June 30, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
McBride, River Rafting
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Located approximately 270 km out of Prince George is the beginning point of an awesome adventure through rapids with Mount Robson Whitewater Rafting Company. As part of a familiarization tour, myself and a a few coworkers headed out for a day of whitewater rafting and took the Fraser River Whitewater Raft tour, which is about 14 km long. At the beginning, we had an easy float, class 1 rapids that were the main grounds for testing out paddling and learning the techniques to being the most effective float on the river! We then entered some class 2 rapids that started to get the rafters wet and prepared for the class 3 rapids that we would encounter after the portage over rearguard falls. We stopped in at the edge before Rearguard Falls to portage the raft over, as the falls are too steep to raft over. After riding over (and through) several more rapids, there is a section of water in which our guide allowed us to jump out of the raft and go for a swim in the freezing temperatures!!
The trip was definitely worth the drive from Prince George, even if it is out of the way! The guides were great, the waters were exciting and you were provided with all the gear you would need for a safe and fun day on the river!
June 08, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Dining
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On Tuesday, I made a trip downtown to Books and Company and the cafe within the store called Cafe Voltaire. While there, I decided to not only browse the hundreds of unique books that they have, but also to sit down and have a coffee with some friends. The ambiance is amazing and makes you feel like you can get anything achieved! In Cafe Voltaire, they have a create your own sandwich on the menu and offer a vast variety of things to create the ultimate sandwich. Everything is made on spot and is very fresh! The bookstore has many interesting books for anyone and everyone with several different topics. Great for the avid reader or just someone who is interested in finding that unique novel!
June 04, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Car / Truck / Motorcycle
Last Saturday, I dropped by the farmers market in downtown Prince George and was pleased with the amount of fresh baking and vegetables that the market offered (especially for this time of year in Northern BC). All the vendors were very welcoming and happy to tell you about their business and products! The smell of home baked bannock fills the air downtown and you walk by hard to resist sweets and treats for you and the family! After going to the farmers market, I stopped into a restaurant on 3rd Avenue called Nancy O's. The breakfast menu was great and I recommend the Cinnamon Swirl French toast! Yum!! And definitely fills you up for the rest of the day! The restaurant is welcoming to families and I love the warm environment inside! The waitress was really friendly and made sure that we had the best experience at the restaurant!
June 04, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Kelowna, Sightseeing Tours
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I was in Kelowna a month ago and the summer was beginning in the area! There is a boardwalk where you can walk at any time of day along the lake near downtown Kelowna and it is absolutely stunning. At sundown, the sun hits the water and it is a very peaceful and calming. Great for an after dinner walk with the family and is accessible for walkers, runners, rollerbladers and wheelchairs!
June 04, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Kamloops, Parks
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If you are a local or tourist looking for it all, I suggest Riverside Park in Kamloops. I went there in April and the summer weather was already kicking in! The grass was green and the flowers had started to bloom. There is a playground to entertain kids and also an option to walk alongside the river! Many times at the park, I have seen fish jumping above the water in the river! Great place to take a picnic!! There is accessible parking and some paved trail through the park. a nice place to spend with the family!
June 04, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Parks
It is finally June and the flowers are blooming and sun is shining. My friend and I thought it would be an opportune time to have a picnic on Connaught Hill in Prince George. They have a beautfifully planted garden and a few picnic tables to sit on to have lunch.
I went and did a little bit of research on Connaught Hill and found out a few things. It is on such a tall hill and the hill is actually left over from the ice age! In the early 1900's there was a ski jump built from the top of the hill and the landing pad is where City Hall is located now! It was one of only 2 ski jumps of that size in the world! A windstorm blew over the ski jump, but it definitely worth seeing some of the history of Prince George on a sunny afternoon for a picnic!
June 03, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Hiking
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Every summer, I treat myself to the beautiful hike up Grouse Mountain in Vancouver! The trail is extremely steep and difficult, but definitely fun to challenge yourself and see how fast you can get to the top! Make sure that you are wearing proper footwear and clothing as it is a hike. I have done it both in the morning and the afternoon and I suggest being at the bottom of the mountain and starting early in the morning before the trail gets too busy! Be prepared with water, as there are no stops on the way and bring your wallet, as the only way down is by the gondola. It is beautiful on the top and definitely plan to do it on a sunny day so you can overlook Vancouver from the patio at the small restaurant at the top! They also have some neat tourist attractions at the top and they are definitely worth seeing after the strenuous hike to the top!
June 03, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Kamloops, Hiking
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While driving through Kamloops one day, I stumbled upon a trailhead that began behind Home Depot on Hillside Drive. The trail is called Kenna Cartwright and is absolutely spectacular. It is a slow climb to a high viewpoint of Kamloops and is accessible to all ages and isn't a difficult climb. There is no water sources along the way, so it is important that you bring enough to supply you for a couple kilometers of hiking! I went twice because I was so amazed with the view. Once when the snow was melting, which made for a bit of a muddy mess (still fun) and once when the trail was completely dry and the the snow was melted. There is parking available in the Home Depot parking lot and if you have some time to go hiking in Kamloops, I definitely suggest this one trail for the whole family!
June 03, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Kamloops, Hiking
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In March, I went hiking in the Peterson Creek area in Kamloops. You can access the trail from downtown and there are places to park your car. One trail that I took that I LOVED was the Bridal Veil Falls trail. This trail is difficult and involves climbing some rocks and through some water, but it is worth it. It is a short trail also, but leads to a beautiful waterfall that you can get up close and personal to! Make sure you take a camera if possible! You can take some candid shots and some along the way that can remind you of how great the hike was!
June 03, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Sightseeing Tours
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I went up to the University of Northern British Columbia for both sunset and sunrise last week!! What a great place to see a view! You can drive into the university and sit in your vehicle and watch the sunset. Once it is dark, you can see the whole city lit up and it is spectacular! To see the sunset, you can do the whole thing all over again in the morning and sit up early on the hill and see the city wake up! I definitely suggest this as something for both tourists and locals if you want to see Prince George at two of the most beautiful times of day! Nice that it is a free thing to do for those money savers out there!