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. Picnic and a Pedal

    West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.

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  2. Hike the Oursan Trail alongside Briones Reservoir in the East Bay

    Opt for Oursan

    Hike the trail less traveled in the East Bay's Briones Regional Park. The Oursan Trail is pure serenity on a wide hiking path skirting the northern shores of Briones Reservoir.

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  3. Most Peaceful Hike of All

    Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.

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  4. Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll

    One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure. 

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  1. Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan

    The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.

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  2. Lace Up for Lacy

    Lacy Park in San Marino is a hidden gem that may very well be the most pristine green space in greater Los Angeles, and a concealed pair of nearby stairways makes it all the more appealing.

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  3. Hiker amid trees at Oak Glen Preserve in Yucaipa Southern California

    Apple of Your Eye

    That fall feeling is definitely in the air and on display at the Oak Glen Preserve. Apple orchards and colorful leaves are a bonus, as are the apple cider donuts and slushies you can enjoy post-hike.

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  4. Hike San Diego Volcan Mountain Wilderness

    Planet of the Oaks

    Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.

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