August 05, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Theatre & Performing Arts
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My husband, 16 year old daughter and I are big fans of improv and had heard about TheatreSports “Laugh It Off" at the New Revue Stage on Granville Island. We’d wanted to check it out for some time so decided to make a night of it after a family reunion dinner at Sandbar Restaurant. They had a lot to live up to since we’re fans of “Whose Line is it Anyways”, but it definitely met the mark. We were extremely impressed and the talent was comparable to that of the tv show. In fact, it almost seemed that it was scripted, but of course that wasn’t the case. They involved the audience in coming up with ideas for the skits which made it even more fun. I’m in awe of these guys (and gals) for being able to think on their feet and come up with great lines and ideas so quick. I don’t know how they do it, but it’s impressive and certainly entertaining.
The show was reasonably priced and tickets could be purchased at the door. I was surprised that there were a number of empty seats. The theatre is licensed so you can enjoy a glass of wine while watching the show. Shows are normally Friday and Saturday nights at 9:30 pm, but they also have other similar improv performances to choose from. We’ll definitely be going again.
July 29, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Bella Coola, Outdoor Activity Tours
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Explored the hidden gem of Bella Coola Valley last week. This was my first trip to the area and I was excited to check it out. I flew in on Pacific Coastal on a direct flight from Vancouver’s south terminal, and the views of the Coast Mountains were stunning. Approaching and landing at the Bella Coola Airport was pretty awesome too.
We did a general tour of the area and got to see the BC Ferries wharf and Clayton Falls which was very dramatic. Then we went for a short walk into an ancient western red cedar grove which was just amazing from both an ecological and cultural perspective (the only other place I’ve seen trees like that is Haida Gwaii). We walked on trails through enormous old growth trees including the biggest Cottonwood tree I’ve ever seen. It was nice and cool in there too! We also visited the historic Norwegian House (original settlers in the area) and heard some great stories at the Bella Coola museum. That afternoon we took a gentle rafting trip on the Bella Coola River with Kynock Adventures (the same folks who run the Coast Mountain Lodge). The scenery and overall experience was so peaceful, although I hear they can find some rapids if that’s what you’re looking for. I spent the night at Tweedsmuir Lodge, which is located in BC’s largest provincial park. The grounds and main lodge are beautiful and they have several well-appointed cabins for guests. I’m told that sometimes you see wildlife such as bears right on the front lawn! This is a true wilderness lodge (with a bit of luxury). The lodge is also the base for Bella Coola Helisports, which is the largest single heli skiing area in the world. And in spring and early summer, they have packages where you can go heli skiing on a glacier in the morning and fishing in the afternoon.
My only regret is that I didn’t have enough time in Bella Coola to explore more. Next time, I’d like to do the entire circle tour travelling over to Vancouver Island, up to Port Hardy, catch the BC Ferry Discovery Coast trip to Bella Coola, spend a few days there and then head east, up ‘the hill’, and across the beautiful Chilcotin Plateau for a stay at a guest ranch such as Echo Valley or Siwash Lake.
July 29, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Bella Coola, Outdoor Activity Tours
View a larger image on flickr.com
Explored the hidden gem of Bella Coola Valley last week. This was my first trip to the area and I was excited to check it out. I flew in on Pacific Coastal on a direct flight from Vancouver’s south terminal, and the views of the Coast Mountains were stunning. Approaching and landing at the Bella Coola Airport was pretty awesome too.
We did a general tour of the area and got to see the BC Ferries wharf and Clayton Falls which was very dramatic. Then we went for a short walk into an ancient western red cedar grove which was just amazing from both an ecological and cultural perspective (the only other place I’ve seen trees like that is Haida Gwaii). We walked on trails through enormous old growth trees including the biggest Cottonwood tree I’ve ever seen. It was nice and cool in there too! We also visited the historic Norwegian House (original settlers in the area) and heard some great stories at the Bella Coola museum. That afternoon we took a gentle rafting trip on the Bella Coola River with Kynock Adventures (the same folks who run the Coast Mountain Lodge). The scenery and overall experience was so peaceful, although I hear they can find some rapids if that’s what you’re looking for. I spent the night at Tweedsmuir Lodge, which is located in BC’s largest provincial park. The grounds and main lodge are beautiful and they have several well-appointed cabins for guests. I’m told that sometimes you see wildlife such as bears right on the front lawn! This is a true wilderness lodge (with a bit of luxury). The lodge is also the base for Bella Coola Helisports, which is the largest single heli skiing area in the world. And in spring and early summer, they have packages where you can go heli skiing on a glacier in the morning and fishing in the afternoon.
My only regret is that I didn’t have enough time in Bella Coola to explore more. Next time, I’d like to do the entire circle tour travelling over to Vancouver Island, up to Port Hardy, catch the BC Ferry Discovery Coast trip to Bella Coola, spend a few days there and then head east, up ‘the hill’, and across the beautiful Chilcotin Plateau for a stay at a guest ranch such as Echo Valley or Siwash Lake.
January 27, 2006 | Tips from Us >
Vernon, Skiing & Snowboarding
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Just got back from
Big White &
Silver Star, and the skiing was phenomenal! Both the resorts have an impressive base and as a bonus we woke up to fresh powder every day. In fact, one morning at Silver Star there was a dump of a foot and a half overnight - we were in snow heaven!! One of the locals suggested getting to the lifts 10-15 minutes before they open in the morning to get ‘first tracks’. They start lining up early after a dump like that – it was fantastic!
Some other fun things we did were tubing and skating at Big White. I especially enjoyed the tubing (the fast side). It’s fun to get some friends together and hold on to each other and spin. The outdoor skating rink is enormous!
Another highlight of the trip was having a gun barrel coffee upstairs at Snowshoe Sams (Big White) where they actually pour flaming liquid (coffee and liqueurs) down the barrel of a gun into a glass. Also the snow-cat dinner tour to Paradise Camp at Silver Star was really fabulous. The trip to and from was fun and the cuisine, service and wines were first-class.
For dining recommendations at Big White I suggest the Kettle Valley Steakhouse in Happy Valley (lower area) and the Soup Stone Café which has a wonderful selection of soups, homemade daily (near main village). For Silver Star, I’d recommend Clementine’s Restaurant for fine dining, Long John’s Pub for delicious pub fare (and a fun atmosphere), and Francucinnos for yummy croissants and cinnamon buns.
It’s an ideal time to visit right now so get up while the snow lasts!atmosphere), and Francucinnos for yummy croissants and cinnamon buns. It's an ideal time to visit right now so get up while the snow lasts!