03/09/2026
After visiting Banff last year, I resigned myself to the idea that nothing else in Canada could ever match that scale of magnificence. It was a slightly depressing thought—the lingering worry that every future trip across the country would feel mid by comparison.
I really wish someone had told me back then: “Wait until you see BC.”
The West Coast turned out to be an entirely different beast. Exploring Vancouver and Vancouver Island completely shattered my assumptions. The sheer scale of the coastal waters, flanked by ancient rainforests and teeming with vibrant marine and plant life, offered an energy I had never encountered before. Coming from the East, it felt like stepping into an entirely different world.
There is a good reason the license plates read “Super, Natural British Columbia.” The landscape doesn’t compete with the Rockies by trying to be taller or more jagged; it wins you over with its raw, living presence—where massive coastal fjords meet thriving temperate wilderness.
Seven days barely scratched the surface of what the province has to offer, but it was more than enough to reset my perspective. Instead of feeling like I had peaked early with Banff, my appetite is fully whetted. British Columbia proved there is far more country left to explore, and I can’t wait to head back out west.
Which corners of the province are you hoping to tackle on your next trip—the rugged surf of Tofino, the interior w**e country, or further north up the Inside Passage?
