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Looking for Little-Known Gems? Two BC Locales offer up the Goods

It’s a fact: British Columbia will welcome the world during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.  Also fact: Vancouver and Whistler, host city and mountain resort, promise to see a lot of visitors (not to mention medals) during the 27 days of sport.  But beyond the podium, there’s a bounty of hidden gems and lesser-known locales waiting to be unearthed – before, during and after the Games.  Let’s begin.  In Vancouver, you can bed down beside a Beluga at the Vancouver Aquarium or peruse public art during a self-guided walking tour through the city streets.  There’s even an outdoor “Enchanted Evening” concert series at the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden, promising moving presentations by a multitude of cultural performers. Enchanted, indeed.  In Whistler, you’ll be bound to take it outside with community bike rides Thursday nights through the summer, thanks to “Toonie Races” put on by Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association (a tasty menu and frothy pint reward you at journey’s end) and daily guided hiking tours to the top of Whistler Mountain (with Whistler Blackcomb guides at the helm).  Then there’s Lunaflicks at Lost Lake - a feisty outdoor film series offered July and August that serves up an inspiring setting for movie buffs (think: sunsets worthy of the cinema).  Of course, both locales offer an opportunity to seek out the latest designer at an assortment of shops or sample menus served up by a sizzling array of chefs.  Indeed, with stunning scapes and plenty of natural wonders (plus those oh-so-good hidden gems), a visit to Vancouver and Whistler is sure to uncover more than a few nuggets. www.tourismvancouver.com; www.whistler.com; www.worca.com; www.lunawhistler.com