That’s the tagline on their license plates…and it’s definitely a case of truth in advertising (more later on our POV re: tourism branding/marketing). Each location we visited throughout BC had its own personality, but they all offered gorgeous views, fun activities, and good food! Our Vancouver-area campground offered a terrific blend of outdoor opportunities (hiking trails right outside our front door) and city access (the very cool SkyTrain, Vancouver’s fully automated rapid transit system).
We made ample use of both AND took the ferry to visit family on the lovely Sunshine Coast. Initially a little worried about the logistics of getting the BAT (Big-Ass Truck) onto the ferry, we were quite impressed with their system (and realized that we were not the largest vehicle on the ferry—not by a long shot). The RV stayed safely parked back at our campground, of course! The ferry ride was one of the most gorgeous ones we’ve ever taken, with tall mountains rising up from the water all around us. And it was definitely a full service ferry, complete with restaurant and coffee shop! The Sunshine Coast is a lovely spot, with wonderful hiking, terrific waterfront areas, and a lots of opportunities to explore.
One of the folks we met back in Borrego Springs had recommended a campground in Kelowna—we are so grateful that we took them up on the recommendation! Orchard Hill RV Park describes itself as “…an agri-tourism park, located on 13 acres of farmland.” With space for only 10 or so RVs, the experience is very intimate. It was interesting to watch them planting, watering, weeding, and generally prepping for the summer (and a relief to not be doing the same ourselves). We’re only sad that we arrived too early to take advantage of their farmstand! Kelowna is a beautiful hidden gem, a city of 220,000 nestled in the Okanagan Valley. During our short time there we explored their very pretty lakeside waterfront, went on a fabulous hike in a downtown park, and (of course) tried some delicious beer and cider. Kelowna is definitely on our list for a return visit!
As we headed to Malakwa (near ski resort Revelstoke) and Radium Hot Springs, we worried about snow (yes, in mid-April). Thankfully, most of the snow we saw was on distant mountaintops. It’s always so beautiful when it’s that far away, isn’t it? By the time we arrived in Canmore, near Banff*, the temperatures were rising and the snow melting (except at Lake Louise in Banff, which still looked like it was the middle of the winter).
There’s a fabulous cycling trail from Canmore to Banff – 15 miles one way with only a couple of (killer) hills. That ride is definitely among our top 10 thus far — and the first one where we looked up and saw eagles flying overhead! Canmore is gorgeous, fun, funky, and vibrant. Banff, in our opinion, is overdeveloped and touristy (do they really need three Beaver Tails shops?). We will probably visit Canmore again, but don’t see the need to spend time in Banff (although we might want to head back to Banff National Park and Lake Louise when the snow finally melts).
*For those of you paying attention to geography, Canmore and Banff are actually in Alberta—“Canada’s Wild Side”.