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When
to Travel to BC and Alberta:
Best: May-Sept. Skiing, Dec-March. OK: Skiing, Nov-May in the Rockies.
Worst: Oct-March unless for winter sports. As always, in
July/August crowds & prices will be up.
Vancouver, Stanley Park totem poles, British Columbia, Canada
Where
to go in British Columbia:
Vancouver guide: arguably the best city for arts, culture and marine lifestyles in Canada, Vancouver is a peaceful, relaxed,
water-oriented city in a dramatic location at the junction of the Rocky
Mountains, the Fraser River and the Pacific Ocean.
Winters are wet in the city but nearby skiing is excellent, and summers
are warm with plenty of watersports available both inland and along
16,000 miles of British Columbia's coastline.
Lively ambience and plenty of eating and drinking establishments can
be found in ex-Victorian Gastown and ex-industrial Granville Island
- now suffering from a severe art attack.
Vancouver downtown, British Columbia [aka BC], embraced by the Rocky Mountains.
When the sun deigns to show its face there are plenty of beaches nearby
in English Bay, and huge Stanley Park is a terrific place for kids
entertainment, magnificent totem poles, varied exercise facilities and walks along the 8km
shoreline.
Overlooking Vancouver, Grouse Mountain [picture top left] has some
good ski runs and is minutes away from the city centre. However, just 1.5hrs
from Vancouver is some of North America's finest skiing - at Whistler
and Blackcomb Mountains.
Culture vultures should tear a lump off the superb Museum of Anthropology
in the University of British Columbia.
Victoria's Parliament buidling, less than 2 hours from Vancouver, British Columbia
Victoria: more English than London [probably wetter too], the capital of British
Columbia is small, genteel and sits discreetly on Vancouver island.
Afternoon tea at the elegant Empress hotel is simply the done thing,
my dear, but do book ahead.
The weather is usually mild and the gardens are rampant - as are
the whales off the coast.
The ferry trip to Victoria travels through the pretty Gulf Islands
in a most casual fashion.
Hiking up Heart Mountain, Alberta.
Where
to go in Alberta:
Banff and Jasper National Parks guide: In the Rockies and both on the British Columbia border the Banff
and Jasper National Parks are connected by the Columbia Icefield, visitable
by snowcoach.
These massive national parks contain majestic scenery in spades,
such as the turquoise Moraine Lake, and have plenty of opportunities
for all sorts of outdoor pursuits, see the Activities section.
Jasper is the bigger, less developed and less popular of the two
parks.
n.b. weather conditions are very changeable in Canada's Rockies,
so be prepared.
Calgary, Alberta.
Calgary: a kind of Houston-of-the-north, Calgary is a prairie oil town that
does not excite tourists generally apart from 'the world's greatest western extravaganza', the Calgary Stampede
every July, see Festivals below.
Edmonton: another rich, well developed Canada city, Edmonton's biggest party
of the year is July's 'Klondike Days', see Festivals.
A black bear looking for a picnic, Alberta.
Main Activities
in BC and Alberta:
Wintersports: skiing, dog-sledding,
snowshoeing, heli-skiing, sleigh rides, skating, ice fishing and
more.
Walks/hikes: Champion walks of all
sorts with typically BIG Canada views, travel for hours, days or
months.
Water sports: white water rafting,
canoeing and kayaking, sailing, fishing.
Whale and seal watching: off Canada's Pacific
coast; Vancouver port as a good starting point.
Biking and horse riding: all over,
hire easily available.
Caving and climbing: the Rocky Mountains.
Wildlife: Bears - black and grizzlies,
moose, elk, caribou [reindeer], coyote, wolves, foxes, lynx, bobcats,
cougars, mountain goats, deer, bison, beaver, muskrats, bald and
golden eagles, and more more more.
Pumpjacks sucking up that old black gold, south Alberta.
Main
Festivals in British
Columbia:
Some
festivals are not yet confirmed, so please check before you book.
April, World Ski and Snowboard Festival, Whistler, snow and
music combined!
June Vancouver International Jazz Festival.
July/August, Vancouver International Comedy Festival.
August, Victoria Fringe Festival, wacky theatre of all
kinds.
Early November, Whistler Winterstart Festival, a carnival and events
galore.
Calagary Stampede, matching excitable 4LD with insane humanoids, Alberta.
Main
Festivals in Alberta:
Some festivals are not yet confirmed, so please
check before you book.
July, Calgary Stampede, a 10 day world-class rodeo riot. A wild
yet comradely festival enjoyed by the whole of 'cowtown', events
include Chuck Wagon racing, rodeos, a spectacular parade, country
music performances and free pancake breakfasts!
July, Edmonton's Klondike Days, 10 days of concerts, racing pigs,
racing bath tubs, racing rafts and probably racing prices, though
the pancakes are free.
Aug, Edmonton Fringe Festival, wacky theatre of all kinds.
Jan - Feb, Banff/Lake Louise Winter Festival.
For
some precise dates see: English
Speaking Festivals
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