March 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Attractions
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We take our seasons seriously here in Dawson Creek. Summer is Summer, Fall is Fall, Winter is Winter and here comes Spring!
We love spring! It is so obvious here. We can almost feel the earth warm up. We hope for a gradual melt so that the earth absorbs as much moisture as it can for the upcoming yearly crops.
I keep a journal of the heralds of spring. The first Canada Geese, the first robins, pussy willows, the first bright green blades of grass and of course the first green leaves and the first tractor working up a field for planting.
If you come to Dawson Creek in the spring months, you will see us cleaning up the debris from winter, sweeping our streets and planting flowers in our beautiful city baskets. And you'll see a lot of smiles.
I love the way the city shakes off our winter coat. Friends who visit often comment on what an attractive place this is. Even as a resident, I appreciate how clean and welcoming it is.
I never get tired of the huge flocks of geese flying overhead, or the newborn animals kicking up their heels in the fields.
Spring has sprung in the Peace River Country.
March 26, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Historic & Heritage Sites
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My mother always said the best things in life are free.
Dawson Creek, the Mile "O" City, has a many ways to have fun without having to spend a lot of money.
Here are my personal favorite free things to do in Dawson Creek
all while you are parked at the N.A.R. ParkSelf-Guided Historic Walking TourPick up a copy of the complimentary walking tour brochure while you are at the Visitor's Center in the N.A.R. Park. Put on your comfortable shoes, grab your camera and stretch your legs while checking out Dawson Creek's Pioneer and World War II history. Follow the map and enjoy the murals and original photos posted all around town.
Art GalleryA visit to our city isn't complete without a stroll up, up, up inside an actual grain elevator annex that has been renovated to a unique Art Gallery. Dawson Creek has a strong art community and there are year round exhibitions. Make sure you check out the gift shop and the many original photos of the building of the Alaska Highway in the back stairwell.
Railway Station MuseumI take all our visitors to the museum. It's in the original Northern Alberta Railway Station, which played an important role in the history of Dawson Creek. It's filled with artifacts and memorabilia and a great way to spend an hour or so of time.
Alaska Highway House Interpretive CenterThis is my favorite place to take our visitors. I learn something new each time I go. This is a top-drawer adventure. A real WWII Willy Jeep, scale models and artifacts from the building of the Alaska Highway, original photos from the period and a kiosk in an RV to record video messages.
Hope you enjoy these adventures when you come!
March 24, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Snowmobiling
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I remember our first snowmobile when I was a kid. We would argue over who's turn it was to drive. The little kids had to settle for being the passenger.
We used to tie the hood of an old car on a long rope and hook it behind the snowmobile and go for rides on the frozen lake. The younger kids in the back, my older brother driving. He would slow down going into a corner and then speed up as the hood entered, whipping us around and often shooting us out and into the snow banks.
Snowmobiling is part of the winter culture here in Dawson Creek. In the winter, regardless of where you drive, you will see tracks along the road. Swooping up and down ditches and snow blanketed fields.
Pick-up trucks sporting snowmobile racks are a common sight on our roads.
It's wonderful to be outside on a beautiful blue-sky winter day, together with family and friends breathing fresh air and flying across the snow. It's an opportunity to get up close and personal with Mother Nature and see some beautiful countryside.
Then there is the wiener roast and hot chocolate by the campfire for lunch, followed by more sledding and at the end of it all... a hot tub.
If you visit Dawson Creek in the winter, hopefully you know someone with a snowmobile, or bring your own, there are lots of beautiful places to ride.
The Visitors Center in the N.A.R. park can give you all the local information.
March 22, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Festivals & Events
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We were so lucky to have our out-of-town company come to visit at the same time the Royal Lipizzaner Stallions were in town at the EnCana Events Center!
We were able to get seats on the floor in the first row. The stallions passed so close I could see the veins in their necks and hear them breathing. It was amazing! And when the National Anthem was played, one beautiful white stallion stood completely still while his rider held the flag. It was a powerful moment.
The horses performed their centuries old ballet to an enthralled audience. The highlight was the spectacular "Airs Above the Ground" maneuvers. I learned that these moves were born on the battlefields of old when the horses were used in combat. I remember my mom telling me how the Lipizzaners were almost lost during World War II and that General Patton helped save them.
It was an amazing and entertaining experience. We didn't have to know a lot about horses to know we were in the presence of greatness. I was interested to see that all but one rider were women and that many were quite young.
It was a wonderful event in a wonderful facility and of course, I bought a hoodie with a picture of a dancing stallion as a souvenir.
Make sure you check out the coming attractions at the EnCana Events Center when you come to visit. We get some big names!
March 19, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Museums
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I've been reading about the history of the Alaska Highway. You probably know someone who helped build this "16th wonder of the engineering world".
How would you like to eat 3 meals a day out of a can for 9 months?
How would you like to wash your army issue, green wool underwear in ice-cold water and hang them on a line to freeze-dry?
How would you like to sleep in a tent on a cot without a mattress night after night?
How would you like to be eaten alive by mosquitoes and flies for months on end?
Not much of a recruitment poster is it? But that is exactly what the thousands of troops and civilians signed up for when they came to Dawson Creek to lend their skills and strength to the enormous task punching a road through some of the north's most rugged landscapes in extreme temperatures.
When you come to Dawson Creek, make sure you take an afternoon to visit the Alaska Highway House Interpretive Center and immerse yourself in the history of this project that brought so many thousands together in very adverse conditions.
See for yourself what that green wool underwear looks like, check out the actual Willy Jeep on display and imagine bouncing around in it for 18 hours a day over corduroy roads... take a close look at the cans of 'food'... check out the pictures of what being eaten alive by mosquitoes or incapacitated by frost bite actually looks like...
Then... say a big thank you to anyone you know who worked on the Alaska Highway... I know I do...
March 17, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Parks
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When you are ready to take a break from driving and want to spend some time hiking, fishing or wildlife viewing, Dawson Creek has several great provincial parks just for you.
Swan Lake Provincial Park: 35 km/22 miles south of Dawson Creek on Highway #2 towards the Alberta border. There is a short drive off the highway on a gravel road. Swan Lake is open from early May to early September and has 42 vehicle-accessible campsites, a boat launch and dock. A great place for boating, hiking, walking, and bird watching.
One Island Lake Provincial Park: One Island Lake is an hour and a half or so south of Dawson Creek on Highway #2 (for 30km /18 miles) and then a right turn off the highway for the rest of the way with some gravel. This park is noted for its trout fishing, so make sure you bring your fishing gear. One Island has picnicking, boating and swimming. This is a favorite getaway for locals.
Kiskatinaw Provincial Park: Open mid May to the end of September each year, this beautiful park is tucked below the world famous curved wooden bridge over the Kiskatenaw River (a historical piece of the Alaska Highway). The bridge has been bypassed so it is quiet and a great place to stop. You'll want fresh batteries in your camera.
If you are looking for more information on camping and RV sites/services available in Dawson Creek, make sure you check out the Visitors Information Center located in the N.A.R. Park on Alaska Avenue.
Depending on your needs (power water, sani-dumps, showers etc), the folks there can point you in the right direction. Time to relax...
March 15, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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Geocaching is alive and strong in Dawson Creek! If you like exploring historic and natural sites you've come to the right place!
Also known as GPS Stash-Hunting, Geocaching is a high-tech version of hide 'n' seek where you explore the outdoors in search of hidden locations, treasures and adventure. All you need to find the cache is a sense of adventure and Global Positioning System (GPS) devise.
A typical cache consists of a small, weatherproof container that holds such items as: a logbook, stickers, an information sheet about the area and some inexpensive trinkets.
As the finder, you are encouraged to write a short note in the log book (including such details the weather that day, thoughts on how easy or hard the cache was to find), take a trinket, leave a little something in it's place and re-hide the cache for future geocachers to find.
When you get home, make sure you send a note to your geocaching website and describe your experience.
Our local geocaching enthusiasts have hidden treasures in a variety of locations around the region.
A day in the city or an out of town jaunt will reveal coordinates with exciting highlights such as an historic train trestle, an original Alaska Highway bridge, and inner-city nature walking trail, some of nature's best rural scenery and much more!
March 12, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Sightseeing Tours
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Dawson Creek has 4 distinct seasons. Regardless of the season, you will need your sunglasses! We have
big skies and lots of sunshine!Spring is right around the corner and you can expect cool mornings, warm days and chilly nights. You'll want to have a jacket, gloves, and sturdy footwear.
Summer is very sunny with long days and warm nights. For the most part, summer is hot and dry, making tees and shorts the most comfortable choice. It does rain, so carry a sweater/sweatshirt and a light (possibly fleece lined) weather proof jacket to layer (an umbrella is optional).
Pack the footwear you are most comfortable in, sandals for the hot days and sneakers/walking shoes for the rest of your adventure.
Fall is cool and usually dry, you will want to be outside well into the evenings to soak up the beautiful evening skies.
Make sure you have that cozy jacket to wrap around you as you sit around a fire, watching the stars.
Winter comes in all shades of cold and all depths of snow. Make sure you have warm boots, coats, hats and gloves.
A winter walk on a moonlit night when you are all bundled up is an adventure you will enjoy.
Whatever the season, remember to bring your sunglasses!
March 09, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Gardens
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When you come to Dawson Creek, and need to loosen up from driving; park your rig, put on your walking shoes and go check out the outdoor fitness park located right beside the walking path in Kin Park across from the health unit.
The unusual looking equipment is an outdoor version of what you would typically find in a commercial gym. Utilizing the user's weight for resistance instead of the traditional weight stacks, the machines and park were designed with seniors in mind although everyone is welcome to and does use them.
Intrigued by the big yellow and grey machines, I went to check the park out one afternoon and was completely impressed by how sturdy, user friendly and safe they are.
Each machine has a set of clear instructions displayed on it explaining how to use it properly. I personally liked the body twist and the air stride machines.
Open from dawn to dust, the best part of the outdoor park is that it's completely free to use.
You can get a map of downtown that will show you how to find both the walking path and the fitness park at the Visitors Center located in the N.A.R. Park.
March 08, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Sixty years ago, you could build a 54 room hotel for the same amount as a modest single family dwelling today.
The Windsor Hotel was a Dawson Creek landmark for 54 years. Built in 1951 at a cost of $250,000.00 the hotel had 54 rooms, a modern dining room, 2 beer parlors (one for "Men Only" and the other for "Ladies and Escorts"), a 250 seat banquet room, and room rental rates that were $2.50 a single, to $6.00 a double occupancy per night.
A hard liquor lounge was added later as it was illegal in BC during the time of the original plan.
As years passed, the 'Windsor' became a favorite spot for locals. Most of the city had probably walked through the lobby at one time or another.
Sadly, this grand Dawson Creek landmark endured years of hard times, delinquent property taxes and disrepair. The hotel was taken over by the City of Dawson Creek and unable to find a buyer, it was demolished in 2005. The whole town watched the demolition and remembered the hotel's better days.
Today a grassy lot sits on the corner where once stood the grand old Windsor Hotel, waiting for it's next occupant and new story to tell.
This is only one of the many colorful stories told in the Self Guided Historic Walking Tour Guide available at the Dawson Creek Visitors Center in the N.A.R. Park. Make sure you pick up your copy when you come to visit.