Hello hello! For those of you that have been following my adventures at #chiaraexploresbc you’ll know that I recently have been traveling around Vancouver Island. For now though, I want to take a step back and return to my journeys from a few weeks ago. After my adventuring around Northern BC, I got the opportunity to explore a little closer to home.

I started the week driving the Sea to Sky highway from Vancouver up to Whistler. I had actually never been up this way before, so I was really excited to check it out! The drive was so beautiful. A very windy road, but it weaves right along the ocean, and the mountains are also right beside you. BC is pretty damn spectacular and offers so much incredible scenery! I stopped in Lions Bay, Britannia Beach, and Squamish on the way up to Whistler. Unfortunately the Sea to Sky gondola was closed, so I’ll have to return and check that out another time, but the drive itself was spectacular. I even met a dog in Britannia Beach that I honestly may have brought home with me if I had not been able to find the owners… Super great start to the journey.

Then I arrived in Whistler. The mountains were already capped with snow and absolutely stunning in the background. Whistler is huge, but right in Whistler Village is nice and quaint and walk-able. I checked out a few of the restaurants and bars with colleagues, which was a great way to start the week as well. I wish I had more time in Whistler to explore! I will definitely have to return in the future to check it out in more detail.

The drive back was also spectacular, though it was very rainy and foggy and we could not see as much of the view. We stopped in Squamish along the way, and when you get back on to the highway, the mountains are right in front of you and absolutely jaw-dropping. I wish I would have been able to spend more time in Squamish as well, so I will definitely have to return in the future for another weekend to explore the area some more. So grateful I had the chance to see it for a little bit though!

I swung by West Vancouver on the way back in to the city. It was nice to get the chance to explore areas of Vancouver that I typically never see. Afterwards, I spent the remainder of the week in North Vancouver. I have explored North Van quite a bit previously and am a huge fan of the city. I really wish it wasn’t so far away from everything else so I could explore it more often! All the same, it was great to check it out in more detail throughout the week. It made me want to come back and explore even more. I adventured around Lynn Valley, Capilano Suspension Bridge area, Lower Lonsdale, and more. It definitely opened my eyes a lot to how much other areas of Vancouver still have to offer, and how much more I have to explore in my own backyard!

I hope I get the chance to do so in the future. I truly am lucky to live in this incredible place and want to continue to explore parts of it that I haven’t before, because it still has so much more to offer. I’m going to look into planning more day trips around the surrounding areas of Vancouver, so let me know if you’re near the city and interested in joining! Continue following the adventure at #chiaraexploresbc and stay tuned for my next post about adventuring on Vancouver Island 🙂