Brag-worthy City Experiences in BC

Vancouver

For a land-locked Albertan, a 20-minute Harbour Air floatplane tour checks a lot of bucket list boxes, taking off from Coal Harbour to offer spectacular aerial views of Vancouver’s downtown skyline and iconic landmarks such as Stanley Park, English Bay, Canada Place, and the North Shore Mountains.

To keep the blood flowing, opt for a zipline rush across the peaks and canyons of Grouse and Dam mountains. Or, for a more grounding experience, Indigenous-owned Takaya Tours offers two-hour interpretive tours from the North Shore in replica ocean-going canoes similar to those traditionally used by the Tsleil-Waututh Nation. It’s a great way to work up an appetite.

You can build your own Dine Around experience by sampling some of the outstanding restaurants listed on Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants. Kissa Tanto, Hawksworth, Boulevard, Botanist, L’Abattoir all made the top 50; French-themed St. Lawrence claimed third place. When it’s time for bed, put a bow on the day with a nightcap (and an overnight) at the Fairmont Pacific Rim’s celebrated Botanist Bar—home of Canada’s coolest cocktails.

Victoria

Looking to bond with long-lost friends after months of isolation? Get on board the Harbour Ferries Pickle Pub Crawl and put the “appy” in Happy Hour. The 3 hour tour includes water taxi trips and free appetizers with your drink at popular watering holes.

Keep the nautical vibe going with a half-day whale-watching tour—there are several companies operating around the harbourfront—and revel in the abundant marine wildlife in the waters surrounding Victoria including seals, sea lions, and orcas.

Or experience a quieter kind of high on a guided forest-bathing experience with Elemental Magick Adventures: a 2.5-hour walking tour through a nearby rainforest, with a focus on spiritual connection and mindfulness.

After an encounter with the Forest Elder—a 650-year-old Douglas fir—you’ll return to the city in the perfect head space to enjoy the fabulously refined Afternoon Tea service at the Fairmont Empress. (Tip: Keep that indulgent vibe going all night long with an overnight stay on the hotel’s luxury-forward Gold Floor.)