CANADA – BRITISH COLUMBIA by Louise Gorbatov

Travel Stop • December 9, 2019

Day 1
Prestige Holidays invited me to Canada to join them to experience Vancouver and the not so well-known Okanagan Valley region of British Columbia. From Heathrow we boarded our direct British Airways flight to Vancouver. On arrival we were transferred to the Sheraton Wall Centre in the heart of Downtown Vancouver.

DAY 2
We headed to the Capilano Suspension Bridge Park which has 7 suspended footbridges 110 feet above the forest floor. Our next stop was Granville Island Market for a 2 hour ‘Foodie Tour’. Here we had the opportunity to sample some of the many local delicacies to include salmon bagels, local meats and cheese and not forgetting the donuts. Our next stop was FlyOver Canada. You hang suspended, feet dangling, before a 20-metre spherical screen while the film whisks you away on an exhilarating 8-minute journey across Canada. The special effects, including wind, mist and scents, combined with the ride’s motion, created a real feel good experience.


DAY 3
The Sutton Place Hotel is quite opulent, attracting the custom of the rich and famous including Catherine Zeta-Jones and Ben Affleck. We had breakfast there before our 50-minute flight to Kelowna, British Columbia. On arrival into the Okanagan region we transferred to Mission Hill Winery for a Sommelier guided tour and wine tasting. Next stop was Quails Gate Winery for another tasting experience and stroll through the vineyards.

DAY 4
Our first visit today was to Davison Orchards Country Village. The orchard offers local produce grown right there in Vernon, British Columbia. They use all the ingredients in the bakery, shop and onsite café. We were then met by a native Secwepemc – or Shuswap as known to the non-native. Shuswap are indigenous people native to British Columbia. We heard about the history of the people before visiting a traditional pit house to make our own bread over a fire. Our evening ended with a superb Michelin quality 5 course meal in the hotel’s restaurant – Jack Sam’s.

Day 5
We visited a Shuswap museum which gave us a further insight into the native people. After a quick lunch stop we made our way to the Sun Peaks resort which offers the second largest ski area in Canada plus mountain biking, hiking and golfing in the summer.

Day 6
A leisurely start where a few of us opted for this morning’s optional activity of yoga, followed by breakfast. We then had a little free time for a wander around the resort before checking out. We then made our way to Kamloops airport to begin our journey home with a first flight back to Vancouver. We had time to catch the free SkyTrain to the McArthurGlen Designer Outlet before we boarded our night flight back to Heathrow.

Thank you to Prestige Holidays for giving me this opportunity to visit British Columbia. I would love to return some day to explore the area in more in depth. My top tip would be never to underestimate how much time you need in a city. As for Vancouver, it’s probably not going to be enough!

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