Vancouver has lots of, pardon the expression, tourist attractions.  For those who prefer to explore where the natives go, Yaletown, a neighborhood near downtown, has lots of possibilities.  What it also has is the potential for elasticizing its boundaries beyond what is, to begin with, a rather amorphous set of metes and bounds. Furthermore it has something for many different tastes: Walking.  The Sea Wall along False Creek that lies at the southern edge of Yaletown that itself lies on the southern edge of downtown. To the east this can lead to Edgewater Casino with slot machines, poker tables and […]

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Of Vancouver’s three horticultural gems, Queen Elizabeth Park west of downtown takes a different approach from the other two. VanDusen Botanical Garden is just that and so is the University of British Columbia’s. Queen Elizabeth Park is dedicated more to an overall aesthetic than to the grouping and identification of specific plant families. Furthermore, besides the gardens it has lawn space for games including golf, but just the miniature variety. Queen Elizabeth is a masterpiece of reclamation and transformation. What was once a big hole in the ground, a former basalt quarry, is now from the top of the hill […]

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The Golden Golf Club is situated in the beautiful Columbia River Valley at Golden, British Columbia. It offers an extremely enjoyable golfing experience — as long as your game is in accord! The stunning Rocky and Purcell mountains frame the course and each beautifully groomed hole provides a spectacular view.

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Coastal Sooke, just 35 minutes from Victoria, is a tranquil refuge from the bustle of city life. The area enjoys a relaxed casual lifestyle in a rural setting but still affords many of the amenities of city life. Sooke offers some of the mildest climate in Western Canada, with warm and dry summer months and wet and mild winter months. Sooke, the gateway to the West Coast Road, winds 74 km along the coast to Port Renfrew and the starting point for the world-famous West Coast Trail. This is one of the South Island’s most spectacular drives – it winds […]

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Ainsworth Hot Springs is a sleepy little community of only 100 year-round residents, boasting one of the most unique Hot Springs and Natural Caves in the world. Nestled alongside the pristine Kootenay Lake, within the Selkirk Mountain Range, these are the Top Ten Things To Do: Luxuriate in the Ainsworth Hot Springs Pools & Cave Year-round. Hiking or Cross-country Ski Trails surround Ainsworth and area. Swim (July-Sept.) or Fish the Kootenay Lake (year-round) for the famous Kokanee (land-locked Salmon) or Gerrard Rainbow. Rent an affordable boat or ATV nearby to explore the Kootenay Lake or Kokanee Glacier trails. Explore the […]

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Chercher la Vache Cafe** has homemade baked goods, gourmet coffees, a deli, and creative bistro within the walls of Field’s general store. An open kitchen permits guests to watch the chefs as they work, and the outdoor patio is a perfect place to rejuvenate after a long hike. The evening we dined two guitarists entertained  with folk music and song. www.chercherlavachecafe.com ** editor’s note … I can’t help but think of Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the Fetchez la Vache segement.

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The Modern Bakeshop & Cafe, Revelstoke is casual and excellent!!! Open Monday-Saturday, 7am-5pm. A wide selection of homemade breads, muffins, pastries, etc. Also, a breakfast and lunch menu, with a different homemade soup everyday. Cappacino’s, brewed with locally roasted coffee bean selections.

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Bella Coola’s Hidden Hot SpotsThese easy-access activities are suited to 15 minute to 1-2 hour self guided excursions in Bella Coola, or hire a guide for a more challenging adventure! Clayton FallsThis 5 minute walk takes you behind the BC Hydro generating plant to see the cascading Clayton Falls up close. Across the road, you can walk to the mouth of Clayton Creek, where Alexander Mackenzie canoed past in 1793, to watch the seals bobbing their heads in and out of the water waiting for fresh fish. Talleho CanneryCharter a boat over to Talleho Cannery and explore the historic fishing […]

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What a beautiful summer it has been so far. Since the end of May I believe it has only rained for 4 days. I love staying here. Whether in the upper or lower suite, the views are incredible from our private deck. At times the sunsets light up the sky till almost 10:30 at night.   They provide kayaks here which you can launch right off the beach in front of the lodge. As soon as you leave the deck you are on the beach and can walk for miles.   There are a couple of beautiful hiking trails. The Mateoja […]

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A museum of anthropology doesn’t sound like a mass market kind of place. Yet the University of British Columbia’s Museum of Anthropology draws respectable and diverse crowds, if the tour we just took there in early July is any indication. The reason (my guess) is that it largely devoted to the cultures of what Canada politely calls the First Nations. This name is a straddle between historical accuracy and condescension, the latter embodied in the name of the American Indians or Native Americans. Like the First Nations peoples, there is not much to prove whether they originated in North America […]

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