British Columbia travelers choose from 54 Best Western hotels.

Butchart Gardens
Victoria, BC

Vancouver Island, off the west coast of British Columbia gets early hints of spring and summer as Victoria’s Butchart Gardens bloom and flower baskets are hung along city streets. Active residents and visitors take to the roads and trails enjoying events like the Time Colonist 10K, the Oak Bay Half Marathon, and Nanaimo’s Run, Walk and Roll. Spring awakens the beauty of Vancouver Island as whales make their northern migration off the coast of Vancouver Island, with shorebirds following. Wildlife comes to life with bears awakening and spring fawn season. Event and Festival season also comes to life as the communities of Vancouver Island celebrate their heritage and culture.

It’s time to get outside and get active. Victoria hosts the 2012 Time Colonist 10K Run April 29th. One of BC’s largest 10K races, 2012 features a new timing system allowing automatic transmission of 5K and 8K split times and finish line times. Celebrate spring with a run through the streets of Victoria.

The Oak Bay community of Victoria follows the TC10K with the 2012 Oak Bay Half Marathon & 5K on May 13th. Geared for all ages and abilities, walkers and runners are welcome to enjoy the course. For the kids, events include Oak Bay Kids 2K challenge and the Oak Bay 400 metre Fun Dash. The course takes participants through the streets of Oak Bay and north through Uplands Park and south through Victoria Golf Club and past McNeill Bay – a scenic and fun course in Victoria’s delightful spring weather.

Not ready for marathon distances? Nanaimo hosts Run, Walk & Roll, Sunday May 6th. Featuring 2,5 & 10K events, everyone is welcome including strollers, wheelchairs, power chairs and even dogs. Benefitting Nanaimo’s Child Development Centre, join the fun with family and friends at the Woodgrove Centre Parking Lot in Nanaimo.

Campbell River and Courtenay on Vancouver Island's north east coast along the Discovery Passage is premier fishing territory. Campbell river, called the Salmon Capital of the World, is ideal for spring and early summer Chinook and King Salmon fishing. June brings Coho’s into season with the hefty Tyee-a Chinook season coming in July. Just passing through? Rent a rod and cast off Discovery Pier, concessions open May 1st.

The rich outdoor environment surrounding Clayoquot Sound an the town of Tofino comes alive in spring. Marked by the migration of whales back north, visitors are treated to the site of Gray Whales, Humpbacks and Orcas. Events like 2012’s Tofino Shorebird Festival May 4th through 6th and the 2012 Feast Tofino, May 18th through June 2nd, along with Canada’s premier surfing waters, makes Tofino a prime destination for travelers.

Perhaps unexpected, a sanctioned BBQ competition comes to Vancouver with the Nanaimo Barbecue Festival July 14th and 15th. The 2012 Festival is the inaugural BBQ festival, bringing teams from across North America to compete for top honours. Be sure to get tokens to sample and vote for people’s choice awards - for the hearty, there is the rib-eating contest. Festivities feature live entertainment, including blues guitarist David Gogo, the Family Fun Zone, and Car and Bike shows. Make a getaway to Nanaimo’s first Barbeque Festival this summer.

Okanogan Vineyard

Central British Columbia is well known for the orchards and vineyards of the Thompson Okanagan region. With spring and summer, over 50 golf courses come alive with scenic backdrops of fertile valleys and majestic mountains. It’s the season to travel the Okanagan Wine Route, discovering your favourite vintners and enjoying the central BC’s scenic outdoors. Head east for the dramatic mountains and valleys of British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies. Enjoy hiking and outdoor adventures in Glacier National Park of Canada, Kootenay National Park of Canada and Mount Revelstoke National Park of Canada. Time to get out and enjoy British Columbia’s amazing natural resources.

The 2012 North Face Dirty Feet Trail runs kick off with a March race in Kamloops, followed by five additional races in the region through November. Kelowna hosts race number two on June 3rd, with events including a 5K, 10K and Half Marathon. Myra Bellevue Provincial Park is the location for the race, with primarily single-track trails. The course runs along the hills below the Kettle Valley Railway offering spectacular views of the area.

Vernon hosts North Face Dirty Feet Trail Run number 3, on July 15th. The event offers events in the same distances as Kelowna, with the location start in Kalamalka Provincial Park, right outside Vernon’s back door. Ideal for active travelers, plan your visit to the Okanagan Valley. The Dirty Feet trail series returns to Kamloops Kenna Cartwright Park, September 21st.

Wine enthusiasts, this is the season for a getaway to Penticton. The Spring Okanagan Wine Festival is an ideal time to visit Penticton and travel the Okanagan wine route. Laurel Heritage Packinghouse hosts the kick off event May 3rd, where winners of the 2012 Best of Varietal Competition are announced. Through May 13th, wineries surrounding Osoyoos in the south through Penticton and Kelowna and West Kelowna to Vernon in the north, host spring tastings and wine pairing brunches and dinners.

Glacier National Park of Canada is located east of BC’s Thompson Okanagan region. Travel east from Kamloops along Trans Canada Highway 1 through Sicamous and Revelstoke to Columbia Mountains Natural Region. The region is paradise for outdoor activities. Hike and mountain bike the trails of Glacier or Mount Revelstoke National Park, or enjoy paddling the Illecillewaet River or boating on Upper Arrow Lake – it’s the season for outdoor summer fun.

Discover Canada’s Columbia Valley stretching along the Kootenay BC Rockies to the east and the Purcell Mountains to the west. Classic British Columbia towns like Golden to the north and Invermere in the south, fill summer’s calendar with fun events and festivals.

Celebrate the return of migrating birds back to the Columbia Valley at the 16th Annual Wings Over the Rockies, May 7th through the 13th, 2012. Join fellow birders at the festival hub, Pynelogs Cultural Centre, in Invermere. Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden hosts the 2012 Western Open mountain Bike races August 3rd through the 6th. More exciting than ever, events include downhill, dual slalom and cross country races, along with celebrations in the plaza. Mountain bikers, don’t miss the action on the Pioneer Race Course at KHMR.

Northern British Columbia

Spring and summer in Northern British Columbia brings seemingly endless adventures as trails and highways clear. Vast outdoor wilderness beckons travelers north to Hudson’s Hope, Dawson Creek and Terrace. Further north in Yukon province Whitehorse, the Wilderness City, becomes summer’s land of the midnight sun. Rugged and beautiful, the north lands of British Columbia offer the riches of Peace River Country outdoors, including Williston Lake the largest reservoir in the province. Celebrate the heritage and culture of BC at events like Dawson Creek’s Exhibition & Stampede – it is the Greatest Show in the Peace, or enjoy your favourite outdoor activity, just pick a destination and go for it.

Spring and summer visitors to northern BC, don’t miss a visit to WAC Bennett Dam and Visitor Centre. Located 20 km west of Hudson's Hope. The dam creates Williston Lake, the largest reservoir in British Columbia. Visitors are treated to the sight of one of the world’s largest earthfill structures harnessing the waters of the Peace River. The WAC Bennett Dan Visitor Centre opens May 19th for the 2012 season – admission is 2-for-1 on opening day.

Butler Ridge Provincial Park, located on the north side of Williston Lake, offers exceptional terrain for outdoor enthusiasts. The park provides access to Williston Lake for water recreation and fishing. The 15km Butler Ridge extends the length of the park offering spectacular hiking and wildlife viewing – don’t be surprised to see moose, elk or bear along the way.

Dawson Creek, east of Hudson’s Hope 160km, is mile ‘0’ of the Alaska Highway. A commercial and cultural hub for British Columbia’s Peace Region, Dawson Creek sits at the crossroads of Highway 97, Highway 49 and Highway 2. The city’s EnCana Events Centre offers residents year-round entertainment. Home of the Dawson Creek Rage, the EnCana Centre also hosts top-names in entertainment and concerts.

Called “The Greatest Show in the Peace”, the popular Dawson Creek Exhibition and Stampede marks its 90th anniversary in 2012. Celebrate the rich history and heritage of Peace River Country August 7th through the 12th. A Country Music concert in the Grandstands of the Exhibition Fair Grounds kicks off festivities, with the agricultural fair, exhibitions and rodeo, filling out the week.

Terrace in west central BC, is located along the Trans Canada Highway, nestled in a bend of the Skeena River. Another mecca for active outdoorsmen, the long days and green of summer offer a bounty of outdoor recreation for all ages and skill levels. Hike or mountain bike trails near Terrace, or for a challenge check out Thornhill Mountain outside of town offering downhill single-track trails with jumps and terrain for the experts in the crowd.

The Skeena River, in Terrace, offers river fishing for anglers. Steelhead season runs through May and picks up again in August, but in between, the sockeye and pinks are biting. Trout fans will have to head to nearby lakes for their prize. Check with the locals in Terrace for those special secret fishing holes – everyone has one.

Downtown Vancouver

The 2012 BMO Vancouver Marathon hits the streets of the City of Glass Sunday May 6th. With all-new courses through the best sights of Vancouver, events include the marathon and half marathon. The 2012 courses are point-to-point and unique for each event, with the marathon start at Queen Elizabeth Park east of downtown Vancouver. The half marathon starts on the east side of Queen Elizabeth Park, running through Chinatown and into Stanley Park before the finish. Both races end with a finish at Vancouver Convention Centre. Runners get ready for this faster and more scenic 2012 race - time to run the streets of Vancouver!

Kick off your summer fun with the 2012 City of Bhangra Festival at events across Vancouver. Sponsored by HSBC, festival events run May 31st through June 10th. Organized by the Vancouver International Bhangra Celebration Society, events feature India inspired dance, drums and talent from traditional to contemporary. Artists and dancers from Europe and North America gather for nine days of festivities.

For over 100 years Playland Amusement Park has been entertaining summer guests at Vancouver’s Pacific National Exhibition. The 2012 season opening day is Saturday, April 28th. From the historic Playland Wooden Roller Coaster to the new ATMOSfear, the thrills and excitement of the rides await. Kid’s Playce at Playland completes the fun for the youngest visitors, along with popular midway games and food. Don’t miss Playland Amusement Park summer 2012.

Late spring brings the opening of the 17th Vancouver Chinatown Night Market, on May 18th. The 2012 Night Market runs through the first week in September, opening Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings from 6 to 11 pm. Don't miss this shopping extravaganza stretching along Keefer Street, between Main Street and Columbia Street, on the west side of Chinatown Plaza.

Vancouver’s Chinatown Night Market features traditional Asian handcrafts, gifts and foods. Hundred of booths line Keefer Street, tempting shoppers with fashion, food and electronics. Along with shopping, visitors enjoy multicultural performances and entertainment, as well as games and prizes. The night market is a must-see for Vancouver visitors.

Vancouver’s Rodgers Arena, home of the Vancouver Canucks continues to entertain after spring brings the end to hockey season. Catch the Van Halen 2012 North American Tour May 7th, or take the family to Stars on Ice, May 18th. June brings the Nickelback Here and Now Tour, to the arena on the 26th with Neil Diamond and Il Divo entertaining crowds in July. Check Rodgers Arena schedule when you visit Vancouver - for over 16 years the arena has provided the top entertainment in Vancouver.

Chilliwack, 100 km east of Vancouver, hosts Wild TV’s HuntFest 2012. For all things hunting related head to Chilliwack Heritage Park, June 22nd through the 24th. Called “The Great Outside”, Chilliwack is the ideal location for the hunting and fishing exposition. Located in the upper Fraser Valley and conveniently located on the Trans Canada Highway, you can put that new gear into action right away.