Ready to ease back into travel?
What better way than a weekend getaway on Vancouver Island, hopping on the ferry to see what’s new in Vancouver and Whistler or treating yourself to a staycation in Victoria.
Whistler, Vancouver, the Cowichan Valley and Victoria are bucket list destinations for both national and international tourists so it makes sense to begin your own travels close to home.
Deciding to do just this, I recently spent time with Explore Songhees in Victoria, checked out the Malahat Skywalk, soon to celebrate its one year anniversary July 15 in the Cowichan Valley, rediscovered the updated Vancouver Aquarium and Van Dusen Botanical Garden, and drove to Whistler to see an amazing exhibit by Tahltan-Tlingit master carver Dempsey Bob at the Audain Art Museum (on till Aug. 14 before it moves to Ontario in the fall).
Being from British Columbia, I approached my mini-vacation thinking I thought I saw it all before, but I was wrong. Each familiar place I experienced something new, comparable to my pre-COVID travels in far-off places, with the added bonus of no jet leg or airport hassles.
Whistler
Travelling the Sea-to-Sky corridor (Highway 99) from Vancouver to Whistler is considered to be one of the most beautiful stretches of road in the world, with viewpoints that take in soaring snow-capped mountains, ocean vistas and dramatic waterfalls. Shannon Falls Provincial Park, just before Squamish, is home to the third highest waterfall in Canada.
First stop in Whistler was to the acclaimed Audain Art Museum to see a retrospective art exhibit by Indigenous artist Dempsey Bob. I first met Bob in the 1980s in Prince Rupert when he was gaining a reputation as one of B.C.’s most gifted artists, so it was thrilling to see 50 years of his work brought together from various private and public art collections under one roof.
Bob, who was the recipient of a Governor General’s Award in Visual and Media Arts in 2021, now lives in Terrace and continues to produce amazing artworks. The show also features some of his bronze casting, printmaking, and jewelry. He has also worked with his sister Linda on numerous vestment projects, like the Raven and Salmon Blanket acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum. It’s one of the more than 100 pieces of Bob’s artwork now on display.
Afterward, my friend and I headed across the street to enjoy cocktails and appetizers at The Raven Room, new in the Pan Pacific Whistler Village Centre Hotel. While you could order dinner here the pre-dinner appetizers were also enough to satisfy a major hunger crave. The bar is known for its creative cocktails, with an ever-changing cocktail menu, so it was a smart choice to visit here after the lengthy museum tour.
While this is an easy day trip from Vancouver, I’d recommend spending the night if travelling from the Island. Pre-COVID I stayed at The Summit Lodge Boutique Hotel, which is centrally located, with all of its rooms offering a fireplace, kitchenette and balcony. There’s also a day spa and pool here.
Vancouver
Like many Victoria residents I moved here from Vancouver, so it’s always a surprise to return to the big city and see its transformation. Even the tried and true tourist destinations have undergone substantial changes since I last visited.
I used to have family memberships for the Van Dusen Botanical Garden and the Vancouver Aquarium, but both attractions are far different from what I remember. The aquarium, for instance, has a new Marine Mammal Rescue Exhibit, where rescued seals and sea lions live until they can be rehabilitated back to the wild. For cuteness overload, be sure to visit the sea otters.
After the aquarium we headed to the 55-acre Van Dusen Botanical Garden, in the heart of the city. It got a major facelift in 2011 and continues to offer an ever changing landscape for visitors wanting a mediative retrieve from the city. While Van Dusen is a landmark tourist destination, it holds many memories for our family, since we lived nearby and used to spend countless hours wandering the grounds.
After a full day visiting these two popular tourist attractions, I returned to my hotel, The Douglas, located in downtown Vancouver near Yaletown and Olympic Village. When I last lived in the city, The Douglas didn’t exist so it was interesting to see this contemporary boutique hotel, with a one-of-a kind sixth floor park providing an urban retreat for visitors.
Nearby is the ideal meeting spot at the Honey Salt Restaurant, located on the first floor of the casino resort Parq Vancouver. The comfortable restaurant offers farm to table cuisine and has a laid back vibe. It worked equally well when meeting one friend in the morning for croissant and tea and later that evening another friend for a spot prawn dinner.
The Cowichan Valley
It’s no surprise the Cowichan Valley, just 45 minutes north of Victoria, is nicknamed the Napa of the North. Thanks to a mild climate it boasts some of the best vineyards, ciders and breweries in the province set on rolling, fertile lands.
I used to have a cottage at Shawnigan Lake so I know this area well and enjoyed many visits to my favourites that include Merridale Cidery & Distillery, Blue Grouse Estate Winery and Unsworth Vineyards.
People from around the world would come specifically to visit the restored Kinsol railway trestle bridge, just 10 minutes from Shawnigan Lake’s village centre. The valley now has an equally spectacular new tourist attraction — The Malahat Skywalk, which will be celebrating its one year opening July 15.
In its first six months more than 100,000 people have walked through the Arbutus and Douglas Fir forest on an elevated boardwalk, 20 metres off the ground, to reach the sightseeing lookout with views out to Finlayson Arm, Saanich Peninsula, Mount Baker and the Coast Mountains.
You can either take the easy walk down or opt for the quicker 20 metre spiral slide back to the base. It’s such a beautiful area I’d recommend an annual membership for those of us lucky enough to live nearby.
Victoria
As the saying goes, there’s no place, like home. Here in Victoria we are lucky to live in a city that definitely tops the bucket list for travellers. So rather than visit my regular haunts I approached my staycation determined to do something new and stayed at the Magnolia Hotel & Spa, which has a great location just steps to the inner harbour.
What made my stay extra special was the hotels recommendations on where to go and what to do. The hotel doesn’t just provide a map of the city to guests but has come up with 12 curated trails (10 in Victoria and two outside the city — the Cowichan Valley Flavour Trail Trail and the Saanich Peninsula Flavour Trail).
Some of the local trails are the Victoria Brewery Trail, the Tapa Trail, the Boutiques Trail and a Bikes, Blooms and Brews Trail. For the last, I borrowed one of the hotel’s bikes to explore part of the bike trail and worked up an appetite before heading to the hotel’s restaurant The Courtney Room. I now know where to get the best crab and aged cheddar omelette in the city.
Wanting to experience a tourist offering in Victoria that I’ve never done before, I signed up with Explore Songhees and took a cultural walking tour with guide Cecelia Dick, whose great grandfather is pictured on the large archival photos in the harbour at the potlatch he hosted in 1911. I came away from the tour with a better understanding of local indigenous culture.
While the touristy spots are important to visit in the city sometimes it’s the less hyped experiences that leave a more lasting impression. For me that will be my time with Explore Songhees and fully appreciating the traditional territory of the Lekwungen peoples — a place I’m lucky enough to call home.
