It’s the size of the place you notice first. The city of Surrey, British Columbia, is really, really big. The downtown is growing out and up to the skies, and the landmass just seems to go on forever. Then it’s the transitions, from city to country, from urbanity to vast farm fields with neat rows of vegetables and fruit vines. There’s an evolution of place happening, from a rural past to urban future. A tension about not wanting to grow too…

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, the practice of travel reveals something about a place that you thought you knew and blows your preconceptions out of the water. That’s the beauty of discovery. As a frequent traveller, getting my mind blown by a destination doesn’t happen to me as often as I’d like. But it did happen recently, and in the most unlikely place, Abbotsford, British Columbia. The city has always been a drive-through kind of place that I thought had little to…

British Columbia’s charming capital city of Victoria is a fabulous and well known romantic travel destination. Though truth be told, the horse-drawn carriage rides, quaint little boutiques, cute inner harbour and floral displays galore make it a haven for all kinds of tourists. Including those embarking on a girls getaway in search of great shopping, food, libations and fun attractions. My friend Nancy of Luxe Travel Family and I did one such adventure recently, and I’m excited to share the…

As Canada’s second largest ski area, Sun Peaks Resort in British Columbia has all the elements you’d expect for great family holidays. Great champagne powder skiing in winter, biking and hiking in beautiful wildflower-covered hills in summer, and seasonal activities galore. Of course, doing all of those great outdoor activities requires fuel in the form of food and drink, and downtime to rest up for the next day’s adventures. Fortunately, guests will find that Sun Peaks is a fully mature…

If you’re thinking that visiting the second largest ski resort area in Canada is just a wintertime gig, think again. Summer at Sun Peaks Resort is a mountain playground of wildflowers, hiking and biking trails, and more outdoor pursuits and family fun than you can shake a marshmallow roasting stick at. Our family loves active adventures at any time of year, and we’ve made amazing ski memories at Sun Peaks over the years. Now that we’ve had the chance to…

I’ve done a few cruises in my time, and tended to think of them as relaxing leisure experiences rather than those of the transformative variety. You eat, lay in the sun, eat again, drink, do some shore excursions, you get the picture. But I’m excited that later this summer, I’ll have the opportunity to experience a transformative outdoor adventure on a small ship cruise and stay in the remote Desolation Sound region of beautiful British Columbia. This Pacific Coastal Cruises in…