January 07, 2008 | Tips from Us >
New Hazelton, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Hazelton has become my favourite small town in B.C. The town lives on the convergence of two rivers, the Skeena and the Bulkley. It is also a place where the First Nation and the Pioneer cultures converge, creating a beautiful little town with a lot of history. Here are my two tips from Hazelton.
1. The tour of the ‘Ksan Heritage Village is a must. You can not access the longhouses unless you are on a guided tour. Although you can wander the grounds on your own, you can only “experience the experience” with a guide. My guide was warm, inviting, and open to discussing her culture. She made me want to spend the rest of the summer with her and her family attending their traditional potlatches and ceremonies, learning their unique crafts, and lying on the vibrant green grass in front of the river.
2. In Old Hazelton, go to Mercedes Beans and Model Teas for an organic cup of goodness. It is located in Triangle Square, a colourful tea garden to hang out in. I sat beside a jug of sun-kissed tea and slurped my iced chai latte. Yum!
January 07, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Queen Charlotte City, Museums
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While my son was fishing on the Masset wharf, I wandered over to the Dixon Entrance Museum to indulge in a little history. The tiny museum is filled with intriguing gems of life on the northern end of Haida Gwaii/ Queen Charlotte Islands, including glass Japanese floats, sea shells, a collection of canned salmon (the Dixon Entrance is well known for its salmon, halibut and crab) and an old recipe book that includes instructions for cooking moose.
Turns out my museum host was an elderly gentleman who retired from Saskatchewan to live up on the coast in northern B.C. He had always wanted to live by the ocean and now he volunteers at a maritime museum. I love that! He was a great character and made the museum come alive, despite (possibly because of) his prairie-town background.
January 07, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Wells, Historic & Heritage Sites
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I can’t even begin to describe the disappointment I felt when I realized just how much there was to see and do in Barkerville, and I only had 3 hours to do it in. I usually research my travel plans thoroughly, but this summer I was on a bit of a “yahoo, let’s hit the road, come what may” kind of trip, and I was unprepared for, well, almost everything about Barkerville.
I have been to many heritage sights around B.C., but none quite as engaging as Barkerville, and none requiring so much time. So I missed staying over in the King George Hotel, right there on the main street. (While other travelers leave the gold rush town, you can sleep in a restored hotel and explore the town in the quiet of the night, or dew-drop morning, virtually alone). I missed eating tempting dim sum at Lung Duck Tong’s. I missed the theatre show, the stagecoach ride, and the cemetery tour.
However, I did manage to squeeze in an educational lesson on panning for gold, as well as the comedic skit on how to operate a water wheel. I also managed to sneak into a few candy shops before they closed. Which reminds me, I have never met anyone more friendly than the candy shop clerks in Barkerville; when my son only had $1 to buy his mini-jawbreakers, the clerk “accidentally” slipped a bit and spilled too many tiny balls of sweetness into the handmade bag. Oops, he said with a wink. Another candy store clerk (yes – there are more than one!) re-opened the store for me after she had already closed for the night. She wouldn’t dream of letting me leave without seeing her shop, despite the fact I told her I wouldn’t be buying anything.
Next time, I will leave at least a day in my itinerary for Barkerville, and a night as well, if not two.
January 07, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Queen Charlotte City, Fishing
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While travelling on the ferry from Prince Rupert to Haida Gwaii / Queen Charlotte Islands this summer, a local halibut fisherman told my son the best dock fishing was to be found right off the main wharf in Masset.
Three days and three fish later (admittedly, not the kind you would pay $600 a day of sport fishing for, but big enough for my eager six-year-old) we were happily packing the tackle box up and silently thanking the local for the tip.
While Haida Gwaii may be best known for the high-end fishing lodges, there are many local fishing spots that are worth stopping at, for the scenery alone if not for the fish.
A few of our favourites include the Masset dock, the wharf at Alliford Bay, and Mayer Lake, a lily-pad filled oasis in the middle of Graham Island.