Page 40 - 2024-25 Travel Guide to Canada

BC
38 5,519,013
Victoria
www.hellobc.com
Victoria International Airport, 25 km (16 mi.) from downtown
Vancouver International Airport, 15 km (9 mi.) from downtown
Abbotsford International Airport, 9 km (6 mi.) from downtown
and 77 km (48 mi.) from Vancouver
Kelowna International Airport, 15 km (9 mi.) from downtown
All that natural beauty offers plenty of
opportunity for adventure, skiing, sailing,
surfing and simply soaking in the scenery. But
there is also a dynamic cultural life here, from
the ancient traditions of the First Nations
Peoples to the joyful blend of European and
Asian influences in the cuisine.
Canada’s westernmost province is a
gateway between Asia to the west and the
rest of the country to the east. It is an
important centre for trade and commerce
with vibrant cosmopolitan cities and
flourishing creative industries. It is, above
all, a place where work and play, nature and
culture, coexist beautifully.
GETTING VANGROOVY
Vancouver is the province’s biggest city, a
modern, multicultural metropolis that is
regularly rated one of the world’s most
livable cities. Bordered by mountains and
ocean, it has an easygoing lifestyle that
combines outdoor adventure with urban
sophistication. Vancouver is home to
Canada’s largest and busiest port, as well as
thriving film, tech, tourism and green
businesses. It is also a centre for culinary
excellence, celebrated for its obsession with
fresh, seasonal farm-to-table ingredients.
From Vancouver, it is just a short drive to the
farming communities of the Fraser Valley,
the exceptional Asian cuisine of Richmond
and the seaside communities of the
Sunshine Coast.
ISLAND HOPPING
Escape to the idyllic isles along the Pacific
coast. The largest is Vancouver Island, a
ninety-minute ferry ride from the mainland.
Or try a new high-speed ferry connecting
Vancouver and Nanaimo in 70 minutes. You
can also take a scenic sea plane ride from the
island to the lower mainland. It is home to
B.C.’s historic capital city, Victoria, as well as
vineyards, mountain parks and the surfing
mecca of Tofino. Between Vancouver Island
BY JOANNE SASVARI
BRITISH COLUMBIA
Beautiful by Nature,
Playful by Design
POWDER SKIERS, WHISTLER • TOURISM VANCOUVER/TOURISM WHISTLER
“Beautiful British Columbia,” the licence
plates read. And who can argue with
that? Towering mountains, lush valleys,
crystalline waters, vibrant cities—every
corner of the province, it seems, is an
Instagrammable one.