December 22, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Arts, Culture & History Tours
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On our last trip from Dawson Creek to Vancouver, we had 3 days to hang around and explore the city.
So much had changed since our last visit. We stayed in Fort Langley so when we went into the city, we crossed the Port Mann Bridge and saw the massive construction project and were amazed at how efficient the huge volume of traffic made it's way deeper into the city.
We were awed by the housing developments where whole hillsides being cleared for whole new communities. There was growth and prosperity evident everywhere.
Stanley Park, the Aquarium and the Sea Wall were a full day adventure and we took the long way around across the Ironworkers Bridge, along Marine Drive and back over the Lions Gate Bridge.
We hadn't been to Stanley Park since the big storm a few years ago when so much damage was done to the forest, and even though evidence of lost trees are everywhere, the park is as beautiful as always and parkway drive along the water was a real treat for inland dwellers.
For some reason, the lineups to the Vancouver Aquarium were long, but worth the wait. The aquarium was bustling and there was so much to see.
One of our other trips into the city was to watch the Canucks play at GM Place. We took the Sky Train from Surrey right to the stadium. It's great to relax, enjoy the views and be a passenger.
I think we crossed most of the bridges in those 3 days. We got our fill of traffic and business and it was with a big sigh of relaxation when we saw the Welcome to Dawson Creek sign outside of our small city and were home.
December 14, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Festivals & Events
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The annual Old Fashioned Christmas Festival sponsored by the Rotary Club of Dawson Creek is held at Pioneer Village and is free to the public.
I went to meet up with some friends and was impressed to see so many people there.
As chance had it, the temperature climbed from a chilly -20 to a balmy -5 on the day of the outdoor festival and many in the community took full advantage of the reprieve from the cold.
It was dark already by the time the festivities began at 6pm and the Village was all lit up. There were two teams of horses giving rides to sleighs full of people, bonfires strategically placed around the village for hand warming and marshmallows and Santa hats everywhere.
Christmas carols were being played while hot dogs, hot chocolate and cookies were being passed out to everyone.
Chestnuts were actually being roasted on an open fire and the gentleman who was manning the roasting pan was being kept busy by an eager audience of young and old alike. I tried my first one and it was delicious. Kind of nutty.
December 08, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Art Galleries & Artists
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We went to the Art Gallery in Dawson Creek for the annual opening of the Christmas Gift Show and Sale.
The Grain Elevator Gallery is one of the few places in the city that is big enough to house a 15 or so foot Christmas tree, and I learned that each year, the Art Gallery uses all it's decorations from the previous year to decorate trees downtown to be auctioned off as a fund raiser.
The Gallery was bursting at the seams with top-drawer work from artists and artisans from the bottom gift shop and lobby all the way up the spiraling ramps that go to the top.
I saw woodwork, jewelry, pottery, watercolors, stained glass, fiber arts, soaps & lotions, metalwork and Christmas decorations. I checked a lot of the names on my gift list for the season.
There were trays of goodies and glasses of punch being served the whole time I was there. At 2 pm a local woman's choir came in to sing carols for an hour.
This annual event is a favorite for many shoppers whether they live in the community or come in as visitors and it's always well attended. It's more than just going shopping; it's a chance to participate in a celebration of community, art and Christmas. I wouldn't miss it.
December 01, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Festivals & Events
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The weather for this year's annual Tree Light Up was a bit chilly, it was minus 20 something on the morning of November 19, and we almost decided to stay home by the fire instead of getting all bundled up and driving in to town, but we had arranged to meet some friends, so away we went.
The City of Dawson Creek moved the Mile O Post to a temporary location at the Northern Alberta Railway Park, a block north of it's usual home and put up a 35-40 foot tree in it's place and draped it with multi-colored lights. The streets have been decorated with big white snowflakes and it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas here.
I'm glad we went because it turned out to be a great community party and the cold weather actually added to the fun.
It's nice to offer events like this to both the people who live here and also the many who find themselves far away from home and staying in our hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts.
Many of the local businesses were open for the light up celebration and some were handing out hot chocolate, hot cider, popcorn and even glow sticks.
There were kids of all ages mingling around and of course Santa was there too.
November 24, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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GPS in hand, I went with a Geo-caching friend on a high-tech treasure hunt to find a cache box near a cemetery just south of Dawson Creek.
We had checked out GeoTourismCanada online and found a whole list of locations in and around Dawson Creek.
Even though I live in the area and knew where we were going for this hunt, it was very exciting to forget that and just follow the GPS coordinates. I used to love orienteering when I was in school, so this gave the same thrill.
Learning how to read the GPS device was the tricky part and I'm sure it would get easier with practice. We stopped the truck several times along the way so I could learn and practice how to read coordinates.
Finding the box itself just by following the coordinates was a challenge as well as a lot of fun.
Inside the box was a plastic bag with a small pencil and a logbook to write in. Several other people had written in the book ahead of us. We made sure everything was tucked away for the next adventurer.
I can certainly see why people love this sport.
November 17, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Fishing
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We did our last boating trip of the season at Moberly Lake, a hour or so north of Dawson Creek
We were not alone. We met a great group of people who were there to spend their last day on the lake as well. We hooked up and toured the lake together.
We had the whole day so we stopped lots and just floated, put our fishing lines in and visited. We had both made great picnic lunches and we enjoyed getting to know each other a bit over our boats.
We saw an eagle hunt right on the lake. Actually it caught a fish while we didn't.
Moberly Lake is quite big and the water can change from quiet to very choppy in a short period of time. By late afternoon, the wind picked up, and because of the white caps, we stayed off the middle of the lake and kept close to shore for the rest of the day.
Evening came shortly after another picnic supper and we decided to stay and watch the sun go down on the lake one last time.
November 14, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Hudson's Hope, Attractions
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I have evolved into the unofficial tour guide for friends and family when they visit.
A favorite day trip from Dawson Creek is to the W.A.C. Bennett Dam on Williston Lake. It takes about an hour and a half to get there and is the perfect way to spend a day visiting and seeing something amazing at the same time.
It's a real treat to drive across the dam itself, it's huge!
The trip wouldn't be complete without taking the bus tour deep into the belly of the dam on the bus. You will have to wear a hard hat.
The guided tour costs six dollars for adults and lasts about an hour.
Once I get over my immediate feeling of claustrophobia, I really enjoy the tour. The air once you are underground is cool and you can feel the energy vibrate and hum in the stone all around.
Visitors are always blown away by the project.
My Dad worked on the Dam from start to finish, so I have lots of stories to tell them, like the day the water was first released and the bear clinging to a floating log being swept away...
Editor's note: Learn more about the W.A.C. Bennett Dam and the Peace Canyon Dam
November 10, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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We set out from Dawson Creek, Mile O of the Alaska Highway while it was still dark, with a full tank of gas and a fresh cup of coffee-to-go.
About an hour and a half up the highway, just as the sun was rising, we found out how Pink Mountain got its name. Fireweed grows everywhere up the mountain and in the ditches. We must have hit peak season because along with the pink flowers, there were butterflies everywhere. Sadly, many butterflies got caught in the grill of our vehicle.
The air was fresh and clean and the views were awesome. We stopped at an interesting place called Sasquatch Crossing Lodge to fill up our coffee and ask about the butterflies. We were told that these are yearly phenomena and are Arctic Yellowtail Swallow butterflies.
We didn't see any sasquatches though, maybe next time.
October 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
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We stopped into the historic cemetery in Tomslake, 20 minutes south of Dawson Creek on the day before Halloween.
This beautiful place is more than just a cemetery. It contains the cultural identity of the small Sudetan German Community whose members immigrated here in 1939 to escape persecution and death in Hitler's Germany.
A museum has been built to house the many artifacts donated by the community to tell the story of the journey to a new life of freedom in a new land.
The original Roman Catholic Church is now part of the museum. We stood on a stool and peeked in the windows. Nothing fancy, just hand built pews and some old pictures on the wall. Plastic flowers in a vase on the alter.
There is an impressive commemorative monument to the immigrants and their new home in Canada. It is quite emotional to read what the community went through for freedom. They came on transport ships and each ship and the date it sailed from Liverpool is listed along with the list of family members on the roster.
The cemetery itself is beautifully maintained with a simple rural backdrop. Entering through the iron gates was like entering a history book. The names on the granite headstones are mostly German and date back to the early 40's. I was struck by the short lives of many of the people laying to rest there.
Peaceful.
October 27, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Camping
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One of the prettiest places to go for a weekend of camping, especially in the fall, is the Sukunka River, about an hour and a half west of Dawson Creek.
We went in early October when the fall leaves were at their colorful peak. We found a great place to camp a short distance from the road that is right on the banks of the river.
Getting to the Sukunka is a bit of an adventure itself because all traffic must share the road with coal trucks going back and forth. The road is radio controlled, so the best thing to do is wait for a truck going the same way you are and get in behind it. Stop when it stops and go when it goes.
The Sukunka is in bear country so it's really important to be smart. We are very careful with our garbage and cooking methods and very watchful as well.
The fishing is great! The river is awesome and the setting is spectacular! A real favorite!