Simply click on the hi-lighted name to be taken directly to the company web site for rates, dates and general information.

• 

  Wild Play in Maple Ridge

  Summer time is play time at the newly opened Wild Play Element Park in Maple Ridge.  Kids of all ages to those who still have some kid left in them will love the ‘monkido’ course – as in Monkey See, Monkey Do,  across Tarzan swings, zip lines, scramble nets, swinging logs and other elements between six and 60 feet above the ground!

• Minter Gardens is located only 90 minutes from Vancouver in Rosedale (Chilliwack area).  The gardens are gorgeous right now and if you visit the web site, there is a 50% admission coupon for the rest of July.  Stroll the gardens from 4p to 7p daily with this super discount.

• 

  Pathways Guides lead canoeists on Bowron Lakes

  Voted one of the Top Ten Canoe Trips in the world by Outside Magazine, head to Bowron Lakes for a getaway that is exceptional for the novice to expert canoeist. Your guides at Pathways ensure a trip of a lifetime!

• Tour beautiful Quadra Island on a rented scooter.  Pick up your rental and picnic lunch at April Point Resort & Spa then head over to Rebecca’s Spit for a relaxing day at the beach.

• Head out to Fort Langley for a day exploring the medley of shops – garden, clothing, ANTIQUES and cafes serving up delicious local treats.  The Fort hosts special events aimed at families throughout summer.

• 

  Celebrate BC Day at Sun Peaks Resort

  Surf’s up, all you surfer dudes who don’t have time to visit Tofino.  Head over to Jordan River in the Juan de Fuca Provincial Park located approximately 60 km driving northwest from Victoria.  Kayaking is superb in summer.

• Awe-inspiring mountain scenery to meadow flowers and gently flowing streams beckon at an Island Lake Lodge hiking holiday. Located in the Kootenay Rockies, outside of Fernie, there are trails for all fitness levels.

• Book a weekend away that celebrates family this coming BC Day at Sun Peaks Resort.  The cozy alpine village will be alive with free entertainment both days including corn husking, scarecrow making and water balloon competitions at the spectacular outdoor Farmer’s Market held in the village on Sunday.

• A great family outing that includes fresh air and fantastic bird watching is a trip to the George C. Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Delta. Open from 9a to 4p daily, with no pets or bicycles allowed!

• Attending musicals at Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS as it’s known by locals),  in Stanley Park has been a Vancouver summertime tradition since 1940!  With BEST PRICED tickets starting at only $29, this year delivers something new with all seats being reserved. Call ahead, go online or simply show up and take a chance on getting in.

• 

  23rd Annual Caribbean Festival in North Vancouver

• Shake your booty by the sea in the beautiful seaside community of Ambleside in West Vancouver.  Every Thursday through to August 26^th from 6:30p to 8:30p, for only $6 per person, grab a partner and enjoy learning the Latin rhythm of dancing on the plaza of the Ferry building.

• More shaking and swaying takes place in North Vancouver’s Waterfront Park for the 23^rd Annual Carribean Days Festival. From 10am to 7p on July 24 and July 25 celebrate the vibrant food, dancing, music and culture from Jamaica, Haiti, Barbados and more.  Don’t miss the colourful parade on Saturday morning at 10am as this fantastic free event will draw close to 50,000 people over the two days.

• Strong in the belief that ‘we are children of the same God’ in that friends, parents and children from different backgrounds can come together to form a ‘family’ of support for others who suffer in the often harsh environment of daily reality, check out Sunday July 25^th at the Centennial Theatre in North Vancouver. A concert and lunch is raising funds for “Saving the Lives of Abandoned Children of Pakistan’ under the direction of the Karim Family of the North Shore.

• Hit the chocolate culinary trail with a visit to Victoria (the incredible Rogers Chocolates have been a locals favourite since 1885!) to up island and Tofino for Clayoquot Blackberry Buttercream chocolates from Chocolate Tofino.

• Master Sand Sculptors travel from all corners of the globe to compete in the Quality Foods Canadian Open Sand Sculpting Competition in Parksville from July 16 to August 15, 2010.  Great hotel rates and a prime seat on the sand are waiting for you!  Entry to the exhibition is by donation with a minimum suggested donation of $2 per person.

• Get up close to the Legacy of the 2010 Winter Games with Whistler Eco Tours. Take the four hour interpretive tour of the Whistler Sliding Centre and Whistler Olympic/Paralympic Park to view the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton event site and the 70 and 90-metre ski jumps.

• Princess Louisa Marine Provincial/Chatter Box Falls, Sunshine Coast has been voted the “most scenic natural anchorage” in the world. Accessible by boat or floatplane, this 65-hectare park offers a granite-walled gorge and an abundance of waterfalls, the most impressive being Chatter Box Falls which plunges 45 metres at the head of the inlet.

• Linger over these fantastic lazy, hazy days of summer aboard a house boat rental from Twin Anchors Houseboat Vacations in Sicamous.  Shuswap and Mara Lakes are house boating paradise and only four hours from Vancouver!

• Sun Peaks Resort is fabulous in the winter but it is really special in summer too.  Alpine Meadow hikes and horseback riding, to simply lying by a pool and staring at the clouds. It’s a great getaway for a weekend or mid-week break.

• Salmon Arm is filled with early history of British Columbia.  Visit the R J Haney Museum & Heritage Park for a fun afternoon learning about natural history as well as the early days of Salmon Arm.

• A must see from now to September 6^th is the newly opened Klahowya Village and Spirit  Catcher Miniature Train in Stanley Park, Vancouver. An authentic First Nations experience like you’ve never seen.  Open 9:30a to 5:30p daily. www.aboriginalbc.com/KlahowyaVillage

• 

  Vancouver Aquarium Touching Pools

  Vancouver’s world class Aquarium has loads of family fun with Sponge Bob Squarepants 4D running every morning at 9:30a. Stay on to visit some of his underwater pals in the touch-stations.  www.visitvanaqua.org/events/sponge-bob-4d

• Head to the Cariboo for high tech treasure hunting with their new geocaching of Chasing the Golden Butterfly along the Gold Rush Trail.  Launch is July 14 in Barkerville.  www.barkerville.ca/special_events.htm

• 

  3rd Annual Wine & Food Festival at Sun Peaks Resort

  Summertime and the sipping is easy, especially at the 3^rd annual Wine & Cultural Festival at Sun Peaks Resort, July 16 – 18. Symphonies, sunshine and culinary spectacles await. www.sunpeaksresort.com/activities/events/event.aspx?c=1&e=1085

• Whistler is a magical place for a family getaway so check out the Whistler Children’s Art Festival at Whistler Creekside on July 17 & 18. Special hotel packages at www.tourismwhistler.com and event info at www.whistlerartscouncil.com

• The weather is mighty fine and so is the golf in the Kootenay Rockies region of BC.  From steaming natural hot springs overlooking mountain ranges and winding river valleys, this is the Kootenays golf experience. www.hellobc.com/en-CA/RegionsCities/KootenayRockies.htm

• 

  Duck Creek Farm on Salt Spring Island

  BC’s wild east coast of Vancouver Island has some of the world’s best surfing in Tofino.  Getting there is half the fun on a Tofino Air floatplane as it takes you over pristine beaches, old growth forests and towering glaciers.  www.tofinoair.ca

• Onboard the Swan Spirit explore Desolation Sound , Savary Island, The Copeland Islands and more.  Departs from the historical Lund Hotel on the Sunshine Coast. Departure schedule is online at www.lundhotel.com

• Visit Canada’s best-loved outdoor Farmers Market on Salt Spring Island. Running every Saturday to the end of October from 8a-4p, rain or shine, this market is so special as everything must be made locally…everything!  www.saltspringmarket.com

• 

  Lonsdale Quay Summerfest 2010

  Summerfest at Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver is a community-based, free event running through to September 5^th. Shop for the freshest, local fruit and produce, take in the entertainment and bring the kids! www.lonsdalequay.com

This package also includes a massage for two and a special dinner for two at one of Vancouver’s top restaurants, Coast!  Total value of this outstanding package is $900, based on double occupancy.  Enjoy!

Special thanks to our partners, St. Regis Hotel and Coast Restaurant

www.stregishotel.com and www.coastrestaurant.com

Opening November ‘09/Courtesy Fernie Ski Resort

This is what we live for on the west coast of Canada – the arrival of snow on our spectacular mountains!  From the Kootenay Rockies – Fernie and Panorama, to the backyard of Vancouver at Cypress, Grouse and Seymour Mountains.  It’s all here for the novice to extreme skiers and boarders.   Passionate snow seekers dream of the white stuff falling as soon as summer ends… praying to the snow Gods for snow from November till late spring. And fall it has, so much so that most of the province’s ski resorts  opened this past weekend.

One of the province’s all time favourites is Sun Peaks Resort located 45 minutes outside of Kamloops.  It’s a family-friendly setting boasting accommodations, dining and outstanding skiing and outdoor adventure tailored for kids of all ages.

Bet You Didn’t Know

Family Ski at Sun Peaks Resort - Courtesy Adam Stein

Boasting 3,678 acres on three mountains including Tod, Sundance and Mt. Morrisey, Sun Peaks Resort offers 117 runs with every chairlift providing access to blue, green and black diamond runs. Uplift with your family and friends, then split up and choose a trail that suits your ability level.  Most trails lead right to the village, so it’s super easy to hook up with everyone throughout the day.

The Resort delivers some neat features including  “The Kids Ranch” -  an animated theme park with dedicated terrain for kids 3-12 years old.  For your teenagers there’s  great skiing, snow boarding, and the coolest hit …snow-biking.

If you don’t have all the gear for your winter getaway, don’t worry.  Guest Services Staff are super supportive and knowledgeable ensuring you are on the slopes in what seems to be

Nancy Greene Raine - Courtesy Sun Peaks Resort/Paul Morrison

simply a matter of minutes.  And yes, the ever hospitable Nancy Greene, BC’s own Olympic Gold Medalist calls Sun Peaks Resort home.  She skis with resort guests twice daily depending on her travel schedule, so be sure to ask if she’s in town during your visit.

Stay at the ‘mountain chic’ Delta Sun Peaks and experience their special brand of hospitality. From check-in to the ever popular kid-friendly menus (grilled cheese and hot dogs with hot chocolate!), and après-ski spa treatments for mom and dad, this is a resort hotel the entire family will enjoy.  Check out more accommodation listings on the Sun Peaks web site. There are numerous condos and chalets that welcome families with kids of all ages. Visit www.sunpeaksresort.com, or call toll free at 1.800.807.3257

With a title like that, people assume an abundance of outdoor and indoor recreational opportunities await.

And it’s true.

The city’s vast, rugged landscape provides the perfect setting for those looking to explore by going hiking, mountain biking and wildlife viewing.

Plus, world-class venues host teams from all over the world, making the vibrancy of the city readily apparent.

In this valuable resource we call the Kamloops Vacation Guide 2008, you’ll find exciting and unique-to-Kamloops ways to discover the area.

With more than 2,000 hours of sunshine annually, you’ll want to get outdoors to enjoy the beautiful weather – and you don’t need to be a high-calibre athlete to do so.

Fast-paced and thrilling adventure exists for those with a desire to burn some energy. Explore the endless network of single-track trails on a mountain bike or plunge down the rapids while whitewater rafting.

Slow things down by hiking in the sagebrush-dotted hills, golfing on any of the 13 championship courses or a refreshing visit to one of the numerous city pools.

For more of a leisurely paced adventure, check out the downtown core. With its cobblestone sidewalks, restored heritage buildings and grand shade trees, the downtown offers an exciting ambiance for all.

The streets are lined with sidewalk cafes and eclectic restaurants and events are plentiful.

Take in the Farmers’ Market, the Hot Nite in the City car show, Music in the Park, Bizarre Bazaar and other exciting festivals and events.

Elsewhere in this publication, learn about the history of Kamloops and the region.

Experience that history for yourself by riding the rails behind a restored steam locomotive, marvelling at the

lively Kamloopa Pow Wow, exploring Historic Hat Creek Ranch.

Or, lace up your running shoes and go on a walking tour of historic heritage homes.

Whether you are a longtime resident or a first-time visitor, keep this guide as your personal road map for exploring Kamloops and the area.

We invite you to let loose and just play!;

Kamloops is the third-largest city in the Interior of British Columbia, home to 84,000 residents.

Accessible by three major B.C. highways, the city is among the warmest in Canada and boasts world-class sporting facilities and recreational experiences.

The city is affordable and visitors and residents can enjoy some inexpensive getaways, such as golf or skiing from about $89 per day.

Here are some reasons to enjoy Kamloops:

- Warmest summers: Average temperature of 27.2 C from June to August.

- Most parks: The area is home to 84 parks – the most in B.C.

Kamloops’ mild, dry four-season climate means visitors can enjoy summer and winter activities.

The Tournament Capital gets 2,000 hours of sunshine per year and only 270 millimetres of rain.

The average snowfall is 86 centimetres (33.86 inches) in the city area and up to 559 centimetres (17 feet) at nearby Sun Peaks, Canada’s third-largest ski resort.

Usually, the city ranks No. 1 in Canada for hottest summers, No. 2 for warmest springs, driest city and most sunny days in warm months, 11th for warmest year-round, 13th for mildest winter and 14th for most sunny days.

Central location

Kamloops is located in the heart of British Columbia’s Interior and is accessible by train, plane or automobile.

From Kamloops, it is a 3.5-hour drive to Vancouver, six hours to Calgary and eight hours to Edmonton.

Air Canada Jazz provides year-round flight service to Vancouver, Calgary and points within B.C.

The Rocky Mountaineer Railtour and VIA Rail trains make stops in the city.

Meetings/conventions

Kamloops is becoming a choice destination for organizations holding major conferences.

The city offers 16 convention facilities, ranging in size from 816 square feet to more than 48,000 square feet. There are also five major destination resorts in the Kamloops area and 10 other hotels with meeting facilities.

Tournament Capital of Canada

True to its moniker of Tournament Capital of Canada, visitors and residents can find a tournament every weekend in Kamloops.

This year, the city will host 98 tournaments, including the provincial soccer finals, the Canadian Masters Trand and Field Championships, the U15 Boys and Girls National Basketball tournament and the Lifesaving Society’s provincial lifeguard championships.

Some of the facilities the city has built include a 35,000-square-foot fieldhouse complete with indoor running track, an Olympic-sized hockey rink, championship soccer stadium with 500 seats, a soccer facility for tournaments, 12 baseball diamonds and a 1,500-seat baseball park.

It’s expected to take five years to fully complete but, when it’s done, Sedric’s Adventure Resort and Theme Park will sprawl 45 acres on the south side of Highway 5, across from Sun Rivers, and will employ about 1,500 people.

The first phase is a 12-acre water park – the largest in Canada and the eighth-largest in North America – that will have capacity for 8,000 people per day, boasting wave pools, thrill rides, tube rides, lazy river and children’s rides.

“I can’t begin to explain what’s inside this water park,” Doug Wittal of DW Builders told KTW, adding it will be Western-themed and be open by next summer.

“There will be an 80-foot-high tower where the bottom drops out and shoots people through the slides, another that fits eight of your friends on one tube and a swim-up pool bar.”

In addition to the water park, a 130- to 150-room hotel is planned, as well as two 12,000-foot commercial buildings, along with a couple of restaurants.

Capping it off, there will be a convention centre that can seat 1,000 people connected to a 3,000-seat ice arena with private booths and retractable roof, another 300-room hotel, a second 30,000-square-foot water park and 100 two-bedroom suites marketed to international students attending Thompson Rivers University.

“We believe it’s part of what will make Kamloops recession-proof,” Wittal of the project that will be built in phases over the next five years.

“This is just another thing that puts Kamloops on the map and shows why we’re the greatest place to live.”

After looking at other cities – including Kelowna – for the venture, he said the airport expansion and the introduction of WestJet Airlines sealed the deal for it to be built in the River City.

“People are going to be flying into Kamloops just for this – that’s the magnitude,” he said.

“I wanted it to be in Kamloops. I’m very pro-Kamloops and it works with the Tournament Capital theme. It’s huge dollars . . . the economic spinoffs are immense.”

Wittal and local partner Thomas Aubrey from IR Express have financial backing from undisclosed outside investors not affected by the current economic downturn.

During the park’s slide-show presentation, Aubrey was clearly elated, bouncing on his feet with a grin stretching ear to ear.

“Yes. Yes,” Aubrey shouted over the thunderous applause and shouts from the crowd, which included mayor and council, Kamloops Indian Band Chief Shane Gottfriedson and council, MLAs Claude Richmond and Kevin Krueger and MP Cathy Mcleod.

Despite the current economic volatility, now is the perfect storm for Wittal.

“First off, we’re not participating in the recession,” he said. “We build when things are tougher, perceived to be tougher and, when everything is opened, we’ll be through all the turmoil.”

Technically, the development is on KIB land; however, it’s an individual who owns the parcels on which the theme park will rise.

Gottfriedson said he’s pleased with the development, noting it will strengthen the entire regional economy even during times of uncertainty.

“The announcement of this project on a CP holder’s land on our reserve, what this project shows is when you partner with the right people, there is certainty that is provided,” Gottfriedson said, noting it will bring numerous economic opportunities and jobs.

It used to be the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Fraser Valley and Okanagan were the hot spots, but with 10 top-class courses in the area, Kamloops is certainly the place to be.

Some of the world’s most famous golf architects – Robert Trent Jones Sr., Graham Cooke and Robert Heaslip – have designed courses here.

While Tobiano, Talking Rock, Rivershore Golf Estates and The Dunes at Kamloops are considered the top-flight courses, others, such as Sun Rivers, Sun Peaks, Kamloops Golf and Country Club, McArthur Island and Pineridge certainly give them a run for their money.

With prices ranging at about $65 a round, the game is also affordable, especially since greens fees are at least double in the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley.

An added bonus is golfkamloops.com. This is a service that takes the legwork out of booking. This online tee-times service books everything from greens fees to hotels to restaurants.;