Story and photography by Catherine Roscoe Barr
4 B.C. road trips you need to take this year
How much do you love a good road trip? I love them so much!
Exploring new places, sightseeing, long talks, comfortable silence, impromptu photo ops, road trip tunes.
Everything about a road trip makes me happy. (Well, almost everything β I donβt like air conditioning, and sometimes I lose that battle). Even getting lost can be fun!
We are so blessed in British Columbia to have so many great places to explore and enjoy.
Below are a few of my favourite B.C. road trips.
Check out the hashtag #exploreBC across social media, and visit HelloBC.com for many more road trip ideas.
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Coast Mountain Circle Route
Clockwise or counterclockwise, and from wherever you start, the Coast Mountain Circle Route is a scenic, 600-kilometre loop β with a few thrilling, harrowingly narrow cliff-side bits β connecting Vancouver, Whistler, Pemberton, Lillooet, Lytton and Hope.
>>> For a roundup of where to stay, eat and visit click HERE <<<
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Kootenay Rockies
Even if my little brother and his wife didnβt live in Nelson, I would still be in love with this beautiful region of the province! Rugged, wild and pristine β but still many spots for good food and drink. Honestly, what else could you ask for?
>>> Check out <<<
- Westworld BC | Summer of Road Trips: Galena Trail, New Denver
- The Province | Taste summer serenity in Nelson
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Okanagan Valley
Sunny days, breathtaking scenery, award-winning food, and some of the worldβs best wine. Need I say more? Didnβt think so.
>>> For a roundup of where to stay, eat and visit click HERE <<<
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Sunshine Coast
I fell madly in love with the Sunshine Coast the first time I took the short trip over on the ferry. You absolutely have to experience this part of B.C.!
>>> For a roundup of where to stay, eat and visit click HERE <<<
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Got wanderlust?
>>> Click HERE to read my post, Why travel is good for mind, body and spirit <<<
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Why travel is good for mind, body and spirit
For our 13th wedding anniversary last summer, we took an incredible road trip through BC's Kootenay Rockies region.
Watch the video, below, and plan your next adventure with HelloBC.com, here.
All of my work as a fitness, food and travel writer feeds my work as a wellness coach, and vice versa.
Travel, especially, feeds three important components of The Life Delicious wellness curriculum: connection with self, connection with others, and connection with nature.
1. Connection with self
When you learn new things about the world, you learn new things about yourself.
Travelling allows you to challenge your strength, your ability to navigate new situations, your mastery of self-care.
Travelling expands your knowledge and builds self-trust.
Travelling forces you to answer new questions and solve new problems.
Travelling transforms your experience of life.
2. Connection with others
Travelling allows you to satisfy your curiosity about the way other people live.
If you're open to it, travelling connects you with myriad communities, weaving webs of good will and friendship around the globe.
Travelling lets you "recognize the other person is you."
Travelling shows you that you're not alone, you're not separate. You are connected.
Travelling expands your capacity to love.
Travelling heightens your awareness of unity among all beings on this tiny, precious planet.
3. Connection with nature
Travelling strengthens your bond with Mother Earth.
Travelling intimately links you with trees, rivers, meadows, ponds, forests, waterfalls, wetlands, soils, and oceans.
"We protect what we revere," says yogi and blissologist Eoin Finn. We can only revere what we know.
Knowing the power, the beauty and the value of nature arouses planet stewardship.
Planet stewardship informs the way we consume and, ultimately, informs our impact on the world.
Travelling galvanizes planet stewardship.
Travel: Victoria
The food scene in Victoria is crazy awesome right now! There are so many fantastic restaurants serving utterly delicious food thatβs local, seasonal, sustainable and ethical.
Iβm especially excited about the newΒ Victoria Public Market, with tons of tasty vendors,Β Be Love, a new restaurant serving to-die-for organic cuisine and awesome drinks, andΒ Fol EpiΒ organic bakery, with out-of-this-world baked goods, breads and pastries.
But Victoria is one of my favourite places to visit beyond it's fabulous food and drink, and there will be a lot more of the historic city in my future as my parents are retiring there later this year. They're big walkers and with their enthusiastic help I'm slowly discovering all of the city's scenic, historic and natural nooks and crannies.
Every time I visit Victoria, I discover something new.Β Here are a few stories Iβve written about British Columbiaβs quaint capital:
- BC LivingΒ βΒ Victoriaβs Food Festival: Dine Around and Stay in Town, February 20, 2014
- Homes & LivingΒ βΒ Victoria spas combine indulgent, natural ingredients for stunning results, August/September 2013
- The ProvinceΒ βΒ Taking a historic tour of venerable Victoria, August 17, 2012
Below are highlights from some of my recent visits. Click the titles to visit their respective websites.
STAY: Beaconsfield Inn Bed and Breakfast
STAY: Inn at Laurel Point
STAY: Fairmont Empress
EAT: 10 Acres Bistro and Bar
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: AURA Waterfront Restaurant
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: The Bengal Lounge
(Image: Bengal Lounge)
EAT: Bubby's Kitchen
(Image: Bubby's Kitchen)
EAT: Camilleβs Fine West Coast Dining
(Image: Camilleβs Fine West Coast Dining)
EAT: Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
(Image: Aaron Barr)
EAT: Veneto Tapa Lounge
(Image:Β Veneto Tapa Lounge)
EAT: Be Love
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: Victoria Public Market β Vijβs SutraΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: Victoria Public Market β La Cocina de mama OliΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: Victoria Public Market β Roast Meat Shop and SandwichesΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: The White Heather Tea RoomΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: Fol Epi organic bakeryΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
EAT: Fryβs BakeryΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
VISIT: Boathouse Spa and Baths at the Oak Bay Beach HotelΒ
(Image: Boathouse Spa and Baths)
VISIT: Spa Magnolia at The Magnolia HotelΒ
(Image: Spa Magnolia)
VISIT: SORA Spa at the Hotel Grand PacificΒ
(Image: SORA Spa)
VISIT: The Pedaler cycling toursΒ
(Image: The Pedaler)
VISIT: Discover the Past walking toursΒ
(Image: Aaron Barr)
VISIT: Silk Road TeaΒ
(Image: Aaron Barr)
VISIT: Royal BC Museum
(Image: Aaron Barr)
TRAVEL: Harbour AirΒ
(Image: Catherine Roscoe Barr)
Travel: California Road Trip Part 2 β Cambria, Santa Monica & San Diego
San Diego's Hotel del Coronado celebrated its 125th birthday in 2013.
Last summer my parents, my husband and I flew to San Francisco, rented a car, and took a week to drive along the coast to San Diego.
It was only our second trip to California, so we chose to visit as many seaside communities as possible to get a taste for each one, with overnight stays in San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Cambria, Santa Monica and San Diego.
Each city was so wonderful and unique. I gladly would have stayed the entire week in our San Francisco boutique hotel, Half Moon Bay luxury resort, Carmel historic inn, Cambria cozy bed and breakfast, Santa Monica swanky bungalow, or San Diego quintessential summer retreat.
It was truly the trip of a lifetime and a very special experience to share with three of my favourite people on the planet.
To read more about our California adventures, check out:
- The Province β A California feast for the senses, October 2013
- BCLiving.ca β California Coastal Road Trip, July 2013
Below are some of the highlights from our incredible whirlwind trip. Click the titles to visit their respective websites.
Click here for California Road Trip Part 1 β San Francisco, Half Moon Bay & Carmel-by-the-Sea
STAY: Olallieberry Inn
STAY: Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows
STAY: Hotel del CoronadoΒ
EAT: Robinβs Restaurant
VISIT: Hearst Castle
VISIT: Fiscalini Ranch Preserve
VISIT: San Diego ZooΒ
(All images: Aaron Barr)
Travel: California Road Trip Part 1 β San Francisco, Half Moon Bay & Carmel-by-the-Sea
A boat cruise is one of the best ways to experience San Francisco's cityscape.
Last summer my parents, my husband and I flew to San Francisco, rented a car, and took a week to drive along the coast to San Diego.
It was only our second trip to California, so we chose to visit as many seaside communities as possible to get a taste for each one, with overnight stays in San Francisco, Half Moon Bay, Carmel-by-the-Sea, Cambria, Santa Monica and San Diego.
Each city was so wonderful and unique. I gladly would have stayed the entire week in our San Francisco boutique hotel, Half Moon Bay luxury resort, Carmel historic inn, Cambria cozy bed and breakfast, Santa Monica swanky bungalow, or San Diego quintessential summer retreat.
It was truly the trip of a lifetime and a very special experience to share with three of my favourite people on the planet.
To read more about our California adventures, check out:
- The Province β A California feast for the senses, October 2013
- BCLiving.ca β California Coastal Road Trip, July 2013
Below are some of the highlights from our incredible whirlwind trip. Click the titles to visit their respective websites.
[Stay tuned for California Road Trip Part 2 β Cambria, Santa Monica and San Diego]
STAY: Mystic Hotel by Charlie Palmer
STAY: Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
STAY: Cypress Inn
EAT: Burritt Room + Tavern
EAT: Itβs Italia
EAT: Half Moon Bay Brewing Co.
EAT: Navio
EAT: Terryβs Lounge
VISIT: Alcatraz Cruises
VISIT: Red and White Fleet Golden Gate Bay Cruise
VISIT: City Sightseeing Bus Tour
VISIT: California Coastal Trail (San Mateo Sections 5, 6 and 7)
(All images: Aaron Barr)
Travel: The Okanagan Valley
Sunny, spectacularly beautiful, and bountiful with food and wine, the Okanagan Valley is one of my favourite places in the world β and every time I visit I discover something new and wonderful.
To read more about my adventures in the Okanagan, check out:
- The Province βΒ Road Trip: BCβs sustainable wineries, September 2013
- BCLiving.caΒ βΒ Thompson Okanagan Road Trip: Eating and Drinking from Vernon to Osoyoos, November 2011
Below are some of the best places Iβve been to. Click the titles to visit their respective websites.
Stay: Manteo ResortΒ
Stay: Sparkling Hill ResortΒ
Stay: Spirit Ridge Vineyard, Resort and Spa
Stay: Summerland Waterfront Resort and SpaΒ
Stay: Watermark Beach ResortΒ
Eat: Bognerβs of Penticton
Eat: Eldorado Hotelβs Lakeside RestaurantΒ
Eat: Local Lounge and Grille
Eat: Miradoro at Tinhorn CreekΒ
Eat: Sunset Organic Bistro at Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Eat: Terrafina at Hester CreekΒ
Visit: LaStella Winery
Visit: Le Vieux Pin Winery
Visit: Mission Hill Family Estate Winery
Visit: Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre and Nk'Mip Cellars
Visit: Okanagan Crush PadΒ
Visit: Summerhill Pyramid WineryΒ
Visit: Tantalus Vineyards
Visit: Tinhorn Creek VineyardsΒ
(All images: Aaron Barr & Catherine Roscoe Barr)
Travel: BC's Coast Mountain Circle Route
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Last September, three of my best friends from high school in Montana β Leslie, Nissa and Katie β who I hadnβt seen in 15 years, came to Vancouver for an amazing RV adventure.
The four of us piled into a 26-foot RV from West Coast Mountain Campers, driven by yours truly, and set out for the 600-kilometre Coast Mountain Circle Route.
We stopped at RV sites in Harrison Hot Springs, Lillooet, Whistler and Vancouver, and visited some of my favourite parks and producers in British Columbia including The Farm House Natural Cheeses, Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, Fort Berens Estate Winery, Joffre Lakes Provincial Park, and Mile One Eating House.
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>>> Check out my story about our adventure for The Province HERE <<<
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Below are the highlights from our trip. Click the titles to visit their respective websites.
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STAY: West Coast Mountain Campers RV (rental)
STAY: Harrison Hot Springs RV
(Image: Riverside Resort)
STAY: Capilano River RV Park, West Vancouver
(Image: Capilano River RV Park)
EAT: The Copper Room at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort
VISIT: Agassiz Circle Farm Tour (bike rentals at Jamieβs Quadricycle)
VISIT: Hells Gate Airtram
VISIT: Fort Berens Estate Winery
VISIT: Joffre Lakes Provincial Park
VISIT: Pemberton Distillery
VISIT: Whistlerβs Valley Trail
VISIT: Vancouverβs Seawall
Travel: The Sunshine Coast
Last year I visited the Sunshine Coast for the first β and second β time and wrote about my adventures for BC Living and The Province. It quickly became one of my favourite places on earth, I strongly recommend a visit if youβve never been!
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To read more about one of BCβs best getaways, check out:
Exploring the North End of the Sunshine Coast, my story for BC Living
Hiking the provinceβs unknown other trail, my story for The Province
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Below are some highlights from my visits. Click the titles to visit their respective websites.