Considered Canada’s most picturesque province, the enormity of British Columbia – which spans an area four times the size of the UK - invites everyone to get outdoors on a nature getaway. Serving as a fantastic starting point for a thrilling self-drive vacation; steer away from the beaten track through national parks and resort towns, cruising along rugged coasts (where you can also go whale-watching), vineyard-lined roads and snaking mountain trails.
Begin your vacation in Vancouver, a thriving, cosmopolitan metropolis routinely voted one of the world’s top cities to live. From hip cafes to beachfront bars, Vancouver is a hangout for the young and trendy, where a large Asian community fuels a colourful Chinatown, and glass-fronted skyscrapers are framed by sandy beaches and snowy peaks.
From Vancouver hop on a floatplane to soar above small islands and glacial lakes of the north to a remote ocean lodge to photograph grizzly bears catching salmon in the Great Bear Rainforest. Drive North of the city and you can reach the mountain resort of Whistler - home to the winter Olympics of 2010 and the perfect playground for a host of outdoor adventures, such as zip-lining and white water rafting. Alternatively, a journey east will take into the hills and onto a dude ranch to don cowboy boots and try your hand at horse riding on a ranch surrounded by wranglers.
