Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Hotel Zed Contest
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • Hotel Zed Contest
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / Travel / 5 West Coast experiences to add to your travel bucket-list

Pacific Rim National Park, perfectly positioned between Tofino and Ucluelet, these are some of the world’s most breathtaking shorelines. And, hey, when you feel like catching a wave, you can that too! Jennifer Blyth photo

5 West Coast experiences to add to your travel bucket-list

July 23, 2021 //  by Jennifer Blyth

Share this:

From vast sandy beaches to soaring snow-capped mountains, the West Coast boasts breathtaking landscapes begging to be explored.

With so much to discover, where will your adventures take you once we’re travelling safely once again? A summer hike along the shores of Haida Gwaii? Bucket-list snow-season getaways beneath the Northern Lights?

For those looking for a little inspiration, here’s a selection of some favourite must-try experiences across Canada’s western region:

  1. Catch the Northern Lights – Few of earth’s wonders captivate our collective imagination quite like the Aurora Borealis, thanks in no small measure to the talents of the Bard of the Yukon, Robert Service. Nice in photos and stories, but spectacular to experience first-hand, it’s no surprise this a bucket-list experience for many.

    Jasper National Park

    The Northern Lights dance across the night sky at Wabasso in the Jasper National Park Dark Sky Preserve. Parks Canada / Ryan Bray photo.

  2. Hike back in time – Close to the Alberta border in the BC Rocky Mountains lies the Burgess Shale, a spot where scientists and tourists regularly travel 500 million years back in time. Some of the world’s oldest and most complex fossils are preserved at the UNESCO Heritage Site, where challenging hikes yield dramatic mountain views. For a little kid-friendly time-travel, you can’t beat Alberta’s Drumheller and the Royal Tyrell Museum, and for a few more manageable Rocky Mountain hikes, the Banff area has plenty to discover.
  3. Yukon Dog Sledding – With the wealth of options in the Yukon, the question isn’t CAN you go dog sledding, but rather what kind of dog sledding do you want to do? Whether you’re an along-for-the-ride sledder – under blankets and with camera in hand – or you want to learn how to care for the dogs and drive a team, the Yukon has an array of adventures to choose from.

    Travel operators in the Yukon offer extreme multi-day dog sled excursions, but you can also snuggle up in the sled for an easy afternoon ride. (Photo: Cathie Archbould/TravelYukon)

  4. Big beaches to explore – It wouldn’t be a West Coast visit without experiencing some of the region’s most spectacular beaches. From hiking Haida Gwaii’s East Beach Trail to storm watching at Pacific Rim National Park, perfectly positioned between Tofino and Ucluelet, these are some of the world’s most breathtaking shorelines. And, hey, when you feel like catching a wave, you can that too!
  5. Take in a wildlife adventure – From watching massive grizzly bears harvest shellfish on a British Columbia beach to marvelling at the spectacle of a breaching Orca, you’re never far from nature along the wild West Coast. Choose a responsible and knowledgeable tour provider and experience these amazing creatures in their natural environment from a safe distance – for them, and you.

What’s on your must-visit list of dream destinations? We’re betting at least some will involve Canada’s West Coast!

Share this:

Category: TravelTag: British Columbia Destinations, Canada, Things to do

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Life-sized sculptures bring ‘the wild’ to downtown Victoria

Things will get wild on the streets of Victoria this month with life-sized driftwood animal…

Life-sized sculptures bring ‘the wild’ to downtown VictoriaRead More

Travel on the Fly: Snowbirds, beautiful blooms + other spring delights

Spring’s arrival brings more than longer, sunnier days coaxing leaves from the trees. It’s the…

Travel on the Fly: Snowbirds, beautiful blooms + other spring delightsRead More

Where is California’s ‘hardest to book’ campground? Not in a famous park

California has one campground among the nation’s 10 most difficult to book, according to a…

Where is California’s ‘hardest to book’ campground? Not in a famous parkRead More

Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park to go cashless on entry fees and camping

By Jared Gendron, The News Tribune Beginning May 26, Mount Rainier National Park will only…

Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park to go cashless on entry fees and campingRead More

What to bring on a hike: WCT Travel Guide

Knowing what to bring on a hike can make all the difference between a wonderful…

What to bring on a hike: WCT Travel GuideRead More

You could spend a lifetime paddling here! Endless kayaking adventures await on southern Vancouver Island

Southern Vancouver Island is a world-class kayaking destination, with options along its endless, meandering coastline…

You could spend a lifetime paddling here! Endless kayaking adventures await on southern Vancouver IslandRead More

Travel on the Fly: A slushy good time spring skiing; Mountain-top beer festivities+ more!

From a Kootenay Beer Festival to a slushy end to a long, snowy spring ski…

Travel on the Fly: A slushy good time spring skiing; Mountain-top beer festivities+ more!Read More

Golden’s boy Boo boogies out of bed

The first day of spring isn’t officially until March 20, but for residents of Golden,…

Golden’s boy Boo boogies out of bedRead More

Take an Alberta roadtrip in the footsteps of ‘The Last of Us’

The HBO TV series The Last of Us has not only made many Albertans proud…

Take an Alberta roadtrip in the footsteps of ‘The Last of Us’Read More

Previous Post: « 1 way to deal with invasive snails in Revelstoke is… to eat them?
Next Post: Exploring the Arts in the Alberni Valley »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

Life-sized sculptures bring ‘the wild’ to downtown Victoria

March 22, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Snowbirds, beautiful blooms + other spring delights

March 21, 2023

Where is California’s ‘hardest to book’ campground? Not in a famous park

March 21, 2023

Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park to go cashless on entry fees and camping

March 21, 2023

Recent Posts

Life-sized sculptures bring ‘the wild’ to downtown Victoria

March 22, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Snowbirds, beautiful blooms + other spring delights

March 21, 2023

Where is California’s ‘hardest to book’ campground? Not in a famous park

March 21, 2023

Washington’s Mount Rainier National Park to go cashless on entry fees and camping

March 21, 2023

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2023 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved