Top 10 Places to Taste in BC, Canada- Part One
Top Ten Places to Visit in BC, Canada – Part One
Check out these top spots in Vancouver & beyond
On your next trip to BC, think about these Top 10 places to visit. Obviously we think that if you’re travelling to BC that you should take a Tasty Tour or have a special evening “With The Chef” but there is so much to see and do that we thought we would give you a list of our favourites. We are BC locals and we have explored a lot of this fabulous province.
This list will come over two posts. Here are the first five destinations in no particular order:
VANCOUVER
When you think of BC you obviously think of Vancouver. There is a lot to see, do and eat! One of our favourite spots to visit is Queen Elizabeth Park with the Rose Gardens, the sunken garden and the Bloedel Conservatory with its indoor tropical garden. It’s also home to one of the city’s sculptures by internationally renowned artist Henry Moore. Within 10 minutes of the park are numerous restaurants and cafes. We love East Is East and plant-based option, MEET, but if you want fine dining check out Season’s In The Park with its extraordinary location perched atop the bedrock overlooking lush gardens.
WHISTLER
There are countless treasures in Whistler to discover year-round. Seriously, it’s not just a ski/snowboard resort. It is a resort of Festivals! Of course the Whistler Ski & Snowboard Festival happens in April. In addition to Crankworx, the mountain bike festival in the summertime, there’s the free outdoor concerts both in the village square and village north. In September and November there are festivals that are dear to us; the Whistler Village Beer Festival, which is fairly self-explanatory based on the name and Cornucopia which is a celebration of food and drink that continues to gain respect as it welcomes more and more an international audience as well as talent. We have to shout out both BReD and The Green Moustache Cafe (two locations!) for having fully plant-based menus. This is notable for the small, transient community and we are happy to report that we had the opportunity to do “research” at both businesses and we would highly recommend them whether or not you are living plant-based. It’s all just really good food! Travelling with Rufus? Make sure you check out “Arfa Lake Dog Park” on Alpha Lake.It’s a great spot for meeting new friends of the human and canine variety.
SQUAMISH
The highway from Vancouver to Whistler is called the Sea-to-Sky Highway and it is just about the most extraordinary drive you’ll take. Plan to stop along the way in Squamish for a coffee and a donut at the Sunflower Cafe. We’ve made this a habit for many years now. It gets you onto the main street of Squamish. Sip and nibble your way along the street and poke around at the quaint village shops. More than just the perfect halfway point, there are great nature hikes, historic points of interest and lots of noteworthy restaurants that it’s worth staying a night or two. Don’t miss the Farmer’s Market in the summertime and the Squamish Hot Chocolate Festival in February!
TOFINO/UCLUELET
We include both of these locations because they are both found on the westernmost part of Vancouver Island and provide access to the wonder of the open ocean. Although you may tend to want to visit in the summertime we would make a case that it’s the storm-watching season that you are going to want to check out! The swells are impressive and the sunsets never disappoint. The rain just makes things even cozier. Watch the surfers effortlessly ride the waves from your balcony at Pacific Sands Beach Resort on Cox Bay in Tofino. There’s a gorgeous sandy beach to stroll on, take a bike to visit several beaches when you explore or bundle up and take a seat at one of the firepits and enjoy the crash of the waves. We highly recommend that you visit the Ouest Artisan Patisserie. You’ll be thanking us when you taste their pastries, bonbons, macarons, loaves…take one of each! For an inexpensive but delicious meal we love Tacofino. This food truck is the original location for what has spread into Vancouver. The outdoor eating area is very seasonal so you may have to take it to go. The likelihood that you get out of the parking lot is quite slim since it’s so damn good! Be sure to order some kimchi. It’s spicy and flavourful! Noteworthy plant-based bites at Yayu (note their seasonal hours) in Ucluelet after a visit to the stunning Amphitrite Lighthouse.
BOWEN ISLAND
On this short ferry ride from Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal on BC Ferries over to Bowen Island you will have stunning views. As soon as you dock you will see that there are several fabulous spots for eating right here. Take a drive around the island. Go fishing, biking or kayaking. Depending on your fitness level you may want to rent an ebike from Bowen eBikes. Although there is no full island perimeter road there are a number of arteries that will take you to community access beaches. Get a map at the Union Steamship Marina Company Store when you disembark from the Ferry. Or have a cultural adventure! There are several galleries to explore with with works of local artists like the Arts Pacific Gallery, Catching Stars Gallery and the Hearth Arts on Bowen Gallery. For ice cream we love to grab a cone during our wait to grab the ferry back to the mainland at Branch on Bowen. A taco and ice cream shop in one. The ice cream is outstanding. The Artisan Eats Cafe offers up a taste of elevated homemade goodies.
