The village of Coombs on Vancouver Island hosts an interesting and quirky shopping area. It is located on the Port Alberni Highway 9 km's west of Parksville. If you are heading to places such as Tofino or Ucluelet on the west coast of the island, it makes for a good stopping point along the way. For many years Coombs has been a well known attraction for locals and tourists on Vancouver Island. At one point the market area seemed to be on a decline. Many of the shops had shut down and it had become quite lifeless. In the last few years there has been a revival. New shops have opened and the … [Read more...]
Beacon Hill Park, Yet Another Reason To Love Victoria
Beacon Hill is a two hundred acre park of both natural and manicured beauty. It is located within easy walking distance of the inner harbour of Victoria, British Columbia. It is a quiet place within the city to come for a stroll, a run or a picnic. The park offers views of the ocean and mountains along the wooded and shoreline trails. On a clear day you can see across to the Olympic Mountain range in Washington State. There is something on offer for everyone, a playground, a water park, playing fields, a cricket pitch, lawn bowling and a petting zoo. The fountains, ponds, and gardens make … [Read more...]
Stanley Park, Vancouver’s Urban Oasis
Stanley Park is a 1000 acre jewel of green space that was established in the city of Vancouver in 1887. It's one of North America's largest and most beautiful urban parks, even larger than Central Park in New York. It has it all, vast areas to picnic, manicured gardens, playgrounds, water parks, an aquarium, beaches, trails through coastal forests, and a seawall walk that offers spectacular views. You can spend a full day exploring the park in its entirety. … [Read more...]
Mount Yamnuska And Bow Valley Provincial Park
Bow Valley Provincial Park is just a small part of Kananaskis Country, a 4000 square kilometer wild land recreation area. It is located in the foothills just half an hour west of Calgary. The pictures are taken from the Many Springs trail within Bow Valley Provincial Park. It is an easy trail that is family and stroller friendly. … [Read more...]
Picturesque Houseboats of Fishermans Wharf
Fisherman's Wharf is a colourful float home community located just ten minutes walk from the Inner Harbour of Victoria, B.C. We've been to Victoria dozens of times. I don't know why it took us this long to discover this eclectic village of house boats and shops. … [Read more...]
Our Stay At The Swanky Vancouver Fairmont Pacific Rim
We are fortunate enough that my husband works for Fairmont, so we get to stay at their hotels for a fraction of the cost. We were especially excited to check out the brand new Fairmont Pacific Rim. We'll be the first ones to say when we find a Fairmont to be sub-standard, we can honestly say the Pacific Rim was top notch. The entire design of the hotel is done in a contemporary and minimalistic style that has influences of Asia and the West Coast. … [Read more...]
Rocky Mountain Wildlife, Canada’s Serengeti
We have had the privilege of living in the beautiful Canadian Rocky Mountains over the last few years. Not only do we have stunning natural beauty all around us, it's like living in a Canadian version of the Serengeti. You don't have to try very hard to spot wildlife, it can be as easy as stepping out your front door. We've done fairly well in seeing the variety of animals in the area, but we have yet to see some of the more elusive creatures such as the lynx and wolverine. … [Read more...]
Lake Louise Ice Magic Festival
Each year Lake Louise hosts the Ice Magic Festival. The main event is held at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise in Banff National Park. The hotel sits at the edge of the beautiful frozen lake that is back dropped by the grandeur of Victoria mountain and it's glacier. Teams of professional ice carvers come from around the world to participate. They sculpt blocks of ice into formations that are based on the theme chosen for that year. The 2011 theme is "Magical Madness," consisting of sculptures such as fairies, dragons and other mythical creatures. … [Read more...]
Hiking In Johnston Canyon
Johnston Canyon is one of the most popular short hikes in Banff National Park. It's the perfect family hike and one that almost anyone can do. You get a lot of reward for the effort you put in. The trails go through a deep limestone canyon through the forest to the main upper and lower waterfalls and past several smaller ones along the way. Many sections of the trail go along catwalks that are beneath overhangs of the canyon walls. You can also hike in the winter to see Johnston Canyon's frozen waterfalls. … [Read more...]
Afternoon Tea At The Empress
The Empress Hotel has been serving Afternoon Tea for over a century. It is served in the relaxing atmosphere of the Tea Lobby. This elegant space overlooks Victoria's picturesque harbour. The Fairmont Empress Hotel was originally built over one hundred years ago. Throughout the last century Afternoon Tea has been enjoyed by guests of the hotel which have included royalty, dignitaries and celebrities. … [Read more...]