From the category archives:

Local Travel

Comox Valley’s First Farm Cycle Tour

by paulkamon 08.17.2011

Last week, I was invited to take part in the Comox Valley’s inaugural Farm Cycle Tour, a self-guided, pedal-powered jaunt through one of the most picturesque farming valley’s in all of British Columbia, affording me a chance to visit with some of the region’s local producers and to sample their wares.
With over one hundred and [...]

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BC Craft Beer Getaways: Squamish

by BC Brew 08.07.2011

In the mad dash up the Sea-to-Sky Highway to Whistler, Squamish is typically bypassed. However, it offers much in the way of outdoor activities and has equal draw to Whistler in terms of craft beer offerings. What you don’t get is the expense associated with a world class resort town. So if you are looking [...]

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BC Craft Beer Getaways

by BC Brew 08.03.2011

If you love beer, trips always seem to involve a beer bar, brewpub, brewery, or beer festival. Depending on your degree of obsession, the trip may completely revolve around beer or, at the very least, the destinations are chosen with good drinking in mind. Fortunately, the location of any of these establishments is not dependent, [...]

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A Chinese New Year Staycation

by Rick Green 01.28.2011

When I lived in Hong Kong, there was always a festive atmosphere at Christmas in the commercial districts and hotels, but this was more for the benefit of expats and tourists than the majority of residents. For Chinese, the fifteen days beginning with the first day of the first month in the Chinese lunisolar calendar [...]

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Vancouver Food Tour Official Launch

by Editor 05.17.2010

Local food writer and media personality, Melody Fury, who in my estimation has the coolest name ever, has just unleashed her latest delicious project, a culinary walking-tour for visitors to explore Vancouver’s favorite food destinations in style called Vancouver Food Tour.

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Salt Spring Island Ales – Anatomy of a Cottage Brewery

by paulkamon 05.12.2010

The plane lands with barely a bump and we glide into picturesque Ganges harbour, courtesy of Salt Spring Air. It is a warm Spring day and I am genuinely excited to be away from my desk and back on the beer trail. I am here on the invitation of Salt Spring Island Ales, a tiny [...]

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Local Travel: Escape to Tofino Edition

by paulkamon 12.08.2009

Every year around the time when the darkness begins to plunge deepest into our days and the falling rain from woolly grey skies seems inexhaustible and permanent, I always feel this strange almost atmospheric wave of anxiety move in.
When it inexorably does extend its unnerving and lethargic-inducing reach, I instinctively know it’s time to escape [...]

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Chef’s Last Supper

by paulkamon 09.30.2009

As you walked in through the front doors, the hostess would greet you, find your reservation, and in the background you couldn’t help but notice the bar in full swing, making the finest classic and contemporary cocktails. The sound of the espresso grinder, great music, and of course, a faint sound of the infamous cowbell [...]

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A Visit to the Comox Valley Pt 2 ~ Eating & Drinking

by paulkamon 09.12.2009

(Read “A Visit to the Comox Valley Pt 1“)
What would it take to get me to pack up my family and travel 5 solid hours by boat and van to a fairly remote town overrun by wealthy Albertans and military personnel? Good food. And beer.

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A Visit to the Comox Valley Pt 1 ~ Smith Lake Farm

by paulkamon 08.27.2009

For anyone driving to Vancouver Island during the summer months, navigating the inevitable BC Ferries gauntlet of vacationing tourista RV’s, transport trucks and wave after wave of passenger cars, can be a litmus test of planning and patience, especially with kids in tow. If I had a dollar for every time that I have pulled [...]

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Backyardblog: North Shore Adventure Day

by paulkamon 06.22.2009

Last week, myself and a few others were invited by the North Shore Tourism Association for a day of fun exploring some of the adventure and dining options being offered by local businesses on the other side of the inlet.

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Beaverblog: Painted Boat Resort & Spa

by paulkamon 06.15.2009

One of the best and perhaps most under appreciated tools in the local tourist’s travel playbook is the de Havilland Beaver (a.k.a. DHC- 2), an extraordinarily versatile and rugged aircraft built right here in Canada from 1948-1967. Recently, I had the opportunity to fly in one with Saltspring Air on a recent visit to the idyllic Painted Boat Resort [...]

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