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If I had more time in Revelstoke then I would have loved to do some of the hikes on offer. Surrounded by national parks, provincial parks and protected areas, Revelstoke offers adventurers access to wilderness paradise. From flat forest walks to steep alpine routes, there’s a trail and a view for everyone in the area surrounding Revelstoke. Of notable mention is Eva Lake and Broken Bridge. These are just two of the many walks available. You can find more here https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/pn-np/bc/revelstoke/activ/randonee-hiking on the Parks Canada website. You’ll also find safety information (about bear sightings), trail conditions, as well as warnings and fire risk levels for the trails. The website also has an abundance of information on events happening around Mount Revelstoke, family fun, sports and other activities and ways to discover the history and archeology of this unique place.
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DAY 8
WAPTA FALLS TO REVELSTOKE
(2 hours and 15 minutes drive)
After some incredible breakfast (and some equally incredible views), we had to leave the falls and Yoho National Park behind us and make an early start for Revelstoke. The drive to Revelstoke was beautiful as it led us through the ascending roads of Glacier National Park and eventually curving around the perimeter of Mount Revelstoke National Park. Picking Revelstoke was sort of a hat trick as we both hadn’t really heard about it. We just needed somewhere to stop to break up the drive from Yoho to Kelowna.
I’ve since found out that it’s name is very fitting for this town – revel, being related to taking great pleasure or delight, and stoke, pertaining to the act of stirring up or feeding the fire or being generally stoked. It literally means to soak up the good times and good vibes. This little town was buzzing with excitement. It had a bunch of cute vintage and niche shops and then there was this sweet shop where I could have spent all my savings on its ridiculous selection of lollies. They also sold heaps of colourful and delicious gelato flavours! (The one pictured below was candyfloss).
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REVELSTOKE TO KELOWNA
(2 hours and 35 minutes drive)
The drive from Revelstoke to Kelowna was predominately along highways. You could definitely notice the change from Alberta to British Columbia. The roads were no longer lined with an array of colours from a burnt orange sunset palette. Rather they were lined with fences and grass and a whole lot of traffic works. We gained an extra hour that day by switching from Alberta to British Columbia… but I’d say that that hour was 100% lost to roadworks. Some of the roadworks advised you how long the delay was going to be. One such roadwork was around Mount Revelstoke where we were told the wait was going to be roughly 15 minutes. Sure enough those 15 minutes passed, the truck came around the mountain, passed us and we were waved on through by the road worker. Others were a little more ambigious and taught me the very important lesson of always using a toilet before long-ish car journeys.
We arrived in Kelowna for dusk and had just enough time up our sleeve to wander around the harbour, suss the area out and grab some bits for dinner at the supermarket before heading up to our sleep spot for the night.
CAMPING
So our camping spots were getting more and more ‘wild’ over the course of our trip and this was the first night where we decided to stay in a completely random spot near Kelowna. After picking up supplies from the store, we drove out of the main part of Kelowna, over the bridge and up into the hills. It was very dark and we really didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. There was one spot where you kind of had to drive up on part of the mountainside. It wouldn’t have been a problem for a car I don’t think … but the extra length on the van proved problematic … and my mind had flashbacks of those films where a vehicle goes zooming off the edge of the cliff and into the perilous doom of the waters below. We decided to turn back and park in a little layby on the side of the road. It didn’t seem overly busy and we were out of everyone’s way.
DINNER
Using the risotto idea (and rice) from a few nights prior, we whipped together some salmon risotto. It followed the same rough method as the mushroom and pea risotto … but only half way through cooking our dinner did we realise that we were frying up what is most likely a bear’s favourite meal on a very dark mountainside. The con of cooking risotto on a roadtrip is that you are kinda forced into making it several nights if you want to avoid wasting food. It turns out Canada doesn't believe in such things as selling two serve risotto rice packets. The pro is that risotto is easy and really delicious. And also another major pro from that night is that we didn't get eaten by a bear. The sweet potato from a few nights prior must have mellowed the bear's appetite so he didn't need a two part human dessert.
DAY 9
EXPLORE KELOWNA
We woke up with candy floss skies as the backdrop to what would soon become one of our favourite cities on our travels. The weather that we had in Kelowna was amazing. We were blessed with the bluest of skies, sunshine and all the good weekend vibes. And, although I did enjoy our time in Jasper and Banff, it was a welcomed change after the chilly nights and frosty mornings.
Kelowna is located along the beautiful shores of Okanagan Lake, in the heart of the stunning Okanagan Valley. The lake offers opportunities for boating, swimming or fishing, while nearby mountains attract hikers, skiers and outdoor enthusiasts. Your google search for Kelowna will most likely bring up a lot of winery tours. And it’s unsurprising seeing as though Kelowna’s climate is the perfect temperature for growing some of the world’s finest wine grapes.
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My google searches make the Okanagan Valley look as though it is pure magic. It seduces you with its bright sunshine, abundance of beaches and sparkling blue waters of Lake Okanagan. Farmers Markets and roadside stands are filled with baskets overflowing with fruits and vegetables … and then there is the wine. The valley boasts nearly 200 wineries, each uniquely different and all with the same goal: to produce a wine that is reflective of the valley. We didn’t get the chance to test out these wineries … but we did drink A LOT of wine … and I also found this website that lists some of the more popular spots among local folk: https://classifieds.vancouversun.com/. Also, it’s nice to know that liquor stores only stock and sell wine from the surrounding regions! Yay for supporting the locals!
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KELOWNA TO HOPE
(2 hours and 30 minutes drive)
Hope is a small town at the far east of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia. Hope is well-known as the gateway to British Columbia's interior, and serves as the junction of four major highways. Outside of the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and Whistler areas, going anywhere in British Columbia by road requires travelling through Hope (and that’s why we stopped here). I saw a little sign in this town that said that ‘the rest of British Columbia is "Beyond Hope". And another cute one that said that ‘there’s no place like Hope’. We didn’t really give Hope the chance it deserved but it was there was something special about its quietness and its beautiful little town charm.
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CAMPING
Trying our luck for the second night in a row, we decided to stay somewhere completely random, and hope our results were just as rewarding as the morning’s sunrise. We drove outside the main part of the town (if you can call it that) and turned towards a road that looked kinda promising. We followed some bumpy roads and then some more before we found a spot nearby another camper. Even though there’s something special about having a slice of nature to yourselves for a night, it’s also nice knowing that you can enjoy this slice with some human safety net close by. Little did we know that our spot was actually just a stone’s throw away from Silver Lake. This beautiful lake is so peaceful and there was a handful of fisherman trying their luck and some keen kayakers treading on the surface of the water.
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We set about packing our stuff, cleaning the camper, cooking dinner and attempting to set up a fire for our last night in our van. In the background we soon heard the roar of a chainsaw and I wish I hadn’t watched chainsaw massacre all those years ago. Luckily for us, we lived to see another day (though I can’t say the same for those poor trees), and we soon saw our camper neighbour walking towards us with a bunch of freshly cut logs. He said that we could chuck them on our own fire once it started to spark up a little heat. But that moment didn’t come … and so our camper neighbour soon returned with some fire starters that might help us. We strategically placed these in the fire in the hope they would turn our fire frown upside down. And it did. For a second or two... Our small fire win was soon drowned in ashes and we decided to quickly get in our camper and go to sleep before our neighbour came over and laughed at us. I think we had lost all those camper points we gained from finding this unreal spot. But, oh well, we left our fire troubles behind and fell asleep pretty fast with the sounds of the waterfall just across from us.
silver lake
DAY 10
HOPE TO VANCOUVER
(1 hour and 30 minutes drive)
Staying in Hope made the drive back to Vancouver short and sweet. We woke up quite early and started our journey back to return the van. This also reduced our chances of any awkward encounters with our neighbour about our abysmal fire efforts the night before. Returning our campervan was just as easy as the pick-up and they were super understanding of the hiccups we had encountered with the sink and of the just less than full fuel tank. I was pleasantly surprised because rental companies would usually jump all over that and charge you extortionately.
VANCOUVER
Now for the part that I have been waiting all this time to talk about …VANCOUVER!
One thing that I found out about Vancouver is that it’s just about as sunny as London. I was shocked to discover that it in fact rains around 160-170 days of the year in Vancouver. And, unlike the dainty and sprinkle-like rain in England, this rain was absolutely chucking it down for the two days we were there. Honestly, I thought we were going to get swept up in a river of rain and washed away at one point during our second day. I’ll try to not let our experience of being drowned rats taint the following recommendations of what to do in Vancouver.
So, weather aside, I have created an ideal one day itinerary for you.
07:00 am: Start your day with a coffee at Tim Hortons. There's nothing more Canadian than grabbing a coffee and a sweet treat from Timmy's. Don't believe me? Just watch this clip from How I Met Your Mother.
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9:00 am: Grab some brunch! Vancouver has started to take brunch very, very seriously. After all, what's better than starting your day off with the best brunch in Vancouver? The city may have been late to the game, but now the brunch options are endless. We googled some spots for our brunch adventures and were overwhelmed with gorgeous and scrumptious breakfast resturants in British Columbia. We wanted to go to a place called Jam Cafe in Gastown but it appeared it's all-day breakfast options and crumbled biscuit-and-egg bowls were already drawing in crowds and crowds of avid foodies. Seeing the line and hearing the rumbles of our bellies made us re-evaluate our plan and change our minds to a place called Chambar.
Chamber is just a few steps away from Jam Cafe. Chambar's charm lies in it's Belgian culture and handpicked selections of Belgian imports found on the menu. We chose the waffles ($3.50 per waffle) because you can mix and match the toppings you want to add to them! You can choose dark chocolate, salted caramel, bacon caramel, fig orange marmalade and maple syrup to name a few. I also had a chai latte which warmed my hands and my belly after walking in the Vancouver rain! The service here was amazing and you really are made to feel welcome. I 100% recommend giving it a try.
10:30 am: Explore Stanley Park! It's only a half hour walk (or 15 minute bus ride) from Gastown and is well worth the detour. This must-see park is a whopping 1,000 acres and contains beaches, an aquarium, playgrounds, a pool and splash park, botanical gardens, a golf course, 17 tennis courts, and much more. There’s a beautiful totem pole installation in the park that makes you feel equal parts of being in awe and also being comparatively small.
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Midday: Fill up your energy tank at Granville Island Public Market. The Granville Island Public Market acts as a hub of activity, but it’s also one of the city’s most important cultural districts with theatres, artisan workshops and craft studios. Housed indoors, there are endless rows of stalls that feature fresh produce, gourmet foods, baked goods, and seafood. For the food-focused, a walking tour of the market can be a great way to get an insider’s insight. The market itself is often described as a “food lover’s paradise,” and an impromptu picnic is easily picked up between vendors offering cheese, charcuterie, bread and fresh produce. If you’re looking for something casual but already put together, try the popular food court at the end of the market building. If a restaurant is more your style, there are some great seafood offerings down here, and there’s nothing like dining by the waterfront. Don’t forget to fill your glass while you’re down here! The area is home to an artisan sake maker (the first in Canada), a spirits distillery, and two breweries. Outside of the market, catch a show at one of the many theatres on the island, browse an art gallery show, or appeal to your outdoorsy side with a kayaking or paddleboarding tour.
You can reach the island either on foot (or bike) or you can catch the Aquabus ferry. The Aquabus provides frequent, daily, passenger ferry service to all major destinations in False Creek. Whether you are a tourist, casual rider, or a regular commuter, the vessels let you travel with ease while you enjoy Vancouver’s spectacular waterfront scenery. You just hop on and buy your ticket from the staff on the ferry. Easy!
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4:00 pm: Head back to mainland Vancouver and grab yourself some donuts (we had a lot of eating to catch up on after being so deprived during our camper days). Canada is one of those countries that has struggled to identify a national cuisine ... but, despite this, I would say that you don't need to look no further than the iconicity of the donut in Canada's forever changing cultures and trends. Donuts were once presented in a very a 'coffee and donut' traditional sort of way. Fast forward to now where you have every flavour donut you could imagine and there's places that put donuts on-top of beverages to provide consumers with an Instagram-worthy masterpiece.
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There are a multitude of places where you can pick up some seriously delish donuts in Vancouver. We chose to indulge ourselves at 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters in Gastown. The donuts here are made my a company called 'Lucky Doughnuts'. They're authentic, hand-crafted, genuinely delicious and feature countless seasonal favourites. We had a traditional baked raspberry donut, a sourdough donut and a trusty vanilla sprinkles donut. The traditional donut was crispy on the outside and melted in your mouth, the sourdough donut was very interesting (but good interesting) and the vanilla sprinkles donut was delicious too!
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2:30 pm: Board the tiny False Creek Ferries from the Granville Island pier and sail to the Vancouver Maritime Museum stop. Walk east into Vanier Park to the Museum of Vancouver to learn about Vancouver’s history and its Indigenous peoples. Did you know the city sits on the unceded land of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations? Admire the surrounding mountains and imagine what the area would have been like when it was covered in trees.
5:00 pm: Take a walk through Chinatown to walk off some off those donut-y carbs! The area is located primarily along Pender, Main and Keefer Streets, between Gastown and the Downtown Eastside. Chinatown isn't a huge area, but large enough to stroll around and see a number of interesting shops and restaurants. Highlights in Chinatown include Sun Yat-Sen Garden and the Chinese New Year parade and celebrations once a year. Just a little tip: don't go to Chinatown late at night on your own, as some parts of East Vancouver aren't the nicest with lots of drug problems and homlessness in this area.
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6:30 pm: You can choose to either dine at one of the wonderfully cultural places in Chinatown, or if it's a Friday, Saturday or Sunday, then you should go to the Richmond night markets. The Richmond Night Market is open most years from the second weekend in May until the Thanksgiving Weekend in October. It features dozens of ethnic food stalls, millions of Chinese-made trinkets and gadgets, Asian clothing and tonnes of energy. Admission is about $4.75 (for people over age 7 and under 60) and children under age eight and adults ages 61+ get in for free.
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The food market is like a gigantic outdoor food court. Some items are fast-foody but others are lovingly made or Instagram fodder, like the rainbow grilled cheese sandwich or milk teas served in baby bottles. New stalls in 2019 included plenty of new dishes like Korean dessert pancakes, Filipino burritos, Vietnamese crepes, Brazilian pastries, nitrogen ice-cream balls, pineapple and watermelon juice served in their shells, Taiwanese baos, Japanese poutine, Korean-style fried chicken wings, and much more.
9:00 pm: Witness Vancouver from its highest point right beside the Bloedel Conservatory in Queen Elizabeth Park. You’ll be able to see the North Shore mountains, Vancouver, and the stunning park – but for the ultimate summer experience you might want to bring a blanket to enjoy the view at night.
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Asomi Mochi is the combination of strawberries covered first in red bean paste and the mochi of your choice. There's heaps of different types of mochi flavours - chocolate, purple yam and cheesecake to name a few! They are rated as highly loved and extremely addictive by those who have tried them!
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Address: 689 Thurlow St, Vancouver, BC V6E 4M3, Canada
Cambar: 568 Beatty St, Vancouver, BC V6B 2L3, Canada
Unfortunately the airline didn't cancel our return flight and we boarded our flight back to reality the next day. Another kick in the guts was the fact that it was sunny when we were leaving (so rude of Mother Nature). This (sadly) then brings me to the end of our Canadian adventures. I can confidently say that Canada is honestly one of the most beautiful and diverse countries I have ever been to and this little two week taste tester has made me so eager to return in the hopefully near future. In the meantime, I am going to drown my sorrows with a few Krispy Kreme donuts and pretend i'm back sitting down at Tim Horton's ...
Stay wild,
Nat xx