coast Trail. It is Canada’s most iconic hiking trail and is on every hiker’s bucket list. The 75-kilometer (47-mile) backcountry trail is as rigorous as it is beautiful. During this multi-day trek, hikers need to carry everything in and out while climbing more than 100 ladders and navigating through waist-deep flowing rivers. If you want the ultimate hiking bragging rights, book a trip to the West Coast Trail. Reservations are mandatory at Parks Canada. Read more: Best Hikes in Canada to Add To your Bucket List

20. Victoria

The Capital City of British Columbia is located on Vancouver Island and is named after Queen Victoria with tudor-style buildings lining its waterfront. This beautiful city is British Columbia’s provincial capital but has a population of fewer than 100,000 people making it feel like a small town, with all the amenities you’d need. Victoria is one of the prettiest cities in Canada with the historic Fairmont Empress Hotel dominating the picturesque Inner Harbour.

Victoria is the second oldest city in the Pacific Northwest and here you can enjoy afternoon tea and feel like the royalty it was named after for a few hours. There is truly a historic feeling with the parliament buildings, Canada’s oldest China town, and the narrowest street in Canada. Its mild year-round temperatures have made Victoria a popular retirement destination for decades.

21. Vancouver Island

Despite its name, Vancouver Island is two hours away from the city by ferry and is one of the best places to visit in British Columbia. Vancouver Island is filled with gorgeous scenery. The two-hour journey features a ferry ride from the city and ends at the largest island on the Pacific Coast of North America. Must-see spots include Victoria, the Pacific Rim National Park in Tofino (also great for surfing), and the impeccable Butchart Gardens.

Book this  Vancouver to Victoria tour   that includes a ferry ride across the Strait of Georgia and through the Gulf Island to Vancouver Island to explore the beautiful Butchart Gardens followed by a sightseeing tour of downtown Victoria. Butchard Gardens is a 55-acre garden where you’ll be able to peruse its Italian Garden, Japanese Garden, Rose Garden, and nearly 1000 plan varieties.

22. Barkerville Historic Town

While Dawson City in the Yukon may be the most famous Gold Rush Town in Canada, Barkerville Historic Town is another legendary historic town that you must visit in British Columbia. There are 125 heritage buildings that transport you back to the 1800s. This Canadian National Historic Site is a fun place to visit spread across more than 1000 acres. Actors and street performers dressed in historic costumes walk the streets putting on performances and storytelling presentations. There is accommodation and camping nearby so you can make a weekend out of it!

23. Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands)

Located off the coast of British Columbia, Haida Gwaii was briefly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands. After the 2010 Haida Gwaii Reconciliation Act, they were changed from the colloquial Queen Charlotte Islands to their traditional name for the people who have inhabited these islands for 2000 years.

Haida Gwaii is a system of 150 remote islands in the Pacific Ocean that take you well off the beaten path. Haida Gwaii is a wildlife lover’s dream with an abundance of bald eagles inhabiting the islands. They are often called the Galapagos of the north with unique wildlife species endemic to the islands. From whale watching to indigenous experiences, this is a destination in BC that is not to be missed.

24. Great Bear Rainforest

British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest is a massive chunk of land lining the Pacific Ocean for 400 km up the west coast of BC. This is one of the premier places to go on a grizzly bear safari. The annual salmon run from August to September is the best time to visit the Great Bear Rainforest for grizzly viewing and there are several companies that offer adventures from Bella Bella, Klemtu, and Prince Rupert. There is whale watching in the Great Bear Rainforest as well with Johnstone Strait and the Broughton Archipelago being one of the best places in the world to see orcas. This area has an abundance of wildlife and you’ll also be able to witness bald eagles in their natural habitat.

So there you have it from the Pacific Ocean to the Canadian Rockies, these are some of the best places to visit in British Columbia. BC is a massive province with an area larger than France and Germany combined. It could take a lifetime to see it all, but that is all the more reason to visit British Columbia again and again. Where should we go next?

Read more about British Columbia

• Best Things to do in Kelowna British Columbia
• 14 Best Hikes in Vancouver to Enjoy the Great Outdoors

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British Columbia Bucket List: 18 Best Places To Visit In British Columbia

Do you need ideas for your British Columbia bucket list? We’ve spent more than a year living and traveling in British Columbia, and we inevitably fell for Canada’s West Coast. How could we not? From the majestic Rocky Mountain to the Pacific Coast, British Columbia is a paradise for outdoor lovers, and you can experience truly wild and untouched nature here. Or good wine. Surfing beaches. World-class ski resorts. Unique cities.

In this post we show you the best places to visit in British Columbia. Most of them we’ve already visited, but there’s a few which are still bucket list items.

Get your BC road trip guide so that all the planning is done, you’re ready to go and enjoy BC.

Vancouver and its surroundings

We’re lucky to live in one of the best cities in the world: Vancouver. (Biased opinion, I know, but we stand by it.) There’s a high chance you’ll start your BC adventure in Vancouver, anyway, and don’t make the mistake of immediately leaving it. Hugged by the ocean and the mountains, Vancouver is a perfect blend of a lively city and amazing nature.

Bike or walk around the Stanley Park Seawall , one of the best urban parks in the world, that has its own island. Visit some of Vancouver’s cool neighborhoods, like Gastown , Granville Island or Yaletown . Marvel at the waves on English Bay Beach or Kitsilano Beach . Go up to Vancouver Lookout for a 360 degrees panorama of Vancouver, the Burrard Inlet and the North Shore.

just a random magical rainforest trail near Vancouver

But the highlights are not only in Vancouver Downtown, you can actually find just as fabulous places outside of it. Venture out to the parks in Metro Vancouver. Visit the famous Capilano Suspension Bridge Park , cross its 140 meters long suspension bridge, stretching 70 meters above Capilano River. Get impressed while hiking in Lynn Canyon . Try scuba diving in Whytecliff Park – or observe seals basking in the sun on Whyte Islet. Go kayaking in Deep Cove. Take the cable car to Grouse Mountain . Conquer peaks in the North Shore Mountains.

Read this post, too: How To Spend 3 Days In Vancouver?

What’s the downside? You can barely see anything if you only have a few days. But look on the bright side: even if you only explore Vancouver and its surroundings, you can experience some of the best things to do in British Columbia.

Canadian geese on the lawn in front of the British Columbia Parliament

The provincial capital of British Columbia is smaller than Vancouver, and it offers a different experience. The vibe in Victoria reminded us of European cities, and it has some wonderful pieces of Victorian architecture. The heart of the city is the Inner Harbor and the Fisherman’s Wharf. This is where you find the British Columbia Parliament building or the Fairmont Empress Hotel, which was built in 1908 for the Canadian Pacific Railway.

But there’s one thing in which Victoria is quite similar to Vancouver: nature is close. Take advantage of it! We liked the surroundings of Victoria even more than the city itself : the Butchart Gardens with its themed flower gardens and water features, East Sooke Regional Park, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, Sooke Potholes or the rushing waterfalls nearby.

Squamish is located at the end of Howe Sound, and – surprise, no surprise – it’s the surrounding nature that makes it so impressive. Squamish is a great base for adventure lovers: you can conquer the picturesque cliffs of Stawamus Chief (there are options for hikers and climbers, too), take the Sea to Sky Gondola for stunning views of Howe Sound and even more hiking trails at higher elevations, visit Shannon Falls or go whitewater rafting.

If you drive the Sea to Sky Highway from Vancouver to Whistler , Squamish is a worthwhile stop halfway. If you live in Vancouver (yeah, like us), Squamish will be among your favorite day trips.

The drive from Vancouver to Whistler is amazing, anyway, and each of your stops offer plenty of outdoor adventures.

Whistler is one of the best winter destinations in Canada, with a world-class ski resort that’s among the biggest ones in North America. At the foot of the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, skiing season is long here, but summer can be just as wonderful : with hiking trails to vibrant, turquoise lakes and glaciers (like Rainbow Lake, Iceberg Lake , Wedgemount Lake), mountain biking opportunities, golf courses and seaplane tours in Whistler Village. While I find Whistler wonderful in every season, summer is my true love. Passionate skiers and snowboarders will vote for winter though.

Green Lake or Lost Lake are easily accessible lakes with stunning scenery. Lost Lake is popular for swimming, as well, in the summer months.

Vancouver Island

Visiting Vancouver Island is one of the most popular things to do in British Columbia. It would deserve its own lengthy post, because this 290-mile stretch of land is a mix of fabulous beaches, dramatic coastline, pristine forest, tranquil lakes and artsy towns. No to mention Victoria and its surroundings. You can easily spend weeks here, but a few days will also impress.

However, don’t even try to see everything in a few days. It’s a long island with many remote areas, so choose one region and explore that if you have a very limited time.

Some of our favorite places to put on your Vancouver Island bucket list:

• Tofino : one of the best surfing spots in all Canada; it also offers easy, scenic coastal trails
• Pacific Rim National Park : fabulous coastal scenery and old-growth forests
• Juan de Fuca Provincial Park : wild beaches (several of them have waterfalls on the beach), untouched coastline
• Elk Falls Provincial Park : one of the most impressive waterfalls on Vancouver Island
• Strathcona Provincial Park : a remote park with endless pine forests, lakes, amazing waterfalls
• Victoria and the nearby waterfalls, trails, coastal parks
• Nanaimo : the main attractions are also the lovely coastal parks and waterfalls near the city

Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast is a somewhat isolated, idyllic coastal area with many tiny islands and inlets, backed up by giant, rugged mountains that cut if ott from direct road connections. It lies north of Vancouver, along the Strait of Georgia, and it can be accessed by taking a ferry, helicopter or plane.

Are you looking for easy coastal trails with jaw-dropping scenery? Then add the Sunshine Coast to your BC bucket list. (Don’t let the name mislead you though. The Pacific Northwest has a rainy climate for the majority of the year.)

Yoho National Park

Your BC adventures are not complete without the Rocky Mountains. Bordering Alberta’s famous Banff National Park, Yoho is smaller, but just as magical, with rugged mountain terrain, snow-capped peaks, rushing rivers and waterfalls, and crystal clear lakes. With quite some attractions located along the road, it’s a perfect stop on any Canadian Rockies road trip.

Yoho National Park is home to Takakkaw Falls (373 m), the second tallest waterfall in British Columbia, Emerald Lake , an alpine lake named for its magical color, or the picturesque Yoho Valley .

Kootenay National Park

Adjoining Banff and Yoho, Kootenay National Park is another of the seven national and provincial parks that form the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage Site. Its main mountain range reaches 3000 meters, so this park also has a landscape with sawtooth peaks, dramatic ridges, glaciers and narrow gorges.

Kootenay National Park also has easily accessible attractions, like Marble Canyon, Numa Falls or the Paint Pots . My favorite hike there is Stanley Glacier Trail.

Glacier National Park

While you might have heard about Yoho and Kootenay, and visiting them are bucket list things to do in BC for many people, fewer know about Glacier National Park. What?! No, not the Glacier National Park of Montana, this is the Glacier National Park of British Columbia. With high peaks, about 400 active glaciers and one of Canada’s largest cave systems.

It lies in the northern Selkirk Range of the Columbia Mountains, and most of the park is very hard to access. There are some shorter nature trails, challenging, very scenic day hikes – and the backcountry. You have a chance to bump into mountain goats, black bears or grizzly bears, or even woodland caribous. The Trans-Canada Highway runs through the park, so you can enjoy the amazing scenery even from the car.

Our favorite hike in Glacier National Park is Asulkan Valley Trail , a steep, picturesque valley that ends at a glacier. It’s also on the list of our favorite hiking trails in BC.

Mount Revelstoke National Park

Not far from Glacier National Park, here’s another gem that’s not so well-known, but so easily accessible: Mount Revelstoke National Park. You can drive straight up to the peak of Mount Revelstoke on 26 km long Meadows in the Sky Parkway.

You find several short trails in the summit area, and there’s a few longer ones. Miller, Eva & Jade Lakes Trail is one of the most scenic lake hikes in British Columbia.

Actually, casually listing Yoho, Kootenay, Glacier and Mount Revelstoke National Parks makes us realize just how lucky we are to live in a province that is so full of out-of-fairy-tale mountains. No, they don’t feel like they’re the same. Yes, they impress each and every time we get to see a piece of them. Don’t miss the mountains of BC – and prepare for the most epic alpine views you’ve ever seen!

The sleepy little town of Revelstoke is at the foot of Mount Revelstoke, and it doesn’t offer many sights, but it’s a prime destination for heli-skiing . The Revelstoke Mountain Resort has North America’s longest vertical descent at 5,620 feet (1713 m), and it also has plenty of powdery snow each winter. The Sutton Place Revelstoke Mountain Resort gives easy access to this ski paradise and perfect conditions to relax after a tiring day.

So there’s nothing in Revelstoke. Nothing but mountains. Like in most of BC. 🙂

Garibaldi Provincial Park

Sigh. I bet you’ve seen it on Instagram countless times: girls in pretty dresses posing at Garibaldi Lake. Just to make things clear: you need hiking boots and clothes to reach the lake , so carry the pretty outfit in your backpack if you want that picture.

But Garibaldi Provincial Park is more than Garibaldi Lake. It offers long, challenging hiking trails with unforgettable alpine scenery. It’s within day trip distance from Vancouver, which means that this park is very busy in the summer months. And it’s not really accessible for the rest of the year.

While we think Garibaldi Lake and this provincial park deserves the fame, avoid summer weekends. Check if you need a day pass – they’re free, but mandatory in the busiest period of the year.

Wells Gray Provincial Park

British Columbia is so rich in waterfalls! They’ll amaze you no matter where you go within the province. But there’s one park that waterfall lovers simply can’t miss: Well Gray Provincial Park, “Canada’s waterfall playground”.

It has 41 named waterfalls and an untamed wilderness, shaped by volcanoes and glaciers, dominated by powerful rivers and endless pine forests. The waterfalls are roaring, and quite a lot of them have an impressive size, but the lava rock bowls behind them, the basalt canyons, the crystal clear mountain rivers and the surrounding wilderness are all part of the magic.

Helmcken Falls is the most famous waterfall in Wells Gray. It’s 141 meters (463 ft) high and can be seen from a viewing platform that’s a few minutes walk from the parking lot. Spahat Falls and Moul Falls are also on Murtle River – they make our TOP 3 waterfalls in the park.

The main area of Well Gray Provincial Park can be accessed from Clearwater. The road is paved until Helmcken Falls, after that it’s a dirt road all the way to Clearwater Lake. Road conditions vary, but you can usually get to Helmcken Falls all year. Wells Gray Provincial Park has some more remote areas, too, accessible on minor roads that are partly unpaved, or accessible exclusively on water.

Mount Robson Provincial Park

3954 meters high Mount Robson is the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, and it’s not even located in any of the national parks. It has its own provincial park though, bordering Alberta and famous Jasper National Park. You can admire the peaks from the road as you drive through, and there are a few short hiking trails by the road, but the main attractions of Mount Robson Provincial Park require long and demanding hikes.

We liked the short and easy trail to Overlander Falls. The trail to Berg Lake seems stunning, but it was not a realistic objective for us with a 3-year-old.

Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park

Located right on the border of BC and Alberta, Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park offers majestic, untouched mountain scenery. The pyramid-shaped peak of Mount Assiniboine is known as the crown jewel of the Canadian Rockies, but you find countless lakes and glaciers worthy of praise, as well.

This park is not for road trippers though. There’s no road into the park, only multi-day hiking trails – or helicopter rides. 5-6 days of backpacking is recommended to see some of the highlights in Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park, and definitely plan your routes and overnight stays in advance.

This park is one of the few places on this list where we haven’t been, simply because there are so many beautiful places in this province, and too many of them are much easier to access. It would be worth a visit, but it should be a well-planned, longer one.

Okanagan Valley

While mountains impressed us, we expected to find them in BC, because we knew that most of the province is mountains. Okanagan Valley on the other hand was a true surprise. It was like stumbling upon a piece of the Mediterranean in Canada!

With hot, dry summers and hundreds of (not glacial-fed, so warm enough) lakes, the Okanagan Valley is the best beach destination in British Columbia. It’s also one of Canada’s premier wine-producing regions. The 120 km long Okanagan Lake is the heart of the region, with the city of Kelowna on its eastern shore. The scenery is spectacular even if you only drive through, but the countless wineries and beaches are surely worth some stops along the way.

Slocan Lake

“Take the road less traveled.” The statement stands true for the Arrow-Slocan region, with about 20 small communities, scenic roads, farmland, rivers and crystal clear lakes with mountain backdrops. This was one of those regions on our BC road trip where we had most of the attractions to ourselves, or shared them with a few local families.

Slocan Lake is a huge, deep, wonderful lake in the Slocan River Valley. No major river feeds the lake, but several small streams bring cold water into it. Its water temperature is not nearly as pleasant as some of the lakes in the Okanagan Valley, but we could easily mistake it for the sea – so huge and perfectly blue. We had a few short swims, but hiking was our favorite activity here. Boating and fishing are also popular.

Nestled between the West Kootenay and Valhalla mountain ranges, you can choose any trail on the steep shoreline of Slocan Lake to enjoy spectacular views. Bannock Point Recreation Site has short trails to scenic viewpoints, and Valhalla Provincial Park offers longer, more remote trails into the wilderness.

This region is most likely quite out of your way though. Coming from Revelstoke, we had to take the Upper Arrow Lake Ferry, linking Shelter Bay and Galena Bay and providing free(!) ferry service, then drive down on Highway 6. But what a peaceful paradise we found!

Great Bear Rainforest

Finally, another place which is still on our BC bucket list: Great Bear Rainforest. It’s a temperate rainforest that covers 6.4 million hectares (roughly the size of Ireland) and is home to rich wildlife and marine life. Spirit Bears, unique white-colored sub-species of the black bear, can only be found here. No big cities, busy highways or anything of that sort around. Just nature – and nature is more than enough.

It’s a remote region, flying, hiking or sailing is the way to explore it. Bella Coola and Kitimat are two of the small communities that are great bases to immerse yourself in the solitude and beauty of the Great Bear Rainforest.

Now, tell us what are your favorite places in British Columbia?

Disclosure: Please note that affiliate links are used in this post, and at no additional cost to you, we earn a commission if you make a purchase. This is how we pay our bills and keep our blog free for you to enjoy. 🙂

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Bea is a travel writer and the co-founder of Our Wanders, an adventurous family travel blog. She’s been traveling for more than 10 years, seeking outdoor adventures, fairy tale castles and unique experiences. She's passionate about sharing all she has learned along the way, and she's an expert in planning trips of any length. She’d love to help you plan your own amazing trip, too.

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20 Top-Rated Tourist Attractions in British Columbia

Written by Lana Law and Michael Law Updated May 26, 2022 We may earn a commission from affiliate links ( )

British Columbia's mountains, lakes, islands, rainforests, beautiful stretches of coastline, picturesque cities, attractive towns, and world-class skiing make it one of the most popular destinations in Canada .

Most visitors to BC begin in Vancouver , which makes a great starting point for touring the province. A short flight or ferry trip from here will take you to Vancouver Island and the provincial capital, Victoria . Less than a two-hour drive from Vancouver is the resort town and ski destination of Whistler . In the interior of BC, the Okanagan Valley is another year-round hot spot, with the beaches on the shores of Okanagan Lake, golf courses, and numerous ski resorts.

For a more complete overview and to help plan your itinerary , see our list of the top tourist attractions in British Columbia.

1. Whistler

2. vancouver island, 3. okanagan valley & kelowna, 4. tofino and pacific rim national park reserve, 5. vancouver and stanley park, 6. victoria & the inner harbour, 7. yoho national park, 8. old-growth forests, 9. butchart gardens, 10. haida gwaii, 11. glacier national park, 12. salt spring island, 13. kootenay national park, 15. emerald lake, 16. mt. robson provincial park, 17. barkerville historic town, 18. hell's gate airtram in the fraser canyon, 19. squamish, 20. revelstoke, map of tourist attractions in british columbia.

At the foot of the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains , Whistler is the center of the biggest winter sports area in Canada. In 2010, this world-class ski resort attracted much international attention when it hosted the downhill ski events for the Winter Olympic Games.

While it is closely associated with skiing and snowboarding in Canada , Whistler is a year-round destination with hiking trails , mountain biking trails, golfing, and beautiful scenery to explore in the summer. Visitors don't even need to ski or be active to enjoy this lovely town. One of the main attractions is the Peak 2 Peak Gondola, which joins Whistler and Blackcomb mountains. The distance covered is a record breaking 4.4 kilometers. The ride takes only 11 minutes and offers spectacular views of the area.

Whistler Village is a modern, upscale town with luxury hotels, high-end shopping, and fine dining. Although, you can still find casual restaurants and regular retail and grocery stores.

The town's close proximity to Vancouver, only a two-hour drive from the city, means it is also easily accessible. The drive to Whistler from Vancouver along the Sea-to-Sky Highway is beautiful. Popular stops on this route include the community of Squamish and Shannon Falls.

• Read More: Top-Rated Attractions & Things to Do in Whistler

On Canada's far western coast, Vancouver Island is home to some spectacular coastal scenery, mountains, lakes, and other natural attractions, as well as lovely small towns and the provincial capital of Victoria . Coastal beaches provide year-round surfing, particularly near the popular tourist town of Tofino and nearby Pacific Rim National Park .

Vancouver Island is the largest island on the Pacific coast of North America. Much of it is very remote with limited access. If you take the time to explore the island, you'll find some incredible hiking trails , including the epic multi-day West Coast Trail , one of the best hikes in Canada . Campers can find a variety of excellent campgrounds spread around the island.

Vancouver Island is located west of the city of Vancouver and reached either by a short flight or a ferry ride. Ferries or flights will take you to the Victoria area or into Nanaimo , another popular town on the Island.

Found in the interior of the BC, the Okanagan Valley, most often referred to simply as the Okanagan, is a lush, sunny valley with lakes, beaches, rolling mountains, and orchards. At the heart of the region is the 120-kilometer-long Okanagan Lake and the city of Kelowna on the eastern shore of the lake. Other popular towns in the area include Summerland , Peachland , Penticton , and Vernon .

The Okanagan has hot dry summers and mild winters making it a popular retirement destination and a prominent summertime retreat for people from across British Columbia and neighboring Alberta. Some of the most common summertime activities are houseboating, golfing, and spending time at the beach.

In winter, many people come here to enjoy some of the best ski resorts in British Columbia , including Big White Ski Resort and SilverStar Mountain Resort.

This tiny tourist town on the edge of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve is the perfect place for nature lovers looking for a coastal retreat. Endless stretches of beach attract surfers year-round, but most people come here simply to stare out at the waves, storm watch in the off season, or walk for miles on the hard-packed sand.

Off the beach, visitors can hike through old-growth forests or camp along the oceanfront in some of the most stunning coastal scenery in British Columbia.

Couples often come here for a romantic getaway and to relax at one of the luxury seaside resorts and charming lodges . A variety of tours are also offered in the area, from kayaking on Clayoquot Sound to whale watching.

Tofino has an extremely remote feel to it, but it's relatively easy to access from places like Victoria or Nanaimo. Nearby, Ucluelet is another small town that makes a nice day trip from Tofino.

• Read More: Top Things to Do in Tofino

Stanley Park is one of the great features of Vancouver that sets it apart from other major cities across Canada. This huge green space on the edge of the downtown core offers a beautiful nature retreat for visitors and locals.

The park is home to ancient cedars and huge Douglas fir trees. The seawall is one of the main attractions, offering miles of scenic paved path for walking, jogging, or biking. Trails also run through the forest. Within the park is the Vancouver Aquarium , as well as various other attractions, including totem poles, gardens, and beaches.

• Things to See and Do in Stanley Park
• Top-Rated Attractions & Places to Visit in Vancouver

Located on Vancouver Island, Victoria is the capital of British Columbia and one of Canada's most scenic cities. Removed from the mainland, this city has the feel of a small town, but is home to a wealth of attractions and things to do . The city is considered by many locals and tourists alike to be one of the best places to visit in BC.

You'll find a mix of people living here, from retirees fleeing the cold in one of Canada's warmest cities to young tech workers and a large segment of the population working for the provincial government. Somehow it all works, and the people of Victoria tend to be relaxed and friendly, always happy to point you in the right direction should you get lost.

At the heart of the city for both locals and tourists is the Inner Harbour , dominated by the grand Empress Hotel , built in 1908 for the Canadian Pacific Railway. This area is always alive with visitors and locals enjoying the waterfront, particularly in the summer when restaurants open their patios for outdoor dining and street performers take to the sidewalks.

If you are looking for things to do, take in the incredible mountain and ocean views from hiking trails in and around Victoria . For something a little less strenuous, consider High Tea at the Empress Hotel or wander by the Parliament Buildings.

Read More: Best Campgrounds near Victoria

Yoho National Park is home to some of British Columbia's most rugged and scenic mountain terrain. Snowcapped peaks, waterfalls, rivers, and crystal-clear lakes, including spectacular Lake O'Hara , draw large numbers of visitors to this park during the summer months.

Incredible hiking trails allow easy access to the backcountry, but even a drive through the park offers enough exposure to appreciate the landscape. If you are touring Yoho National Park by car, one of the highlights is Takakkaw Falls, one of the highest falls in North America .

• Read More: Exploring the Top Attractions of Yoho National Park

BC has some of the world's most intact old-growth forests, these giant trees have stood as sentinels over the millennia. A visit to one of the stands of trees is a humbling experience that makes you feel small and insignificant.

The old-growth stands are located around the province, but the most accessible locations are on Vancouver Island. The most popular and easiest place to see the trees is at Cathedral Grove on Highway 4 between Qualicum, near Parksville , and Port Alberni. Here, you'll find walkways throughout the giant trees along with informational exhibits.

Another great spot to see the old growth trees is in the Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino. Excellent trails with raised boardwalks wind their way through the trees, up and down small valleys and over burbling brooks.

If you truly want to see the trees in their natural environment and have a sense of adventure, head to the logging roads north of Sooke in the small town of Port Renfrew. Up here are groves of majestic trees, some of which are threatened by logging. The main groves are Avatar Grove and Eden Grove . You'll find short walks through the forest along some stretches of boardwalk in both areas.

You'll need a high clearance vehicle to see the ones at Eden Grove, as the road gets very rough at one point. Most people drive to this point and walk along the road to the grove. Of all the groves in BC, this is the one most in danger of being cut down. See it before it's gone.

Set in an old quarry, Butchart Gardens offers a fabulous display of plants, trees, and flowers. Located just outside Victoria, the mild climate is perfect for changing seasonal displays. Spring through fall is outstanding, when the spring blooms come out and the fabulous display of summer color peaks.

Fall brings the changing leaves of autumn and a burst of color from a wide variety of trees and blooming plants. Extensive walkways wind their way around themed gardens and water features over the 20-hectare property.

Official site: https://www.butchartgardens.com/

Haida Gwaii is one of Canada's undiscovered treasures. These remote islands provide a wealth of culture and natural beauty, but are often overlooked by tourists. Formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands, Haida Gwaii is an isolated group of more than 150 islands in the Pacific Ocean at the western edge of the continental shelf. The two main islands, Graham and Moresby , are located about 50 kilometers and 150 kilometers respectively off the coast of British Columbia.

The native inhabitants, the Haida people , are thought to have lived on these islands for at least 8,000 years. They were known as proud warriors and daring navigators. With their awesome 20 meter-long war canoes, they traversed the length of the Inside Passage as far south as Puget Sound.

Today, they are more famous for the skill and artistry of their carving. Their totem poles and elaborate argillite carvings can be found in every ethnographic museum on the Canadian Pacific coast.

Glacier National Park, along with Mount Revelstoke National Park a few miles further west, is a scenic area and a favorite with climbers and hikers. The parks lie in one of Canada's most inhospitable mountainous regions, the almost inaccessible northern Selkirk Range of the Columbia Mountains .

The landscape is one of jagged peaks, steep descents, and narrow valleys cut deep into the rock. There are approximately 400 glaciers in and around Glacier National Park. At lower levels, up to about 1,300 meters, the dense forests are home to some enormous old trees - western red cedars, hemlocks, and firs - as well as a ground cover of ferns. Mountain goat, woodland caribou, black bears, and grizzly bears are some of the wildlife that can be found in the park.

Most visitors simply drive through, but there are numerous hiking trails and camping facilities. Rogers Pass National Historic Site is also located within Glacier National Park.

Official site: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/glacier

In the Gulf Islands between Victoria and Nanaimo, Salt Spring Island has a small population and is known for its laid-back Bohemian lifestyle. Around this scenic island are artists' studios and farms selling cheese and homemade products. Funky shops sell clothes and trinkets you might expect to find in Southeast Asia.

The main town on the island is Ganges , where visitors will find ice cream shops, cafes and restaurants, and more traditional retail establishments and souvenirs. There is a provincial park on the oceanfront with walking trails, camping facilities, and day use areas. The island also offers inns and other accommodation options.

Ferries run from Tsawwassen on the mainland (Vancouver), Swartz Bay (Victoria), or Crofton (Nanaimo).

• Read More: Top Attractions & Things to Do on Salt Spring Island

Kootenay National Park, in southeastern British Columbia, adjoins Banff National Park and Yoho National Park , and takes in the magnificent western flank of the Canadian Rockies. The main mountain range in Kootenay National Park reaches heights of over 3,000 meters, and the landscape features rugged rocky ridges and sawtooth peaks, snow and ice-covered mountains, cirques, glaciers, hanging valleys, and narrow gorges cut deep into marbled limestone.

Numerous day hikes in the park pass some of these unique sites and natural features. Key highlights in Kootenay are the narrow gorge of Marble Canyon , hiking around Sinclair Pass , and Stanley Glacier .

Official site: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/kootenay

Nelson lies in a beautiful spot on the western arm of Kootenay Lake , surrounded by the snow and ice-covered peaks of the Selkirk Mountains . This former mining town grew up at the end of the 19th century and quickly developed into a tourist center and one of the best cities in British Columbia . The town still has many carefully preserved Victorian buildings, which give it a charm all of its own. Nelson is also known for attracting artists and young adults interested in alternative lifestyles.

Nearby is the wild country of Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park , containing numerous picturesque mountain lakes. Most of this pristine mountain region lies at a height of more than 2,100 meters above sea-level. Kokanee Peak , at 2,774 meters, towers majestically above the rest of Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. Also nearby is Kokanee Creek Provincial Park with sandy beaches and campsites.

Emerald Lake is one of the most spectacular lakes in the Canadian Rockies. Its green hues and glass-calm waters never fail to win the hearts of the casual visitor and amateur photographers. This lake is near the Alberta border but is considerably less busy than Moraine Lake or Lake Louise, and if you only have time for a quick look and don't want to take shuttles, this is the place to visit.

An easy, level gravel trail runs along one side of the lake for 5.2 kilometers and offers walkers incredible views of the surrounding mountain peaks and glaciers. Another popular pastime here is canoeing on the clear waters of the lake. Rentals are available at the concession stand near the lakeshore.

If you work up an appetite or thirst, stop in at the historic Emerald Lake Lodge . Dine inside the building and admire the architecture dating from 1882, or grab a patio seat and soak up the surroundings. If you want to spend the night here, be sure to book well in advance.

Near the BC-Alberta border, north of Jasper , Mt. Robson Provincial Park is home to Mt. Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies , at 3,954 meters. The magnificent mountain landscape is dominate glacier-capped peaks and huge waterfalls.

One of the most popular hikes here is the 25-kilometer trail through the " Valley of the Thousand Falls " to the lovely turquoise lake at the foot of Mt. Robson. On rainy days, the name "thousand falls" becomes obvious as the streams of water pour off the cliff walls.

The area was designated a provincial park in 1913. Even in those days, mountaineers and tourists were drawn to the area, undeterred by the distances involved. Today, the remoteness of this park means that it does not see the great numbers of tourists seen by parks to the south.

Official site: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/mt_robson/

Barkerville Historic Town has an interesting history. In 1858, when news spread that gold had been found in the fluvial sand of the Fraser River, there were soon thousands of men panning for gold all along the river and its tributaries. In the summer of 1862, Billy Barker made his sensational find here at Williams Creek and a typical gold-digging town of simple wooden huts, tents, saloons, and shops sprang up almost overnight. Until it burned down in 1868, Barkerville was the "largest town west of Chicago and north of San Francisco".

Although the town was immediately rebuilt, the end of the gold boom was already apparent. The introduction of machinery meant there was a need for fewer men. Following the end of the gold-rush, Barkerville continued, but was inhabited by settlers and lumberjacks.

Today, visitors will find a restored gold-mining town with about 75 historic buildings making this a fun destination and one of the best places to visit in BC. In summer, costumed interpreters dressed in period costume act out "living history," making it possible to visit a printing-works or smithy, a typical general store, a barber shop, or the "Barkerville Hotel" and feel completely transported back to the times of the gold-rush.

In winter , visitors can participate in snow and cold weather activities, like skating and tubing, or simply enjoy a hot chocolate and some time outdoors.

Official site: http://www.barkerville.ca/

A three-hour drive east of Vancouver is one of Canada's most impressive gorges. Here, the raging torrents of the Fraser River force their way through a narrow pass, known as Hell's Gate, between rocky walls towering almost vertically above the river.

The Hell's Gate Airtram is the best way to view this part of the Fraser Canyon. In days gone by, the Indians found a perilous way across by using ladders. Today, a funicular railway , with impressive views of the wild gorge below, leads down to the lower bank 150 meters below. At the base, are souvenir shops, a restaurant, and a small information center. A climb of a few minutes takes visitors down a reasonable path to the white, foaming river below. The opposite bank can be reached by means of a swaying suspension bridge .

Official site: http://www.hellsgateairtram.com/visit/

Once a sleepy town with an industrial economy, Squamish today is a fast growing, bustling community. Filled with an eclectic mix of those fleeing Vancouver, longtime locals, and a transient population made up of skiers and climbers, Squamish has a vibe all its own.

The city is located at the far end of Howe Sound and is spread out along Highway 99. Downtown is a collection of interesting and functional stores and, of course, a good number of coffee shops. Although the town is nice, the main draw here is the scenery, with the 700-meter-high Stawamus Chief rock face and Shannon Falls both located nearby.

One of the popular things to do when visiting Squamish is to ride the Sea to Sky Gondola. This incredible sightseeing experience allows you to access areas that would normally take long hours, if not days, of hiking to reach. At the top, a suspension bridge extends to a fantastic lookout.

In the summer you used to see kiteboarders and their colorful kites racing across the water. Unfortunately with the closure of the road to the launching site due to environmental concerns, this spectacle is now much, if not completely, diminished.

Read More: Top-Rated Hikes in Squamish, BC

The small town of Revelstoke, more commonly referred to as "Revy," is one of the best places to visit in the interior of BC. Roughly halfway between Banff and Kamloops, Revelstoke is known as one of the premier destinations in Canada, if not the world, for heli-skiing. Towering peaks stuffed with powder snow surround the town, and people come from far and wide to make fresh tracks in the untouched wilderness.

If heli-skiing isn't in your budget, the local ski hill, Revelstoke Mountain Resort, is a good option. The resort gets its fair share of the legendary snow falling on the nearby peaks. The town itself is a decent place to stay, with a cute main street and an excellent railway museum.

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Explore beautiful British Columbia in 10 days

Stepping out of the airport and the humidity hit me like a wall. It wasn’t hot per se, but the moist air made everything stick. I was finally in British Columbia. Last summer, I walked along Canada’s eastern shore, now, just a year later I was on Canada’s west coast.

Coal Harbour

Granville island, granville street, take in stanley park, marvel at giants in cathedral grove, surf in tofino, stay in a yurt on vancouver island, go whale watching, have afternoon tea in victoria.

NOTE: Travel is not recommended at this time. These posts are here to serve as inspiration when we can explore again. Hey there – this post likely contains affiliate links, which means I earn a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you purchase from them. This helps me earn a few dollars to run this website.

British Columbia is Canada’s most western province. From the coastal rainforests, mountain ranges, populous cities and waterways, there is a lot you can do on a trip to British Columbia. Each area is a new place to discover. Dont’t forget to bring along your guidebook, like this fantastic one from Lonely Planet.

British Columbia is a big province and 10 days is not a lot of time to see it, but you can hit some pretty amazing cities, like Vancouver and Victoria, as well as see stunning natural areas, like Stanley Park and Cathedral Grove.

Here are just some of the things you have to do when visiting British Columbia for 10 days:

RELATED: What to Pack for Canada in Summer

Explore the many neighbourhoods of Vancouver

The city of Vancouver, British Columbia is as diverse as the people who call it home. Vancouver is Canada’s third-largest metropolis and is the most ethnically diverse city in the country.

There are numerous distinct neighbourhoods of downtown Vancouver. Here are the ones you’ll want to check out while you visit British Columbia:

From Canada Place to Stanley Park, Coal Harbour has a long industrial history. Today, it’s where big cruise ships come to dock, and the business world thrives. Make sure to check out the harbour and look for seals bobbing in the waves.

Vancouver’s Chinatown is a vibrant place where the Chinese population, who immigrated to Canada to work in the coal mines and railways, settled. There’s a lot of history here that you can explore along each street and alleyway.

Make sure to check out Shanghai Alley, also known as Chinatown Heritage Alley, which describes the history of the Chinese immigrants to Vancouver.

Don’t miss the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Gardens in the heart of Chinatown, Vancouver. It is a spectacular garden and structure that is so peaceful that you will be amazed it is in the middle of a bustling city. If you don’t want to pay the $14 admission fee (although you totally should), you can walk through the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen park for free and get a glimpse of the gardens.

Gastown is Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood. You almost feel transported back in time when red brick and cobblestone streets were popular. Starting with a tavern opened by Gassy Jack, you can now walk along beautiful streets boasting numerous boutiques and hearty eateries. Don’t miss the Gastown Steam Clock, which spews steam to a tune every 15 minutes.

What once was home to factories and industry, Granville Island has transformed into a colourful public market and shopping district. It sits at sea level and below the Granville Street Bridge, tucked away from the rest of the city. Be sure to look for colourful displays of public art and be drawn in by the tantalizing aroma of the bakeries.

Not to be confused with Granville Island, Granville Street is home to the entertainment district of Vancouver. At night, the area comes alive with neon lights, music and shows. There are numerous clubs and bars here that continue into the early morning.

Yaletown is the newest up-and-coming area of Vancouver. The area was once home to the Canadian Pacific Railway and now boasts some of the best dining in Vancouver, lovely boutique shops and waterside parks.

RELATED: Two days in Vancouver, British Columbia

Stanley Park is the jewel of Vancouver. The 1,000-acre public park is a respite from city life. There are a couple of ways to explore the park; you could walk or cycle the nearly 10-kilometre Seawall Path around the park. You could also take the Hop On Hop Off bus that stops at all the best stops within the park.

Key stops you must check out are the Vancouver Aquarium, the totem poles, Girl in a Wetsuit statue, Prospect Point, Lions Gate Bridge, and, of course, the three relaxing beaches in the park.

Go from sea to sky in British Columbia

No trip to British Columbia is complete without taking a car (or bus) and driving up Highway 99, known as the Sea to Sky Highway. Starting in Vancouver, it follows a winding road up through the mountains of the British Columbia’s coast to Pemberton. The whole trip is about 160kms and could take only a couple of hours, but you’re going to want to stop at one of the many lookouts along the way.

Key stops include Shannon Falls Provincial Park, the Sea to Sky Gondola, Brandywine Falls and Whistler.

The Sea to Sky Gondola is an incredible experience to be lifted 850m up to the summit. Once at the top, you can explore the number of trails including the Panorama Trail, which offers stellar views of the granite monolith known as the Chief. Make sure to walk across the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge to get fantastic views of the surrounding valley.

Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is a beautiful and easy walk in the woods that opens up to the rim of the Brandywine Falls. Here you can hook up to the Sea to Sky trail if you’re adventurous enough to trek the hearty trail.

Grab your skis, snowboard or mountain bike, because Whistler, British Columbia is calling you. This adventurous resort town is perfect for the mountain thrill seeker.

Not a skier? Don’t worry; there are still things to keep you occupied in Whistler. You can ride the many gondolas and take the Peak2Peak ride from the summit to summit. Or take a walk in search of the nearby lakes and stroll through the village.

Vancouver Island is a fantastic feat of nature. Known for its expansive wilderness, inlets and surfing, the island has an incredible amount of things to do for every kind of traveller. But one place visitors should not miss on a trip to Vancouver Island is Cathedral Grove.

Walk among the giant Douglas Firs in Cathedral Grove, located in MacMillan Provincial Park. Some of the trees here are over 800 years old. The largest tree stands 76 metres, which is 20 metres taller than the leaning tower of Pisa.

RELATED: 10 places you must stop between Jasper and Banff, Alberta

Tofino is known as Canada’s surf capital, and it’s easy to see why. The long beaches of Vancouver Island’s west coast make perfect waves year round. People actually surf here year round – I’m not kidding. It’ll be the dead of winter and people are out on the surf catching the waves, in a full body wetsuit of course.

Numerous companies in Tofino will be there to help you implement the dream of standing up on a board. I went with Surf Sister – an incredible company that has been around for nearly 20 years. They specialize in the beginner level, like me who has never surfed a day in my life.

The feeling of the water as it catches your board and propels you forward is indescribable. So suit up and head out into the Pacific Ocean for some gnarly waves.

RELATED: Visit wild Tofino, British Columbia

The best part of visiting the wilderness on Vancouver Island is the silence. You’re out of the city and into the wild. And the best way to experience that is by staying in a yurt.

I rented a yurt at Wya Point Resort near Ucluelet, British Columbia. I was living in nature’s luxury. It had a bed, kitchen items and a fireplace but it was also dark, silent and away from everything. The yurt also had a private beach.

After spending multiple nights in different hostels, the yurt was a much-needed rest for the city-wary. Lying on the bed and staring straight up through the dome skylight and staring out the stars was healing.

There’s nothing like the thrill of travelling two hours to see a pod of orcas. As you stand on the deck, bobbing with the waves, silent as you wait for a sign, suddenly you hear and see the release of spray from the whale.

I took a tour with Eagle Wing Tours in Victoria, which offers some of the best whale watching in British Columbia. I’ll be talking more about Eagle Wing, why I chose to go with them, and why I was so happy I did. So stay tuned.

British Columbia has two types of Orcas – resident and transient. We travelled all the way to the Strait of Georgia to see the T65a pod of Transient Orcas. The pod just welcomed a new baby.

RELATED: Whale watching in Victoria, BC

Victoria is British Columbia’s capital city and sits at the southern tip of Vancouver Island. It has an aristocratic feel to it with its rich history. Take in the grandeur of its old buildings and mysterious alleyways, but don’t leave Victoria without having afternoon tea.

If you want to be fancy, try Pendray Inn and Tea House or Tea at the Empress. If you want a more budget-friendly option, go with Venus Sophia Tea Room or Murchie’s Tea and Coffee.

After dining on earl grey and scones with jam and cream, you’ll be set to explore everything British Columbia’s capital city has to offer.

RELATED: Zoom through Victoria, BC

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Olivia Rutt

Olivia Rutt is the travel writer and photographer behind My Wandering Voyage, a travel website helping working millennials find time to travel. She shares insight in trip planning, travel inspiration and photography tips. Olivia hails from southern Ontario, Canada where she works in the media industry between travels. Follow Olivia on Instagram where she shares her travel photos, or catch up with her on Facebook or Twitter.

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A guide to planning a British Columbia road trip, Canada

Updated On 23rd February, 2024

If you’re planning a  British Columbia  road trip, this is the post for you.  Canada , along with  Australia , is without a doubt one of  my favourite places on earth.

There are so many epic reasons to visit British Columbia and in this blog post I am going to share the best things to do in BC, the adventures that stood out to me the most and the things I can’t wait to come back and explore next time (recommendations that we didn’t have time to fit in).

Canada for me is of those places that feel like home. I first went to  Edmonton  and  Jasper , followed by some time in  Banff in summer , and have recently been to  Vancouver Island  and  Vancouver city !

British Columbia  is Canada’s most western province and one that I recently got to dive a little deeper into when I headed out on a Hot Springs road trip through the Kootenay Rockies.   See the 7 day road trip itinerary here.

Other travel guides and posts on my blog that you may enjoy:

• The best things to do in Canada: The ultimate bucket list
• A guide to planning an epic British Columbia road trip, Canada
• How to budget for a road trip through the Canadian Rockies
• A 7-day Canadian Rockies road trip itinerary
• The best things to do and see on Vancouver Island
• Exploring Vancouver during summer: A complete guide

See my ’12 photos that will make you want to visit the Kootenay Rockies, British Columbia’  here .

EXPLORE CANADA ON MY BLOG HERE

 www.explore-canada.co.uk #ExploreCanada

*This blog post has been bought to life and is sponsored by Destination Canada who hosted us for the trip. We were sent out on an itinerary put together and supported by Destination British Columbia to document and share this region with you. All photos and opinions are completely my own.

A guide to planning an epic British Columbia road trip…

Booking your flights….

In terms of airports, there are quite a few to choose from. However if you’re flying in internationally, you’ll want to go with Vancouver or Calgary (actually located in Alberta but a quick drive across).

It’s worth having a look on  Skyscanner  to see the price difference as it may be an idea to work your itinerary around the cheaper location if it’s significantly different in price. Otherwise work out your adventure route through British Columbia and  take a look at flights  after.

Check out flights on  Skyscanner here.

Here are my  top tips for surviving long haul flights!

Getting a visa…

Ahead of your trip, you’ll need to get yourself an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization). The Canadian Government website will take you through all the information, eligibility and application process – it’s super quick.

I got mine 3 days before I travelled from the UK and it came through to my email straight away. It cost $7 CAD.

Visit the website and get your ETA here.

Deciding what kind of trip you’d like…

British Columbia has  a lot  to offer and can cater for all walks of life. When I was in the Kootenay region I noticed an abundance of golf courses. Honestly, they were everywhere! I’d never have thought of Canada as a hot golfing location. If you like golf, you could fill an entire 2 weeks with courses that have a 360 pano of the mountains!

Things to look at and consider when planning your British Columbia road trip:

• The Powder Highway  (an epic ski road trip)
• A mountain, rainforest and inside passage  motorbike road trip .
• Sea-to-Sky highway
• The lakes and trails circle route
• The  ranchlands and rivers circle route.
• Check out all of the golf courses in British Columbia  here .

How long have you got to play with for your British Columbia adventure?

British Columbia spans an area of 944,735 km² lol, so whatever time you’re planning (even if you plan to move) is not going to be nearly enough to see  everything . British Columbia is also way too beautiful to rush through (you’ll be the only one pacing) so narrow down the kind of adventure you’re after and allow yourself time to take in the culture and energy. That’s half of the beauty. The way of life over in Canada.

I would suggest minimum of a week if you’re open to a suggestion. Two weeks would make for a dreamy road trip with enough time to stop and stay somewhere a little longer when your heart is captured (inevitable).

1-week British Columbia itineraries:

• Fly into Calgary, drive the  Hot Springs Route,  fly out of Calgary.
• Fly into  Vancouver , explore, take the ferry to  Vancouver Island , explore, fly out of Vancouver.
• 1 week Vancouver Coast and Mountains Road Trip up the Sea-to-Sky Highway via Squamish and Whistler to Pemberton
• 1 week head north on  Vancouver Island  from Victoria to Campbell River or Port Hardy for access to untouched wilderness and Indigenous culture

2-week British Columbia itineraries:

• Fly into Calgary, drive the  Hot Springs Route,  drive on to  Vancouver,  explore, fly out of Vancouver.
• Fly into  Vancouver , explore, drive to Whistler, ski, drive to Revelstoke and do  the Powder Highway route,  fly out of Calgary
• 2-week Vancouver and the Thompson Okanagan itinerary. Take Route 97 through BC’s famous wine and lake country and check out the Province buzzing farm-to-fork dining scene
• Fly into Calgary and enjoy all the snow adventure on  the Powder Highway route

15 best things to do in British Columbia:

1. you are in bear territory and seeing them in the flesh is one of the most magical experiences in the entire world..

The  first time I went to Canada  was in October and didn’t see any bears. Second time I went in July  (Alberta)  and saw one road side. Third time in British Columbia at the beginning of June we saw eight. I have a feeling our sightings were a combination of the timing, as they come out of hibernation to hunt, and the fact we were in the Kootenay’s driving the roads less travelled.

2. Carve your way through alpine bowls, rainforests and glaciers in one of these ski resorts.

Wild just got wilder. You’re not ready for this.  View the ski resorts on offer in British Columbia here.

Bear lovers should check out  this Canadian Rockies road trip itinerary , through Yoho, Banff and Jasper National Parks, where I got to visit a grizzly bear sanctuary.

3. There’s some serious Geothermal activity going on. Hello all the Hot Springs.

Spend a week going from one natural mineral pool to the next and leave feeling completely rejuvenated.  See my 7 day hot springs road trip itinerary here.

4.  You are in outdoor adventure heaven. British Columbia is all about getting outdoors and into nature.

Here’s just a few activities you can engage in:

• Kokanee Mountain Ziplines:  See website here.
• White n Wild Snow Mobiling Tours in Golden:  See website here.
• Off The Grid Wake Sports in Kelowna:  See website here.

Check out my  beginner’s guide to hiking here.

Here are 18 top tips for your first hike!

5. You won’t fall short of a brewery with a mountain view. I can assure you of that.

We went to a beautiful local one in Golden called Whitetooth Brewing Co. The sun was shining, the mountains were alive and we had 5 samples of the local brews on the outside bench seating. One of those moment where you’re like ‘this is life’.

6. The drives are next level. Think mountains, glaciers, bears, forests, national parks and lakes from the seat of your car.

You just cannot get better than this. You have to almost kick yourself back into a touch after a couple of days because the insane views become so ‘ normal’.  One thing the views in Canada are not, is normal.

7. Local produce is the finest kind. British Columbia heavily supports local production.

It was so lovely to see the same brands popping up throughout our British Columbia road trip as we ventured through the towns. Instead of the ‘big brands’ taking over every cafe, store and bar, we saw locally produced goods popping up everywhere. There are many towns that actually have laws to stop big chain stores operating in them.

Make sure you check out Stoke Cold Pressed Juice, Wild Mountain Chocolate and Kicking Horse Coffee whilst you’re in the region!

8. You can go whale watching.

YES YOU CAN! See my  guide to Vancouver Island here.

9. Vancouver is the perfect gateway for an epic Pacific North West road trip.

I’m basically hinting that you go on a 6 month sabbatical. Think big. If you’ve got the time there’s an abundance to explore up and down the  Vancouver  coastline! Why not plan a huge adventure!

Here’s my guide to Vancouver Island.

Here’s how to have the best time in Vancouver

10. The people are ridiculously friendly and seemingly always up for a good time or a conversation.

There must be something in the water or in the air. In fact, I think it’s because there’s nothing in the latter. Conversation and adventure at its purest.

11. You get beautiful sunny summers and seriously snowy winters. Mountain life in abundance.

Canada is a mountain lover’s dream!

Here’s my complete guide to Banff in summer.

12. Poutine and maple syrup.

The ‘Canadian’ must tries. It’s not a trip without them.

13. Wine regions in Okanagan Valley.

The Okanagan valley is somewhere I’m dying to get to. It’s known as the Tuscany of Canada and is where wineries meet lakes – one of the top wine regions in Canada.

14. Squamish, ‘the adventure capital’.

Another I’m yet to visit. Accessible as a day trip from  Vancouver  or great for a holiday in itself. Here you can bask amongst a wealth of activity including and not restricted to: rock climbing, kiteboarding, mountain biking, cross country skiing, bouldering.

15. The spirit bear is here!

The  Great Bear Rainforest  is the only place in the world where you can see the Kermode (spirit) bear. There are apparently only 400 of them left in the wild. The Great Bear Rainforest itself is the world’s largest intact temperate rainforest, and has been called the Amazon of the North.

Visit the official British Columbia website  here  or search @hellobc #ExploreBC #ExploreCanada on Instagram to see more.

Have you been on British Columbia road trip?

What were your favourite spots? I’d love to know!

Love as always + happy adventuring,

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I’M MOLLIE AND I STARTED THIS BLOG BACK IN 2013 WHEN I HEADED OUT ON MY FIRST BACKPACKING ADVENTURE. 

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Things to Know Before Travelling to British Columbia, Canada

• Aug 11, 2023

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British Columbia is the third largest province in Canada, located between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. From rocky coastlines to sandy beaches, lush forests to serene lakes, and even inland deserts, British Columbia boasts diverse landscapes. With a population of just 5.4 million, it's an adventurer's paradise - a place where you can escape the crowds and immerse yourself in the untamed beauty of nature.

But hold on, before you pack your bags and set off on your own BC adventure, there are a few things I wish I knew before I travelled there. That's why in this article, I am going to share all you need to know before travelling to British Columbia plus some valuable tips and insider knowledge that will help you plan your trip. We also made a series of travel vlogs on our YouTube Channel about our experiences in different parts of BC, including Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast, and must-visit places near Vancouver.

This post contains affiliate links and if you click one I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

Do you need a visa for British Columbia? 

Great news for all you fellow adventurers! If you're a US citizen planning to explore British Columbia, you're in for a treat! No need to worry about a tourist visa, as you can stay up to 180 days without one.

There's more! If you're from the UK, Europe, Australia, Singapore or Japan, you're in luck too! You won't need a tourist visa either. Instead, you should obtain an Electronic Travel Authorization, known as eTA, which is valid for a fantastic five years.

Canada recently added more countries to the visa-free travel list, so make sure to check the official website for all the latest updates.

How to get to British Columbia?

The most common and convenient way to get to british columbia is by air. Vancouver International Airport is the main gateway to British Columbia, and there are dozens of smaller airports throughout the province. There are direct flights from London and major cities in North America and Europe to Vancouver. 

When is the best time to visit British Columbia? 

When it comes to travelling to British Columbia, you might be surprised that it's not always icy and cold, as you might imagine Canada to be. In fact, British Columbia can get pretty hot during the summer, and some parts, like Vancouver and Vancouver Island, boast the mildest weather in the country, even during winter.

The beauty of BC is that you can visit all year round, depending on what you want to do and see. If you're a winter adventure lover and dream of hitting the slopes, then visiting during winter is a no-brainer. Whistler is your go-to destination with its fantastic ski resorts. 

On the other hand, if you're more into hiking and immersing yourself in nature's wonders, then the ideal time to explore British Columbia is from late April to early October. Trust me, the landscapes are simply breathtaking during this time!

Keep in mind, though, that the peak season in British Columbia is between mid-July to mid-August when the whole region comes alive with vibrant activities, this is the time when you can comfortably swim in the crystal-clear lakes or even in the refreshing ocean waters. 

How many days do you need to see British Columbia?

British Columbia is a massive playground, stretching over an area bigger than France and Germany combined, or nearly four times the size of Great Britain! This means you can not possibly see everything in a short trip.

Here's the deal: to make the most of your BC adventure, plan ahead and figure out what you want to do. If you're keen on exploring the vibrant city of Vancouver and its surroundings, you can totally do it justice in a week.   

But if you want to visit the top places in British Columbia including visiting Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, you need at least 14 days. Also, if you want to travel between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, you need at least 10 days.

if you're blessed with more time on your hands, don't hesitate to explore British Columbia in greater depth and at a slower pace. The longer you stay, the more hidden gems you'll discover!

How to get around British Columbia?

If you are planning to stay in Vancouver only, you don’t need a car, you can basically walk around, cycle or use public transport, but that is not the case if you planning to see more of British Columbia. To go around the province, renting a car is an absolute must. And if you really want to take your BC adventure to the next level, consider renting a motorhome for the ultimate freedom and flexibility.

Now, here's the pro tip: A trip to British Columbia demands a bit of advance planning, especially when it comes to securing your wheels. Trust me, we learned this the hard way! Campervans and caravans are in high demand, and everyone books them well in advance. So don't wait until the last minute, be smart and book your ride ahead of time to ensure a smooth journey. To compare the prices you can check Rentalcars or DiscoverCars . 

British Columbia is home to many small and big islands and to visit them, you can also take a ferry, which is another common form of transport in the area. 

British Columbia uses the metric system

Here's a quick note,  British Columbia, just like the rest of Canada, uses the metric system! That's right – distance is measured in kilometres, fuel is pumped in litres, and weather forecasts are all about Celsius. it's a common assumption that Canada follows the same measurements as the US, but that is not the case. And don’t forget that many countries use the metric system.

Is British Columbia expensive?

The short answer to this question is “yes”. In general, Canada is an expensive country to travel to and British Columbia is one of the most expensive provinces in the country. However, it's important to remember that the cost varies depending on various factors, such as where you are flying from, types of accommodation, what you want to see and how you want to spend time. 

To give you an idea, a comfortable one-week holiday for two people may require an average budget of over $5000. That said, there are ways to save some money, like renting a motorhome, which combines transportation and accommodation.

Is British Columbia safe? 

Canada is generally very safe and British Columbia is not an exception. With strict gun laws and low crime rates, you can feel safe during your visit. The province is not prone to natural disasters, so the risk of encountering such events is minimal. 

However, it's essential to be mindful of certain factors when hiking in the woods and mountains. British Columbia is known as a bear country,  encounters can happen almost anywhere, even in urban areas. Additionally, there are around 4,000 cougars in BC.

While wildlife attacks on humans are rare, it's crucial to respect and keep a safe distance from these animals. When you go on a hike, consider making noise to alert wildlife of your presence, and carry bear bells and bear spray for added precaution. 

Book your hike and campsite in advance

When you're heading to British Columbia, get ready for some epic hiking experiences! This province is a hiker's paradise with many scenic trails. But hold on, before you lace up those hiking boots, there's a nifty little tip I want to share with you. 

Some of these trails are incredibly popular and accessible, which means they can get pretty crowded. This is why the authorities set limits on the number of hikers allowed on these trails to preserve the natural beauty and ensure everyone enjoys their adventure without feeling like sardines in a can.

For those popular hikes including Joffre Lakes and Garibaldi Lake, you have to book in advance, even if there's no fee to pay. That way, you secure your spot and avoid any disappointment when you arrive. 

And guess what? Camping on the trails in BC is possible, but just like the hikes, campsites fill up fast! So, if you want to do a multi-day hike, plan ahead and book your campsite in advance.

Best Tours in British Columbia

Make sure to check my piece about the best places to visit in British Columbia , but in general, Vancouver Island, Sunshine Coast, and Vancouver should be on your list. These destinations offer an array of captivating experiences that encapsulate the essence of this beautiful province.

If you're seeking to make the most of your adventure, consider indulging in some of the best tours that British Columbia has to offer. Here are some of the best tours in BC, Canada. 

Whales and Wildlife Watching

One of the best things to do in British Columbia is taking the Half-Day Whale Watching Adventure Tour . British Columbia's waters are teeming with life, offering you the chance to observe whales and diverse marine wildlife in their natural habitat. The tour takes between 3 to 4 hours. As an added bonus, at the culmination of the tour, you'll be gifted with a complimentary photo package. 

Whistler Spectacular Glacier Tour by Seaplane

Glacier Tour by Seaplane is not just a flight, it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, which unveils the unparalleled beauty of British Columbia from a perspective like no other. During the 30-minute flight, you will see unique volcanic formations and lush alpine meadows that surround the turquoise waters of mile-high Garibaldi Lake.

Grizzly Bear Viewing & Indigenous Cultural Tour

Imagine a world where you can venture close to wild grizzly bears, sharing their habitat in a respectful and safe manner. The Grizzly Bear Viewing & Indigenous Cultural Tour is an extraordinary expedition that invites you to step into the heart of Bute Inlet's untamed wilderness. On this tour, you might spot whales on the inlet, and you will meet the indigenous people who own the Campbell River.

Best Hotels to Stay in British Columbia

When it comes to finding the perfect place to stay in British Columbia, the options are truly limitless. As a cherished destination for nature enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike, the demand for luxury wilderness resorts, lodges, and unique accommodations is soaring. From remote northern coastal lodges like the exquisite Sonora Resort, accessible only by air or water, to rustic backwoods getaways offering refined outdoor experiences, the choices are diverse. 

The province's renowned wilderness cabins and lodges provide an immersive escape into nature's embrace, while its city hotels offer a blend of comfort and urban elegance. 

Four Seasons Resort Whistler

Nestled in the renowned village of Whistler, the Four Seasons Resort stands as a beacon of 5-star luxury . Boasting a heated swimming pool and three inviting hot tubs, this opulent retreat is a mere stone's throw away from the ski slopes and golf courses. Whether you find yourself here in the snow-laden winters or the verdant summers, there is no shortage of things to do in Whistler. 

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Nimpo Lake Resort

Nestled amidst the serene beauty of nature, Nimpo Lake Resort offers a rustic haven on the northern shores of Nimpo Lake. Here, guests are welcomed into cosy log cabins that exude comfort and charm. Each cabin is equipped with modern amenities, including satellite TV, while outside, a barbecue and fire pit await for memorable evenings under the stars.

The resort's proximity to Lake Nimpo opens a world of exploration, with kayaks, canoes, pedal boats, paddle boards, and fishing boats at guests' disposal.

Reef Point Oceanfront Bed & Breakfast

Reef Point Oceanfront is one of the most unique places to stay on Vancouver Island. This adult-only hotel is a 3-minute drive from the peaceful village of Ucluelet. All rooms offer free Wi-Fi and ocean views.

Guests can explore Ucluelet’s trails by hiking or using the inn’s bicycles for free. The beautiful Wild Pacific Hiking Trail is just a stone's throw away from Reef Point.

Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa

Discover a world of elegance and relaxation at Kingfisher Oceanside Resort , a prestigious 4-star retreat nestled on the tranquil shores of the Salish Sea, just 8 km outside of Courtenay in British Columbia. 

This resort goes beyond the ordinary, offering an array of exceptional amenities. Guests can enjoy the natural cave-themed Pacific Mist Hydropath steam room, a unique haven of tranquillity or stay active in the state-of-the-art gym. Each room comes with either a private balcony or a patio. 

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The 9 Charming Towns In British Columbia I’ve Missed Visiting The Most

• British Columbia
• Destinations

I am so happy to know that the border between Canada and the United States has opened up for travel. Living in Washington State, I am only a few hours drive to the border with British Columbia (B.C.), so I have had the opportunity to explore the province over the past few years. It is vast, so for this article, I am focusing on towns in Eastern B.C. which I visited on an epic road trip with my son. 

We drove through the Okanagan region before connecting with the International Selkirk Loop . This loop is a 280-mile scenic drive that circles the Selkirk Mountains of Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia. These towns together make a great road trip crossing the border from Washington to Osoyoos and then returning over the border into Idaho near Bonners Ferry.

This rustic Canadian town sits amidst the Okanagan Desert, the only region like it in Canada. Osoyoos and the surrounding desert are known as the hottest place in Canada. The best place to explore this ecosystem is at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre where you will learn about the environment as well as the history and culture of the Okanagan people in this region. The interpretive center, which houses the indoor exhibits, is an ecological marvel constructed into a hillside to create a sustainable building with a variety of environmentally friendly features. Outdoors is a 1,600-acre desert conservation area stewarded by the Osoyoos Indian Band. Take a guided trail walk with an interpreter to learn about desert ecology and wildlife. Such a unique experience.

Oliver is considered the “Wine Capital of Canada” with 50 percent of all wine grapes in British Columbia are grown here. You’ll find a variety of options from small family farms to large sprawling estates with the foodie culture to go with it. A fun, family, friendly option is to visit Covert Farms, a fourth-generation, 650-acre regenerative organic farm, vineyard, and winery. 

Book a Hands On Harvest Tour . I took this tour on my visit and it was so interesting. You sit in the back of a cherry-red 1952 Mercury truck for a tour of the property. You’ll see the farm and vineyard amidst breathtaking scenery including the famous Okanagan landmark, McIntyre Bluff, as well as the unbelievably photogenic farm animals. At the end of the tour, sit on the outdoor patio and sip wines made from the grapes you sampled in the vineyards. Pair with local charcuterie and artisanal cheeses with farm-fresh veggies.

3. Peachland

Located in the heart of the Okanagan Valley on the west bank of Okanagan sits the charming town of Peachland . This is the stop to put a little adventure on your trip. Visit ZipZone Peachland to experience Canada’s highest freestyle zip lines which have six of the highest, longest, and fastest zip lines in Canada. You will cross back and forth over the stunning Deep Creek Gorge on 2.1 kilometers (6,750 feet) of zip lines. The views are gorgeous. This is a pretty physical activity that involves walking on uneven terrain between zip lines and then a short hike up out of the gorge at the end. After your adventure enjoy some time beach time at Swim Bay

This is the largest city in the area and Kelowna makes a perfect base. The Hotel Eldorado at Eldorado Resort is situated on the banks of Okanagan Lake. The hotel dates to 1926 and has a long history of timeless elegance, luxury, and hospitality. Its Old-World charm gives you the feel of the grand dame hotels of yesteryear. Make sure to dine at the restaurant lakeside dining to have an incredible meal while watching the stunning sunsets Okanagan Lake is known for.

Kelowna is a great location to venture out and about. There are over 40 wineries just a short drive away. Take a self-guided Farm To Table Tour which will take you all around the area exploring wineries, farms, distilleries, and farm-to-table restaurants. There are many museums worth visiting to learn the history of the area and that of the Okanagan’s First Nation People. No trip to the area is complete without exploring the Myra Canyon Trestles with a bike rental from Myra Bicycle Rental and Tours which is the only onsite rental company. This was one of my favorite experiences on my trip. A former rail line that seems to just cling to the canyon walls is now a hiking and biking trail. Roundtrip is 24 kilometers and will take you across 18 trestles and through two tunnels. There is very little change to the grade, so it is an easy ride for the over 50 crowd.

5. Christina Lake

This is one of those towns someone must tell you about or you would never know to visit. A year-round destination, Christina Lake is the jewel of the Kootenay Boundary area. It is ideally located to enjoy all the recreational opportunities in the area. Hiking is popular on a variety of trails including the Trans-Canada Trail. It is also known for its dark skies. On clear nights the stars are uninterrupted by city lights. There are no big luxury resorts or hotels, it is more where Canadians go to spend a week or two at the lake renting vacation houses. Think family trips or a weekend getaway. Stay at the Sunflower Inn B & B a lakefront log home that offers three rooms with private baths. Guests can use the private dock and firepit or rent a canoe, standup paddle board, or kayaks to enjoy the lake.

Surrounded by the Selkirk Mountains and overlooking the West Arm of Kootenay Lake, Nelson is a darling small town known as the “Queen City.” What a great combination of heritage and culture with year-round outdoor recreation. There are more than 350 preserved heritage buildings that house a vibrant downtown scene with arts and music most nights of the week. 

Baker Street is the main drag with shops, galleries, and restaurants, many with streetside dining. While the surrounding area is filled with outdoor recreation opportunities, you can rent kayaks right in town and head out to explore Kootenay Lake. The natural beauty of the surrounding area combined with the historic charm of downtown create a lovely place to get away for a night of two.

This cute, tiny town is so worth the detour. It wasn’t on my original itinerary but everywhere I went the locals kept mentioning that you need to check out Kaslo . The drive has mountains on one side and the Lake on the other side of the road and is just gorgeous. British Columbia magazine describes it as a vintage silver dollar. We drove up for lunch and explored the town. The views overlooking the lake and mountain are stunning. The town resembles something you’d see in a Western if it took place in a lusher environment. The SS Moyie National Historic Site has the oldest intact passenger sternwheeler in the world. The S.S. Moyie transported people on Kootenay Lake for 59 years. Worth a visit and there is a nice gift shop.

8. Ainsworth

The draw to this hamlet is the Ainsworth Hot Springs . Long revered by the Ktunaxa First Nations people who used the nupika wu’u (Spirit Water) that we know as hot mineral waters for healing and rejuvenating. Guests have visited since the 1930s and today the property is owned by the Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of Creston, BC. The hot springs consist of an outdoor pool filled with warm mineral water. You can also swim or walk through a horseshoe-shaped natural cave. The views of the lake and mountains from the pool are just incredible. This is a very relaxing experience. Visit as a day guest or stay overnight.

Pro Tip: I recommend staying overnight. Reservations include access to the hot springs which you can enjoy in the late afternoon or when they open in the morning to enjoy the less crowded times. The food at the Ktunaxa Grill is very good. Executive Chef Cory Chapman and teams create delectable meals using the freshest local ingredients that are non-GMO, and hormone and antibiotic-free. I stayed here a little over halfway through my road trip and it was such a nice break to just relax.

Balfour is the western terminal of the Kootenay Lake Ferry which traverses the lake to Kootenay Bay. This delightful community has lovely beaches and a variety of businesses, many located near the ferry terminal. The Kootenay Lake ferry is the longest free ferry ride in the world. The 35-minute ride is incredibly scenic and known for its stunning views. It is first-come, first-served, so arrive well before your departure time. Park your car in line and then visit some of the local businesses surrounding the ferry terminal.

The ferry will take you to Kootenay Bay and from there you can take Highway 3A on a scenic drive along the eastern shore of Kootenay Lake. You’ll pass by charming small towns and two provincial parks before coming into Creston which is also an up-and-coming wine region. Continue south to cross the border into the United States.

Check out these other charming Canadian small towns:

• 19 Of The Friendliest Small Towns To Visit In Canada In 2021
• 13 Of Canada’s Most Adorable Small Towns
• 8 Adorable Small Towns To Visit Along Canada’s Rideau Canal

She currently lives in the Pacific Northwest. Her work can be found in Northwest Travel & Life Magazine , 253 Lifestyle Magazine , and other regional publications. She is the author of 100 Things to Do in Tacoma Before You Die , Reedy Press, and a member of the North American Travel Journalists Association (NATJA). The name of her travel blog came about from her friends constantly asking her, "Peggy, Where Should I Go?"

The 6 Most Remote Spots in British Columbia And How to Safely Get There

B ritish Columbia brings mild weather and a temperate climate, proven by the lush and mountainous Cordillera landscape. It makes up Canada’s western border, pressed against the Pacific Ocean . Touching Alaska and Washington , this province contains the third-highest population in its entire country. With sandy beaches and various fjords, finding remote spots in British Columbia is surprisingly easy, depending on the time you want to spend alone.

With the easy-going nature of locals and the beautiful scenery, nearly 3 million international travelers visit British Columbia every year. Where can you go to get away? Rather than visiting the popular Totem Poles in Stanley Park or the sandy beaches of the English Bay , explore one of British Columbia’s remote spots.

Remote Spots To Safety Visit In British Columbia

Coordinates: 59°34’46.8″N 133°41’13.6″W

With a reputation for its incredible beauty, one of the best remote spots in British Columbia to visit is Atlin. Known for its rich history of gold mining, the Klondyke Gold Rush drove the population to 10,000. While the buildings remain, there are less than 500 full-time residents nowadays. In July every year, an event called Tea on the Tarahne, a social fundraiser for locals on the ship by the same name.

The only way to access this small community is by driving through Yukon when you reach the northern section of YT-37 N, turning left onto Yukon 1 W. You need to stay on this segment of the path for about 335 kilometers before Atlin Road takes you to Surprise Lake Road.

West of Tatla Lake

Coordinates: 51°54’19.3″N 124°35’51.6″W

If you want to check out of the normal noise of the city, taking a trip to Tatla Lake gives you plenty of time to yourself. The lake has a reputation for its kokanee fishing, which is best in the spring and summer. The lake reaches a maximum depth of 38.4 meters, and it stems from the Fraser River drainage basin.

The best way to get to Tatla Lake is by taking Highway 20 northwest, which goes through Chilanko Forks, Redstone, and Alexis Creek. This highway is the only way to access the area.

Haida Gwaii

Coordinates: 53°06’09.4″N 132°02’24.2″W

Found along the western coast of British Columbia , Haida Gwaii is one of the most beautiful remote spots in British Columbia. With a temperate rainforest environment, the remote location has many recreational activities for the few that journey here. The location, which was previously called the Queen Charlotte Islands, features the Haida Heritage Centre to learn more about the local history and culture. The local visitor’s website urges anyone to visit to take the Haida Gwaii Pledge before they arrive.

The only way to reach Haida Gwaii is by using a boat or seaplane to take them across the Hecate Strait. BC Ferries is the popular choice for visitors who want to travel by way of water, though there is air service offered if you want to travel from Prince Rupert or Vancouver.

Triangle Island

Coordinates: 50°51’50.4″N 129°04’56.2″W

Known for its massive seabird population, Triangle Island spans 290 acres of British Columbia’s land. It has the largest population of Cassin’s auklets in the world. Triangle Island’s frequent and forceful wind keeps trees from growing on the land, but salmonberry and salal bushes cover it. The area has many cliffs and rocky shores, but walking along it isn’t an option.

To see Triangle Island, you need to travel about 50 kilometers from Cape Scott, heading northwest. However, the uninhabited area is a protected space for the seabirds that live there, so the public cannot visit. Only a handful of researchers have been allowed to visit through the years, but you can sit at the corner of Vancouver to gas at the high peaks.

Tweedsmuir Provincial Park

Coordinates: 52°35’44.1″N 126°04’16.2″W

One of the most beautiful (and accessible) remote spots in British Columbia is Tweedsmuir Provincial Park . With boating, camping, hunting, and fishing, this location still gives you space to get away in northern Vancouver. They are open all year with multiple campgrounds. Since the park is isolated and park staff patrols it intermittently, this remote place should only be trekked by someone with wilderness experience and proper supplies. The area is known for both grizzly and black bears , particularly from May to October because of the abundance of salmon in the Atnarko, Bella Coola, and Dean Rivers.

The park is near Bella Coola, surrounded by the Ootsa-Whitesail Lakes reservoir and the Coast Mountains. It takes about 10.5 hours to drive from Vancouver, heading west on BC-20.

Quadra Island

Coordinates: 50°08’59.1″N 125°16’32.6″W

Quadra Island is the home of 2,700 residents in the Discovery Islands. Most people live here for the scenery and outdoor activities, venturing to Quathiaski Cove and Picturesque Heriot Bay. Maude Island and Cape Lazo offer incredible scuba diving opportunities. If you want to stay above water, you can also take a canoe on the water for a different view.

To get to Quadra Island from Vancouver, your drive takes a few hours, but you need to board a ferry to Nanaimo and from Nanaimo to Quadra Island. Though the time to travel is at least 10 hours to and from the island, the beautiful scenery makes it easy to pass the time.

The 7 Most Remote Spots in British Columbia And How to Safely Get There: A Summary

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• The 6 Most Stunningly Scenic Drives in British Columbia
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How Does a Tiny Mountain Town, Burned to the Ground, Come Back?

Lytton, British Columbia, used to draw backpackers, rafters and road-trippers until a wildfire destroyed it in 2021. Now, it’s a microcosm of how climate change is scrambling tourism.

By Rowan Moore Gerety

Rowan Moore Gerety traveled to British Columbia to speak with residents, officials and business owners in and around Lytton.

Before the fire, Lytton, British Columbia, was the kind of tiny town visitors alighted upon mid-road trip, pulling off the Trans-Canada Highway to get a drink, or take in views of the Fraser and Thompson Rivers, running slate gray and deep blue more than 200 feet below. A mile up the road, also known as Highway 1, Kumsheen Rafting Resort drew 8,000 visitors annually to take half-day trips on raging rapids. Backpackers heading out on the Stein Valley Traverse stopped at the grocery store — known to locals as Ken Mart, after its owner, Ken Wong — to pick up rope, ramen and fuel before they hit the trail.

Then, Lytton burned down in the space of an afternoon.

It was June 30, 2021, the day after the town’s — and Canada’s — hottest ever recorded temperature: 121 degrees Fahrenheit. Fire claimed Ken Mart (officially Jade Springs Grocery) and its Chinese restaurant, along with the Lytton Hotel with its restaurant and pub, the bank, the police station, the health clinic, and all but a handful of the more than 100 homes and businesses, along with a few dozen more along the highway and on the nearby Lytton First Nation.

Two residents were killed in the blaze. Others evacuated to larger towns and cities like Vancouver, three hours away. Lytton joined Paradise and Greenville , Calif., along with Detroit, Ore. , in a category that would come to include Lahaina, Hawaii : picturesque towns, loved by residents and travelers alike, destroyed by wildfire.

Kumsheen lost 1 million Canadian dollars ($740,000) in rafting equipment; nearly all its tent cabins went up in smoke, too. But when Andrew Fandrich, who runs the business with his parents, saw that the shop and office building remained standing, he thought, “We can still operate.” Their closest competitor, HYAK River Rafting, was destroyed completely — and uninsured.

Days after the fire, John Horgan, then the premier of British Columbia, promised to help Lytton become a model “in how we build a community for the future.” Pledges from the provincial and federal governments to clean up and rebuild public facilities and infrastructure soon ran to 115 million dollars — an outlay at a scale that will not be possible for every town damaged or destroyed by climate change.

Yet more than two years after the fire, Lytton still looks less like a town than a parking lot with a view. People — much less tourists — have been elusive.

Lytton was just another dot on the map for the millions of visitors who venture to British Columbia each year. But as fires and extreme weather events continue to scramble tourists’ itineraries, wallets and imaginations, Lytton has become a microcosm of a now-worldwide challenge — climate change as an unpredictable and complex new variable in the math that sustains seasonal businesses.

‘People just aren’t coming our way’

Lytton’s economy followed a familiar trajectory for the rural West, from gold rush to railways, lumber, and finally, government services and seasonal tourism, built around the area’s evergreen forests and rivers. Though Lytton had an aging population and a shrinking tax base — roughly 200 people lived in town before the fire — the village has long served as a hub for a much larger area: More than 10 times that number, including members of nearby First Nations communities, relied on Lytton for services that are otherwise close to an hour away.

Hikers, fishermen and other visitors sustained the small businesses, primarily from May to September. Bus tours brought visitors from Europe and Asia seeking lunch, postcards and knickknacks. Geocaching enthusiasts spent their weekends logging exploits in scavenger hunts, aided by volunteers from the Gold Country Communities Society nonprofit that supports area tourism.

“If our motels and gas stations and restaurants all closed overnight, there wouldn’t be much left here,” said Wendy Comber, the group’s chair, who lives in nearby Cache Creek. Now, Ms. Comber said, the joke is that Cache Creek is “the disaster capital of the world.” The visitor center sees half as many drop-ins as it did a few years ago.

Jewel Rice, who with her husband owns Hilltop Gardens, a roadside farm stand a half-hour drive north of Lytton, said business never recovered from the Elephant Hill fire in 2017, when they were cut off from the highway for more than two months.

Then debris flows after the Lytton fire closed two local campgrounds, Ms. Rice said, and made the itinerary less appealing — campers would have to drive an extra hour to find a place. Now, she said, “people just aren’t coming our way.”

British Columbia is larger than California, Oregon and Washington combined, with tourist destinations that range from one of North America’s largest ski resorts (Whistler Blackcomb) to tiny surf spots on Vancouver Island; tourism brings in billions of dollars a year and accounts for roughly one in every 30 jobs in the province. Even in the midst of historic wildfire seasons, outdoor attractions — British Columbia features more than 1,000 provincial parks and preserves — experienced a surge in visitors. More than seven million acres burned in 2023, more than double the record set in 2018, but stays at provincial campgrounds were up by 16 percent over the same period.

While the choice to live and work somewhere can take years, tourists can afford to be flexible, changing plans or canceling them outright.

At Kumsheen’s rafting business, young people from overseas have long been drawn to its seasonal jobs. Elliot Eden, a British-born operations manager, arrived a decade ago, a ski bum looking for summertime work. In 2021, before the fire, he had been looking to put down roots in Lytton, maybe buy a home. But after the fire, while he and his colleagues shoveled maggots and rotting food from the walk-in refrigerator, his dream of settling down seemed hard to hold. Even if the town is rebuilt, he said, “Your brain is telling you, ‘is that really going to be a good investment?’”

Tricia Thorpe, a local politician, had a home that burned down.

“You end up dreading summer because it’s fire season,” she said. “You used to get so excited like, ‘Yay — summer vacation!’ And now you think, ‘It’s fire season, I better prepare.’”

Walt Judas hates that term, fire season. He is the chief executive of the Tourism Industry Association of British Columbia.

“Because it implies that all of British Columbia is on fire,” he said, discouraging travel even to places unaffected by smoke and closures. He cited a strategy created by the city of Penticton, whose @VisitPenticton Instagram account began featuring posts of blue skies and sunny promenades with a date, a time stamp and the slogan “Real Time.”

Over the past three years, the provincial parks department has received more than 83 million dollars to expand offerings and catch up on deferred maintenance. In addition to repairing damage from extreme weather, explained George Heyman, British Columbia’s minister of environment and climate change strategy, the agency is trying to anticipate it.

“We’re looking at parks and recreational areas and trying to assess them for climate adaptation before something happens,” he said.

‘Have you found a place to sleep here in town?’

Rebuilding is often slow. In California, even with more than a billion U.S. dollars of public funds, the version of Paradise that has grown up five years after the Camp fire is less than a third the size of the old town. In Lytton, former residents are desperate to see the town’s center of gravity re-established; it’s a lot harder to get R.V.s and backpackers to stop and linger with their dollars if there’s nowhere to spend them.

The cleanup, undertaken by a series of contractors working through the provincial government, has advanced to a crawl, exacerbated by conflict in the village government.

Lorna Fandrich, Andrew’s mother, said businesses need to come back, quickly, singling out the need for a grocery store and even one restaurant to return downtown. “People say that it’s because they’d like to eat out and take out food, but mostly, it’s because they want a place to visit.”

Ms. Fandrich is working to rebuild the small Lytton Chinese History Museum she founded in 2017, even if rebuilding costs twice as much, and the artifacts she features aren’t from Lytton proper this time. It will most likely take one to two years.

But the longer this uncertainty hangs over Lytton’s eventual rebuilding, the wider the gap between the Lytton that was and the Lytton that will be. The owners of the Lytton Hotel have relocated to the Vancouver area; the site where the Totem Motel once stood is set to be redeveloped as housing.

“People spread to the four corners of the universe,” Jan Polderman, who was then the mayor, recalled of the days and weeks after the fire. Many still haven’t found permanent housing. Pierre Quevillon, a contractor who lived in Lytton for more than 30 years, has been staying in a motel on the highway. Nkixwstn James, a tribal elder whose house was uninsured, landed in a retirement home an hour away. She vows to come back even if it means putting up a tepee. “I’m going to use the kind of house that my ancestors used to settle in,” she said.

Some services have returned, haphazardly: The police detachment relocated to where the health clinic had been, and the Lytton First Nation set up a grocery store two miles away. Still, Mr. Polderman lamented, it’s hard to rebuild without a town to rely on. “Have you found a place in town here to get a drink of water?” he asked. “Have you found a place to eat here in town? Have you found a place to sleep here in town?”

I hadn’t. I was renting a tent cabin a mile away at Kumsheen, where the town’s bank, too, had taken refuge, creating a branch in a shipping container.

Kumsheen celebrated its 50th anniversary last year, but not a return to normal. It was down to 20 percent of its usual revenue of 1.5 million dollars in 2020, the summer of the pandemic, then 30 percent during the shortened summer of the fire. After a lackluster 2022, Ms. Fandrich said, “We thought this was going to our first normal year.” Then, in August, a month that usually accounts for nearly half their annual income, the area once again fell under wildfire evacuation orders and road closures. To avoid layoffs, they cut staff hours by a third.

Ms. Fandrich was grateful that the core of the business was still intact, and that insurance payments had allowed them to replace much of what they’d lost. But it wasn’t a stretch they could sustain. “It seems we have some kind of dilemma every year now,” she said. To meet insurance premiums of 70,000 dollars, “you have to sell a lot of raft trips.”

‘It’s just dang gorgeous’

Lytton issued its first permit for a resident to rebuild last October: Lillian Graie, a former village councilor, managed to get started with a new foundation before winter set in. Though her home is gone, Ms. Graie said the things that made her move to Lytton in 2019, are still there.

“There’s mountains, river, forest,” she said. “It’s just dang gorgeous.” She’s confident people will want to come — it’s also cheaper than the coastal sprawl near Vancouver.

“If the space is there, someone will fill it,” she said. “It’s like water in cup.”

I spent my last morning floating down the Thompson River on one of the Fandriches’ rafts, with two anglers visiting from Vancouver Island. Over two hours, we saw bald eagles, and a black bear ambled along the shoreline. It was easy to see the appeal of Lytton’s majestic setting, still much intact.

“We don’t want to capitalize on a community’s misfortune by overtly promoting another part of the province,” said Mr. Judas, of the tourism association. But some reshuffling is inevitable. Tourists may always want to visit British Columbia, but driving up Highway 1 is a choice. Every road-tripper needs reasons to pull over.

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

Italy :  Spend 36 hours in Florence , seeking out its lesser-known pockets.

Southern California :  Skip the freeways to explore the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos , a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves.

Mongolia : Some young people, searching for less curated travel experiences, are flocking to the open spaces of this East Asian nation .

Romania :  Timisoara  may be the most noteworthy city you’ve probably never heard of , offering just enough for visitors to fill two or three days.

India: A writer fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Darjeeling, in the Himalayan foothills , taking in the tea gardens and riding a train through the hills.

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

B.C. man plans to buy a home and travel somewhere warm with $58M lotto win

'i didn't believe it,' hao ping chung said, adding his parents thought the multimillion-dollar win was a scam.

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Hao Ping Chung scooped up a cool $58 million cheque on Friday, after scoring the biggest prize ever won on a PlayNow.com ticket bought in British Columbia.

Chung, a resident of Richmond in Greater Vancouver, said he subscribes to Lotto Max on PlayNow.com, a legal gambling website, but when he saw the Gold Ball jackpot for the 6/49, he decided to buy a ticket. And on March 6 he got a big surprise.

"I was at home when I found out I won," he said. "When I logged on to my PlayNow.com account I saw the balance.

"I didn't believe it." 

He said he told his parents, who, while excited for him, immediately asked if it was a scam. 

• Kamloops woman says she screamed and started shaking after winning $35M Lotto Max prize

Chung, who lives with his parents, said the first thing he'll purchase will be his "own place."

He said he plans to travel "somewhere warm" with his winnings. He also said he'll share it with his parents, and might put some of the money into his hobbies. 

"I love fishing," he said, adding that he's keen to learn to play guitar. 

According to the B.C. Lottery Corp., it's the biggest prize ever won on a ticket bought on PlayNow.com in the province. 

Lotto 6/49 draws take place on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and the Gold Ball Draw is a guaranteed prize draw where players could win either the guaranteed prize of $1 million, or the growing jackpot that starts at $10 million. 

The next Gold Ball jackpot in Lotto 6/49 is currently sitting at $18 million, with the draw taking place on Saturday. 

The corporation said that so far this year, B.C. residents have won $93 million from Lotto 6/49. 

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