Vancouver Getaways

Dock at Squirrel Cove on Cortez Island near Vancouver Island.

Article by: Lonely Planet authors, May 2008

Wherever you wander in Vancouver, the rest of the province seems to be calling you from almost every corner. It could be the snow-capped crags peeking at you between the glass towers of downtown; the region's dense and ancient forests waving at you from the other side of an inlet; or the nearby islands whispering your name as you stroll along the waterfront. Your best response to all these enticements is to go with the flow. Vancouver may be an enjoyable place to visit but it's the surrounding treasures that truly make it a great vacation destination - if you don't get away to one or two of these while you're here, you haven't really seen BC.

Whistler

Named for the furry marmots that populate the area and whistle like deflating balloons, this gabled alpine village is one of the world's most popular ski resorts. Home to many of the outdoor events at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the town nestles in the shade of its formidable twin peaks, Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.

Comprised of four neighbourhoods - approaching via Hwy 99 from the south, you'll hit Creekside first - the central Whistler Village is the area's hub for hotels, restaurants and businesses. You'll find plenty of B&B-type accommodations in the quieter Village North area, while the Upper Village is home to some swanky hotels, clustered around the base of Blackcomb. Don't be surprised if you get lost when you're wandering around on foot - luckily, there are plenty of street signs and lots of people around to help with directions.

One of North America's largest ski and snowboard areas, twin-mountain Whistler-Blackcomb (tel: 604 904 7060, 888 403 4727; 2-day lift ticket adult/child/youth $81/42/69) has 200 runs and Canada's longest season - November through June on Blackcomb and November through April on Whistler. There are dozens of lifts to transport the powder fans, including a hotly anticipated 4.4km peak-to-peak gondola - linking both mountains for the first time - opening in late 2008.

Whistler is also an increasingly popular summer destination for weary Lower Mainlanders looking for a break from the city. Exploring the wilderness on two wheels has begun to rival skiing as a favored Whistler activity. The giant Whistler Mountain Bike Park (tel: 604 904 8134, 866 218 9690; 1-day lift access adult/child/youth $40/21/35; mid-May-mid-Oct) is served by three lifts and offers more than 1200m of vertical drops, plus plenty of ramps, high-octane jumps and 45 forested trails - pick up a free route map from the Whistler Visitor Centre. Two legs are almost as handy as two wheels here. With more than 40km of flower-and-forest alpine trails, most accessed via the Whistler Village Gondola, this region is ideal for those who like nature of the strollable variety.

Malahat train

The under-the-radar but undeniably charming Via Rail (tel: 888 842 7245) Malahat train service departs from Victoria every morning and is a great-value way to see more of Vancouver Island without having to rent a vehicle. The two-car train leaves from the little station near downtown's sky-blue Johnson St Bridge and trundles through the forest, passing alongside small communities and inching over trestle bridges that span deep, tree-lined valleys. You can break your trip up with an overnight or two along the way - artsy Chemainus, seaside Parksville or portside Nanaimo are recommended - or you can get off for a day trip and be back at the station in time to catch the train back to Victoria later in the day. One-way tickets cost no more than $49, depending on where you're planning to get off.

Salt Spring Island

A former hippy enclave that's now the site of many rich vacation homes, pretty Salt Spring justifiably receives the majority of Gulf Island visitors. The heart of the community is Ganges, also the location of the Visitor Centre (tel: 250 537 5252, 866 216 2936; 121 Lower Ganges Rd; 11am-3pm).

If you arrive on a summer weekend, the best way to dive into the community is at the thriving Saturday Market (tel: 250 537 4448; Centennial Park, Ganges; 8:30am-3:30pm Sat Apr-Oct), where you can tuck into luscious island-grown fruit and piquant cheeses and peruse locally produced arts and crafts. Among the best is the rustic Blue Horse Folk Art Gallery (tel: 250 537 0754; 175 North View Dr; 10am-5pm Sun-Fri Apr-Oct), complete with carvings of leaping wooden hares.

If food seems more of an art form to you, drop by Salt Spring Island Cheese (tel: 250 653 2300; 285 Reynolds Rd), where you can take a self-guided tour of the facilities - be sure to check out the miniature ponies - then sample up to 10 curdy treats in the winery-style tasting room.