Beautiful British Columbia
A little under 3 hours away from United States’ beautiful city of Seattle is...another stunning city: Vancouver, British Columbia. Nestled between water and mountains, this city in itself is a breath of fresh air.
One of my good friends from Israel, Sammi, had moved out to Vancouver so I used her new home as an opportunity to reunite, but also explore what the Canadian wilderness has to offer. To put it simply - the BC car license plates read “Beautiful British Columbia” and they ain’t wrong.
Below is a recap of our adventure into BC and some of the hikes/spots we covered off on. We barely scraped the surface, which is why you can also find some additional spots I would want to cover off in my next trip out there.
Logistics
We rented a car from Enterprise. My friend and I had a wonderful experience. I even accidentally left my wallet in the car after returning it, and the manager there was easy to contact and kept it safe for me.
For lodging, we decided to stay in an Airbnb in Downtown Whistler. Whistler, also known for its epic skiing in the winter, is a great hub to explore the surrounding area. Just note that prices could be higher here due to its central location. However, we loved our little apartment, which you can find here.
Sea to Sky Highway
One of the most picturesque drives and what more, several beautiful locations are right off the highway. I wasn’t able to cover off on all of them, but below are some well-known stop off areas:
Capilano Suspension Bridge
Porteau Cove Provincial Park
Shannon Falls
Sea to Sky Gondola
Stawamus Chief Provincial Park
Brandywine Falls
Brewery Galore!
If you love beer, you’re in the right place. For each night I was in the BC area, I visited a different brewery. Below are the ones we tackled.
Backcountry Brewing - Their pizzas. Coming from someone who lives in New York, I give this place the stamp of approval.
A-Frame Brewing - Indoor & outdoor seating place, with a food truck outside. So pleasant, and I even bought a shirt with the logo to take home.
Whistler Brewing Company - Located inside a garage which opens up. Perfect if you’re staying in central Whistler.
My Hikes
I found it so difficult to narrow down exactly what I wanted to do. I was also recovering from physical therapy for my knee, but I was still determined to tackle some challenging hikes. We essentially did 1 hike a day (which was more than enough given how strenuous)
Elfin Lakes Trail: 22km, 600m elevation gain, 6hr out & back
We essentially put “Elfin Lakes Trailhead” into Google Maps and that took us to the right spot. There are two parking levels, so just note if you’re in the lower one, that’ll add an extra 2km to the hike.
This was hands down one of the most unique hikes. You are in the middle of forests, mountain peaks, and stunning valleys. Note that you can camp there overnight as they have lovely wooden platforms overlooking the mountain range. We ended up hiking back, but note to self: camp there next time.
Garibaldi Lake Trail: 18km, 820m elevation gain, 6hr out & back
Note that there are several trails/hikes to and around this lake. The traditional hike that takes you around the entire lake requires camping overnight, so we picked a day hike, but were still rewarded by the beauty and serenity of the lake. You can find more information on this particular hike here.
This one was a toughie since the entire hike to the lake is ~6km of switchbacks. They were gradual, but my knees took a beating on the way down. However, once you get past the switchbacks, the rest of the hike is easy peasy and you slowly start to get glimpses of the stunning lake. Take your time. Soak in all the views. And ice after!
Joffre Lake Trail: 10km, 3360m elevation gain, 4hr out & back
I really enjoyed this hike because you are rewarded with 3 lakes along the entire trail up. This one was relatively crowded given that it’s not as difficult as other hikes, but I still broke a sweat.
In my opinion, Middle Joffre Lake was my favorite. It wasn’t up as close to the glacial mountain (which is in the backdrop) and the lake itself was framed by stunning pine trees. We sat there for a good one hour, just absorbing the beautiful lake colors and glacial mountainscape.
Vancouver Exploring
On my last day (after hunting down my wallet in the car rental…) I decided to explore Vancouver solo while my friends returned to work. Let me just add that I truly lucked out with weather - clear skies! I walked along the water to Granville Market and read a book at 33 Acres Brewing Company. The entire time, I totally pictured myself living there. After all, Vancouver is ranked one of the most livable cities in the world!
