Summer Unsealed: Discover BC's True Beauty.
July 20 2020, Mercedes-Benz Vancouver
Balmy breezes by the shoreline and late-night sunsets that never seem to fade are signs of summer in full swing, and many restless souls are choosing to embrace the season by seeking adventure closer to home this year. From epic road trip adventures to luxury island getaways, sizzling city hotspots to ground-breaking restaurants, everyone is uncovering the vast array of treasures beautiful BC has to offer while remaining safe and socially responsible at the same time.
On the Road, Again: Wine, Waterfalls and Wistful Island Seclusion
Road trips are aplenty in BC, whether you prefer the small, winding cliff sides of Tofino’s coast or the wide-open lanes of the Coquihalla Highway.
Wine - If you're looking for a little wine time, take the open road journey from Vancouver along Highway 1 onto the Coquihalla and towards the Okanagan Valley. There, you can enjoy world-famous wineries such as Mission Hill, or discover the secret treasures like CheckMate and Vanessa Vineyard. With over 300 wineries in the Okanagan, knowing where to stop can be a challenge. These top-notch wine clubs will help you narrow down your choices.
Waterfalls - If you prefer ancient outdoor wonders, then take the mountainous drive from Vancouver onto Highway 1 and then Highway 5 past Kamloops to the ancient volcanic setting of Fraser Canyon and Wells Grey Provincial Park, where you can witness one of Canada’s largest waterfalls.
Wistful Island Seclusion - If you seek solace away from the city, hop on a ferry to Vancouver Island and opt for the scenic island drive along Highway 1 from Victoria to Parksville and then west on Highway 4 to the beach-side surf meccas in Tofino and Ucluelet.
Decadent Dining with a Focus on Award-Winning Fare
Summer discoveries favour the epicurious too. Many of Vancouver’s best restaurants have reopened, inviting patrons to indulge in their award-winning fare with limited in-house reserved seating arrangements or al-fresco patios. Whether it’s gourmet West Coast seafood, fine French delicacies, or Asian-fusion cuisine, you'll find the right flavour to make your summer a sweet and savoury one.
St. Lawrence on Top
Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants listed many of Vancouver’s dining establishments in their 2020 list, with St. Lawrence earning the coveted #2 spot for its rustic yet refined take on Quebecois dining. The restaurant also won Vancouver Magazine’s 2019 awards for Restaurant of the Year and Chef of the Year.
Clandestine Creativity at Kissa Tanto
Another notable mention on Canada’s Best Restaurants list includes East Pender’s Japanese-Italian fusion restaurant, Kissa Tanto, which hearkens back to the clandestine jazz bars of yesteryear, serving up gourmet creations like their nut-fed pork dish, with charred paprika and honey glaze, braised organic greens, katsuo toro tonnato, Castelvetrano olive and umeboshi.
Honourable Mentions
If you’re looking to expand your dining experiences, try one of the several other Vancouver restaurants that made the list, including the well-established Hawksworth, The Sutton Place Hotel's Boulevard, La Quercia and L’Abattoir.
Luxury Sojourns across BC
True vacations offer unparalleled locations, exceptional service and secluded privacy. Lucky for us, in BC, there are innumerable options for a luxury escape, whether you prefer island enclaves, mountain hideaways or fine wine experiences.
Serious Luxury Seclusion: Nimmo Bay
If you’ve never heard of Nimmo Bay, it could be because it is an ultra-private retreat set in the heart of BC’s Great Bear Rainforest. It is only accessible by air or boat, and most frequently via a connection in Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. The trek is part of the resort’s exclusivity, though. They offer helicopter packages for the high-flying type, and once there, you’ll find yourself in a truly hidden sanctuary, one that offers luxury services in the wild, such as locally-foraged gourmet dining, yoga classes, glacier hikes, fly fishing, wood-side massages and much more.
Sky High in the Mountains: Villa Eyrie
Offering panoramic views overlooking the Olympic Mountains, Finlayson Arm and Mount Baker, Villa Eyrie is a mountain hideaway renowned for having one of the best views in Canada. Located on Malahat Mountain, this Mediterranean retreat is often referred to as “Vancouver Island’s Little Italy,” offering exclusive high-end treatments at their Tuscan Spa, gourmet Italian dining at their Alpina restaurant and, of course, as much mountain relaxation as you can take.
Fine Wine Time: Watermark Beach Resort
Add some extra indulgence to your wine tour experience by staying at the beachfront Watermark Resort. Located close to some of Osoyoos’s best wineries, such as NK'MIP Cellars, this getaway offers accessible relaxation with lakeshore views, spa, pool and hot tub amenities, large suites, gourmet culinary experiences and plenty of wine tours nearby. Better yet, car enthusiasts can enjoy the nearby Area 27, a spectacular 3-mile racetrack set in the middle of the mountains.
Entertainment and Attractions Evolve
BC’s entertainment scene is slowly getting back in gear, limiting gatherings to small groups in select indoor and outdoor environments. In light of this, many of the province’s museums, entertainment venues and hot spots now have reservations systems to stagger or limit crowds for the safety of everyone.
For example, many clubs on Vancouver’s Granville Street, such as Studio Night Club, now only take guests by reservation. They have also changed their dancefloors into lounge spaces with tables, chairs and couches for socially-distanced dining or beverage service. Similarly, attractions such as the Vancouver Aquarium and Capilano Suspension Bridge have reopened with reservation-only ticketing systems, allowing fewer people for designated amounts of time.
