268 Best Sights in British Columbia, Canada

An Elizabethan maze, a formal rose garden, a meditation garden, and a collection of Canadian heritage plants are among the many displays at this 55-acre site. The collections include flora from every continent and many rare and endangered species. The Phyllis Bentall Garden area features hybrid water lilies and carnivorous plants (a hit with kids). From mid-May to early June, the Laburnum Walk forms a canopy of gold. In August and September, the wildflower meadow is in bloom. The garden is also home to five lakes, a garden shop, a library, and The Garden Café (serving breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea) and Shaughnessy Restaurant. Special events throughout the year include the spectacular Christmas-theme Festival of Lights every December. From Downtown, catch the Oak Bus 17 directly to the garden entrance. Alternatively, ride the Canada Line to Oakridge/41st Street, then take the UBC Bus 41 to Oak Street, and walk four blocks north to the garden. Queen Elizabeth Park is a 1-km (½-mile) walk away, along West 37th Avenue. Because this was once a golf course, pathways make this garden extremely wheelchair accessible.

Victor Vesely and Margit Nellemann have proven agriculture officials, who said tea couldn't be grown in Canada, wrong. They planted two terraces of Camellia sinensis on about half an acre overlooking an old dairy barn in 2010. The barn has since been converted to a tea shop and gallery and their first crop of single-origin spring harvest tea, Swallow Tail Oolong, was released July 1, 2016. Also available are imported artisanal teas blended with herbs and flowers grown on the farm and popular Chinese zodiac–sign teas. The adjoining gallery features Margit's exquisite ceramic teapots and more. Book in for a Tea Tasting workshop or Tea Experience, including a guided tasting and tour of the tea garden.

Currently undergoing extensive restoration, this excellent museum—one of Victoria's leading attractions—is a shadow of its former self. Original plans called for a C$789 million investment for both structural upgrades to the building as well as the preservation of the more than 7 million artifacts and 2.1 km of archival records. As might be expected, such hefty plans are controversial in light of housing affordability and other social issues. Still, hopes are high that a totally refurbished 23,000-square-meter facility will reopen in 2030. Until then, access is limited to some of its temporary exhibits; they are part of the traveling exhibits that are touring various community museums around the province.

The museum complex still offers several more interesting sights, beyond the expected gift shop and café. In front of the museum, at Government and Belleville streets, is the Netherlands Centennial Carillon. With 62 bells, it's the largest bell tower in Canada; the Westminster chimes ring out every hour, and free recitals are occasionally held on Sunday afternoon. The Native Plant Garden at the museum's entrance showcases 400 indigenous plant species. Behind the main building, bordering Douglas Street, are the grassy lawns of Thunderbird Park, home to 10 totem poles (carved replicas of originals that are preserved in the museum). One of the oldest houses in BC, Helmcken House (open late May–early Sept., daily noon–4) was built in 1852 for pioneer doctor and statesman John Sebastian Helmcken. Inside are displays of the family's belongings, including the doctor's medical tools. Behind it is St. Ann's School House, built in 1858. One of British Columbia's oldest schools, it is thought to be Victoria's oldest building still standing. Both buildings are part of the Royal British Columbia Museum.

Called "the garden that love built," this once-private garden is as fascinating for its history as for its innovative design. The seeds were planted, figuratively, in Paris in the 1920s, when Englishwoman Peggy Pemberton-Carter met exiled Georgian Prince Nicholas Abkhazi. World War II internment camps (his in Germany, hers near Shanghai) interrupted their romance, but they reunited and married in Victoria in 1946. They spent the next 40 years together cultivating their garden. Rescued from developers and now operated by the Land Conservancy of British Columbia, the 1-acre site is recognized as a leading example of west coast horticultural design, resplendent with native Garry Oak trees, Japanese maples, and mature rhododendrons. The teahouse, in the parlor of the modernist home, serves lunch and afternoon tea daily until 4 pm, with reduced hours in winter.

Just off Marine Drive at the foot of 13th Street, this long stretch of sand is West Vancouver's most popular beach. There are tennis courts, volleyball nets, and a water park in the summer, as well as superb views of Stanley Park from all along the seawall. There's also a pitch and putt course and a huge off-leash area for dogs. Just west of the park, the historic Ferry Building is now a small art gallery. A half-hour walk west along the seawall path takes you to another beach at Dundarave. West Vancouver's Marine Drive continues west to several quiet little beaches, including (from east to west) West Bay, Sandy Cove, Caulfeild Park, and Kew Beach. Amenities: food and drink, parking, showers, and toilets. Best for: sunrises, swimming and walking.  

Father-and-son duo Stephen and Jeremy Schacht built this craft distillery from the ground up, including designing and building their own unique stills. The award-winning gin and vodka they produce here are made with certified organic wheat from the BC mainland and botanicals from around the world, such as Albanian coriander, African grains of paradise, and juniper berries from Bulgaria. They now grow their own wild-harvested botanicals on the five-acre site. Don't miss the "Nocino!", a seasonal green walnut liqueur which was awarded best nonfruit liqueur in the 2019 Pacific Northwest Sip Awards.

The 8.8 km (5½ mile) walking and cycling path, former railroad tracks that ran along Arbutus Street, runs the length of the West Side north to south from False Creek to the Fraser River.  There are places to sit and watch the action as well as easy access to the surrounding neighborhoods. The city's website has a downloadable map. 

It's all about the Pinot Noir at this estate winery. Even the rosé is 100% Pinot Noir. In the tasting room, take the Pinot glass test to learn why the shape of the glass makes a difference to where you taste the wine on your palate (mid-palate being ideal for the delicate nature of Pinot). Try the Charme de L'Ile and Prevost Foch Cab before heading out to the patio overlooking the ocean with your favorite bottle and something off their snack menu or your own picnic. This is the perfect place to start or end a trip through the Cowichan Valley.

Inside the BC Place Stadium complex, this museum celebrates the province's sports achievers in a series of historical displays. One gallery commemorates the 2010 Winter Olympics that were held in Vancouver; another honors the province's aboriginal athletes. You can test your sprinting, climbing, and throwing abilities in the high-tech participation gallery. As you leave the museum, the Terry Fox Memorial is to your left. Created by artist Douglas Coupland, this series of four statues, each larger than the next, was built in honor of Terry Fox (1958–81), a local student whose cross-Canada run—after he lost his leg to cancer—raised millions of dollars for cancer research. Although Fox succumbed to the disease before he could complete his "Marathon of Hope," a memorial fund-raising run is now held annually in cities across Canada and around the world.

If you can imagine a vast underground library, but instead of books, the stacks are filled with bones, fossils, and preserved lizards, then you can begin to imagine this modern museum on the UBC campus that exhibits more than 2 million specimens from the university’s natural history collections. The most striking attraction hangs in the entrance atrium: a 25-meter-long (82-foot-long) skeleton of a blue whale—the largest on view in Canada (the blue whale in New York’s American Museum of Natural History is 94 feet long). On the lower level, you’ll find animal skulls, taxidermied birds, and other creatures displayed through glass windows (many of which are at kids’ eye level). In the interactive Discovery Lab, you can play scientist yourself. You might compare the claws of different birds or examine animal poop under a microscope. There’s also a family space stocked with books, art supplies, and kid-size furniture. To find the museum from the university bus loop, walk west to the Main Mall and turn left; the museum is just south of University Boulevard. If you’re planning to visit several attractions at UBC, an Attractions Pass will save you money.

On the Black Sage Bench between Osoyoos and Oliver, Black Hills Estate Winery has developed a cult following among Okanagan aficionados and frequently sells out of its much-admired wines. When the wine sells out, however, the tasting room sets some aside for visitors. It's worth calling to check on the status of its Nota Bene (a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc), Alibi (Sauvignon Blanc with a bit of Sémillon), Chardonnay, or whatever the winemaker dreams up next.

Linked to Steveston's historic waterfront, this 8-acre (3.7-hectare) park offers a rare glimpse of life within a once-thriving mix of canneries, boatyards, residences, and stores. Britannia Heritage Shipyard dates back to 1885 and is the oldest remaining shipyard structure on the Fraser River. Weathered to a silver-gray color by a century of exposure, many of the buildings are the last examples of their type on the entire coast. Several buildings have been restored. These include Murakami House, once the three-room home of the 11-member Murakami family; boatworks buildings; shipyard residences; stilt houses; the last surviving Chinese bunkhouse on the west coast; and a board-and-batten First Nations House similar to traditional 19th-century Coast Salish longhouses. Year-round programs include the restoration of wooden boats. 

Kids adore riding the rails at the British Columbia Forest Discovery Centre, a 100-acre outdoor museum just north of Duncan. Pulled by a 1910 steam locomotive, a three-carriage train toots through the woods and over a trestle bridge across a lake, stopping at a picnic site and playground on the way. Forestry-related exhibits around the site include a 1930s-era logging camp, historic logging equipment, and indoor exhibits about the modern science of forestry. Interpretive trails through the forest lead to ancient trees, one dating back more than 500 years. During July and August, a gas locomotive runs every hour. In May, June, and September, the train may be replaced with a gas locomotive.

A layer of rock deposits containing amazingly well-preserved fossil specimens, Burgess shale formations were first discovered in 1886 by a railway worker in nearby Yoho National Park. Subsequently in 1909, Smithsonian Institute paleontologist Charles Walcott started collecting and analyzing specimens. The current site at the base of the Stanley Glacier in Kootenay National Park was not discovered until 2012 and contains fossils with clearly visible details of the bones and insides of creatures from the underwater ecosystem that existed for a short time after the first explosion of multicellular life on earth over 505 million years ago. The Burgess Shale fossils are recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage site.

Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site and part of the larger Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks World Heritage site, this layer of rock deposits contains amazingly well-preserved fossil specimens that have visible details from the creatures that existed in an underwater ecosystem over 505 million years ago. The Mount Stephen trilobite beds were discovered in 1886 after a railway worker reported finding stone "bugs" in the talus. Paleontologist Charles Walcott from the Smithsonian Institute visited Mt. Field in 1909, where he opened a quarry and started collecting and analyzing specimens.

With wines consistently taking home medals in international competitions, Burrowing Owl is one of the area's best-known vineyards. Cellar tours are offered on weekends from May through October, and tastings are available year-round. At the 25-foot tasting bar, the donations asked for tastings go toward the Burrowing Owl Conservation Society. To savor the sweeping views of the vineyards and Osoyoos Lake, enjoy a meal at the terrific Sonora Room Restaurant.

After the 1886 Great Fire, which wiped out most of the fledgling settlement of Vancouver, George Byrnes built what is now Vancouver's oldest brick building. It now houses shops and offices. But for awhile, this two-story building was Vancouver's top luxury hotel, the Alhambra Hotel, charging a dollar a night. The site of Deighton's original saloon, east of the Byrnes Block, is the starting point from which all Vancouver street addresses begin.

A long, sandy, driftwood-strewn beach backed by a grassy park with plenty of picnic tables and shade trees draws families to this sheltered bay, accessible via the Scenic Marine Drive. Kids enjoy the sea creature structures in the play area (including a replica of the legendary "Cadborosaurus" sea serpent said to live in these waters). Hiking trails, a boat launch, and tennis courts keep adults busy; swimming is safe here, if you don't mind the cold (or the sea creature). Snacks can be had at nearby Cadboro Village. Amenities: parking (free); toilets. Best for: walking; sunrise.

Although the Okanagan Valley is known for its wine, there are quite a few cideries popping up as well. One of the best is Cambium Cider Co. in Vernon. Their tasting room is rustic and intimate; however, call ahead if you have a particular cider you want to try. They're known to sell out. If you can, try the Gin Botanical or the Traditional Dry. There's also a restaurant on-site.

Built in 1953–54 and added to the Canadian Register of Historic Places in 2006, Field's International-style train station (not open to the public) is located next to the tracks at the foot of the Big Hill up to Kicking Horse Pass. Another historic Canadian Pacific Railway building, and the only pre-WW2 building remaining in Field, is the old stone and brick telegraph building built in 1931 at the base of the Field townsite. While it's no longer in operation and you can't go inside, it's a great spot to sit a spell and watch for one of the trains that pass through here 25 to 30 times a day.

This small, but spectacular, park is where you'll find old-growth Douglas fir trees approaching 61 meters (200 feet). There are 26 km (16 miles) of hiking trails and footbridges over the Capilano River, which cuts through a dramatic gorge. At the park's Capilano River Hatchery (4500 Capilano Park Rd., 604/666–1790), viewing areas and exhibits illustrate the life cycle of the salmon. The best time to see the salmon run is between July and November. The Cleveland Dam (Capilano Rd., about 1½ km [1 mile] past main park entrance) is at the north end of the park. Built in 1954, it dams the Capilano River to create the 5½-km-long (3½-mile-long) Capilano Reservoir. A hundred yards from the parking lot, you can walk across the top of the dam to enjoy striking views of the reservoir and mountains behind it. The two sharp peaks to the west are the Lions, for which the Lions Gate Bridge is named. The park is off Capilano Road in North Vancouver, just north of Capilano Suspension Bridge Park.

At Vancouver's oldest tourist attraction (the original bridge was built in 1889), you can get a taste of rain-forest scenery, and test your mettle on the swaying, 137-meter (450-foot), cedar-plank suspension bridge that hangs 70 meters (230 feet) above the rushing Capilano River. Across the bridge is the Treetops Adventure, where you can walk along 198 meters (650 feet) of cable bridges suspended among the trees. If you're even braver, you can follow the Cliffwalk, a series of narrow cantilevered bridges and walkways hanging out over the edge of the canyon. Without crossing the bridge, you can enjoy the site's viewing decks, nature trails, and totem park, as well as history and forestry exhibits. There's also a massive gift shop in the original 1911 teahouse, and a restaurant. May through October, guides conduct free tours on themes related to history, nature, or ecology, while fiddle bands, and other entertainers keep things lively. In December, more than 1.5 million lights illuminate the canyon during the Canyon Lights winter celebration. Catch the attraction's free shuttle service from Canada Place; it also stops at hotels along Burrard and Robson Streets.