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Get information on British Columbia Travel Guide - Expert Picks for your Vacation hotels, restaurants, entertainment, shopping, sightseeing, and activities. Read the Fodor's reviews, or...
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Browse images of British Columbia in this photo gallery from...
- Vancouver Island
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- Okanagan Wine Country
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- Prince Rupert
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- Kootenay National Park
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- Radium
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- Whistler
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- Yoho National Park
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- Top Experiences in British Columbia
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- Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia's photogenic capital, is a...
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A comprehensive travel guide and a collection of tips for visiting Vancouver, British Columbia, from the experts at Condé Nast Traveler.
- Condé Nast
- Where Is British Columbia?
- When Is The Best Time to Visit British Columbia?
- Getting Around BC
- Unmissable British Columbia Destinations
- British Columbia Gems
- Bears in BC
- Other British Columbia Travel Tips
- More Information on Beautiful British Columbia
Canada’s westernmost province, British Columbia sits smack-dab against the Pacific Ocean to the east. The Alaskan Panhandle and Yukon and the Northwest Territories lie to the north. Alberta is to the west. Across the southern border is the United States (Washington, Idaho and Montana).
Prime time
The best time to go to British Columbia is from May to September. The summer months of July and August are the peak months, with warm sunshine and bluebird skies (but also more visitors and higher hotel costs). Summer is the hottest in the interior of BC, e.g., the Okanagan Valley (covered below). Temps often hit the 85 F (30 C) to 95 F (35 C) range, sometimes even higher. All the better for swimming in the lakes there!
Winter in BC
You don’t really want to visit between November and February. Of course, there are always exceptions. You could visit the wild west coast of Vancouver Island in February for winter storm watching in Tofino– and be unexpectedly blessed with sunshine and 60 F (16 C) temps. (This happened to us once.) And if you like the white stuff, Whistler is famous for skiing and snowboarding in the winter months.
Spring in BC
March and April? That’s when spring blossoms are out in full bloom in Vancouver and Victoria. But you’ll need a rain coat – and you should expect some showers.
Can you visit BC without a car?
To experience the best of British Columbia, you’ll want to rent a car. British Columbia is a bigprovince. At almost 365,000 square miles (944,735 sq. km) in size, it’s larger than Washington, Oregon and California combined. We have magnificent mountain ranges (meet the Canadian Rockies!), epic national parks, sandy beaches, thousands of lakes and ancient temperate rainforest hugging much of the rugged coastline. The best way to get around BC to explore these natural wonders is by car. Rental...
Taking the ferry in BC
BC Ferrieshas a network of car ferries connecting the BC mainland with Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and other islands off the BC coast. For getting to Victoria, see our complete guide on the ferry from Vancouver to Victoria. Find out all you need to know – from the most convenient Vancouver terminal to bus-and-ferry options.
Taking the train in BC
You can also take the Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Banff and Lake Louise (both in Banff National Park) or Jasper. The scenery as you journey through the Canadian Rocky Mountains is nothing short of spectacular.
Because our province has so much to offer, it’s a hard job coming up with a list of the most special and bestplaces in British Columbia to visit. That said, however, Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler are particularly popular destinations – and they’re on most people’s British Columbia bucket list (for good reason).
Close by is Galiano Island. It’s also the perfect place for an idyllic island escape, where outdoor adventures include kayaking, hiking and beachcombing.
Will you see bears in BC? Absolutely, they’re part of the British Columbia landscape! Spotting a black bear here is pretty normal, especially in Whistler and the mountains. It’s more rare to see grizzly bears, though we’ve spotted them hiking in Yoho National Park. If you’ll be visiting BC’s wilderness parks or doing any hiking, brush up on wildlif...
Local currency
As part of Canada, the official currency in British Columbia is the Canadian dollar. But U.S. dollars are also generally accepted. Having said that, it’s better to use Canadian dollars if you can, as you won’t have to figure out the conversion – and you’ll generally get a better deal. Credit cards are widely accepted; Visa and Mastercard are the most common. But you’ll still want some cash when traveling in British Columbia for tips and such.
What to pack for a visit to BC
In summer, pack a sweater or jacket. Evenings can be cool. You’ll also want to bring comfortable travel sandalsfor city sightseeing and outdoor activities. A brollie is always useful in case it rains, especially in winter. (Case in point: The west coast, where you’ll find Vancouver, is nicknamed the “rain coast.”)
For more on must-see tourist attractions in British Columbia, itineraries and tips for visiting BC, see all our British Columbia posts.
- Active West Coast Canada Discovery. Start and end in Vancouver. 4.7 (7 reviews) Destinations. Vancouver, Sooke, Parksville, Squamish, Whistler+3 more.
- 7 Day Vancouver Island Camping Adventure. Start and end in Victoria. 5.0 (16 reviews) A wonderful experience on every level.
- Vancouver Island Premium Tour. Start and end in Vancouver. 5.0 (3 reviews) Tofino was fantastic ! Vancouver Island is very wild and I really enjoyed the surf lessons !
- Discover Klahoose - British Columbia Summer Wildlife & Cultural Tour - 3 Nights / 4 Day Package.
Expert & traveler reviews, photos, videos, itineraries. Find the best British Columbia tour company for your style and budget: Exodus Travels,...
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Home to the country’s most ample concentration of stereotypical Canadian natural beauty as well as the thoroughly modern oceanside city of Vancouver, British Columbia has long been one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading vacation destinations.
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British Columbia Tours & Travel Packages 2024/2025. Our 86 most popular British Columbia trips. Compare tour itineraries from 36 tour companies. 44 reviews. 4.9/5 avg rating.
