British Columbia (French: la Colombie-Britannique) is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is famed for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu ("Splendour without Sunset (Diminishment)").
It was the sixth province to join the Canadian Confederation and residents are referred to as British Columbians.
The capital of British Columbia is Victoria. The largest city is Vancouver, Canada's third-largest metropolitan area.
The province of British Columbia, Canada is home to the following public universities: Royal Roads University (Colwood) Simon Fraser University (Burnaby, Surrey, Vancouver) Thompson Rivers University (Kamloops), (merger of University College of the Cariboo and British Columbia Open University) University of British Columbia (Vancouver/University Endowment Lands) University of Northern British Columbia (Prince George) University of Victoria (Victoria)
The following institutions are private universities: Trinity Western University (Langley) University Canada West (Victoria) Quest University (Squamish) which opened in September 2007
Given its varied mountainous terrain and its coasts, lakes, rivers, and forests, British Columbia has long been enjoyed for pursuits like hiking and camping, rock climbing and mountaineering, hunting and fishing.
Water sports, both motorized and non-motorized, are enjoyed in many places. Sea kayaking opportunities abound on the B.C. coast with its fjords. Whitewater rafting and kayaking are popular on many inland rivers. Sailing and sailboarding are widely enjoyed.
In winter, cross-country and telemark skiing are much enjoyed, and in recent decades high-quality downhill skiing has been developed in the Coast Mountain range and the Rockies, as well as in the southern areas of the Shuswap Highlands and the Columbia Mountains. Snowboarding has mushroomed in popularity since the early 1990s. The 2010 Winter Olympics downhill events will be held in Whistler-Blackcomb area of the province, while the indoor events will be in the Vancouver area.
In Vancouver and Victoria (as well as some other cities), opportunities for joggers and bicyclists have been developed. Cross-country bike touring has been popular since the ten-speed bike became available many years ago. Since the advent of more robust mountain bikes, trails in more rugged and wild places have been developed for them. Some of the province's retired rail beds have been converted and maintained for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing.
Consistent with both increased tourism and increased participation in diverse recreations by British Columbians themselves has been the proliferation of lodges, chalets, bed and breakfasts, motels, hotels, fishing camps, and park-camping facilities in recent decades.
Disclaimer: While every care has been taken in preparing this travel information for travelers, neither INeedAHotel.com, LLC nor its agents or employees including any member of the INeedAHotel.com, LLC staff, can accept liability for injury, loss or damage arising in respect of any statement contained therein.
|
Additional Reading:
|