ALASKA CRUISE VACATION: VICTORIA PEDICAB TOUR (6.30.11)
When we ported in Victoria, British Columbia (our last port on our Alaska cruise vacation), we decided to go off the beaten path, as we normally do, and took a pedicab tour. It was pretty fun, interesting, and we saw a lot of houses...in fact, more houses than I was expecting and a bit less garden than I was expecting. Nonetheless, it was a fun ride. You'll see the Butchart Gardens, a peacock, the Empress Hotel, and other stuff.
Here's some more about the Butchart Gardens:
Benvenuto, Italian for 'welcome', is the name the Butcharts used for their original estate, now a National Historic Site of Canada, and still privately owned by family descendants. The Butchart Gardens offers 22ha (55 acres) of wonderful floral display located in Greater Victoria on Vancouver Island. The family's commitment to horticulture and hospitality continues to this day.
If you want to learn more about the pedicab tour we went on, visit and about the Butchart Gardens at
Regarded on the Condé Nast Gold List 2011 & Travel + Leisure 500, Best Hotels of the World 2011, The Fairmont Empress majestically sits at the cornerstone of Victoria's sparkling Inner Harbour. Located in British Columbia's capital city, turn of the century architecture and classic beauty complement the quintessential Victoria experience as Vancouver Island's premier luxury waterfront resort destination.
Enjoyed by kings, queens and celebrities, cherished memories are created for guests of Afternoon Tea in the hotel's historic Tea Lobby. A recent multi-million dollar renovation of each Fairmont Gold room and suite epitomize modern luxury accommodations, unrivalled in Victoria. The award winning Willow Stream Spa complement any visit to Victoria.
MEETINGS AND EVENTS
The Fairmont Empress is Vancouver Island's premier convention and events destination situated on Victoria's waterfront. Unparalleled venue facilities onsite and located adjacent to The Victoria Conference Centre offer the perfect Victoria meeting address. A pioneer of environmental stewardship, Fairmont's Eco Meet offers sustainable meeting options for the most discerning planner.
TEA AT THE FAIRMONT EMPRESS
Renowned the world over, Afternoon Tea at The Fairmont Empress is a tradition we have been serving since the hotel opened in 1908. Not to be missed while in Victoria
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About Us: As all good stories start, once upon a time there was a prince and a princess... okay, maybe not! We are NOT the typical family of four! We have a fun, crazy and funny life full of adventure. We live and play in the most popular tourism destination in the world, Florida, right down the road from Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter! We homeschool our kids and own an online business that allows us a lot of exciting opportunities like Disney vacations, Universal vacations, skydiving with iFLY, zip lining or a photo shoot on a Disney Cruise vacation. We have lots of amazing adventures and travel in Florida and beyond, and we do travel reviews, travel tips, travel products, homeschool tips, and lots more – we are always visiting and exploring new locations and products – stuff like Columbia, Osprey, REI, Coleman, Camelbak, Walmart, Target, Lego, Disney, Universal, etc. We post a daily travel vlog of our adventures and vacations!
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VANCOUVER ISLAND TRAVEL VLOG | Rainy Day Driving on LOGGING ROADS, BC, Canada ????️????
Come join us for this Vancouver Island travel vlog as we highlight our journey driving on a rainy day taking detours on loggings roads en route from Port Alice to Comox. Some of the highlights include stops in Woss, Schoen Lake and Sayward along the way.
Let me warn you guys, you’re in for a lot of rain on this episode! The plan was to drive from Port Alice to Comox, while taking a few detours to go hiking, but that didn’t happen. The weather had other plans and since there was a bit of a deluge going on and we kinda wanted to stay dry, we had to adapt. So, if you’re down for some adventuring down logging roads, random car chats, and a cute deer or two, then come and join us for this rainy day of driving.
After a quick lunch stop in the town of Woss, we continued our off-road adventures on Vancouver Island down bumpy roads on our way to Schoen Lake. We almost didn't make it given the weather conditions!
We then got back on the highway and tried to tack on a few more kilometres before our next stop in Sayward, which we had been told is a good place to try and see elk. Well, I think the elk were probably hiding from the rain, but we did see a cute deer munching on a perfectly manicured garden, so that made it up for it.
And that was that. We continued straight down to Comox, where we checked in to our home for the night and proceeded to order Sam’s favourite take out: pizza! Stay tuned as we'll have more Vancouver Island travel videos from Parksville, Campbell River, Nanaimo and Victoria coming out soon.
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VANCOUVER ISLAND TRAVEL VLOG | Rainy Day Driving on LOGGING ROADS, BC, Canada:
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
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Chilliwack, BC - Lush pay camping, hiking and biking
The closer we get to the ocean the greener everything turns, Canada is such an amazing country to explore! Chilliwack offers a bounty of choice for camping, hiking and biking while not being too far off the beaten track.
Northern VANCOUVER ISLAND travel vlog | Driving to PORT ALICE, BC
Come join us as we head to Northern Vancouver Island in this travel vlog saying goodbye to the Comox Valley area en route to Port Alice, BC. Having spent quite a bit of time in an around Mount Washington and Comox it was time for us to explore the more rugged and sparsely populated northern region of Vancouver Island.
The drive itself was incredibly scenic as we opted for the old island highway hugging the coastline all the way to Campbell River. Before grabbing groceries and gas, something we'd recommend doing before heading all the way up north, we stopped off at a beach to stretch our legs and admire the views.
The rest of the drive was pleasant and relaxing as there were less vehicles on the road as you head further north. In fact, we probably saw just as many logging trucks as we did other trucks. Along the way we stopped for a picnic lunch nearby a lake.
Upon arriving in Port Alice we were all tired and hungry. For dinner we cooked up some pasta which we served with red wine. We're very excited to be in this northern regional of Vancouver Island because not too many people make it all the way up here. In terms of what we plan on doing over the coming days we're hoping to visit Port Alice and nearby towns Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. We also plan to do some island hopping to Alert Bay and Malcolm Island.
Please stay tuned for more episodes from Vancouver Island coming out soon!
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Northern VANCOUVER ISLAND travel vlog | Driving to PORT ALICE, BC
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where we partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
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Our CANADA ROAD TRIP to VANCOUVER ISLAND, British Columbia Starts NOW!
Today we are kicking off a trip that we’ve been wanting to do for a very long time: a road trip across the length of Vancouver Island! Sam grew up on the West Coast but moved away when he went to university, and I had never been there, so it was high time we both visited. To make things even more special, when our dads heard we were travelling to Vancouver Island, they both decided to come along, so we embarked on this road trip as a gang of 4! This is the first episode of our Vancouver Island road trip and it was mostly a travel day. We flew from Toronto to Vancouver to Victoria, and then picked up a rental car at the airport. We had to drive up to Mount Washington, which would act as our base for the first few days, but on the way up there we also stopped in the town of Chemainus, which is known for its many murals, and in Cathedral Grove, where we saw Douglas-fir trees that are over 800 years old! It was a great first day on the island. More to come soon! You can view the full list of all the places we visited here:
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Our CANADA ROAD TRIP to VANCOUVER ISLAND, British Columbia Starts NOW!
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
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Visiting CAMPBELL RIVER, BC + Hiking in ELK FALLS | Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Come join us for another exciting travel day on Vancouver Island as we head north to Campbell River, BC to enjoy visiting the town before going hiking at Elk Falls.
After our stop at Miracle Beach, we hopped back in the car and continued our drive up to Campbell River, British Columbia. After a week of spotting black bears left, right and centre, we had a funny little incident where we thought a dog was one.
Once we got into town, we checked out some of the murals and browsed through antiques at the Trading Post, before heading down to the pier.
The Discovery Pier is Canada’s first saltwater fishing pier, so it’s a little piece of history. It looks out over the Discovery Passage and it’s a popular fishing spot. The pier stretches out 600 ft and is equipped with rod holders, bait stands, and fish cleaning tables. You can even rent fishing rods if you’re there between May and October.
That afternoon we continued to the Quinsam River Hatchery, because, have I already mentioned that Campbell River is the Salmon Capital of the World?! The hatchery has a visitor center with information about the hatchery program and the salmon life cycle, but really, I think most of us were there for a chance to spot a black bear fishing.
You can see pink adults in September, and chinook and coho adults in October and November. It’s open to visitors seven days a week from 8:00am to 3:30pm, and well worth the visit if you’re already in the area. From there, it was onwards to nearby Elk Falls.
One of the main draws to Elk Falls is the 25-metre waterfall that gives the park its name. There is a suspension bridge for those willing to brave the heights, as well as viewing decks.
And that’s pretty much a wrap for our day exploring Campbell River, BC and the surrounding area.
A special thanks to TROVER for making this trip possible.
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Visiting CAMPBELL RIVER, BC + Hiking in ELK FALLS | Vancouver Island, British Columbia:
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
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PARKSVILLE & QUALICUM BEACH, BC | Visiting Beaches + Provincial Parks on Vancouver Island
Come join us for a rainy travel day on Vancouver Island, BC as we continue our road trip to Parksville and Qualicum Beach to visit Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park and Englishman River Falls Provincial Park.
After a quick stop at Qualicum Beach, we drove towards Rathtrevor Beach, which is a provincial park located in the east end of Parksville. This spot is known for its wide sandy beaches - especially during low tide when the water recedes almost a kilometre from shore! It was pretty cool to see.
And now: bunnies! Just as we were leaving the park we spotted what we thought was one lone black rabbit looking out of place, but as we rounded the corner, we discovered it was a whole colony! They were very cute.
Then it was onwards to Englishman River Regional Park where we went in search of the two waterfalls. Well, I’m not sure we took the right trail since we never did find them, but who can complain about wandering the wrong way in a forest when you’re surrounded by towering cedars, Douglas firs, and ferns all around.
After a wet and rainy day of exploring we built up a big appetite so we ended up frying up some cod in butter and serving it with sweet potatoes and carrots along with some delicious wine from Chile.
We hope you enjoyed our BC road trip episode to Parksville and Qualicum Beach. Stay tuned as we have three more episodes from our Vancouver Island, BC series left with adventures from Campbell River, Nanaimo and Victoria coming your way.
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PARKSVILLE & QUALICUM BEACH, BC | Visiting Beaches + Provincial Parks on Vancouver Island:
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
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South Oak Bay Pathways & Lanes - Off the Beaten Path
In Frosty's Footsteps Walking Trails of Greater Victoria. A 1.36 mile walk amazingly close to Oak Bay Avenue. You wouldn't know it by the quiet journey through these locally well-known walking routes into town. The discovery is part of the fun in exploring what sites this path has to offer. It is an integration of nature's natural beauty that is being cared for, along with a number of housing designs when you least expect it! Art and Crafts, 70′s Art Deco, Masonry, Mediterranean, Traditional and now the new controversal boxy style home designs. More @ or
Visiting COMOX VALLEY + WINE TASTING ???????? | Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
In today’s video, we continue our Vancouver Island road trip in partnership with Trover, this time doing a little exploring along the Comox area. This was another exciting day that featured our closest bear encounter to date, a chance visit to a winery owned by a famous Hollywood film director, and some fun at a beach with a name that will make you chuckle.
First up, let's talk about the bear encounter. We had already spotted a black bear a few days prior while riding the ski lift up Mount Washington, but this time around we came across an even larger bear eating wild blackberries on the side of the road. It was early morning and there was no one else around. It was pure magic.
That morning we visited Goose Spit Park in Comox, a place that we chose simply because we liked the sound of the name. We enjoyed a nice walk on the beach, met some friendly dogs, and simply enjoyed the scenery.
Then it was onwards to a vineyard. When looking for things to do in the Comox area, we were surprised to find that there were several local wineries to visit. We chose one at random and ended up at Beaufort Vineyard and Estate Winery, which is owned by the Cameron Family…as in James Cameron the film director with movies like Titanic, Avatar, and Terminator to his name! We decided to a wine tasting while we were here and paid $5 to sample 5 wines, which is an excellent deal if you ask me.
Later, in the afternoon, we went for a hike along a beautiful wooded trail in Seal Bay Nature Park until the rain eventually forced us to turn back.
We hope you enjoyed this video from our day visiting the Comox Valley and we'll see you in the next video where we head up to northern Vancouver Island.
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Visiting COMOX VALLEY + WINE TASTING ???????? | Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where we partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
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Quick Tip: Keep Your Car From Getting Stolen
Stacey walks you through several ways to fool those who are looking to steal your ride. They range from simple free ways to some that are a little more in depth. Either way, they work great to stop people from making off with your car.
Cascades of Time Garden in Banff Alberta Canada
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Cascades of Time Garden in Banff Alberta Canada
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Cascade of Time Garden Banff National Park
The Cascades Of Time Gardens is a little oasis just minutes walking distance from downtown Banff. It’s the perfect place to get off the beaten path and escape the crowds of Banff Avenue. The gardens are terraced into the hillside with pathways and rock steps that lead through trees and flower beds. Several gazebos and sitting shelters make a great refuge from the sun on a hot summer day. The site was originally the home of the Brett Sanatorium and Hotel built in the 1880s by Dr. Robert Brett, a company doctor for the Canadian Pacific Railway, in response to the discovery of the sulphur hot springs in Banff.
Disclaimer: This video is for Entertainment purposes only!
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Uchuck III to FRIENDLY COVE Nootka Sound + Visiting GOLD RIVER on Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Come join us on Vancouver Island, British Columbia as we continue our road trip to Sam's hometown of Gold River to board the Uchuck III for a scenic boat ride to Friendly Cove, Nootka Sound. One of our main goals for this trip was to revisit my hometown of Gold River, BC with my Dad. For Audrey and her Father it was a chance for them to see where I grew up and an opportunity for all of us to enjoy a day exploring Yuquot.
We departed Gold River at 10 am and began the two-and-a-half hour voyage to Yuquot via Nootka Sound. The landscapes were breathtaking the whole way, with sprawling coastal forests featuring Douglas Fir, Sitka spruce, Arbutus, Western hemlock, and Western red and yellow cedar.
We pulled into Yuquot, also known as Friendly Cove, just as we were finishing up lunch. Yuquot was the summer home of Chief Maquinna and during its fur trade heyday (in the 1780s and 1790s), it had a community of up to 1500 people. This is the site where the first contact between Europeans and First Nations took place in British Columbia.
Our first tip when you get off the Uchuck, would be to check out the views of Friendly Cove from the beach. This black-pebble beach which is directly to the right of the pier offers beautiful views of Friendly Cove, plus there are lots of tree trunks where you can sit down and enjoy the beauty of the place.
After a little stroll along the beach, we followed the hiking trail over to Yuquot Church. The church that stands here today was originally dedicated to Pope Pius X, and it was built in 1956 to replace the previous church that burned down. The structure was eventually decommissioned as a church in the 1990’s and today it acts as a cultural centre and museum housing replicas of sacred carvings.
After visiting the church, we walked over to the other beach where we encountered a totem with outstretched palms staring out to sea. Yuquot means “where the wind blows in all directions”, so it would make sense to have a lighthouse there! And just like that, our visit to Friendly Cove came to an end and we boarded the Uchuck 3 once more.
A special thanks to TROVER our partner for this road trip!
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Uchuck III to Friendly Cove Nootka Sound + Visiting Gold River on Vancouver Island, British Columbia:
Come join us for an epic road trip to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where we partner with Trover to cover the island from the south all the way up to the north. Unlike most Vancouver Island road trips and travel series which focus on the triangle of Vancouver, Nanaimo and Tofino, we branch off and visit lesser-known places such as Gold River, Port Alice and Malcolm Island just to name a few.
Our trip to Vancouver Island starts off with a flight from Toronto to Vancouver, followed by the shortest flight of our lives from Vancouver to Victoria. From Victoria, we head to our base of Mount Washington in the central part of the island, where highlights include spotting black bears, hiking in Mount Washington and visiting vineyards in Comox.
Our journey then continues to Gold River, Sam's hometown, where we board the Uchuck III en route to Friendly Cove. We also go to nearby Campbell River where we walk along a beautiful fishing dock, tour a hatchery and come across a black bear, and hike in Elk Falls which was our favourite hike on this entire journey.
Heading to northern Vancouver Island, we base ourselves in Port Alice and visit the nearby towns of Port McNeill, Port Hardy and Telegraph Cove. For separate day trips, we take the ferry to Malcolm Island where we visit the former Finnish Community of Sointula and take another ferry to Alert Bay where we have the opportunity to appreciate First Nations totem poles, artwork and museums.
Our Vancouver Island road trip concludes with visits to Parksville, Nanaimo and Victoria. Overall, it was one of the best road trips we've ever done focusing mostly on nature, outdoor adventure, wildlife spotting and visiting off-the-beaten-path villages and communities that have a lot to offer but aren't that well known.
If you are thinking of doing a Canada road trip, Vancouver Island should be at the top of your list. For more information and tips on all the places we visited on Vancouver Island, you can check out this Trover list:
Music We Use:
Where is Mystic Beach? ...Vancouver Island (how to get to)
Directions to Mystic beach, Vancouver Island. Come for a hike with us down to Mystic beach along the Juan de Fuca trail. Watch full video for a short-cut.
Hidden Gems of Vancouver Island
Do you enjoy hiking? How about discovering locations that are off the beaten path? Let us help you explore the many hidden gems of Vancouver Island.
Chemtrails in Victoria BC #1
So because I’m crazy, I’ve taken it upon myself to start documenting Chemtrails in Victoria BC, Canada. On this day, I observed more than 10 trails over the course of 2 hours which did not dissipate during the remainder of the day.
British Columbia Summer Travel - Off the beaten path - YouTube
From June 25, 2015 a spectacular summer day.
music by Artist: Olga Scotland
Title: Air Over The Heather Field
Roadtrip to Victoria - Sink or Swim 80
Music by Cluless (
Supporting Simon
Thank you for watching and liking my videos. I really appreciate your support, and if you’re interested in more, please check out my Patreon for further access to my content and to choose perks that promote my projects and even let you become part of them:
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Following Simon
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Asking Simon
- Who are you?
I'm a Canadian photographer from Ottawa who got rid of everything to travel the world. I make vlogs sharing my ups and downs, and my adventures in vans, on motorbikes, and on sailboats.
- Who is Champ?
Champ is my handsome 14-year-old Labrador, who travelled almost everywhere with me for his whole life. He loves chin scratches, fetching sticks, and scarfing down cheeseburgers and pizza.
- What camera equipment do you use?
I use a Panasonic FZ2500, a DJI Mavic Pro, a Rode video micro with Deadcat, a Zihyun Crane 3 Axis Gimbal, as well as DIY tripods and lights.
- What are your vehicles?
I drove a 1992 Dodge Ram B350 camper van all over North America for about two years.
Travelling by motorcycle made for some unique trips. I explored the Canadian Maritimes (and deserts and backroads all over the continent) on a 2002 Kawasaki KL250 Super Sherpa dual sport bike, and also rode my 1999 Yamaha V-Star XVS1100 cruiser with a Champion Escort sidecar across my home country twice.
From land to water travels: I currently live and work on a 1979 Wharram Oro 47 catamaran.
- What are your plans with the boat?
I will fix it up, run it on nothing but green electric power, and sail off into the sunset. Stay tuned for the growing build and the adventures to come!
- How do you find all these cool places we see in the videos?
To gain access to my complete research and the world traveller’s map I curate during my explorations off the beaten path, you need to hit me up on Patreon. Here are a few websites I frequent:
- How do you afford your lifestyle?
I live and travel economical by using free camping and mooring, cooking my own meals, thoroughly researching products and how-to’s online, practicing a DIY approach, and being as efficient as possible with my resources. I've struggled financially for most of my life, and although I'm blessed with helpful friends and family as well as being able-bodied, white and male, I don't subscribe to the belief that you need someone footing your bills in order to pursue your passion. So, I learned that you DO need to sacrifice comfort, consistency, safety, and a traditional career but that it IS possible, worth it, and the only lifestyle that makes me happy.
I make my income almost entirely by creating content for YouTube, but it's a tight budget. Ad revenue, business sponsors, affiliate links, Patreon, Paypal donations, and merchandise sales bring in about as much as a part-time job, and I'm able to make that work. When it isn't enough, I go back to regular work such as photography, videography or construction, but that takes the focus away from my own projects.
- How does your dog fit into this lifestyle?
It's really not as difficult as people seem to think. I spend most of the day with Champ anyways, since we enjoy similar things, like eating food and being outdoors. I let the constraint of bringing my dog with me help me make decisions about where I go and what I do, so I avoid places that ban dogs, and therefore spend more time in nature instead of in cities.
- How do you make it work as a digital nomad?
My electrical power set-up allows charging my camera and laptop to film and edit almost daily. For Internet access quick and reliable enough to upload my episodes a few at a time, I use coffee shops and libraries. I also use a data package on my phone (10GB), a WiFi antenna, and a WiFi booster.
Why do you travel - Camille from Canada
Why does Camille from Canada travel? watch this video to find out!
We Travel Co specialises in offering unique tour experiences in Australia. If you have any questions about Australia visit -
It's a huge country with lots of people who travel from far and wide to visit Australia. Why you may ask? We have lots to do and see like beautiful beaches, pristine nature, abundant wildlife, vast deserts,mountains , the world's largest reef which is the Great Barrier Reef. We promote Australia as a travel friendly destination because we love tourists here in Australia. From Backpacking to expensive tour packages Australia has it all. Australia is Broken up into Different states you have New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, In Each state we have different cities which are Sydney, Perth, Darwin, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Hobart and Canberra. Some popular tourist destinations are Broome, coolangatta, Newcastle, Alice Springs, Byron Bay, Freemantle, Manly, Bondi, Uluru, Bellingen, Nimbin, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Port Stephens, Terrigal, Cronulla, Yamba, Wollongong, Jervis Bay, Broulee, Narooma, Merimbula, Gerringong, Surfers Paradise, Burleigh Heads,Great Barrier Reef, Red Centre, Great Ocean Road, Kakadu, The Kimberley, Kangaroo Island, Byron Bay, Tasmanian Wilderness, Australian Alps,Ningaloo, Flinders Ranges, Fraser Island, Freycinet, Noosa, Sunshine Coast, Gippsland. Blue Mountains,Namadgi National Park, Margaret River.
How it started -
Founded in 2011, by company director and adventurer Sam Hilton. We Travel was born from a love for travel, passion for storytelling and a dream to share it with the world. Taking a camera and a backpack he left Australia travelling through New Zealand, US, Mexico and Bali capturing his experience and sharing it with friends. The feed back was positive and the response overwhelming. It gave him the drive to continue creating and sharing despite a lack of funding and financial hardship. During 2012, Sam took to the road in his van across Australia. Joining him were a bunch of travellers from across the globe, he's mission was to take them on a search for adventure and provide them with a unique Australian experience.
The Goal -
To create a global community of travellers, a platform in which they share their experiences of travel and the places they go. We are embarking on branding a sub culture in which travellers all across the world can associate with. Through social media content, we engage our audience with a web based documentary series which captures the spirit and essence of travel. It takes the viewer on a journey off the beaten track and gives a unique insight into the life of a traveller. We would like to Inspire the next generation of young world travellers!
Get Involved -
Travellers are encouraged to participate in the videos, wether it be in front of the camera or behind. we are all about capturing, creating and sharing unique travel experiences that inspire for generations to come! Our product is personal, travellers can share the video's they participate in with their network of family and friends, We Travel Company is truly global.
Our Reach -
Our product has already managed to reach an extensive audience worldwide. These countries include Australia, United States, Germany, France,UK, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Spain, Colombia, Thailand, Italy, Vietnam, India , Argentina, Taiwan, Egypt and Mauritius!
Our Vision -
Our vision consists of doing exactly what we are doing now, just bigger and better! We would like to visit other countries in the same fashion. We Travel Company is currently seeking funding and sponsorship. If you are in line with our vision and like what we are doing then feel free to contact us and have a chat about how we can work together!
BEAT ANY ESCAPE ROOM- 10 proven tricks and tips
10 tips to dominate any Escape room- Prepare your brain for the Escape room using Brilliant.org. First 200 people get 20% off!!
EXTRA INF0-
-Check out Dr. Nicholson's website here for more juicy stuff-
-8 roles for players-
-This is the escape room I filmed in. They were awesome to work with. If you live in Silicon Valley this is the perfect spot (not all Escape Rooms are created equal)-
-This is the harder room that looked like a castle-
MUSIC-
0:07- New Shoes- Blue Wednesday -
1:23- Spark- Maxwell Young-
2:08- The Ocean- Andrew Applepie-
6:33- Cereal Killa- Blue Wednesday -
8:30- Breakfast- Andrew Applepie-
10:57- Q- Blue Wednesday -
11:49- Too Happy to be cool by Notebreak-
Summary: I visited Dr. Scott Nicholson in Brantford, ON Canada since he is the world expert in Escape Room design. After meeting with him for a day here are the 10 tips I came away with to beat any escape room:
1. Think simple
2. Searching
3. Organize your stuff
4. Focus on what is stopping you
5. Team roles
6. Lock types
7. Code types
8. Written clues
9. Look for patterns
10. Your guide is your friend
MERCH-
They are soft-
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