British Columbia Travel Guide

British Columbia may just be your cup of tea if you’d like a vacation promising a unique blend of refined old world charm and contemporary cultural fusion at one of the prettiest places on earth. If you’re into outdoor pleasures, be sure to check out salmon fly fishing. Perhaps you’d like to kayak the blue arteries of clear British Columbia water. Quieter outdoor pleasures include hiking in old growth forests, watching whale pods frolic, or simply walking through Vancouver’s stately Stanley Park. Do you love culture? Take a trip to Victoria, on the veddy British Vancouver Island.  While in the city of Vancouver, sample the thriving Chinatown district. Or take in a play at the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival.

Airports and Ground Transportation

Vancouver is a major world hub, and as such it’s fairly easy to get discount airfare to British Columbia. Vancouver International Airport is the “Gateway to the 2010 Olympic Games,” and hosts a wide variety of air carriers. Sophisticated travelers can find cheap flights to British Columbia by regularly checking airlines’ websites. Discount airfare to British Columbia can also be found by combining air, hotel, and ground transportation packages.

Nearly all major US air carriers fly in and out of Vancouver International Airport. Depending on when you travel, American Airlines offers several direct, nonstop cheap flights to British Columbia from about $425 US, their super saver airfare when the flight originates in Chicago (ORD). From Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), discounted airfare may approach $500 US when purchased in advance. A number of airlines offer cheap flights to British Columbia, including British Airways, KLM, and Lufthansa. Air Canada offers a low discounted airfare from New York (JFK) of about $500 – not bad for a coast to coast, international flight!

Ground Travel

British Columbia prides itself on being “green,” and as such has a terrific public transportation system, Translink, which includes electric buses, light rail and ferries.  Bicycle, motorcycle, and scooter rentals are also a fun way to get from here to there. Renting a car is a good choice, too, bringing freedom to travel as you may. If you’re planning to spend time in Victoria you’ll be glad to know that your own two feet can get you nearly anywhere you want to go – with good taxi service for those misty days.  Bus tours abound in Victoria, British Columbia, promising visits to genteel neighborhoods and Buchart Gardens. Shuttle buses are readily available to Whistler, British Columbia’s premier ski resort.

Best Times to Go, Best Things to Do

There is no bad time to take a British Columbia vacation. Winter offers the play land of ski and snow at Whistler or Okanogan, springtime is the ideal time to visit the fertile and famous Buchart Gardens in Victoria. Cheerio! Summer surprises in Vancouver with the Bard on the Beach festival – even the most reluctant drama-goer is sure to enjoy an outdoor play. Autumn is a terrific time to hike through old growth forests in the cool of the day.  British Columbia is well known as a foodie heaven. Its rich union of cultures allows for Indian curry one day and soy-glazed salmon the next. Because British Columbia is a family-friendly town, there are sure to be lots of offerings for the kids, too.

Hotels and Lodging

While in Victoria, the ivy-covered Fairmont Empress is the place to go if you want to follow in the steps of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth, who has her own suite set aside at the property. Be sure to indulge in high tea while you’re there. Vancouver, as a world class city, offers a huge range of accommodations from the high end Four Seasons Vancouver to the moderate Hampton Inn and Suites to the clean, friendly budget stay at the YWCA Vancouver.  Wherever you stay, you’re certain to be greeted and sent off with that famous Canadian warmth, eh?