The Vancouver Traveler » Tourism

Saltery Bay Dive Getaway

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:00:11 +0000

Here it is a month back in Canada, and I have the bug again….DIVING!! Here is a trip that is going to be amazing!! Join Suncoast Diving for a fun filled weekend of diving in scenic Powell River, home to such famous sites as Mermaid Cove, Octopus City & Wreck of the Malahat. Accommodations will be in a cozy, beach front cabin with shore dives right at your doorstep. All levels of divers are welcome!!

Price $150.00 per person + tax
Includes 2 boat dives, 2 shore dives, tanks weights & cabin style accommodations
Additional shore dives available @$7.00 per air fill
Food and Ferry costs not included
Trip date is May 9th – 11th, 2008

For more information visit Suncoast Diving or call 866.740.8006 or 604.740.8006 Don’t miss out…the Diving is amazing!! Plus I will most likely see you there

Photo Credit: Private Collection

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

Rent 2010

Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:25:11 +0000

Rent 2010 list Vancouver and Whistler condos, apartments and houses available for rent by their owner for the 2010 Vancouver-Whistler Winter Olympics.
Their site also has a list of visitors who are seeking rental accommodations.

Advance planning is going to be a key factor in securing the kind of accommodations that you are looking for as well as the location.
The 2010 Winter Olympics events will span from the Vancouver area to the Whistler Ski Village, approximately a 2 hour drive from downtown Vancouver.
Advance planning will ensure an enjoyable and memorable trip to Vancouver to participate in all the 2010 Winter Olympics fun!

Check out www.rent2010.net for more information and to register!

Photo credit – lightthetorch.net

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

Dine Out Vancouver

Sun, 13 Jan 2008 04:51:33 +0000

Tourism Vancouver will stage a culinary promotion call Dine Out Vancouver, to showcase Vancouver’s renowned food and wine scene.
From January 16 to February 3, participating restaurants will offer special three-course dinner menus to allow visitors to sample the best of local cuisine at an exceptional value.
You will be able to enjoy dinner at over 180 of Vancouver’s hottest restaurants for $15, $25 or $35 per person (alcohol and taxes not included).
Reservations are highly recommended!

Check out Tourism Vancouver at www.tourismvancouver.com for a list of participating restaurants and to make reservations online

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

2010 Olympics pre-Games volunteer positions

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 02:00:48 +0000

Although the 2010 Winter Olympics are still 2 years away, VANOC currently has pre-Games volunteers actively engaged in planning the event.
Numerous pre-Games volunteer positions are available, as well as many national and international winter sports events to be held in Vancouver prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics.
This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for thousands of participates!
To learn more about pre-Games volunteering opportunities for the 2010 Winter Olympics, please check out www.vancouver2010.com/en/Participation/VolunteerOpportunities/SportEventVolunteers

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

Granville Island, a must-see at any time of the year

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 14:30:01 +0000

Granville Island is a magical place and a must see for any visitor to Vancouver.
Located on the bustling, picturesque waterfront of False Creek, Granville Island’s is a people-friendly, artistic, and magnetic destination for locals and visitors.

It currently attracts more than 10-million people a year. You will find an amazing sprawling and colorful Public Market, the only one in Canada to win North America’s Great Markets Great Cities award.

Among the island’s other ediverse tenans are a celebrated West Coast art school, dozens of specialty shops and restaurants, theaters, art and craft galleries, and, of course, those friendly pubs. All of this is divided by artistic green spaces, and an unforgettable waterfront. There are also internationally recognized museums, a multitude of theme festivals, public workshops and special events that roll from one week into the next.

Whether a regular Vancouver visitor or a first-timer, being bored on Granville Island is simply not possible!

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

BC’s 2010 Olympic Mascots

Wed, 05 Dec 2007 14:33:32 +0000

The mascots for the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympics Games were introduced in Vancouver on November 27, 2007. Inspired by British Columbia’s aboriginal legends , and traditional First Nations creatures, the mascots include:

Miga – A mythical sea bear, part orca and part kermode bear
Quatchi – A sasquatch.
Sumi- An animal guardian spirit with the wings of the thunderbird and legs of a black bear.
Mukmuk – Not an official mascot, buts acts as a sidekick. He is a Vancouver Island marmot.

Miga and Quatchi are the mascots for the Olympic Games, while Sumi is the mascot for the Paralympic Games.

The new mascots were designed by Meomi Design based in Vancouver. The company, headed by Vicki Wong in Vancouver and Michael Murphy in Los Angeles, has created art for Google, Electronic Arts, Time Out Magazine and Girls, Inc.

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

Ski Report Whistler

Tue, 04 Dec 2007 14:46:53 +0000

For all the skiers out there, great news! Whistler has opened early this year with huge snow falls.

The conditions are as follows;

Base: 58in/147cm
24 Snowfall: 7in/18cm
Last Snowfall: Dec 3 – 15in/38cm
Surface: Powder
Secondary Surface: Packed Powder
Lifts Open: 12 of 39
Trails Open: 100 of 200

If you are going to be in the area, and love skiing don’t miss out. Looking for some fun over Christmas, this may be for you. For more information visit their website at, www.whistler.com

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

The Aquarium at Stanley Park

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:02:30 +0000

The Vancouver Aquarium is located in world-famous Stanley Park. It is the largest of its kind in North America with amazing exhibits and inter-active areas that will keep the whole family busy all day long!

The Pacific Northwest: See playful sea otters, an octopus gliding silently from crack to crevasse and scuba divers feeding hungry halibut.

Arctic Canada: Watch beautiful beluga whales interact with each other and lear about our fragile northen environment with fascinating interactive exhibits.

The Amazon Rainforest: Search for the snoozing sloths, and enjoy one of the hourly rainstorms that is created.

Sea Lions: The boisterous steller sea lions at the Vancouver Aquarium are part of an international research project designed to uncover the answer to this disappearing marine mammal.

The Indonesian Reef Exhibit: Indonesia’s Bunaken National Park is re-created behind a floor-to-ceiling panoramic window.

Tropical Pacific Gallery: See what scuba divers love diving in the brilland waters off of Australia or Hawaii

Giant Fishes on the Amazon: Discover the impressive giant fish the flooded forest in the Amazon .

These are only a few wonderful, exhibits you will find waiting for you!

Be sure to catch the daily Beluga Whale, Dolphin and Sea Otter shows, as well make sure you check out the daily feeding schedule at the front entrance.

Winter Hours:
9:30 am – 5:00 pm

Summer Hours:
9:30 am – 7:00

General Admission Rates

Adults: $19.95
Seniors/Youths (13 – 18)/Studen: $14.95
Children (4 1- 12): $11.95
Children 3 years & under: Free

Photo Credits: Corelands, Gwu, and Sea Otters

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

Photo: Barkley Sound

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 16:00:08 +0000

While on a trip to Barkley Sound, on Vancouver Island, I had the opportunity to take this snap. I am always in awe with the natural beauty British Columbia has to offer. Photo Credit: The photo is part of my private collection

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler

Salmon Run; Goldstream Park

Wed, 28 Nov 2007 01:47:59 +0000

This simply has to be one of the best trips I have ever taken. Goldstream Provincial Park’s day-use area is located 16 km northwest of Victoria, on the Trans Canada Hwy (Hwy 1) at the junction of Hwy 1 and Finlayson Arm Road.

From October through to December of each year, Goldstream is treated to one of nature’s spectacles as Chum, Coho and Chinook salmon, begin their journey to reach their spawning grounds in Goldstream river which is fed from the Pacific Ocean. With the closure of the river to fishing, there has been a return of the Bald Eagle, which is always a treat to view, especially during feeding time.

Goldstream Park’s day-use area has a Park Visitors Information Center, that is open daily in the fall/winter from 9am – 4:30pm. Weekend activities include Gyotaku (Japanese fish painting), salmon slide shows, videos and interpretive programs. Hot coffee and baked goods are available at the bookstore and the fire is usually lit to warm you after a walk along the river to see the spawning salmon.

Post from: The Vancouver Traveler