Circle Routes Scenic Driving Guide

ver. HERITAGE DISCOVERY 1 In Vancouver, begin your exploration with Historic Site, now a restored Hudson's Bay Centre, which preserves the rich culture of a tour of the Museum of Anthropology, Company trading post. And don't miss the the Kwakwaka'wakw Aboriginal peoples, home to one of the world's finest 50-million-year-old fossils at Driftwood and see the totems of the 'Namgis Burial collections of First Nations art. Travel Canyon Provincial Park near Smithers. Ground. Back on Vancouver Island take east and stop at Fort Langley National a side trip to historic Telegraph Cove. In Hazelton, visit the fascinating 'Ksan Historic Site. This is the birthplace of British Much of the town is built on stilts, raised Historical Village, a replicated Gitxsan Columbia and a must-see attraction. above the water and linked by a wooden village near the banks of the Bulkley and Continue on to Hope through the rich boardwalk—bear-watching tours are also Skeena rivers. Continue on through The farm country of the Fraser Valley and walk available. Follow Hwy 19 to Campbell Hazeltons to view more than 50 famous through the Othello Quintette Tunnels, River and take in the Museum at Campbell totems. Detour on Hwy 113 to explore part of the famous Kettle Valley Railway River's "Treasures of the Siwidi" exhibit, a the Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial built between 1910 and 1916. Continue up dramatic light and sound presentation that Park where a volcano erupted more than Hwy 1 to Lytton for a guided rafting trip highlights a series of Aboriginal masks. two centuries ago, leaving a pocked lava down the mighty Fraser or Thompson 6 Continue south to the Courtenay & District moonscape. Head south on Hwy 37 to rivers. Take Hwy 12 to Lillooet and walk Kitimat, which offers plenty of outdoor Museum and Palaeontology Centre to the Jade Trail, or try panning for gold. recreation and fishing opportunities. learn about pioneer life or take a guided Continue north on Hwy 99, back to tour and dig for fossils in the 80-millionHwy 97, and experience the arid desert 4 Spend a few days of cultural exploration year-old seabed at the Puntledge River. settings near Clinton. near Prince Rupert. Take a guided tour to Travel onward to the communities of Laxspa'aws or Pike Island, where you can 2 Continue to Clinton by following the Royston, Union Bay, Fanny Bay and finally see petroglyphs and the remains of an original Gold Rush Trail north on Hwy 97. Qualicum Beach, renowned for its flower ancient Tsimshian village. Visit the Museum South of Clinton, Historic Hat Creek Ranch gardens and views of the Georgia Strait. of Northern BC, guarding the treasures is a must-see; an original stagecoach stop Further south, sunny Parksville has miles of of generations of local First Nations. Take used during the gold rush in the Cariboo, sandy beaches and some of the warmest a guided, grizzly bear-watching tour in which provides visitors a look into the saltwater swimming on Vancouver Island. Khutzeymateen Inlet—home to Canada's original buildings. Further north is 100 Stop in Nanaimo's Petroglyph Park to first and largest grizzly bear sanctuary. In Mile House, the starting point of the see 1,000-year-old stone engravings of Prince Rupert, board a BC Ferries vessel original Cariboo Wagon Road. See the only mythological sea creatures and other for Haida Gwaii (Queen Charlotte Islands). remaining stagecoaches of the Barnard fascinating symbols. While in Nanaimo, visit Learn about Haida culture at the Haida Express and Stage Line, then continue on the Nanaimo Museum for a unique glimpse Heritage Centre in Skidegate. Book a tour to 108 Mile Heritage Site and learn about into the lives of the town's Aboriginal to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and the gold rush at this picturesque lunch settlers dating back more than 2,000 years. Haida Heritage Site and see standing poles spot. From here to Williams Lake and in abandoned villages and vibrant sea life. 7 In Duncan—the ancestral home of the Quesnel, enjoy fishing, camping, canoeing, Cowichan peoples—view more than 40 mountain biking and horseback riding. Back in Prince Rupert, at the North Pacific First Nations totem poles throughout Cannery National Historic Site, learn Make sure you bring your golf clubs and the town and watch carvers at work at about the multicultural environment in stop at one of the community courses in the Quw'utsun' Cultural and Centre. a remote canning village and then enjoy a the area; these are challenging courses but In Victoria, the Royal British Columbia full-day cruise on a BC Ferries voyage down tee-off times are easy to come by. To see Museum showcases the human and natural the Inside Passage. Travel through dramatic where the gold rush boomed, make a side history of BC, and features outstanding fjords and green forested channels to trip east to Barkerville, a historic gold rush Aboriginal exhibits, natural history galleries Port Hardy on Vancouver Island. In town settled in 1862. With costumed actors and pioneer artifacts. Finally, relax on Port Hardy, make sure to visit the Copper and more than 140 restored heritage another scenic cruise with BC Ferries back Maker Gallery where you can inhale the buildings and displays, Barkerville Historic to Tsawwassen, just south of Vancouver. To aroma of cedar in the downstairs workshop Town is one of the region's premiere complete your tour, take a short trip to the and watch carvers create beautiful, original attractions. George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary northwest First Nations artwork. just west of Ladner, which has recorded 3 From Prince George, drive west along Hwy more than 280 bird species across its 5 Drive south to Port McNeill where a short 16 and follow the trail of settlers, gold managed wetlands and marshes. BC Ferries trip brings you to Alert Bay on seekers, fur traders and explorers. Detour Cormorant Island. Visit the U'mista Cultural north to see the Fort St. James National Heritage Discovery DBC-SP-72_CircleRts_Reprint2013.indd 17 17 13-06-13 10:38 AM

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