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July 24, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Whistler, Cuisine
On a recent overnight trip to Whistler my husband and I decided we wanted to go for breakfast at a non chain-type restaurant. We left our hotel and headed to the Whistler Village. On the way we drove right by a small restaurant called the Southside Diner. The Diner is located below a Youth hostel and provides a riveting view of the Husky gas station so we drove by it without a second glance. After wandering around the village for a couple of hours we decided there wasn't an eatery there that fit the bill for what we wanted. We decided to head back towards Vancouver and see what we could find. As we approached the corner where the Southside Diner is I commented that it looked busy, and that was usually a good sign. Besides, at that point I could have eaten straw and been happy. We gave it a try. What a brilliant decision it was. The service was exceptional and the food was great. No one raised an eyebrow when we ordered breakfast at 1:15 in the afternoon. The place was packed with lots of locals so you know it had to be good food, good service, and good prices! I think this restaurant is the hidden restaurant gem in Whistler. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and it is a perfect place to enjoy the local atmosphere.
July 23, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Whistler, Activity Zones
A trip up to Whistler is always busy busy busy. There is so much to do there. It is difficult to decide what to participate in when you are there for a short stay. One thing is for certain, you are guaranteed to be tired and hungry by the end of the day. After playing 18 holes of golf and then going out for dinner, I wanted some peace and quiet and some time to unwind. We found the perfect spot to do that at the Nita Lake Lodge. This boutique hotel is fairly new to the Whistler area and is a little oasis in an otherwise bustling town. It offered all the amenities we were looking for including an upscale restaurant as well as a Bistro type coffee shop. The hotel itself is situated across the street (highway 99) from Whistler’s Creekside gondola. It is right on Nita Lake so we woke up to a very calming lakeside view. I would certainly agree with the staff when they say they have the best back yard in Whistler. For me this hotel had it all and more. The staff were great, very friendly and knowledgeable about the area and all there was to do. You are situated close enough to the Whistler Village to enjoy all it has to offer, yet the hotel’s location is quiet and relaxing. The hotel offers a complimentary shuttle back and forth to the village so you can have that second glass of wine or if you like, take full advantage of Whistler’s night life. Then, when you are ready to call it a day, the shuttle will take you back to a little piece of hotel heaven.
July 23, 2008 | Tips from Us > Sooke, Zip Lining
 View a larger image on flickr.com My wife and I just had the most fantastic time zip lining through the rainforest near Sooke at a place called Adrena Line Adventure Tours. With seven runs in total, (the longest being about 305 m (1,000 ft) and 46 m (150 ft) above ground), it took about an hour and a half to zig zag our way down the hillside.
Our guides were great. They got us hooked up with all the necessary gear and took us on a training zip line (the bunny slope of the zip lining world). We then boarded the funkiest 4-wheel drive vehicles that drove us along an old logging road to the hilltop. Views of the Sooke Basin, Olympic Mountains and Juan de Fuca Strait were amazing. Do not forget your camera on this trip.
As someone who gets a little uneasy after making it half way up a step ladder, I was a little leery of how I might make out on this adventure. But as soon as we had our introduction and trial run we both felt very safe and secure with the equipment and the experienced guides – I couldn’t believe that I was zipping upside down on my second line!
The last line before the end is the steepest and people have been clocked going 65 km/hr (40 mph)!
Adrena Line is approximately 40 minutes from downtown Victoria on Hwy 14. Sooke has a ton of other fun activities to do including whale watching, ocean kayaking and hiking.
July 17, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Chilliwack, Hot Springs
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We've traveled to PEI, N.B., Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, Palm Srings, Maui, Nashville, Vancouver Is., In catagories of relative to cost, experience, stress, variety, these rate second to what can be experienced in Harrison Hot Springs. Maybe you have to pick your days, like what we're experiencing now. It's not far from Vancouver and you have lakes, golf, beach - sand castles, marine craft activities. The Harrison Hot Springs Hotel has to be the best around because of their location, many rooms with a view. When it snows, you've got skiing not a far drive away. There's hot springs pool open for the public. Of course, the pools in the hotel are second to none. If you're going to be in Harrison on a Sunday, there's a cool church only walking distance from the hotels and B&B's.
July 11, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Kelowna, Golf
Find more information about Kelowna, Golf
In September 2005, my wife & I went to Kelowna. Of course, my plans were to golf at least one round of golf while there, which I did with my cousin who had recently moved there. He was actually a Marshall at the Sunset Ranch Golf & Country Club in Kelowna. It was a beautiful day. The course was right in the city at the bottom end of the Mountain Range that overlooks the city. I had golfed a bit that summer as I had retired in April so I was anxious to play at Sunset. My experience was fantastic.
The course was impeccable. The greens were pristeen and the tee-boxes were great. I didn't really have my best of the year that day, but I enjoyed spending some time with my cousin., playing on his golf course, so to speak. There were some very challenging holes - tough bunkers and the like. I found the greens to be very lush as were the fairways. Lots of up and down play, but that was okay, as we rode that day. I would recommend this golf course to anyone who comes to visit the Kelowna area.
July 10, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Penticton, Golf
Living in the Okanagan has its advantages, and being able to golf practically year round is definitely one of them!
I live in Penticton, which boasts a number of beautiful golf courses, and one of my favorites has to be Sage Mesa with its outstanding lake and city views.
We try to get out at least a few times a month during the peak season (so pretty much April until November and longer if we are lucky J)
It is a nine-hole golf course that offers a challenging game, with a great mix of holes from par 3, to par 5 shots, with the majority being par 4. It is a nice wide and open golf course (leaving me plenty or room for error J) You have a sense of being out on the dessert, being surround by lots of sagebrush, and clay banks, but those lake views are incredible!
July 10, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Victoria, Golf
Find more information about Victoria, Golf
Chuck and I took a 5 day cruise from Seattle to Nanaimo and Victoria last fall. As always when we travel, we took our travel golf bags with 5 clubs - putter, driver, #2 or #3 fairway wood, #7 iron and pitching wedge.
I looked on the internet before leaving, and found golf courses we wanted to play, called ahead and made our reservations. As we disembarked, other passengers were wistfully thinking out loud, "Gee, I wish I would have thought of that!"
My most memorable moment (as it was a first for me) was at Olympic View Golf Course in Victoria, where I made a 68 yard chip in on the 8th hole!
July 8, 2008 | Tips from Travellers > Vancouver, Ferries
I wil at Seattle Wa next week July 13 to July 22 and need inf about how I and my wife can get to Vancouver by ferries in the less expensive way.
Thks
July 4, 2008 | Tips from Us > Kimberley, Dining
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Kimberley is one of those lovely mountain towns that you want to return to time and time again. Each trip I make there I discover something new that strengthens my afinity for small towns in the Kootenays. On a recent trip I was fortunate to dine at the Old Bauernhaus Restaurant which is located a few minutes from Kimberley's popular Platzl, on the road to the Kimberley Alpine ski resort. The building itself is fascinating. Built in 1640 in Bavaria, it was dismantled, shipped to Kimberley in 1987 and rebuilt as a warm, inviting restaurant. We had "the feast" which pretty much sums it up. Course upon course of slowcooked food arrived at the table. It just kept coming and I just kept eating it all because it was absolutely delicious. The food is German, which has never been a favourite of mine....but I am now a convert and will be back on my next visit to this lovely town.
July 4, 2008 | Tips from Us > Sooke, Dining
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Just got back from the foodie haven (and romantic getaway) in Sooke at the acclaimed Sooke Harbour House and restaurant. Not only is the inn and its rooms stunning (hallways and unique, spacious rooms decorated with amazing local art, fab little patios that overlook Whiffen Spit - which makes a great walk - and the mountains with great views of the otters playing in the bay. One otter even visited us in the garden!), and the service absolutely top-flight, but we had a chance to dine at their fantastic restaurant, which I can't recommend enough. For real foodies, this place is truly remarkable. Chef Tuson and his team fully subscribe to the 100-mile diet and EVERYTHING on the menu (with the exception of chocolate, coffee and orange juice for drinks) is sourced from local suppliers, grown on Vancouver Island or in the Harbour House's stunning and remarkable organic gardens. Your food will likely have been picked or delivered fresh that morning. We had a four-course meal (about $75 not including wine/service) that we rate as among the best we've ever had. You've never had salads like the salads here - filled with unusual and delicious herbs, leaves and flower petals! The lamb melted in our mouths and the desserts - a rhubarb souffle that was astounding and a white chocolae mousse with edible rose petals and crazy sorbets - were remarkable. Plus, SHH also offers its visitors a free Garden tour in the mornings, where you can learn about what the gardens grow, and how they're used in your meals. You'll be eating fronds and herbs left right and centre and discovering all sorts of joyous combinations. Sooke is an easy drive from Victoria too (while in Victoria, be sure to have fish & chips or grilled fish from the little take-away joint "Red Fish Blue Fish" right on the wharf), but you can also take the #61 bus from Downtown Victoria and then a quick cab from downtown Sooke. SHH isn't cheap but it is stunning on all accounts.
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