For links lovers’, it’s little surprise that “golf trails” are in vogue. Eager to check out one of the best newcomers to the genre? Say hello to the South Okanagan Golf Trail. With four championship courses situated along the scenic route – NK’MIP Canyon Desert Golf Course, Fairview Mountain, and two gems at the Osoyoos Golf & Country Club – your swingin’, sun-filled days on the trail are bound to leave you hankering for more. The best part? It’s short and sweet: the trail runs from Oliver to Osoyoos, a pristine mountain and lake-filled span of just 20 kilometres, leaving plenty of time for beaching, boating, and wine touring. As an added bonus, this stretch of road is home to the largest concentration of both vineyards and commercial wineries in British Columbia. But, please, for the sake of optimal directional control, take a swing on the fairways before sipping some of BC’s best. www.southokanagangolf.com
To read more story ideas from the Thompson Okanagan region, visit www.hellobc.com/totamedia.
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July 1st at the new Shadow Mountain Golf Course near Cranbrook promises to be a very special day. Why? That’s when die-hard divot diggers can get their first-ever taste of the stunning 7,414-yard Graham Cooke and Wayne Carlton-designed course. And it can’t come soon enough. In fact, it seems everyone who has caught an early glimpse of the dramatic layout, with its awesome elevation changes, spectacular mountain vistas, and impressive bunkering, claim it will instantly become one of the top tracks in the Kootenay Rockies. And, given the fact that some of the best mountain golf courses in the world are found in these parts, that’s saying something. So remember: Canada Day is for waving flags…and, at Shadow Mountain, shooting at them. www.shadowmountain.ca
To read more story ideas from the Kootenay Rockies region, visit www.hellobc.com/krbcmedia.
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In an industry traditionally dominated by men, it’s a tasty find to discover that one of the country’s hottest chefs is breaking the mold. Melissa Craig, Executive Chef of Whistler’s renowned Bearfoot Bistro, is just such a discovery. Not only is she inventive, driven and a natural leader, but she’s got a whole lotta hardware to back it up. Indeed, Craig has had her spatula in the national spotlight since the inception of her career. Following her education at the renowned Culinary Arts Program of Malaspina University College in British Columbia, Craig went on to win the annual National Apprentice Competition – no small task, considering she was just 20 years old at the time (Craig’s win also marked the first time the title was awarded to a female chef). Fast forward a few years and a few apprenticeships later, and Chef Craig added another first to her recipe book, this time when she snatched gold at the 2008 Gold Medal Plates Canadian Culinary Championships in Toronto. Noted as the most prestigious culinary event in Canada, this gruelling three-day contest included a black box competition, a mystery wine pairing, and a grand finale wine-pairing event. Today, Craig commands a team of 20 in the open and electrifying show kitchen of the Bearfoot Bistro, creating thoroughly modern Canadian menus with west coast flair. And with a kitchen set right in the heart of Whistler, a host site for the 2010 Winter Games, Chef Craig is poised to serve up a bounty of medal-worthy dishes, sure to tempt powderhounds and celebrities alike. www.bearfootbistro.com
For more destination story ideas related to the 2010 Winter Games, visit www.destination2010.ca or to read more story ideas from the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region, visit www.hellobc.com/vcmbcmedia.
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Scenic shores, granite cliffs, and misty green forests where eagles soar and whales breech. Think you’re on a guided excursion into the wild? More like nestled onboard the Queen of Chilliwack – a BC ferry passenger vessel which makes its watery way along a route dubbed The Discovery Coast Passage between Port Hardy, on Vancouver Island’s northernmost tip, and Bella Coola, just inland from the central coast of British Columbia. More than just a major mode of transport for locals and visitors alike June through September, this journey has been dubbed a soft adventurists’ dream. Servicing local communities, and available by reservation only, conditions may not prove posh, but the sights prove no less spectacular: long fjords, narrow channels, monolithic rock formations, not to mention Orca, seal and other marine life sightings are peppered throughout. While onboard, passengers can kick back in the fully-licenced lounge, peruse the finds in the gift shop and even take advantage of the ship’s pay showers – a boon for kayakers. For the truly adventurous, pitch a tent on deck (with a nod from crew members) and take it all in during the voyage. And there’s plenty to distract once you disembark in Bella Coola: the area’s hiking trails wind their way throughout, while horseback riding, mountain biking and even kayaking and fishing along the rivers will have you angling for more. Exploration in Bella Coola itself, situated west of Williams Lake, proves no less fruitful, thanks to a scattering of galleries and shops which showcase local artisans. Ideal spots for snagging that one-of-a-kind keepsake at journey’s end. www.bcferries.com; www.bellacoola.ca
To read more story ideas from the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast region, visit www.hellobc.com/cccbcmedia.
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In the province’s Kootenay Rockies, one historic site is readying to celebrate 100 years of discovery. Situated near the town of Field, east of Golden, the Burgess Shale, widely recognized as one of the world’s most important animal fossil finds, is indeed a miraculous site: fossils here date back 500 million years, and are credited with changing many scientists’ views about the evolution of life on Earth. And with 2009 marking a major milestone at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, only one question remains: where to get the best vantage point? At nearby Emerald Lake Lodge, one can explore this phenomenal find and still bask in a bit of luxury at the end of each day, minus the hiking boots. The lodge’s Burgess Shale Centennial Package includes two nights lodge accommodation, breakfast each morning to fuel the fire, a hearty hiker’s lunch and a guided Burgess Shale hike. And hike you will; enthusiasts will pass Yoho Lake before making their way through Yoho Pass into the Cambrian World of the Burgess Shale. Here, professional geologists/palaeontologists will interpret the history of life on earth (the origins of the Burgess Shale), rocks and mountain building processes, climate change and landforms, and the significance of site itself. While enroute, a stop at the world’s most spectacular lunch spot – boasting a Canadian Rockies backdrop with an eagle’s eye view of scenic Emerald Lake and its namesake lodge – promises to inspire. Available July 6, 13, 20, 27 and August 3, 10, 17, and 24 only, the opportunity to observe this bit of history may be short-lived, but will prove no less spectacular. www.crmr.com; www.burgess-shale.bc.ca
To read more story ideas from the Kootenay Rockies region, visit www.hellobc.com/krbcmedia.
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