British Columbia Travel Guide
The Vancouver skyline with Mount Baker behind. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
British Columbia is Canada's Pacific province: ocean, rainforest and mountains in a single view. Vancouver sits between the water and the North Shore peaks, regularly ranked among the world's most liveable cities. Victoria, the capital, keeps a gentler, garden-city pace on Vancouver Island.
Beyond the cities: the Sea to Sky Highway to Whistler, the Okanagan's lakes and wineries, the wild west coast of Pacific Rim National Park, and Haida Gwaii's totem poles. BC is also Canada's ski capital and its whale-watching capital.
Destinations in British Columbia
Stanley ParkVancouver's 400-hectare peninsula park: seawall, totem poles and beaches.
WhistlerNorth America's largest ski resort, two hours up the Sea to Sky Highway.
Butchart GardensThe 22-hectare sunken garden near Victoria, spectacular in summer.
Pacific Rim National ParkLong Beach, the Broken Group Islands and west-coast rainforest near Tofino.
Inner Harbour, VictoriaThe Empress Hotel, the legislature and floatplanes on the water.
Granville IslandVancouver's public market and artisan quarter under the Granville Bridge.
Capilano Suspension BridgeThe 137-metre swaying bridge over the Capilano River canyon.
Okanagan ValleyLakes, orchards and 200+ wineries around Kelowna.
Grouse MountainVancouver's backyard mountain: the Skyride and the Grouse Grind trail.
NanaimoHarbour city and birthplace of the Nanaimo bar.
Hover a province or territory to explore it. Click a city pin to open its guide.
Top Cities & towns in British Columbia
Regional food
- Nanaimo bars (invented in Nanaimo in the early 1950s)
- Pacific salmon and spot prawns
- Okanagan wines
Getting there
Vancouver International (YVR) is the Pacific gateway. BC Ferries link the mainland with Victoria (Swartz Bay) and Nanaimo. The Sea to Sky Highway (99) runs Vancouver to Whistler; the Coquihalla (5) heads inland to the Okanagan.