British Columbia
British Columbia covers a huge territory, with around 16,000 miles (26,000 km) of Pacific coastline that rises inland to the dramatic glacier-topped mountains of the Canadian Rockies. While British Columbia is the perfect destination for outdoor adventure, you'll also discover great wine in the Okanagan Valley, a rich indigenous heritage and gold rush history, and a vast pristine wilderness to explore.
When is the best time to visit?
There are two main seasons for traveling—the winter season, which is best for skiing at resorts or in the backcountry or visiting hot springs, and the spring-through-fall season, which is best for road trips, urban exploring, and hiking, biking, and sea kayaking in the outdoors.
Where should I go in British Columbia?
For a true wilderness experience, head to northern British Columbia to explore a sparsely populated region full of wildlife, remote lake chains, mountains, and countless rivers to canoe or raft. Southern British Columbia is more developed and thus has more options for road trips: for dramatic mountains, head to the Canadian Rockies; for great wine and food, head to the Okanagan Valley; and for coastal rainforest, head to Vancouver Island and the Great Bear Rainforest.
How many days do I need?
People are often surprised by the scale of British Columbia (it's twice as large as California). It takes multiple weeks to cover more than one region without feeling too rushed, so plan your trip accordingly. If you have 3-7 days, stick to one region. With 2 weeks, you can combine 2-3 regions, and with a month or more you can visit the main highlights of the entire province.
Getting around British Columbia
The best way to get around British Columbia is by rental car or RV. There are numerous routes, campgrounds, and amenities that make this easy and car ferries will shuttle you between islands. Expect to take multiple ferries if you're exploring the coastline or chartered floatplanes if you're flying into the more remote regions. Domestic flights are also a great way to combine regions that are far apart.
