BC & Yukon Winter Wonders

Head off on a gastronomic adventure through some of Vancouver’s best restaurants - from dim sum to cheese, pulled pork sandwiches to gelato, with matching wines to boot, this culinary tour has it all. Wear it all off later with a walk through the forests and of course across the bridge of Capilano Suspension Bridge & Park. If you’re visiting between the end of November and the start of January, you can catch the annual Canyon Lights, a display of thousands of coloured fairy lights draped across the suspension bridge, the cliffs and trees, giving a magical fairy-tale aura to the park at Christmastime.

Drive on to the world-class ski resort of Whistler, host of the 2010 Winter Olympics, and spend a couple of days skiing or boarding on the famed powder snow. The snow covered fir trees and ski chalets give the town a chocolate-box feel, even though there are plenty of upscale restaurants and shops there too. Learn more at the Whistler Museum, which includes an Olympic torch that you can pose for pictures with. It’s not just about the skiing though, there’s also zip-lining, dog sledding, snow-shoeing and sleigh rides to choose from, as well as many spas to rest your weary legs.

Fly to Whitehorse and keep your fingers crossed for a view of the dancing greeny-blue ripples of the Aurora borealis. You’ll have three chances to view the lights – take your place by a roaring log fire and gaze up into the darkness and watch wave upon wave of the pink, green and blue dance like ribbons in the sky. Hot chocolate and coffee are provided too, to help you stay warm. In the daytime, tour the town itself and take a look at the SS Klondike, a decommissioned sternwheeler, now a national historic site.