Discover British Columbia

Introduction

British Columbia is Canada's westernmost province, its coastline facing the Pacific along a landscape dominated by the Coast Mountains and, further inland, the Canadian Rockies. Vancouver, the province's largest city and Canada's third-largest metropolitan area, anchors the Lower Mainland; Victoria, on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, has been the provincial capital since the colonial era. British Columbia entered the Canadian Confederation in 1871, a decade after the Fraser Canyon and Cariboo gold rushes drew tens of thousands of prospectors and gave rise to towns like Barkerville, now preserved as a historic site.

The province's Pacific coast and mountain terrain support both a major ski and outdoor-recreation industry -- Whistler, co-host of the 2010 Winter Olympics alongside Vancouver, is the largest ski resort in North America -- and Haida Gwaii (still listed here under its former colonial name, Queen Charlotte Islands, formally retired in 2010), an archipelago that has been the heartland of the Haida Nation for 13,000 years. First Nations peoples, including the Coast Salish, Haida, Kwakwaka'wakw and many others, have lived across this land for at least 10,000 years, and their totem poles and living cultural traditions remain central to how British Columbia understands itself today.

Geography

British Columbia is Canada's westernmost and most mountainous province, its Pacific coastline backed by the Coast Mountains and, further inland, the Canadian Rockies. Vancouver and the Lower Mainland hold most of the population in the province's southwest corner; Victoria sits on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, and Haida Gwaii lies off the northern coast.

Read the full Geography guide →

History

First Nations habitation dating back at least 10,000 years; the 1843 founding of Fort Victoria; the 1858 Fraser Canyon and Cariboo gold rushes; the 1866 merger of the Vancouver Island and mainland colonies; entry into Canadian Confederation in 1871; and the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Read the full History guide →

Culture

First Nations totem poles and living cultural traditions across the Coast Salish, Haida, Kwakwaka'wakw and other peoples; Victoria's British colonial character and its historic Chinese district, second-oldest in North America; Vancouver's Pacific Rim diversity; and the gold-rush history preserved at Barkerville.

Read the full Culture guide →

Climate Patterns

A mild, wet coastal climate in Vancouver and Victoria, a dry, sunny climate in the interior Okanagan Valley, and a snowy alpine climate in the mountains around Whistler. Wildfire risk affects the interior in summer; avalanche risk affects the mountains in winter.

Read the full Climate Patterns guide →

Food & Traditional Cuisine

Pacific salmon and West Coast seafood; Okanagan Valley wine, produced under British Columbia's own VQA appellation system; and a Vancouver food scene shaped heavily by Pacific Rim immigration and trade.

Read the full Food & Traditional Cuisine guide →

Do I need a car in British Columbia?

Helpful but not essential for Vancouver and Victoria, which have good transit; a car (or ferry/flight) becomes necessary for Whistler, Barkerville and Haida Gwaii.

How many days do I need?

A week covers Vancouver, Victoria and Whistler at a reasonable pace; add several more days for Barkerville or Haida Gwaii given the province's size and travel times.

What is British Columbia known for?

Vancouver's Pacific Rim city life and Stanley Park, Victoria's British colonial heritage, Whistler as North America's largest ski resort, and Haida Gwaii's First Nations culture and remote wilderness.

When is the best time to visit?

June-September for mild weather and outdoor activities; December-March for skiing at Whistler.

How do I get to Vancouver Island?

BC Ferries (from $49 one-way for a car and driver), seaplane, or passenger-only ferry from Vancouver.

See British Columbia through traveler photos →

← Back to British Columbia overview