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Who turned up the heat? It is summertime in
Vancouver, Coast & Mountains … there’s no doubt
about that! While the region’s temperature rarely climbs
above 25 degrees C (that’s 80 F for our American friends)
we are currently enjoying temperatures around 30 degrees (90
F). And Vancouver, Coast & Mountains’ staff members
are making the most of it! We’re hitting the beach (yes
we have beaches … beautiful beaches), hiking in the shady
trees, making smoothies from fresh picked berries and hunting
for buried treasure! In fact, we’re outside more than ever
enjoying all the fun things that the region has to offer and
want to share our favourite experiences with you!
www.VCMBC.com
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 Earn your “tree-legs” at the Greenheart
Canopy Walkway,
located at the University of British Columbia Botanical Garden.
Visitors experience nature high above the forest floor with a 45-minute
guided tour on this 308-meter (1010 Feet) aerial trail system which
offers a rare perspective of the natural beauty of the west coast
canopy eco-system and provides visitors with some pretty spectacular
forest views. From April 20th to September 30th enjoy free entry
to the Greenheart Canopy Walkway, located at UBC Botanical Gardens,
a value of $20.00, free with See Vancouver & Beyond Smartvisit
Card.
Other nearby Smartvisit attractions include
Nitobe Memorial Gardens, a garden which has been judged to be
the most authentic Japanese
Garden in North America and one of Canada’s most popular
public museums, the Museum of Anthropology, both are located just
minutes away from the Greenheart Canopy Walkway. The See Vancouver & Beyond
Smartvisit card provides you with free entry into both Nitobe
Memorial Gardens and the Museum of Anthropology.
Further information can be found at www.seevancouvercard.com or by calling toll free 1-877-295-1157.
Staff Picks -
TreeTops Adventure at the Capilano Suspension
Bridge. My 2 year old loves being “up high” in the
trees and although the suspension bridge itself makes him nervous
he has no fear on
the walkways in the trees. We make a morning of it and wander
the trails, feed the trout, pick huckleberries and visit the trees!
It’s an easy, and fun way, for all of us to get up in the
trees and marvel at the forest in our own backyard. – M.
Bell
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Kermit the Frog was wrong. It’s easy being
green. Tour Vancouver’s
North Shore and see sights off the beaten tourist path without
leaving any tracks behind. North Vancouver Green Tours is a zero-carbon
footprint eco-tour. Tour in a van fueled on recycled vegetable
oil and visit local spots like Lynn Valley Canyon Suspension Bridge,
and Ecology Centre, the Capilano Salmon Hatchery, Lonsdale Quay
and Deep Cove. This is the perfect tour for those who have been
to Vancouver, seen the sights and say “now what?” Well
venture over the Lions Gate Bridge to kayak, hike, shop and dine
on this eco-friendly tour. There is so much to discover in the
North Shore, so be green and tour clean.
For more information visit, www.Vancouverecotours.com.
Staff Picks –
Desolation Sound Marine Park with Terracentric
Adventures. The
best of both worlds with a morning of sea kayaking, a stop for
lunch and then a zodiac tour hosted by a naturalist who tells about
the geological, natural and human stories of the Pacific Northwest.
It’s rad as the kids say! – J. Knibbs
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WE ♥ !
Celebrate the fruits of the Earth, the skills
of artisans and listen to great music at the Ladner
Farmers Market while you enjoy your morning coffee
or afternoon tea, complete with freshly prepared treats from the
market merchants.
My wife and I love to take our dog for a stroll
around the market with our shopping bags that are always full when
we leave. Yes, we have our favourites
for bread, organic fruits and vegetables, granola and many others, but we'll
leave you to discover your favourite places. Merchants have also been a primary
source for unique baby gifts, wedding and Christmas presents.
A short drive west from the village brings you
to Westham Island, full of bounty from the earth and skies. Locals
know this as a place for great herbs,
honey and fruit
wines. In
season, you can pick your own fruit, or buy by the case for freezing.
Relax before
you head home with a visit to the George
C. Reifel
Migratory Bird Sanctuary , and see
how many unique birds have been spotted on the day of your visit.
Don't
forget your binoculars!
Ladner Village and Westham Island are a paradise
for riding bikes along the dykes, and around the lanes. Shop the
market, leave your
shopping in the car and bike to the Island. - K. Ridgway
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Staff Picks -
 Summer time in BC is
berry time and every year I plan to buy berries to make jam and
every year I end up missing the boat. Well, not this year! This
year we made a day of it and went to Westham Island in Delta
with some friends. We spent the morning at the George
C. Reifel Bird Sanctuary feeding the ducks, and then stopped
for lunch at Emma
Lea Farms where we bought strawberries (that taste like strawberries
are supposed to) and tayberries (a tasty cross between a raspberry
and a blackberry). We even managed to entertain our 2 year old
boys long enough to pick a small crate of raspberries! It was
a wonderful day of sunshine, ducks, berries, tractors, wagons
and strawberry milkshakes! And, the best part ... now we have
jam! Lots of jam! We can’t wait to go back for raspberries … and
blueberries … and blackberries!
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Geocaching is a high-tech treasure hunting
game played throughout the world by adventure seekers equipped
with
GPS devices. The basic
idea is to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, outdoors
and then share your experiences online. Geocaching is enjoyed by
people from all age groups, with a strong sense of community and
support for the environment. (excperted from geocaching.com).
Geotourism is the modern day treasure
hunt with a twist; combining the outdoor adventure and sport activity
of geocaching, letterboxing and orienteering, with an exploration
aspect of historical education. And Gold
Country is your BC geotourism
destination with 72 caches throughout the region.
 Discover powerful
transformer gods, ride with Chinese cowboys and walk down the
Grand Boulevard
of B.C. history this summer while Chasing
the Golden Butterfly. This heritage tourism project
combines a passport program with GPS-geocaching. By "Chasing
the Golden
Butterfly" you will be guided to historic
sites in some of the most beautiful and culturally significant
regions
of B.C.
The routes wind through spectacular scenery,
vibrant communities and heritage sites that date back as far
as 10,000 years. Route
One, “The
Pathway To Gold,” follows the Trans-Canada and Highway
97 from Hope to Barkerville in the Cariboo. Route Two, “The
Spirit Trail,” takes you from Port Douglas at the top
of Lake Harrison all the way to Hat Creek, near Lillooet.
Route Three, “The
Round Up Route,” is a magnificent Circle Tour starting
in Cache Creek and winding through communities like Merritt,
Logan
Lake and
Ashcroft.
Passports are free and available at participating
visitor centres, Husky Oil/Mohawk service stations and other
partner
outlets.
Once you’ve visited a site, you can get your passport
stamped, sign the logbook at the geocache or both.
For more information, please visit the
New Pathways to Gold Society website, www.newpathwaystogold.ca.
Blogged -
Check out "Ed
- Out And About" for reports about his geocaching adventures
including his most recent trip affectionately named "Crazy
Canyon Caching". "22 hours on the road, 770 km, 12 Gold
Country Caches for Cookie Cacher, 12 more for me to obtain my 24
caches required for the Gold coin, a total of 60 caches for me
and 66 for Cookie Cacher!"
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 Did you know Bowen
Island is only two square kilometers smaller than Manhattan? Yet the
two islands couldn’t be more opposite.
No skyscrapers and high risers on this island and it certainly
isn’t home to millions of people. Instead, this beautiful
rural destination is home to just over 3,000 residents and the
only thing Bowen Island has a million of is trees.
Bowen
Island is the perfect place to get away from
the hustle and bustle of Vancouver. And it’s only minutes
away by ferry or water taxi. I took the Bowen
Island Express, a new service which departs
right from the Granville Island ferry dock. Many of the passengers
brought their bikes along, ready to embark for a day of cycling.
Pets are welcome aboard as well. After a smooth 20 minute ride
on the boat, I was on the “rock”, as the locals call
it (sorry Newfoundland!). My ride picked me up on the other side
to tour me around. This island was originally a resort destination
in the 50’s and hasn’t changed much since. There
are several B&B’s and cottages to rent, restaurants
and cafes, a museum, and of course Artisan Square , where you
can find local art, jewelry and even chocolate. The island is
also a great kayak destination; I highly recommend renting one
while there. Or take a leisurely hike around Kilarney Lake. Or
after a long day of pedaling up and down the hilly terrain, cool
off at one of the many beaches, just ask the locals for the best
spot. But of course, one day isn’t enough to experience
all that Bowen Island has to offer. Stay a night or two, or three
and take a moonlight paddle around the island and then fall asleep
listening to the waves at one of the many cozy B&B’s. -
L. Clement
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