Nanaimo

Taste a signature 'Nanaimo bar' in historic Nanaimo.

Nanaimo, “The Harbor City,” is located on the mid-east coast of Vancouver Island with the Straits of Georgia at its front door. The town is protected by Newcastle and Protection Islands at the east edge of the harbor. Nanaimo is very proud of its sheltered harbor and unique and stunning topography, which creates a haven for adventurers seeking world class diving, hiking, biking, and kayaking. Its name was anglicized from the Coast Salish name of “Snuneymuxw” that means “great and mighty people.”

In the early 1800s, the Hudson's Bay Company discovered very rich coal deposits in the bay. Almost immediately upon this discovery, 24 immigrant families from England and Scotland arrived to build and work the coalmines and establish a community. In 1853, a Bastion Fort was completed to defend the community from the Coast Salish, though no battles were ever fought. By 1911, a significant community of Japanese immigrants settled Newcastle Island and established a ship-building factory, herring salteries, and a cannery, successfully shipping products primarily to Asia. In 1938, the logging industry replaced coal mining, and a pulp and paper mill was built in Nanaimo. Today, the economy has diversified to support fish farming and research facilities, the technology industry, and a university-college.

Nanaimo’s harborside walkway provides spectacular views of the boat harbor, the surrounding natural beauty and glimpses into Nanaimo’s past. The icon, Bastion Fort, has been renovated and welcomes visitors with stories and artifacts from the past. Friendly guides provide information and directions about the self-guided heritage walking tour complete with plaques of historic facts and 19th century architecture. The Nanaimo District Museum displays First Nation and Asian artifacts, a replica of a coalmine and information on mines built underwater, and information about the city’s railroad and coal connections. Downtown offers an array of stores, boutiques, bookstores and art galleries. And no visit is complete in Nanaimo until you have tasted the world-famous, crunchy, creamy, chocolate-topped Nanaimo Bar! Early English settlers would prepare and send these dessert bars along with correspondence to loved ones remaining in Europe. They were popular not only for their sweet and decadent taste, but also for their ability to stay intact and delectable after traveling for long periods on the slow boats to Europe! If you forget to leave Nanaimo without the recipe, you can log on to the Visitor’s Center website for the original Nanaimo Bar recipe. 

Princess Louisa Inlet

Cruise the heavenly waters of Princess Louisa Inlet.

Sometimes dubbed “Yosemite at Sea,” Princess Louisa Inlet is a majestically beautiful fjord set in the wilderness region of Jervis Inlet in the Strait of Georgia. The only entrance and exit to and from the inlet is Malibu Rapids - a narrow, rock lined opening, barely 150 feet wide with 7- to 10-knot whitewater currents, navigable only between high and low tides.

Dramatic glacier carved, 3,000-foot granite walls surround the tranquil, placid, 1,000foot-deep waters of this protected inlet five miles in length. At the end of the inlet, Chatterbox Falls gains momentum from ice-cold glacial melt water as it meanders from the mountaintops and then rushes and tumbles 120 feet into the inlet. Snow-capped mountain peaks rise to over 7,000 feet.

The First Nations peoples called this inlet “Suivoolot,” (sway we lat) which means sunny and warm, and the inlet has attracted seafaring admirers from around the world. Captain George Vancouver named the inlet after Queen Victoria’s mother, Princess Victoria Maria Louisa, during his voyages of exploration in the Pacific Northwest, although he originally thought that Princess Louisa was a river outlet. Many other landmarks in this region are named after the Queen’s children.

To this day, the closest road to Princess Louisa is 40 miles away. As part of British Columbia’s Provincial Marine Park, this region remains steeped in wilderness, beckoning sailors to experience its magic and learn its legends. In his book, “Log of a Landlubber,” Erle Stanley Gardner described Princess Louisa Inlet this way: “There is no use describing that inlet. Perhaps an atheist could view it and remain an atheist, but I doubt it. …There is no scenery in the world that can beat it. Not that I’ve seen the rest of the world. I don’t need to, I’ve seen Princess Louisa Inlet…”

Rosario Resort

Experience the life of a shipping magnate at Rosario Resort.

Rosario Resort is located on Orcas Island, the largest island in the San Juans. The resort was once the home of Robert Moran, a Seattle shipping magnate who built an extravagant home on the island after his doctor diagnosed him at age 46 with a terminal heart condition. The resort’s historic mansion is extraordinarily solidly built, with a room-sized pipe organ, and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and grounds. An adjoining five thousand acres have become Moran State Park.

Apparently by erasing the stress of shipbuilding from his life, Moran’s heart condition improved and he lived in the home of his dreams with his family until his death forty years later!

Every Friday evening, performer Christopher Peacock gives a multi-media presentation in the mansion. He plays a baby Grand Piano and the pipe organ, and projects historical views of Rosario and Seattle at the turn of the century, and images of the San Juans today, all while providing historical overview and anecdotes.

San Juan Islands

Cruise the yachting mecca of the San Juan Islands.

Approximately 450 islands dot the Salish Sea between southeastern Vancouver Island and northern Washington, formed by tectonic activity, glacial sculpting, and the forces of erosion. In the protective rain shadow of Vancouver Island, the San Juan Islands receive about half the rainfall of the Seattle area – about 15 to 20 inches per year. The views are astounding. On a clear day, you can turn in a circle and see the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mt. Baker, Mt. Rainier, and Vancouver Island. The islands thrive with an abundance of wildlife. The island group’s southern water border is the Strait of Juan de Fuca. To the west, the San Juans and Vancouver Island are separated by Haro Strait. The northern edge of the island group is the Straits of Georgia, and to the east is Bellingham Bay and Rosario Straits.

The San Juan Islands are accessible only by air and sea. The waters are cold, deep, and prolific with life both above and below. Massive schools of salmon travel from the open waters of the Pacific with the flushing tides through Haro and Rosario Straits, making this a favorite hunting grounds for the resident, salmon-eating Orcas known locally as the J, K, and L Pods. Transient Orcas also travel through this area periodically to prey on marine mammals. The waters are home to minke whales, Dall’s porpoise, harbor porpoise, harbor seals, and sea lions. California gray whales pass by in fall on their way to Mexican lagoons to mate and calve. In the spring, they will pass by again, heading north to the nutrient-rich waters of the Arctic Seas.

The San Juan Islands are also a birdwatcher’s paradise. Keep an eye out overhead or on the shorelines and rocky outcroppings for cormorants, oystercatchers, tufted puffins, terns, gulls, scoters, bald and golden eagles, turkey vultures, and more! Over 290 different species of birds have been identified in the San Juan Islands. Activities are as abundant here as the diversity of wildlife. Diving, kayaking, biking, hiking, sailing, boating, and whale and bird watching top the list of outdoor adventures.

Eighty-three islands have been designated as National Wildlife Refuges, divided into the four habitats of reefs, rocks, grassy, and forested islands. Each island is unique and has its own natural and human history story.

Friday Harbor

Learn about orcas and other whales in Friday Harbor's Whale Museum.

Friday Harbor is located on the eastern side of San Juan Island, the second largest island in the San Juan Islands group. It fronts a natural, protected harbor and is now one of the main commercial centers for the islands. Originally, this and many other San Juan Islands were temporary summer fish camps for the Coast Salish. Utilizing cedar canoes, they would travel to key locations such as San Juan Island and set up camp to capture and preserve salmon traveling to their spawning grounds from the open ocean. The Strait of Juan de Fuca is the main thoroughfare from the Pacific Ocean to the Salish Sea, making San Juan Island an ideal location to capture salmon. The Lummi, a Coast Salish people, lived on San Juan Island but were subsequently moved to Orcas Island and then to a reservation at Gooseberry Point on the mainland north of Bellingham. Spanish explorers named some of the islands and waterways in this area, but the British and Americans were the primary non-native settlers on San Juan Island, providing colorful accounts for the history books.

The big story here is about the “Pig War” that was started in 1859, significant in many ways although rooted in what some would consider insignificant circumstances. It all started when a pig owned by Englishman Charles Griffen broke into the tasty garden of American Lyman Cutlar one too many times. Cutlar shot the pig, admitted to shooting the pig, refused a trial by the British, and sought the United States’ protection.

Since it was unclear at that time exactly where the U.S./Canadian border really was, a 12-year standoff ensued. The English garrison was established on the northwestern side of the island; an American garrison was set up on the southern tip. In 1872, a German arbitrator, Kaiser Wilhelm, settled the debate by establishing the U.S./Canadian boundary and “gave” the San Juan Islands to the United States.

The San Juan Islands therefore came to be the last currently-American soil held by Britain. But this would not be the last colorful story to be told. The islands were settled in an initial bawdy “wild west” fashion. Even into the 1930's, as some communities claimed to be ‘civilized,’ the islands had plenty of bootleggers who were utilizing the intricate waterways around the islands to trade their goods during Prohibition.

Ship navigators would refer to this protected harbor after its first settler, Joe Friday, and the name stuck – “Friday’s Harbor.” One local legend, however, tells of how the harbor got its name through a misunderstanding of the question, “What bay is this? misinterpreted as “what day is this?" However it got its name, Friday Harbor was incorporated in 1909 and is now the county seat for the islands. It is a small, charming community with public access via Washington State Ferries and floatplanes.

The public marina is homeport to a multitude of yachts, sailboats, and whale watching charter boats. A five-minute walk uphill from the marina or ferry landing brings you into the heart of town and a variety of boutiques, galleries, gift shops, and the ever-essential and practical grocery and hardware stores. You can even find every possible kind of salsa and hot sauce made and known to humankind in one of the shops! Entertainment includes the naming of some of these sauces. This is not an activity for the faint of heart – or tastebuds!

Friday Harbor is the home of The Whale Museum. Perched on the hill above town and overlooking the harbor, this is the first museum in the country dedicated to the interpretation of living whales in the wild. In the gallery you can learn about the natural history of whales, listen to different species of whales in the “Whale Phone Booth” or watch the camera placed at Lime Kiln State Park to see if any Orcas or other whales are swimming by. The Whale Museum and the Center for Whale Research have been instrumental pioneers in the research, documentation, awareness, and conservation of Orcas in the Salish Sea.

After checking out town and The Whale Museum, take a history tour of the island. Whale Watch Park, English Camp, American Camp, Roche Harbor, a lavender farm, wine tasting, picnicking, and bird watching all await you.

Vancouver

Sample everything from old-growth forests to world-class Chinese food in Vancouver.

Just one look around this stunning city, bordered by saltwater and the Coastal Mountain Range, is enough to convince one why this city was chosen for the 2010 Winter Olympics. It’s possible to go sailing, play golf, and ski all in one day from Vancouver! It is located on mainland British Columbia on a peninsula bordered by Burrard Inlet to the north, English Bay to the west, and False Creek to the south. The Fraser River, so important for its contribution of fresh water into the Salish Sea, is located just south of the city. Vancouver is Canada’s third largest city after Toronto and Montreal, with a population of approximately 546,000 residents of multicultural diversity such as Italian, Greek, East Indian, Coast Salish, and Asian. It has a mild climate similar to Seattle, with an average rainfall of 50 inches (less than Boston). Vancouver is North America’s largest port after New York, and is one of the world’s major cruise ship ports.

The Coast Salish were the first inhabitants of the Vancouver region. They occupied approximately 10 villages along the shores of Point Gray and Burrard Inlet, sustained by the abundance of clams, herring, and salmon. The first European to sail into the waters around Vancouver was Spanish navigator Jose Narvaez, who anchored off Point Gray in 1791. Captain George Vancouver, whom the city’s name honors, spent a day in the area while exploring and charting Northwest waters and claimed the area for the British Empire.

In 1808, Simon Fraser arrived in the area overland and named the major freshwater tributary. Fraser River became an integral inland waterway of Vancouver’s pioneer days. The Hudson's Bay Company established settlement on the Fraser River and in Victoria. The first non-native settlement of the city, Gastown, was developed around a saloon built by John “Gassy Jack” Deighton. However, the name was discarded 16 years later when it was changed to Vancouver, and the city was incorporated in 1886.

The Canadian Pacific Railroad opened up the west for Vancouver and British Columbia, and with its natural, deep port, Vancouver became an important west coast seaport. Like Seattle, Vancouver was a supply and launching area for the Klondike gold rush of 1899, and by the 1930s became Canada’s third largest city. Some people predict the future will make it Canada’s largest city.

Today, Vancouver is a bustling, friendly city with a cosmopolitan flair, offering a wide range of attractions. It is so picturesque, with its wide variety of locations, mild climate and favorable economics, that it has become one of the larger film production centers in North America..

Stanley Park is Vancouver’s first park, established in 1886 with a thousand acres that border the edge of the city’s downtown core. Large, fragrant cedar, hemlock, and fir trees dominate this park,which also offers a salmon demonstration stream, a totem park visitor center, a children’s farmyard, beaches, and playgrounds. Stanley Park also showcases the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Canada’s leading aquatic conservation organization and a leader in Orca whale research for over 25 years.

Stroll along the cobblestone streets of historic Gastown, Vancouver’s first neighborhood, which are lined with Victorian-era buildings. Hear and see the world’s first steam-operated clock toot and wheeze the time every quarter hour in a plume of hot steam.

Modern buildings and shops line Robson Street with upscale boutiques. Vancouver’s Chinatown rivals San Francisco’s Chinatown in size. Bright red streetlamp posts and ornately carved building facades line the streets of this exotic neighborhood, which offers a spicy, sensory explosion of Asian influenced smells, sights, flavors, and designs.

Vancouver’s visitor’s center is located in Canada Place, built on a pier for the 1986 World’s Fair. Canada Place, which looks like a huge ship with five nylon “sails” on the top, was used for Canada’s national exhibit. Today it contains the Pan Pacific Hotel, convention center, IMAX Theater, and cruise ship terminal.

Travel by bus, boat or bicycle to Granville Island Public Market and plan to spend some time admiring the fresh produce and flowers. Allow yourself to be tempted by the mouth-watering smells of fresh baked pastries or other culinary delights. Buskers and street performers entertain visitors inside and outside. Discover unique arts and crafts shops, art studios, retail shops, and the Emily Carr Institute of Art & Design, all spiced with the rich maritime history of the area.

Vancouver Island

Look for wildlife along the rich forests of Vancouver Island.

Located in southwestern British Columbia, Vancouver Island is the largest island in western North America. This is considered by some geologists to be a partially submerged portion of the Coastal Mountains of mainland British Columbia. It is 285 miles long and 30 to 80 miles wide. Encompassing approximately 12,400 square miles, it is approximately the same size as The Netherlands.

This island is separated from mainland British Columbia by Queen Charlotte Straits in the north and the Straits of Georgia in the center. The Strait of Juan de Fuca to the south separates Vancouver Island from Washington's Olympic Peninsula. The entire western edge of Vancouver Island is directly exposed to the open waters and weather of the Pacific Ocean, receiving the most rainfall in North America.

The highest peak of Vancouver Island’s central mountain range is Golden Hinde, which rises to an elevation of 7,219 feet. This central mountain range protects eastern Vancouver Island from the maritime influence of the Pacific, and creates a favorable climate and precipitation level for the majority of the island’s population, which lives on its eastern shores. The island is heavily forested and dotted with many beautiful and pristine lakes and streams. The forested region shelters bear, deer, elk, marmots, wolves, and one of the highest concentrations of mountain lions in the world. Its entire shoreline is jaggedly cut with spectacular fjords, inlets, and beaches of stone, sand, and rock. Within the depths of this island is a mineral-rich batholith of iron, copper, and gold. From a depression at the edge of this batholith, coal was mined extensively, particularly in the Nanaimo region, supplying both Canada and Europe. Currently fishing, agriculture, and tourism sustain the local economy.

Victoria

Step into jolly old England in Victoria.

Some say that Victoria is more “English” than merrie olde England herself! Majestically perched on the southern tip of the Saanich Peninsula, ornate architecture and manicured gardens are reminiscent of Victorian London. Established in 1843 as a Hudson’s Bay Company Post named for the motherland’s Queen, Victoria became a colonial capital and significant outpost of the British Empire in 1862.

The Coast Salish were the first to thrive in this region's natural abundance. The first Spanish explorers arrived in 1592, followed by Captain James Cook in 1778. Captain George Vancouver negotiated this island from the Spanish in 1795, and it is named in his honor. The Hudson's Bay Company’s fur trading industry brought many immigrants to the region and they became involved in other various resource extraction opportunities such as coal mining, fishing, and logging. Beginning in the late 19th century as the railroads were being built in the west, thousands of Asian immigrants brought tremendous diversity to the area.

Victoria’s current population of 74,000 makes it the second largest city in British Columbia. Government jobs provide about a quarter of the economic mainstay, while three million tourists a year provide a strong base in tourism dollars. With plenty of surrounding natural wonders, its European flair, northern Mediterranean-like climate, friendliness, and accessibility, it is no wonder so many come to visit or retire in Victoria.

There is much to see and do in Victoria, and it is very easy to walk from one site to another. Crowning the Inner Harbour, the architectural jewels of the Parliament Building and Fairmont Empress Hotel glitter stunningly at night with thousands of lights reflecting off the water. The Parliament Building alone has over 3,000 lights! Architect Francis Rattenburg designed both of these highly photographed buildings. The Parliament Building offers tours to visitors during the weekdays. Across the street, the whimsical Royal London Wax Museum offers about 250 examples of this very British art form. The Wax Museum is housed in what was originally the ticket office of the Canadian Pacific Railroad.

In the Empress Hotel, locals and visitors alike have enjoyed high tea in the Palm Room, with its stained-glass dome and tropical plants, since 1908.On the ground floor of the hotel is Miniature World, with tiny examples of odd items such as the world’s smallest operational sawmill and the world’s largest dollhouse. The Royal British Columbia Museum offers stunning year-round exhibits of British Columbia’s natural history in expertly placed exhibits. You’ll find dioramas and artifacts depicting the natural history and human history, from displays of First Nations art to a replica of Captain George Vancouver’s ship, HMS Discovery. International exhibits change periodically. The Maritime Museum of British Columbia is one of the best of its kind, representing various vessels from dugout canoes to modern day ships and everything in between. For more maritime influence, take a cab or bike down Bellville Street to Fisherman’s Wharf in the Inner Harbour for a glimpse of a working fishing pier with moorage capability of over 400 boats.

Shopping adventures and culinary delights abound as you take a walk down Government Street, eventually ending in Victoria’s Chinatown. Once the second largest in North America after San Francisco, that distinction was lost to the city of Vancouver as Asian immigrants headed towards work on the railroads and in the gold mines on the mainland. At the entrance to Chinatown from Government Street, the ceramic-tiled Gate of Harmonious Interest, with its two hand-carved stone lions, welcomes you. n. The stone lions were gifts from Suzhou, Victoria’s sister city in China.

In Victoria, it’s quick and easy to escape from city life to more wilderness areas. Outdoor adventures abound minutes from this city. Perhaps a hike or bike ride outside the city is on your to-do list, or head out on a small whale watching boat in search for the famous resident Orca pods, California gray whales (in spring and late fall), dolphins, porpoise and sea birds. Perhaps a flightseeing trip is on the agenda for the bird’s eye perspective of this truly unique and spectacular area. From the ai,r you are able to view Washington, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Vancouver Island, and the great Pacific Ocean. Notice the glacier-carved shoreline of the island dotted with brilliant blue lakes and lush and verdant forests. See waves of the Pacific crashing against the rocks of the western shore – perhaps you'll even spot a whale from the air on a calm day!

Just a half-hour drive from Victoria is Butchart Gardens, a former quarry pit turned into an extraordinary garden. Its fifty-five acres offer a Sunken Garden, Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Star Pond, and Italian Garden. The stunningly beautiful, peaceful, and fragrant floral designs make this one of the best-loved and visited gardens in North America.