British Columbia is one of the ten Canadian provinces and is located on the Pacific coast in the far west. It is known for its rugged beauty, vibrant culture in Vancouver, skiing in the rocky mountains, great wines of the Okanogan region, and much more. Read on to learn the multitude of things to do in British Columbia.
Blog Contents
Cities & Towns
Things To Do In Vancouver, BC
Vancouver British Columbia is a beautiful place in the Pacific Northwest. It is Canada’s third-largest city and is considered to be one of the top destinations in North America. The city offers a lot of exciting things to do, ranging from world-class attractions and tours, family fun and entertainment, and of course lots of shopping and dining. It has a vibrant art, music, and theatre scenes. The Vancouver Art Gallery is recognized for its holdings of contemporary works by local artists, whilst the Museum of Anthropology houses important cultural collections. In addition, Vancouver is a top visitor destination for the many national and international festivals that are held here.
One of the best things to do in Vancouver is to enjoy the natural beauty of the region around the city. The city of Vancouver is surrounded by water and has gorgeous views of the mountain ranges to the east. You can walk, bike, or rollerblade along the many trails.
The Gastown historic neighbourhood of the city is an artsy hotspot with top-notch cafes, restaurants, and boutiques. It is here where you can find designer clothing, handcrafted goods, fine wines, and amazing jewelry.
Another hub of activity is Granville Island. With over 300 businesses, there’s something for everybody. The Public Market is an indoor market filled with lots of food, produce, as well as many handmade items.
If you love science, check out Science World which has lots of exhibits and activities for every age.
Fun Things To Do In Victoria, BC
Victoria is the capital city of the province of British Columbia and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island. With a large number of visitor attractions and lots of beautiful waterfront, Victoria, BC is a lovely place to visit alone, or with the whole family.
With a population of almost 370,000 in the greater Victoria area, it is a fairly large city and therefore has many things to do and see. It is both the gateway to the Pacific, as well as to the rest of Vancouver Island, which could make a great road trip.
Victoria BC has always been known for its parks and natural spaces. Beacon Hill Park is a 200 acre gem that is great for picnics or walks through the beautiful gardens and natural landscapes. The kids can have fun in the playgrounds, or cool off in one of the two splash pads in the summer.
Another famous place to see is The Butchart Gardens. For over 100 years it has grown into 55 acres of varied and beautiful gardens. I discuss this in more detail later in this blog post.
If you like your historic buildings, you will want to visit the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia and the Hotel Fairmont Empress. They can both be seen if you walk along the waterfront at the Victoria Inner Harbour. Other historic buildings are Craigdarroch Castle, Old Victoria Customs House, and Government House.
Whether you are interested in history, food, culture, or the environment, there is something available for you in this city. Victoria is a true gem in British Columbia, with some thirty-two parks and natural areas to explore.
Things To Do In Kelowna, BC
Kelowna BC photo by Manuel Osdoba under CC Licence https://www.flickr.com/photos/osssy/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Kelowna is located in the Okanagan Valley, southern British Columbia. It is along the shores of Okanagan Lake and is known for its beautiful beaches and the area’s many wineries. Its downtown area includes a cultural area that has become six blocks of museums, galleries, and theatres.
There are two great parks with beaches on each end of the downtown and cultural areas. On the south end is Kelowna City Park which includes a splash pad, skateboard park, and Hot Sands Beach. On the north end is Waterfront Park, with beautifully manicured grasslands, trees, ponds, and Tugboat Beach. It also has The Dolphins Fountain, and the Island Stage, which hosts small outdoor concerts in the summer. From Waterfront Park, you can walk a boardwalk along the lake, all the way to City Park.
For wine lovers, you probably came to Kelowna for all of the wine tours. There are close to 40 wineries in the Kelowna area and as many as 120 in the entire Okanogan region. So as you can imagine, there are many wine tours to choose from. This makes for a great day trip, or a whole week if that’s the way you roll, providing a real taste of winemaking in Kelowna BC.
There is so much more to do and see in Kelowna, including many festivals, and of course the shopping and food. That is why we recommend it on our list of things to do in British Columbia.
Whistler, BC Points Of Interest
A trip to British Columbia would not be complete without a trip to Whistler. When most people think of Whistler, they think of skiing and snowboarding. With world-class ski hills that were part of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, it’s definitely a great place for winter sports.
Whistler BC is actually a great place to visit year-round. That is because of the many shops and restaurants, places to stay, and an abundance of things to do.
Learn about the culture of the Squamish and Lil’wat Nations at the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre. You can view the many exhibitions, or go on the guided tour that is held every hour. After you grab a refreshment in the Thunderbird Cafe, you can shop in the gallery and gift shop.
If you like to be active, there are many parks in the area where you can hike, bike, swim, and see beautiful views. You can also go to the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, take a ride up the glass-bottomed gondola, or go white water rafting.
Make your way to Whistler Olympic Park, where you can explore the facilities, play disc golf, or even be a passenger in a bobsleigh.
Nature & Parks
Stanley Park Vancouver, BC
Stanley Park Vancouver is one of the most beautiful parks in all of North America, if not the world! It is truly an amazing site, offering stunning views of the Vancouver skyline, the mountains, the water, and the forests. If you are planning on visiting Vancouver, then I highly recommend that you check out Stanley Park.
With just over 1,000 acres of land, Stanley Park is too large to explore all in one day. Vancouver boasts 22 kilometres (14 miles) of waterfront walkway, with 8.8 kilometres (5.5 miles) along the shores of the park. There are also many other trails for you to walk or bike. You can even get a guided tour of the park in a horse-drawn carriage, as well as the tour bus, or a shuttle trolley.
Along with playgrounds, sports areas, and picnic tables, there’s also a golf area. If you or your kids love to swim, there is a water park, a large outdoor pool, and two great beaches for your enjoyment.
Take the fun two kilometre train trip on the Stanley Park Railway. Enjoy the sights and sounds as it winds its way through the forest.
Also inside the park, is the Vancouver Aquarium. You can view thousands of ocean species in 166 aquatic displays.
If you need something to eat, there are lots of food carts, concession stands, and even four restaurants. You can see why locals and tourists love to keep coming back to Stanley Park.
The Butchart Gardens in Victoria
The Butchart Gardens is a group of thirteen flower display gardens in Brentwood Bay, British Columbia, Canada, situated just 25 kilometres north of Victoria on Vancouver Island. The gardens get more than a million visitors a year and are designated as a National Historic Site of Canada.
Butchart Gardens is open year-round. In the spring, you can enjoy the new vibrant colours as it comes back to life. By summer, everything is in full bloom, and you can enjoy entertainment, and fireworks every Saturday. When you visit in the fall, the gardens become beautiful in a whole new way, as the color changes to hues of red, orange, yellow, and rust. In winter, witness the gardens at rest, and at times dusted with the white of snow.
There are five main gardens:
- Sunken Garden
- Rose Garden
- Japanese Garden
- Italian Garden
- Mediterranean Garden
If you are looking for a place where you can get away for a while and enjoy the beauty of nature, The Butchart Gardens in Victoria BC is the perfect choice for you. They are listed as one of the most popular tourist destinations in British Columbia.
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
Situated on the west coast of Vancouver Island, Pacific Rim National Park Reserve consists of a rugged coastline, a beautiful long beach, 75 kilometres of the West Coast Trail, and over 100 small islands.
If you are an avid hiker, you need to experience the West Coast Trail at least once in your life. The full trail takes 6 to 8 days to complete. For this reason, there is a trail entrance near the halfway point, for those who would prefer a 3 to 5 day hike.
This hike is not for the faint of heart and requires necessary preparations. The conditions of the hike, along with the weight of your backpack, require you to be in good shape. There are fees involved, which, when added up will probably be in the 200 to 300 dollar range.
If a 75 kilometre hike is not your thing, you can swim at the beach, try surfing the Canadian waves or learn the culture of the Nuu-chah-nulth people.
Pacific Rim Park has camping available, as well as boating and fishing. It’s also great for shorter hikes and simple things like bird watching. If you love the outdoors, you don’t want to miss Pacific Rim Park.
Attractions
Royal BC Museum
Royal BC Museum photo by Falco Ermert under CC Licence https://www.flickr.com/photos/132646954@N02/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
The Royal British Columbia Museum is located in Victoria BC and was founded in 1886. Through the collection of documents and artifacts, tourists and locals learn the many stories of how British Columbia came to be.
The museum consists of three permanent exhibits, as well as various special exhibits from time to time. The three main exhibits are:
Natural History Gallery
This gallery displays the geographic changes from prehistoric days all the way to today. You will learn the history of sea life, life on the seashore, as well as wildlife and the forests.
Becoming BC Galleries
Enjoy a collection of artifacts from British Columbia’s last 200 years. Learn about the history of towns and cities, people, industries, and even the days of the gold rush.
First Peoples Gallery
Learn the history of the First Nations whose history goes back long before the forming of British Columbia. See tools, weapons, and many other artifacts that show how they lived many years ago. You can also view many beautiful works of art and carvings of the First People. Don’t miss the amazing totem pole carvings in Totem Hall.
The Royal BC Museum also has an IMAX theatre to view beautiful educational films. If you get hungry, there are areas to grab something to eat and drink.
Destination Cultus Water & Theme Parks
Cultus Lake Adventure Park photo by Martin Lewison under CC Licence https://www.flickr.com/photos/milst1/
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
Cultus Lake Waterpark
This is the largest Waterpark in British Columbia. It includes 11 water slides, a lazy river, splash parks, hot tubs, and more.
If you like to go fast, take a ride on the Speedslide, or drop 72 feet on the Freefall slide. If you like whitewater rafting, try the Radical Rapids, or the Colossal Canyon.
If you’re hungry, there are six different places to eat. You can also rent a barbecue, as well as lockers, lounge chairs, umbrellas, and more.
Cultus Lake Adventure Park
This park is definitely geared towards kids, but I’m sure Mom and Dad will have some fun too. There are 14 great rides, as well as other fun things to do.
Blastin’ Barrels is a good roller-coaster for younger children, while the older ones will probably prefer the Runaway Mine Train. Wagon Wheel is a Ferris wheel with each cart resembling a chuck wagon. There’s also a carousel, bumper boats, and much more.
Other things to do include playing some games at the Arcade Corral and playing 18 holes of mini golf at the Giggle Ridge Adventure Golf.
If you get there early, you might be able to do both Parks in one day, which is probably better than taking a whole day for each one.
Check out Destination Cultus Water & Theme Parks.
BC Road Trips
Sea To Sky Highway, BC
Riding Down The Pacific Coast photo by Michael Nugent under CC Licence https://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelnugent/ https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
For a great drive, take Highway 99 from Vancouver, along the coast of Howe Sound, to Squamish, and then on to Whistler. This is known as the Sea-to-Sky Highway. It officially ends at Pemberton, which is about 30 minutes past Whistler.
The drive itself is about 2 to 3 hours depending on your speed and how many stops you take a long way. If you love to take time, you could spend a day or two in Vancouver, then take a day to drive to Squamish, stopping at the various sites and attractions along the way.
After spending some time in Squamish, and spending the night there, you can head into the mountains as you make your way to Whistler. There is plenty to do in Whistler, so spend as much time there as you want.
Check out Sea-to-Sky Highway for more information.
Explore Vancouver Island
Although writing about things to do on Vancouver Island would take up an entire blog post on its own, I still need to point out that it makes a great road trip.
You can take one of the BC Ferry routes from Vancouver to the island, then spend some time exploring Victoria, as well as Nanaimo.
Once on the island, you can use a map to explore the many roads and highways. For more information about what to do on Vancouver Island go to https://vancouverisland.travel/
In Summary
British Columbia is rich in beauty and culture. From the rugged shores of Vancouver Island to the snowcapped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, BC attracts millions of tourists per year.
Experience the artsy freedom of Vancouver, and the vineyards of the Okanogan, or just come to relax and bask in the beauty. There are lots of things to do in British Columbia for everyone.
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