B.C.鈥檚 big cities are known for their restaurants, shopping, and urban sights and attractions. But keep exploring, and you鈥檒l discover opportunities for forest bathing, kayaking, bicycling, and birding that will take you just outside the downtown core to replenish and reconnect in nature.聽
Summer offers ample reasons to get out and try something new, and that鈥檚 easy to do in B.C.鈥檚 vibrant, outdoorsy cityscapes. And once you venture back downtown, local businesses have implemented safety measures designed to keep you well.聽
Discover Victoria鈥檚 wild edges聽
B.C.鈥檚 鈥淕arden City鈥� is known for manicured spots like the sprawling聽, but for something new and a little more uncultivated, seek out the city鈥檚 wild side.
Head into the rainforest and walk among towering cedars, Sitka spruce, and arbutus trees with聽, and be present in the moment, aware of the sights, sounds, and smells of the ancient surroundings. Called 鈥渇orest bathing,鈥� this practice lowers blood pressure and increases vitality.聽
To increase adrenaline, get out on the water with聽鈥攌ayak excursions depart daily from the Inner Harbour and Oak Bay, offering exhilarating opportunities to spot seals, otters, eagles, and maybe even a whale. Rest after a day鈥檚 play at the , which offers a .
Pedal, walk, or eat your way to a new side of 91原创
With more than 450 km of bike lanes, plus multi-use pathways, including the Arbutus Greenway and the Stanley Park Seawall,聽聽is highly accessible on two wheels. Join聽聽on a small-group tour led by a storyteller guide. Explore trails through Stanley Park or pedal into the history of Chinatown, Gastown, and Granville Island.聽
Locals may think they know everything about the city, but a walking tour with聽聽will prove otherwise. From the mobsters that ruled Gastown a century ago to the secrets buried in Stanley Park, 91原创鈥檚 history may surprise you.聽
Other tour options include the murals in Mt. Pleasant with聽, and upscale picnics in local parks with聽. Slumber at , a boutique hotel with stunning 鈥渁rt installation鈥� rooms jointly designed by an interior designer and an Indigenous artist.聽
Richmond is a haven for birders and bikers
聽is revered for its Asian cuisine, but its location on the 91原创 Flyway鈥攁 migratory route for birds鈥攊s ideal for spotting common yellowthroats, bold rufous hummingbirds, or water birds like the shy green heron. Iona Beach Regional Park is a favourite viewing spot.聽
罢丑别听鈥檚 聽includes an overnight stay, plus the use of a birding backpack with binoculars and maps, and a chef-prepared picnic lunch for two. Join a tour with photographer聽聽for tips on how best to capture these feathered beauties on film.
Richmond鈥檚 flat topography also means easy cycling along 80-plus kms of routes. Interesting stops include the聽, where fish were turned into edible 鈥済old,鈥� and聽, a shipbuilding and maritime repair shop.聽
