Qualicum Beach is an unusual town in that its town centre is inland from its amazing seascape, which is right on Highway 19A, suitably called the Oceanside Route. (In fact the tourism board for the area was called Oceanside Tourism, but changed to Parksville Qualicum Beach Tourism. Oceanside is a bit generic, so I see why they made the change, but the romance is lost for me.) Along Highway 19A there is a series of accommodations that are perched on the water. One we stayed at was Buena Vista by the Sea, which has x oceanfront suites. Because of the […]

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Parksville as a town was always a bit more commercial than its neighbour Qualicum Beach. In recent years with more swanky resorts appearing in Parksville, you start to see the shift away from the classic beach, sunburns, ice cream and burger stand kind of holiday. To prove this all wrong, there’s Paradise Mini Golf and Fun Park. It is a combination of faux castle, mini golf, water bumper cars, a games room, a cheesy gift shop, and RV Park and a Motel (Paradise Seashell). It’s awesome. The mini golf has two courses which can be very annoying. It’s the only […]

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We were visiting Qualicum Beach (staying at Buena Vista by-the-Sea) and we decided to do something educational for the kids, specifically the Deep Bay Marine Field Station. This is further down the 19A highway/Oceanside, about 25 km from our motel. It is past Bowser (can’t help but thing of a barking dog) and down a series of streets and a gravel road. Sadly, we picked a day that the place was closed for a private function. Important tip: check their website in advance. There was a sign at the highway saying it was closed, but I was determine to double […]

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Cameron Lake, which is about 22 km from Port Alberni and 20 km from Qualicum Beach is supposed to have a strange creature that’s silvery and serpentine, but no one is sure what it is. Such mysteries fall under the category of cryptozoology and in keeping with British Columbia’s tradition of nuttiness, there’s an actual organization called the British Columbia Scientific Cryptozoology Club (bcscc.ca) that takes a serious approach to various mysteries. Given the lake monster Ogopogo in Kelowna and Sasquatch having its naissance in Harrison Hot Springs, you could create quite an interesting travel itinerary. This local Vancouver newspaper […]

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If you’ve been in Vancouver a while, you might hear the name Joe Forte, which many associate with a restaurant Joe Fortes found on Thurlow Street between Robson and Alberni. (They have a good lunch special by the way.) There’s also a library named after him. However, Seraphim “Joe” Fortes was the Vancouver Park Board’s first lifeguard. When I happened upon an article about him in BC Magazine‘s Spring 2011 edition, I was fascinated to find that the Canadian immigrant experience is old than we thought. Consider these 7 facts about Joe Forte. Born Barbados 1865 Mixed African/European parentage Lived […]

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Personally, I always try to support independent businesses. Independent Vancouver restaurants offer local and regional cuisine that reflects the surrounding culture and landscape. Plus, they have ambiance that differs from chains. Independents often feature local art on the walls and local musicians on the stereo. You often get to meet the owners, who go out of their way to deliver exactly what you’re looking for. I’ve done the dirty and expensive work for you and I’m here to share my favourite new-to-the-scene, independent restaurants in the mid-range category ($15-$25 entrées – similar to the cost of a main at Cactus […]

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With Vancouver’s sheltered oceanfront there are opportunities to enjoy the beach life in 9 distinct places. Three of these beaches are accessible to downtown Vancouver via Stanley Park and the others are all south of downtown heading west toward and into UBC (University of British Columbia). My favourite memory of a few years back was a remarkable convergence of an extremely low tide, a glorious sunny day and the time to enjoy a long walk. Three of us realized that we could literally walk along the exposed tidal mud all the way from Kits Beach to Wreck Beach. It was […]

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My experiences with Field, BC have been mostly limited to driving by it. Normally by that point in my voyages east, I was road-weary and just wanting to get to Banff or Calgary. There are however, a few reasons to exit the highway and enjoy your self. Burgess Shale. About 1/2 a billion years ago, this part of BC was an ocean. The Burgess Shale is the largest fossil collection. Emerald Lake Lodge. The view of the mountains and lake is to die for. (Worth the 20 minute drive from Field.) Truffle Pigs Bistro. Just the name makes me want […]

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When you think “surfing” you rarely think “Canada”. However, anyone who knows anything about Tofino knows about surfing. But it’s not the California or Hawaii surfing. Think 10 degrees Celsius water temperature and lots of rain. Tofino is at the edge of the Clayquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve and in the middle of the Pacific Rim National Park. One of my favourite things to do is to head down to the dock where you can find the official sign indicating the end of Highway 1 at the bottom of First Street. Imagine that only Pacific Ocean is between you and […]

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Deep Cove is technically in the District of North Vancouver, but don’t tell any locals that. Deep Cove has the feel of a small village at the end of the road. In this case, the road is Dollarton Highway, which is slightly east of the Second Narrows Bridge as it leads into North Vancouver. You follow the highway until you can go no further. The village has a series of shops, bistros, ice cream Parlours and so forth. The real reason for going is Panorama Park, which is not naming hyperbole. The view onto Indian Arm is spectacular. From there […]

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