British Columbia's Top Five

Five Amazing Summer Adventures in British Columbia

1) Hello, Sunshine!

Hike BC’s Sunshine Coast Trail, Canada’s longest hut-to-hut trail system—and the only free one! Hikers from around the world come to do this 111-mile journey along the coast, through old-growth forests and up to panoramic mountaintop views, all with the comforts of a hut system.

2) Some Like It Hot

The Hot Springs Circle Route in the Kootenay Rockies will have you soaking in a natural oasis surrounded by wilderness. Lounge in cave hot springs, camp overlooking a lake, sink into one of Canada’s largest hot spring mineral pools, or spot bighorn sheep on surrounding red cliffs. Just a few of the many sights and hot springs on this route.

3) Are You for Wheel?

Rail trails are a near-perfect way to explore BC’s wild spaces and wine country. In all, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail is 400 miles of decommissioned tracks to be explored by bicycle, or on foot. Join a tour (wine or brewery tours pair nicely!), or rent a bike to set out on your own.

Wine touring by bike along the Kettle Valley Railway

4) Ready, Set, Salmon!

You haven’t experienced rush hour like this. Don a snorkel and swim alongside thousands of salmon fighting their way upstream. Campbell River on Vancouver Island is the “Salmon Capital of the World” and the best (and perhaps only) place to swim with the salmon!

5) Sea-to-Sky Road Trip

If you like your road trips to be more than just driving, then the Sea-to-Sky Highway should be on your short list. This 100-mile route from Vancouver to Whistler has stunning mountain, forest, and ocean views. It can be done in one to three days and is packed with adventure: stop for a hike, morning yoga with a view of Howe Sound at the Sea to Sky Gondola, or check out one of the many mountain biking trails in North Vancouver, Squamish, and Whistler.

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  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

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  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

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  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

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  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

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  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

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  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

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  3. Two women on e-bikes at Cass Vineyard and Winery near Paso Robles

    Eat, Drink, E-bike!

    No offense to charcuterie but sometimes you want a full meal while tasting world-class wine. And Paso Robles knows this better than perhaps any other wine region in California. Case in point: Cass Vineyard and Winery, where you can eat, drink, and e-bike!

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    Weekend in Reno Tahoe

    Weekend plans? Reno Tahoe! Just a few hours by car or a short flight away, Reno Tahoe springs to the moment with great ways to combine adventure and relaxation in its beautiful mountains-meets-desert setting.

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