June 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
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We love to take our out-of-town visitors on Sunday Drives for picnic lunches. We are really lucky here in the Peace River Country, because we have so much history and a lot of great scenery to choose from.
We took our cousins for a drive and picnic lunch to the
Kiskatenaw Park. This trip is a guaranteed hit with all visitors.
The park is in a canyon right below the famous
Kiskatenaw Curved Wooden Bridge that was built in 1942 during the construction of the Alaska Highway.
It's about 20 miles north of Dawson Creek on the Alaska Highway. You have to pay attention to the signs, because it is off the beaten path. The curved bridge can still be driven across but had to be protected from modern heavy trucks so a new section of highway and new bridge were built to bypass the original. The old one is now a historical site.
The wooden bridge is amazing and quiet enough to stroll across and enjoy the river far below.
In the late summer, the river is often quite low and you can walk across it. There is a sandy area, a swimming hole, a playground and campground. We found some great hiking trails and walked for a couple of hours.
Although we didn't bring any fishing gear, I've heard that the river has pike, bull and rainbow trout. Maybe next time.
June 29, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Dining
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I love homemade organic
food! We have a great little
eatery in town that is a favorite spot for local residents and visitors
alike. It's within close walking
distance to downtown and has a menu of homemade
and locally grown food. I can
personally vouch for lunch menu (soups, baked goodies, sandwiches, salads).
The first thing you will
notice when you enter is the tantalizing smells of homemade food and a very
welcoming atmosphere.
There is proactive
environmental policy written on the front of the till counter that is really
powerful to read. Under the Willow
has a mission to reduce, reuse and recycle and the tearoom is known for using biodegradable
products and composting. In the
spring, scraps are donated as needed to a local animal rescue center to feed
bear cubs.
Attached to the restaurant is
a used book and record store to poke around in.
It's is also a favorite venue for local artists and
musicians to play and jam, so you never know what you might have happened
upon. The last time I went, it was
"Open Mike", and I was surprised by how many brave folks got up and
shared their talents.
This is a great place to have
lunch when you are exploring downtown Dawson Creek.
It has wonderful food, a great environment, friendly service and very
reasonable prices all while supporting an eco-friendly business.
June 25, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
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One of our favorite rest stops on the Hart Highway is on the west side of the Pine Pass at Bijoux Falls. It's easy to miss if you aren't paying attention. You have to watch for the sign on the north side of the highway.
Bijoux Falls is about the half way mark between
Dawson Creek and Prince George and the perfect spot to take a break from driving, get out, stretch your legs and breathe in the cool mountain air.
There is something special about the feel and smell of air around a waterfall isn't there?
The falls themselves are quite high and cascade quite dramatically down the side of the mountain. The last time we stopped, the sun was hitting the mist of the fall just right and we saw a rainbow.
There is a viewing landing surrounded by a chain link fence, but if you look, you will also find a well used short path that ducks in behind the fence and leads down to the shallows and rocks at the bottom of the falls.
If you are adventurous, you can pick your way up the creek a bit on the rocks. Chances are, you will end up getting your feet wet, I always do. The water is cold even in the middle of the summer.
The outhouses are very clean and well maintained. There is plenty of parking for RVs and several really nice picnic spots with tables.
June 20, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Farms & Markets
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Saturday mornings in the summer finds me headed out armed with my reusable bags early to stock up on the bounty at the Farmers Market.
There is no comparison between fresh, homemade goodies and produce bursting with flavor and nutrients and their store-bought counterparts. I especially love the bread and eggs and local honey for our tea.
And of course, there is always a new lily variety to add to my collection.
There is a festive atmosphere at the market, a sense of community where old friends and new friends meet and visit and shop and sell. There are a wide variety of vendors selling everything from wire jewelry to local beeswax candles and everything in between.
Last Saturday I found a couple of amazing pottery mugs to take home for our morning coffee and all the fresh food we needed for our weekend at the lake. The family favorite is fresh bread sliced thick, roasted over a campfire with a dollop of homemade Saskatoon jam on top. Camping just doesn't get any better than that for us.
The market is open on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm from May to October. Look for the big white tent at the Co-op.
June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Dining
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I learned a long time ago that the best Cinnamon Buns, Carrot Cake and Nanaimo Bars in town are at the Hug-A-Mug cafe.
Good timing means getting a table for lunch. It's right downtown on 102nd Ave and a big favorite with the local crowds for lunch and informal get-togethers and meetings.
They make everything right in the kitchen so you can order a home made soup, pick your own ingredients for a sandwich, choose a salad and top it all off with your choice of the many delectable deserts laid out in front of you.
First thing in the morning, there is a steady stream of downtown business people coming to get their coffee, favorite breakfast food and the latest local news.
This cafe is known for its friendliness, wonderful food and big underwater mural. The only problem is choosing what you want from the menu. Everything is as good as Mom made it.
I love to go in early, order my favorite coffee, sit for a while and have mini-visits with the people that come in.
Less than a block from the Mile O Post, and right across the street from Alaska Highway House Interpretive Center this is definitely a great place to stop for lunch when you are walking around and exploring town.
June 14, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Bear Watching
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What a treat to have extended family up for a visit, great summer weather, long days, warm nights, visiting around the fire in the pit in the evening.
The topping on the cake came in the form of an unexpected visitor one Saturday afternoon.
A black bear sauntered into our yard looking like he didn't have a care in the world.
He walked as thought he owned the place, sniffing various things in the yard. Thankfully everyone happened to be in the house at the time, even the dogs were inside.
Crowded around the kitchen window, we watched as Mr. Bear made his way across the lawn on his way to the forest nearby. He must have liked our yard because he stopped to eat some grass and decided to lie down for a couple of minutes in the same spot we had just walked through minutes earlier. He was probably making his way to the wilderness on the banks of the Peace River a few miles away.
Closeness to wildlife was one of the reasons we chose a country lifestyle here in the Peace River Country. This is the fourth bear in our yard in the years we have lived here.
[Editor's Note: Learn more about
bear watching and bear safety in Northern BC]
June 04, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Kayaking & Canoeing
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We bought a couple of Pelican kayaks a couple of years ago and although we don't use them as often as we would like, we do love those days when we take a break from the endless to-do projects and get away for a leisurely day on the water with our paddles, our cameras and a lunch.
One of our favorite places to go is Swan Lake about a half hour south of Dawson Creek. What we love about this lake are the endless nooks and crannies to explore. It's a fairly big lake and a regular camping spot for locals.
Swan Lake allows motorboats, but they can't go where we go. They stay out in the open water while we silently skim through the reeds and shallow water near shore without disturbing birds and fish. Often, we can see the bottom of the lake and are amazed at all the life under the water.
I really enjoy locking our kayaks together by holding each one end of each other's oars and forming a cluster, while we float and enjoy our lunch and a visit. Once in a while, a speedboat roars by with a skier behind, sending big waves that give us a bit of excitement.
What a great way to relax, and a great place to do it.
June 01, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Our friends from Cranbrook BC came up for a visit, and for something to do we took them for a tour around Dawson Creek.
The weather was great so we parked at the N.A.R. Park and did a walking tour. I love seeing our city through the eyes of a visitor. There are a lot of great things to see here and Dawson Creek is steeped in history.
We looked at the Mile O Cairn, which is the exact starting point of the Alaska Highway. It's where the original surveyor put his transit tool to begin.
We spent an hour in the Art Gallery. Our friends had never seen a grain elevator up close before. We wound our way up the inside ramp and enjoyed a beautiful tapestry show on display. We bought local honey and a few other crafts in the gift shop.
A short walk to check out all the artifacts and information in the museum that is housed in the original train station then grabbed a walking tour brochure at the Visitors Center and headed out to check out the historical sites and murals around town. Our friends really liked the way our city represents itself though art.
Of course, we all took turns having our photos taken in front of the Mile O Post. The cars were patient with us and someone even offered to take the photo so all of us could get in on it.
We topped off the morning adventure with a visit to the Alaska Highway House right in the center of town. Our friends really enjoyed that! Getting close up to an original Willy Jeep and seeing what life was really like during the building of the Alaska Highway is really interesting.
We have more family coming up later this year and I look forward to sharing the same with them! I'm proud to have so much to share.