Page 45 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to Canada

BC
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vineyards, orchards and sophisticated
culinary culture. Both offer plenty for
outdoor enthusiasts to do, whether it’s
houseboating on Shuswap Lake, scaling the
Skaha Bluffs or cycling along the trestles of
the abandoned railway line that hurtles
across Myra Canyon.
INTO THE WILDERNESS
Back in the 1860s, gold was discovered up in
the Cariboo region, and the Rush was on.
Today, people are more likely to visit the
wide open spaces of B.C.’s north for unparal-
leled wilderness experiences. That could
mean bear watching along the northern
coast, fly fishing in a rushing river, paddling
through the still waters of the Bowron Lakes,
camping out under the northern lights or
panning for gold in historic Barkerville.
WHAT’S NEW?
Vancouver, for the first time, has Michelin-
starred restaurants with eight restaurants
making the cut. In the contemporary
category, AnnaLena, Barbara, Burdock & Co
and Published on Main were included. Kissa
Tanto and Masayoshi both serve Japanese
cuisine while iDen & Quanjude Beijing Duck
House are known for Chinese dishes. St.
Lawrence, a marriage of classic French
cuisine and the gastronomic culture of Les
Québécois, completes the list.
The new Malahat SkyWalk is located about
half an hour north of Victoria and features a
spiral tower 250 metres above sea level with
a sweeping panorama of Mt. Baker,
Finlayson Arm and the Saanich Peninsula.
WHISTLER BLACKCOMB • SHUTTERSTOCK/JUANA NUNEZ
Choose your descent with a return walk
down the ramp or take the fast route on the
Spiral Slide (www.malahatskywalk.com).
The Chinese Canadian Museum in
Vancouver will move to its permanent home
on July 1 in the Wing Sang Building. It will
feature a national exhibition called The
Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act,
marking the centennial of the start of the
Chinese Immigration Act of 1923.
In Whistler, the Fitzsimmons Express
chairlift will be upgraded from a 4-person
high speed chair to an 8-person high speed
chair and is expected to be available for the
2023/24 ski season.
Enjoy crisp, local wines, spectacular scenery
and the occasional whale sighting on a
luxurious five-day “Wines and Islands” cruise
through the Southern Gulf Islands from
boutique outfitter, Maple Leaf Adventures
(www.mapleleafadventures.com).
CITY LIGHTS
Beauty and personality—Vancouver has it
all. Think craft beer and food truck festivals,
yoga on the beach and glitzy shopping
destinations such as North America’s
only McArthurGlen Designer Outlet
(www.mcarthurglen.com). Embraced by
the ocean and mountains, the city features a
livable mix of high-rises and heritage homes,
graceful gardens and funky neighbourhoods.
At its heart is the lushly forested 400-ha
(1,000-acre) Stanley Park, one of the world’s
unspoiled natural beauty and traditional
Indigenous culture.
PEAKS OF PERFECTION
Think of B.C. as wave upon wave of towering
mountain ranges: the Coastal Mountains,
Cascades, Selkirks, Kootenays and Rockies,
just to name a few. Those mountains are not
only scenic, they are also popular destina-
tions for outdoor enthusiasts of all sorts.
Many are located in the province’s more
than 1,000 parks and protected areas.
Others, like Whistler Blackcomb, Sun Peaks
and Big White, are world-class ski resorts
with full-service villages and year-round
activities, including dozens of top-notch
golf courses.
COWBOYS AND CHARDONNAY
The sunny Thompson and Okanagan valleys
stretch through the middle of the province.
To the west is the cowboy country of the
Thompson region, with its dude ranches
and vast grasslands. To the east, the
Okanagan is B.C.’s wine country, with its