Downtown Vancouver

Vancouver, an ideal Canadian city for winter visitors, boasting a mild climate with big snowfall limited to the nearby Canadian Coast Mountains. British Columbia’s biggest city and Canada’s third largest metropolitan, Vancouver is spectacularly set with water on three borders and the Coast Mountain Range to the west. Winter brings the convenience of snow sports to Grouse Mountain, Cypress Mountain and Mount Seymour nearby downtown Vancouver, with the world-famous slopes of Whistler-Blackcomb in the mountains north of the city. With Vancouver International Airport, in the Vancouver suburb of Richmond, ranked as one of the world’s best airports, visiting Vancouver is convenient, easy and winter is an ideal time.

Foodies get ready for Dine Out Vancouver 2012. Vancouver’s premier winter restaurant festival features 17 days of culinary excitement at the city’s best restaurants. Take your pick of Vancouver’s best dining, with restaurants offering three-course prix-fixe dinners paired with BC VQA wines and Kronenbourg beer. Take advantage of Dine Out Vancouver to try that special restaurant – or several. Dine Out Vancouver runs from January 20th through February 5th.

The Cultch - Vancouver East Cultural Centre, offers cutting edge theatre, dance and music for Vancouver residents and visitors. The 2012 winter calendar brings "No 2", an award winning one–woman play January 31st through February 4th. Starting February 7th, "New Animal", a multi-media dance work, hits the stage at the Historic Theatre in the Clutch. The Old Trout Puppet Workshop performs "Ignorance" February 28th through March 10th, with a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s "Hunchback" hosted at Vancouver Playhouse starting February 18th.

The Richmond Oval is an ideal winter destination. Set on the banks of the Fraser River near Vancouver International Airport, The Oval features a fully equipped Fitness Centre, two Olympic size ice rinks, along with indoor volleyball, basketball and soccer fields. Whether you are looking for winter sports or an indoor location for warm weather activities, the Richmond Oval is the place to start.

Surrey, Vancouver’s thriving suburb 35 minutes southeast of downtown, celebrates its fourth annual WinterFest in February. Join the winter wonderland in downtown Surrey featuring the Toboggan Zone, an outdoor skating rink and the Curling Zone. Join in the fun while you enjoy live music, and the kids put their imagination to work at the Surrey Kids Craft Zone. Before you know it, winter will be over, celebrate in Surrey this February.

Just 15 minutes directly east of downtown Vancouver, Burnaby is home to the painstakingly restored CW Parker Carousel, located at Burnaby Village Museum. Called Hollywood North, Burnaby hosts a large number of film and TV productions with over 50% of the film production studio space in Metro Vancouver. Also home to Simon Fraser University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, Burnaby is a vibrant neighborhood of Metro Vancouver.

Okanogan Vineyard

As winter descends on British Columbia’s scenic Central and Eastern Regions, charming towns wake to powdered slopes and the fun begins. Enjoy moderate winter days in Kamloops and Kelowna, knowing that the surrounding mountains are filled with perfect Canadian powder. Travel to mountain towns like Fernie or Revelstoke, nestled in southern British Columbian mountains that come alive in winter. Downhill skiing, boarding, Nordic skiing, snowshoeing – any snow sport you can imagine. Drop into the Selkirk Mountain Range from a helicopter, take a snowcat to untouched slopes in the Monashee Mountain Range – make it yours this winter in the mountains of Southern BC.

With accumulations of 12-18 meters of snow during the November to April season, snowmobiling in Revelstoke is nothing short of spectacular. Groomed trails on Boulder Mountain, and the freedom of Keystone and Frisby Ridge offer terrain for all ages and experience levels – just respect any closures for wintering Caribou.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort offers classic lift-accessed terrain on the highest descents in North America. Get a full day of runs in with two high-speed quads and an eight-passenger gondola. Need more adventure? Take a full-day Cat Skiing adventure into the Kokanee, Montana or South Bowls for the untouched powder and extreme slopes. For an extreme adventure hop on board a Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing trip for the ultimate skiing.

Fernie, about an hour from the US – British Columbia border, is surrounded by Canada’s Rocky Mountains. Another flawless ski town with a full regimen of winter sports to offer. Even curling fans can have fun at the Fernie Curling Club. With four ice sheets, the downtown Fernie facility can handle visitors trying the sport of curling for the first time. Hockey fans can catch the Fernie Ghostriders at Fernie Memorial Arena.

In the heart of the Okanagan Valley, Kelowna offers visitors four outstanding British Columbia Winter Resorts nearby. Big White Ski Resort is located one hour from Kelowna International Airport; Crystal Mountain is an ideal resort for Snow Shoeing; visitors to Silver Star Mountain Resort love the fairytale village in winter; and Apex Mountain Resort thrills skiers with its challenging terrain. You choose your adventure when you visit Kelowna.

Need some time away from the slopes? Kelowna is home to University of British Columbia Okanagan – the UBCO Heat basket plays through winter at the Okanagan Campus. Hockey fans join the excitement at Prospera Place on Water Street when the WHL Rockets take the ice. Winter brings fun all through Central and Eastern British Columbia.

Butchart Gardens
Victoria, BC

Winter on Vancouver Island means skiing rugged snow filled peaks of Vancouver Island Mountain Ranges while enjoying stunning views of the Pacific Ocean. Strathcona Provincial Park offers seemingly endless terrain for backcountry skiing, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Mount Washington with Mount Washington Alpine Resort offers Vancouver Islands' best downhill skiing, snowboarding and tubing. Kick off the New Year with a Polar Bear Plunge at Port Hardy or Saratoga Beach on New Year's Day and welcome 2012 with a Vancouver Island outdoor adventure. After a spectacular holiday in Victoria with a wonderland of lights at Butchart Garden’s Magic of Christmas, it's time to enjoy winter on Vancouver Island.

Head inside to browse the exhibits at the Greater Victoria Art Gallery or see what’s new at the Royal BC Museum. Through April 9th visit the Natural History Museum's exhibition of wildlife photographs, featuring over 100 pictures selected from over 40,000 entries from across the globe. For a look at Vancouver Island history and heritage, be sure to browse the First Peoples Gallery at the Royal BC Museum.

The Greater Victoria Art Gallery kicks off Jazz at the Gallery 2012 with Joe Coughlin on January 29th. The Tony Westlake Trio performs February 26th and the Joey Smith Collective March 25th. Jazz at the Gallery wraps up with the Gord Clements Ensemble on April 29th. Enjoy a beautiful Sunday afternoon concert at the Victoria Art Gallery.

Called Habour City, Vancouver Island’s Nanaimo is less than two hours north of Victoria and equally close to the pristine Pacific Ocean beaches northwest in Tofino. Because of the central location on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo is also referred to as the Hub City. Nanaimo Harbourfront is at the center of downtown Nanaimo and a convenient ferry ride across the Straight of Georgia from Vancouver.

Kick off the New Year with a good laugh in Nanaimo. The Port Theatre on Nanaimo’s Front Street hosts’ popular Canadian comedian Nikki Payne, launching their 2012 performances. Enjoy this award-winning Nova Scotia native, January 13th. February brings Ballet Nacional De Cuba to the Port Theatre on February 7th and Jaime Adkins and Circus Icognitus on February 12th. Check the Port Theatre calendar any time you visit Nanaimo for outstanding entertainment options.

Vancouver Island’s northeast coast is anchored by Campbell River. Recognized world wide for its outstanding salmon fishing, anglers flock to the city. Cast a line from Campbell River’s Discovery Fishing Pier or venture out with a guide for the big ones in the Johnston Strait. The Discovery Islands east of Campbell River offer pristine wildlife habitat for viewing animals and outdoor adventure.

Canada’s surfing capital is Tofino, on the northwest Pacific coast. Tofino and nearby Ucluelet to the south are stunning Pacific Ocean beaches ideal for winter storm watching. The adventurous surf year round in Tofino with Canada’s best surfing waves. Bring a wet suit and you’re all set.

Northern British Columbia

Northern British Columbia and the Yukon are enveloped by fall and winter. With vast wilderness areas and a small population, Yukon and Northern BC are ideal for outdoor adventure - winter weather and snow just add to the magic. From the Longest Night celebration at the Yukon Arts Center in December until daylight reins, Whitehorse in the Yukon is a hub of activity and culture – a small city with big winter offerings. Snowmobiling, ice-skating, pond hockey and skiing fill the days in Northern British Columbia towns like Prince George, Terrace and Quesnel. When your winter travels take you to the Yukon and Northern British Columbia get ready for adventure.

Whether you travel to Whitehorse along the Alaska Highway or on a flight to Whitehorse International Airport, you’ll soon find Yukon’s capital city is packed with activities and fun. Obvious in winter, Grey Mountain, Haeckel Hill and Golden Horn Mountain surrounding Whitehorse, offer pristine winter trails and powder for outdoor fun. The Yukon Arts Centre in downtown Whitehorse is a cultural hub for southern Yukon.

The Gallery at Whitehorse’s Yukon Arts Centre features exhibits of Boreal Portraits by Kelly Borgers and Nicole Bauberger’s series of over 100, 12-inch square paintings in the exhibit "Get There From Here" through December 21st. The New Year sees the exhibits Untrue North and Sleep of Reason. The Yukon Arts Center hosts the Whitehorse 2011 Longest Night celebration on December 20th and 21st. This community gathering features a collection of local and national performers, storytellers and musicians to honor the longest night of the year.

The Yukon Film Society celebrates the 10th anniversary of the Available Light Film Festival February 2012. Look for screening of more than 30 films from February 6th to 12th, along with special anniversary events. See cutting-edge films and rub shoulders with film buffs and industry professionals at the Available Light Film Festival.

Whitehorse is the finish line for the 2012 1,000-mile Yukon Quest International Sled Dog Race. Mushers start their quest from Fairbanks, Alaska on February 4th, with the finish and awards in Whitehorse on February 18th. This race across the Yukon wilderness is an amazing sight to witness as 14 dog teams pull their musher through mountains and across rivers – an authentic Canadian experience.

British Columbia’s Prince George is a day’s drive south of Whitehorse - don’t expect the weather to warm-up in winter, but expect more fun and adventure. A flight into Prince George Airport makes sense for most visitors to avoid long distance driving. Get ready for great days on the slopes at Powder King or join Hockey fans cheering on the WHL Prince George Cougars at the CN Center. Winter is great fun in Northern British Columbia.