July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Vernon, Camping
We have just returned from a trip to Vernon. We were very fortunate to book with Silver Star RV Park. I can not begin to express how wonderfully we were treated and how we witness several times when they went out of their way and put forth a great deal of effort to assist and accommodate other visitors.
This is an extremely well run RV park. The best we have encountered in our travels throughout the western provinces and states. The Swimming pool is very family friendly and everyday was a great place where grandparents, parents and kids could cool of.
I also enjoyed several bike rides with my grandson and lots of walks along the railway tracks with our dogs. Was neat to watch the local train pass by daily.
Vernon is a great place to visit. Wonderful beaches and the farmers market which we visit from spring to fall is one of the best if not the best in the province. There is also a neat flea market and many interesting stores to shop.
July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Historic & Heritage Sites
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The Kiskatinaw
River Bridge
is the last remaining curved wooden bridge on the Alaska
Highway. But it has aged well. I stumbled upon this rare, scenic find
just off of the new section of the Alaska Highway.
The slight detour is well worth it for the history and the beauty of the old
bridge. There is also a Provincial
Park which we found down
below the bridge, it was the perfect place to enjoy a picnic and a dip in the
Kiskatinaw River.
July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Golf
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On a beautiful summer day in late June I decided to spend my day off as an adventurous one and head to a golf course to test out my not-so-awesome skills of golf.
I wanted to enjoy a nice leisurely day of enjoying the weather and some exercise. I decided to choose a 9 hole golf course that is not too challenging. I chose the Farmington Golf Course located off the Alaska Highway. I chose Farmington to get a great drive in from Fort St. John and enjoy a day away from the city.
On my way back from golfing I took a detour over the Kiskatinaw River Bridge which is the last standing wooden, curved bridge on the Alaska Highway. I love the view of the river it gives and the amazing engineering that went into its construction.
July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Hiking
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For a change of scenery I decided to check out the trails at
Charlie Lake Provincial
Park. They offer great
trails within a lush forest and beautiful flora and fauna. While exiting the
trials I saw a moose at one of the campsites which was a terrifying but
exciting experience! I am not well versed in moose-etiquette but my friend
informed me that the moose was young but was not with a mother therefore less
dangerous. In
Charlie
Lake Provincial
Park I felt I was nowhere
near a city, it lets you feel free from the hustle and bustle of city life.
July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Fort St. John
is located along the well-known
Alaska Highway.
Yesterday, I took advantage of the nice weather and went to learn a little
bit more about the construction of the
Alaska Highway.
According to the monument at
Charlie
Lake and some
literature, I found out that the Highway was built in only 8 months and 12
days! A shocking comparison to current construction follies! The monument
was erected in 2008 in memory of twelve American soldiers who lost their
lives while floating construction equipment across
Charlie Lake
on a pontoon barge. Not only does the monument hold substantial value to
the families of those soldiers, it is also a gorgeous viewpoint. This
visit to the
Charlie Lake Monument
has sparked my interest in the history of the
Alaska
Highway! I think I will go to the Alaska Highway House soon
to learn more!
July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Sightseeing Tours
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The other night I was in downtown
Fort St. John
contemplating how to spend my evening. I grabbed a coffee at Java on
Main then decided to walk downtown. I started out at the
intersection of
100th Street and
100th Avenue. Once at that intersection I saw
a new kiosk which I later found out was part of the City’s new unveiling of a
Pioneer Pathway. This pathway features kiosks showcasing historic
Fort St. John
with pictures of pioneer businesses and what
Fort St. John
used to look like! When I started the walk I headed down
100th
Street to see more of the kiosk, all of them tell of stories
about how pioneers came to Fort St. John, their struggles and their positive
impact on the community. I enjoyed my coffee, history and a leisurely walk.
July 31, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Beaches & Swimming
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With the summer heat taking its toll on everyone I went to
Beatton Provincial
Park outside of
Fort
St. John on
Charlie Lake
to enjoy the many amenities they have! With the sun shining and hardly any wind
I decided to head to the provincial park and read my book. When driving in I
followed the signs for the day use area where I found an area with BBQ
stations, a play area, a gazebo, a boat launch and a great beach area! I did
not venture in the water but I did sit on the edge of the beach reading my book
with my feet in the water! It was a great day of relaxation by a beautiful
lake.
July 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Biking
I've recently started cycling to get some exercise while taking advantage of the great weather lately, and I think I've got the best route in the province!
I've been heading north on Ospika Boulevard in Prince George and I follow it until it turns into Otway Rd. Otway is a beautiful, softly rolling road that follows the Nechako River. I generally turn around after reaching the Otway Cross Country Ski/Biking trails (this is about a 13km total loop from the north end of Ospika), but exploring the huge Otway ski/bike trail system would be great too if you're up for it! This route is packed with great smells (aah, nature) and sights. A huge osprey nest looms high atop a power pole about 1/4 of the way to the Otway trails, and the osprey that inhabit it are often found circling the sky and calling to eachother nearby. The other morning, I saw 2 black bear and 2 deer cross the road a short distance in front of me, and a bright orange fox sitting in the grass not far from the road caught my eye on a previous day's ride.
If you're looking to enjoy a ride or walk away from the hustle and bustle of Prince George, Otway Rd is a great route to explore!
July 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Quesnel, Kayaking & Canoeing
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It's not a well-known place, but Milburn Lake in Quesnel is one of the best places for canoeing and camping in the area!
Just 15 minutes or so from Quesnel, you can access the lake from Milburn Lake Rd, a right turn off of the Nazko Rd. It's a short canoe ride across the first stretch of Milburn Lake . There's only a few houses located around the lake, so it's a very peaceful trip across. You then paddle through a short passage-way into a very small, marshy lake. Caution: I've often seen moose here, so look and listen before paddling on! Continue through one more short passage into a third, medium sized lake. Here, you will find a fantastic little island that is a perfect secluded campsite! There's lots of trees along the island's shores to tie your canoe and there's a nice clearing to build a small fire (please bring your own wood, as I don't want you to chop down all the lovely trees!) and set up a tent or two. Keep an ear and eye on the water, because there's usually a beaver or two paddling around the island!
Well, the secret's out! But hey, when a camping spot's this good, sometimes you've just gotta share!
July 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Quesnel, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
Ten Mile Lake is located just minutes north of Quesnel and is one of the best provincial parks in the area. I recently spent the day there and was reminded of the huge variety of things to do, whether you're camped there for the weekend or just visiting for an afternoon
First, I jumped in a friend's boat and tried my hand at fishing. The lake is usually a fisherman's paradise, but the fish sure weren't interested that day! It was getting a little warm in the boat, so we headed back to shore and wandered over to the beach area for a swim. The water here's perfect - cool, but not cold and no leeches in sight either! Next, we were off to explore the Beaver Trail, a great scenic trail system that takes you past a beaver dam and a huge assortment of wildflowers. It was getting close to dinner time by this point, so we made a small fire in one of the fire pits on the beach (sorry folks, fire ban officially in effect now!) and roasted up some good ol' hot dogs and marshmallows while watching water skiers whiz by far out on the lake. We jumped in for one more swim, then packed up and headed home as the sun was setting over the lake.
Fishing, swimming, and beavers?! You really can't go wrong spending time at Ten Mile Lake!