British Columbia

This province has the wettest climate in Canada, but it also contains areas that are the driest in the country. It contains the warmest area in Canada, as well as the coldest areas. While most of the province is covered with dense forest, British Columbia also has an area that exhibits desert-like conditions.

British Columbia's earliest European explorers came from Great Britain, though Spain briefly claimed the area in the 18th century. The American government also tried to claim the Canadian West Coast in the middle of the 19th century.

Vancouver

Canada's third-largest city, a three-hour drive north of Seattle, is a cosmopolitan and sophisticated place. Those who live here boast that they can ski and sail on the same day. Vancouver also has nine miles of public beaches, more than 20 golf courses, nearly 200 tennis courts, and nearly 250 baseball and soccer fields. Visitors may want to get a sense of the city by taking an elevator up to the Observation Deck at the top of the 40-story Harbor Center. From there, one can easily see Gastown, the original heart of the city that has been restored as a tourist area, and Chinatown, Vancouver's thriving active Chinese community. Within easy walking distance of downtown is Stanley Park, a 1,000-acre rain forest that is the largest urban park in North America. The park has miles of walkways, sports fields, and is home to the Stanley Park Zoo. Those who want to get a taste of native Canadian culture can visit the Museum of Anthropology on the campus of the University of British Columbia. The facility's collection includes many totem poles.

Vancouver Island and the City of Victoria

Vancouver Island, 280 miles long, is North America's largest Pacific island. The island's trout-filled lakes and forests of fir and cedar make it a delightful getaway for those who want to hike, hunt, fish, or camp. At the southern end of the island is the provincial capital of Victoria, is said to be the most British city in Canada. Visitors can easily explore the small city's cobblestone streets and brick sidewalks on foot. Some of the highlights of a tour might include a visit to the Pacific Undersea Gardens, a natural aquarium that features the world's only undersea theater, and Thunderbird Park, with its native longhouse and extraordinary collection of totem poles. The Royal London Wax Museum contains nearly 200 life-sized figures. In Victoria's suburb of Esquimalt is a recreation of a Shakespearean-era village, including a thatch-roofed Anne Hathaway cottage.

Northern British Columbia

The adventurous may try a drive on the Alaskan Highway, a 1,500-mile road that starts at Dawson Creek on the Alberta border north of Jasper National Park and ends at Fairbanks, Alaska. The highway, built in less than a year during World War II by Canada and the United States Army, is one of the world's most exciting driving adventures. At its highest point, the road reaches more than 4,000 feet above sea level.