11 Ways to Get Closer to Nature in British Columbia

From the coastline to scenic lakes to alpine mountains, you’ll find plenty to see and do in and around these four popular cities.

By Mark Sisson

The beauty of British Columbia is that you don’t have to journey far outside its main cities to enjoy the great outdoors. It offers travellers a perfect pairing of urban and outdoor adventure.

VANCOUVER

Visit Grouse Mountain

Perched over 3,300 metres (four thousand feet) above the city, Vancouver’s most accessible mountain playground is about 20 minutes from downtown. Hop aboard the Grouse Mountain Skyride, an aerial tram that ferries you up the mountain. At the top, you can hike well marked trails, catch a lumberjack show, and visit a research and conservation centre that’s home to a pair of orphaned grizzly bears. You can also book a scenic mountain top helicopter tour over Vancouver’s breathtakingly beautiful coastline and mountains or hike up the Grouse Grind trail for ultimate views of both the city and the ocean.

A 10-minute gondola ride takes you up to Summit Lodge where you will be surrounded by spectacular views of Howe Sound.
Photograph by Phil Tifo
Summit Lodge viewing platform with a view of Howe Sound.
Photograph by Phil Tifo

Ride the Sea to Sky Gondola

Located just under an hour north of Vancouver, the town of Squamish is known as the outdoor recreation capital of Canada. Getting close to nature here starts with ascending nearly 1,000 metres (three thousand feet) in only 10 minutes aboard this popular Gondola. Breathtaking views of Howe Sound, the famous Stawamus Chief rock face and the Coast Mountains reward you at the top. From there you can explore a network of hiking and walking trails, local food in the Summit Lodge, or test your nerves crossing the 328-foot-long Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge that overlooks the fjord far below.

KELOWNA

Bike the Kettle Valley Railway

This long abandoned historic rail line running through the Okanagan Valley has been transformed into one of British Columbia’s most scenic cycling routes. Many sections of its almost 400 miles of interconnected trails offer easy grades suitable for most riders, from casual day trippers to serious athletes. Pedal at your own pace, taking in the stunning views as you cross old wooden rail trestles, cruise through tunnels and follow winding pathways through the heart of the Okanagan’s celebrated wine region. You can tackle the trail on a self-guided journey or join an organised one. Some providers even pair cycling trips with brewery tours and wine tastings.

Indulge in Wine Touring

With the grape harvest in full swing and many wine festival events taking place, BC’s Okanagan region in fall is an oenophile’s delight. Over 175 wineries operate here, growing varietals like pinot gris, viognier, and gamay noir. You’ll find them dotted among a lovely chain of lakes, rolling hills and lakeside towns. Choose a self-driven excursion from Kelowna or join an organised wine tour, stopping often to sip and savour. You can even kayak or cycle between wineries, stopping for tastings before dining at one of numerous fine winery restaurants.

Quail's Gate Vineyards, Kelowna.
Courtesy Tourismkelowna.com, quailsí Gate Vineyard

Take a Farm to Table Tour

From peaches and cherries to apples, the Okanagan is British Columbia’s orchard. With such an abundance produced near so many gourmet restaurants, this is fertile soil for culinary exploration. Locally grown produce appears on the plates of this gastronomic region’s best restaurants. On a farm to table tour you can meet growers and chefs, tasting for yourself how they infuse such bounty in the Okanagan’s delicious cuisine. Here amid the orchards, fields and kitchens, the path to your plate is a movable feast.

Orcas in the nutrient-rich waters of Vancouver Island.
Photograph by Tory Kaliman, Shutterstock
The Saturday Farmers Market in Salt Springs Island.
Photograph by MICHAEL WHEATLEY/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

VICTORIA

Go Whale Watching

Few outdoor experiences can compare to a close encounter with a whale in the wild. The nutrient rich waters off the coast of Vancouver Island are teeming with marine life, including orcas, grey whales, humpbacks and minkes. Seals, sea lions, porpoises, seabirds and bald eagles also call these temperate seas home. Join one of the many whale watching tours departing daily from Victoria’s Inner Harbour. Within an hour you could spot a sea lion colony or a majestic orca breaching and slapping its tail on the surface as you explore its watery world.

Escape to Salt Spring Island

Just a 35-minute float plane flight from downtown Vancouver, one of the most popular of British Columbia’s Southern Gulf Islands feels like it is worlds apart. This artsy enclave is home to one of Canada’s best outdoor markets, overflowing with locally grown produce, handicrafts and homemade confections. Spend a day hiking, golfing, cycling and kayaking. Tour an organic vineyard. Or chill out on a secluded beach. Then visit one of the funky coffee shops and cafes in the eclectic town of Ganges and soak up the relaxed island vibe.

Visit The Butchart Gardens

Dahlias, roses, chrysanthemums and other flowers have been exploding into riotous fall colours at these internationally acclaimed floral display gardens for over a hundred years. Meticulously maintained in a former quarry, The Butchart Gardens contain over 50 acres of bedding plant varieties blooming in 26 greenhouses. Visit in the autumn to observe perennials making splashes of colour, as well as Japanese maples turning gold, russet and red. Stroll through the Sunken Gardens. And indulge in award-winning locally sourced cuisine, surrounded by fragrant blossoms and blooms. Children can play in the domed Children’s Pavilion and Menagerie Carousel.

WHISTLER

Walk the Cloudraker Skybridge at the Peak of Whistler Mountain

For unforgettable views, take a walk across the newly opened Cloudraker Skybridge to the Raven’s Eye Cliff Walk. The suspension bridge is located at the top of Whistler Mountain, spans over 130 metres (400 feet) crossing high above Whistler Bowl and offers an adrenaline-pumping activity at the peak of Whistler Mountain.

Hike the High Note Trail

Early autumn is an excellent time to hike in Whistler. The higher trails are clear of snow, the cooler days are perfect for trekking and nature’s colours are at their most vivid. Unmatched for panoramic views of hundreds of snow-capped peaks, the High Note Trail is particularly Instagramable. After reaching the summit of Whistler Mountain via Gondola and an open-air chairlift, take this six-mile round trip offering spectacular views of Garibaldi Provincial Park and shimmering Cheakamus Lake. The hike starts and ends near the mid-mountain Roundhouse Lodge, where you can fuel up and then wind down feeling literally on top of the world.

For a lower elevation hike and just a few miles south of Whistler, Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is home to spectacular waterfalls and views of Daisy Lake and Black Tusk, the soaring monolithic remains of a dormant volcano.

 

The High Note Trail offers the most scenic view of Cheakamus Lake in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
Photograph by P

Go Ziplining

North America’s premier snow sports destination also offers plenty of aerial outdoor year-round fun. One of Whistler’s most popular high-flying adventures is soaring like a bird through majestic old-growth temperate rainforests, across canyons and over creeks safely clipped to a zipline. Several local operators offer exhilarating guided zipline tours suitable for all ages and abilities. Routes follow networks of suspension bridges, boardwalks and trails while introducing you to Whistler’s diverse ecology.

Written by Mark Sissons, a Canadian travel journalist based in Vancouver. You can follow his journey on Twitter.

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