Life is springing back into action, with sunnier days rekindling our passion for exploring Metro Vancouver, Victoria, and Kelowna. Spring brings fresh opportunities to taste seasonal bounty, go on outdoor adventures close to the city, and reconnect with locals and loved-ones alike.
Rain or shine, you can spend a day at Victoria’s newest indoor/outdoor spa, the Nordic-inspired circuit at Ritual Spa. Reconnect with yourself and others with a hot and cold experience that includes traditional-style cedar and basswood saunas, infrared heat saunas, a eucalyptus-infused steam room, cold plunge pool, and Nordic bucket showers.
Or take a bike tour of The Victoria Ale Trail for liquid refreshments and bites or visit “the garden that love built,” Abkhazi Garden, tucked away in a heritage home overlooking Greater Victoria.
Indulge in an alternative afternoon tea and a guided hike with The Natural Connection and Tea in the Trees, which includes foraging for fresh spring ingredients to brew into a wild tea along the way. Experience Indigenous culture in Victoria by visiting the Songhees Wellness Centre, or try their Salmon Bannock Burger from their food truck at Esquimalt, Moss Street, and Saanich markets.
Extend your stay and venture north of Victoria to visit the newly opened Malahat SkyWalk for 360-degree views of the islands, inlets, fjords, forests, and mountains that dot the Salish Sea. Continue your drive along the South Island Spirit Loop between Langford, Sooke, Port Renfrew, and the Malahat, stopping at farm stands for local eats. While you’re in the area, indulge in farm-fresh bounty from the seasonal menu at Sooke’s Wild Mountain Dinners, showcasing Vancouver Island’s farm-to-table slow food offerings and sustainably caught seafood, or explore the 10 acres of farmland surrounding The Roost Farm Bakery & Vineyard Bistro, situated in North Saanich.
Songhees Food Truck, Tourism Vancouver Island/Jordan Dyck | Spinnakers Brewpub, BC Ale Trail | Malahat Skywalk
Springtime in Vancouver turns the streets into a beautiful canvas streaked with swathes of pink cherry blossoms that herald brighter days ahead. Spot the beautiful yet transient blooms across the city or at one of Vancouver’s urban gardens like the Japanese-inspired Nitobe Garden and the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden.
Traditional medicinal and edible plants found in nature hold a special significance for Indigenous people. Find out more on a walking tour around Stanley Park with a Talaysay Tours Talking Trees experience or discover the culture of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation during a paddle with Takaya Tours.
You don’t have to go far to spot nature’s spring awakening. Grinder & Coola, the resident grizzlies at Grouse Mountain, usually rouse from their hibernation around this time and April signals the start of whale watching tours from downtown Vancouver and Sewell’s Marina Sea Safari leaving from Horseshoe Bay. Herring spawning season attracts hungry sea lions—tours with Steveston Seabreeze Adventures run between April and May, travelling the South Arm of the Fraser River estuary where noisy California and Stellar sea lions congregate to feed.
Back on land, head out on Highway 1 to see the vibrantly coloured fields at Harrison Tulip Festival and visit stops along the Circle Farm Tour in the Fraser Valley to discover spring produce bursting with flavour. While you’re in the area, refuel at Chilliwack’s newly opened District 1881, now home to Field House Brewing and new establishments like Bricklayer Brewing.
A sliver of sun means it’s time to hit the patios! Urbanites can get a taste of fresh spring produce with a stop at Lonsdale Quay Market in North Vancouver or Granville Island in Vancouver for seasonal treats such as sweet spot prawns in May—buy these unique delicacies direct from the boats at Fisherman’s Wharf or enjoy them expertly prepared in restaurants around town. Tip: Steveston has a new Spot Prawn Festival, for another place to enjoy this spring delicacy.
Spring showers in the forecast? Dip into the newly opened Museum of North Vancouver (MONOVA) or Chinatown Storytelling Centre to stay dry and connect with the rich history of the city’s Chinese community.
Enjoying Lee's Donuts at Granville Island Public Market, Hubert Kang | Talaysay Tours in Stanley Park, Indigenous Tourism BC | Tulip Festival, @sundeepbhullar
Driving to the Thompson Okanagan region is a springtime treat in itself. Warmer weather arrives early in Kelowna, with mountain bike trails and lake activities open and the chance to sip newly released rosé and white wines in the sunshine. Let someone else do the driving and take a winery tour for a day of tastings, or go behind the scenes and do a cellar tour at a renowned winery like Mission Hill. Alternatively, you can wet your whistle on a two-wheeled tour of Kelowna breweries with Smile Cycles.
Aside from culinary pursuits, there are plenty of other activities to enjoy. Pay a visit to the outdoor bronze sculpture garden by internationally acclaimed artist Geert Maas just outside town, or take a gentle hike up lakeside Knox Mountain Park for sweeping views. Cyclists can ride along the scenic Kettle Valley Rail Trail and Myra Canyon Trail.
Immerse yourself in Indigenous cultures and flavours at Nk’Mip Cellars in Osoyoos, or take a cultural plant and food educational tour with Moccasin Trails in May to find out more about how the Syilx people use traditional plants.
Myra Canyon section of the Kettle Valley Railway, Grant Harder | Knox Mountain Park, @katelynn_s | Walking Tour with Moccasin Trails, Indigenous Tourism BC
Originally published in February, 2022.
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From: Vancouver
Amy Watkins, a British-born travel and food writer, fell in love with Vancouver at the age of 18. She has travelled the world, but her steadfast love of the West Coast led her to move here in 2012. In the UK she worked as a features editor and freelance writer for 10 years, writing about travel for magazines and newspapers. She now writes about travel, food, and West Coast life for a variety of publications. When she’s not on her laptop, she can be found exploring Stanley Park or hiking in the rainforest with her bulldog, Rick James; tackling waves and tacos in Tofino; or eating her way around the province on a food-focused road trip. Amy has even been persuaded to eat kale chips and practise yoga—making her an honorary Vancouverite.
