On Whistler’s Blackcomb Mountain, ski-movie star Seth Morrison launches out of a half-pipe and into the “mute grab” maneuver. Photograph by Gail Mooney

In the September issue of TRAVELER we feature Vancouver, a dynamic city in British Columbia. Here, read our picks for the top five day trips within 100 miles (161 kilometers) of Vancouver.

Whistler
In this resort town 75 miles (121 kilometers) from Vancouver lies the renowned Whistler Resort, www.tourismwhistler.com, and some of North America’s best skiing. The mighty Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains, www.whistler-blackcomb.com, offer 7,071 acres (2,862 hectares) of skiable terrain with five mountain bases, 12 bowls, three glaciers, and 220 marked trails built for all levels of experience.

Or meander through the mountain-bottom Whistler Village where you’ll find enticing shops, galleries, restaurants, lounges, and nightclubs. Stop along the way at the Whistler Museum, www.whistlerweb.net/library/Museum.htm, for a taste of Whistler Valley’s past from a collection that includes over 5,000 photographs. Getting There: Greyhound, www.greyhound.ca or BC Rail, www.bcrail.com

Harrison Hot Springs
These trickling springs, which flow on the property of the Harrison Resort, www.harrisonresort.com, are located a hundred miles (161 kilometers) from downtown Vancouver. Stay to take a dip in the resort’s public mineral pool (other activities are limited to resort guests), windsurf or kayak on Harrison Lake, or visit attractions nearby.

Traveling with family? Head to nearby Dino Town, www.dinotown.com, or the Trans-Canada Waterslides, waterslides.chwk.com. For miles of walking and hiking, explore one of the area’s parks, which include Sasquatch Provincial Park and Kilby Provincial Park, www.bcadventure.com/adventure/explore/vancouver/parks, or Minter Gardens, www.minter.org, a floral showcase. Getting There: Super Shuttle, +1 604 594 3333

Nanaimo
Two museums in Nanaimo—Vancouver Island’s second largest city, located 31 miles (50 kilometers) from downtown Vancouver-are of particular interest. View artifacts reminiscent of Nanaimo’s early coal mining trade and First Nation aboriginal peoples at the Nanaimo District Museum, www.nanaimo.museum.bc.ca/ndm. Or take a guided tour through the Bastion, www.nanaimo.museum.bc.ca/ndm/bastion.html, a white, octagonal tower built in the 1850s as a defense arsenal to protect the Hudson’s Bay Company’s outpost. During summer months, visitors to The Bastion can observe a noon canon-firing ceremony.

Up for outdoor exploring? Take the Harbourside Walkway, www.tourism.nanaimo.bc.ca/sights.html, a 2.5-mile (4-kilometer) walk that begins at the central boat basin and winds past the Maffeo Sutton Park, www.city.nanaimo.bc.ca/admin/prc/cpark/swy/swy.html, a man-made saltwater lagoon with a fishing pier and a playground. Then take the short ferry ride to historic Newcastle Island Provincial Park, www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/newcastl.htm, to see coal-mining relics, stone quarries, and sandy beaches. Getting There: BC Ferries, www.bcferries.com

Gulf Islands
The Gulf Islands are located in the Strait of Georgia near Vancouver and Seattle, Washington. The major southern islands located 10 to 15 miles (16 to 24 kilometers) from downtown Vancouver are Salt Spring, Gabriola, Mayne, Galiano, Saturna, and the adjoining Penders, www.islands.bc.ca. Getting There: BC Ferries, www.bcferries.com or float plane charters, www.bcadventure.com/adventure/planner/airtrans2.htm

Where to go for art? The liveliest of the islands, Salt Spring Island, www.saltspringisland.bc.ca, offers several outlets for creative browsing, including the Coastal Currents Gallery, where works masterminded by local artisans are highlighted. Or take a walking art tour on Gabriola Island, www.gabriolaisland.org, known as “the isle of the arts,” to peruse a collection of galleries and studios grouped within a 1.5-mile (2.4-kilometer) radius.

Looking for scenic pathways? Wander through historic buildings on Mayne Island, www.mayneisland.com, constructed during the gold rush days. (Take a break at Springwater, the oldest pub in British Columbia.) For optimal sightings of area wildlife, meander over rural Saturna Island, www.mayneisland.com. Or hike on the Pender Islands, www.penderislands.org, known for diverse trails, including the popular Enchanted Forest on South Pender.

Where to soul search? Galiano Island, www.galianoisland.com, boasts many New Age meditation centers and retreats. Mount Galiano Eagle’s Nest, www.cedarplace.com/retreat, for example, offers afternoon workshops for day-trippers. Or consider partaking in some guided meditation in the woods at Crystal Mountain Retreat Center, www.crystalmountain.org, where instruction is given during group and individual sessions.

Sunshine Coast
Hop on a ferry at Horseshoe Bay in Vancouver to Langdale, located 23 miles (37 kilometers) from downtown in the lower coast. Up for a scenic drive? Follow this route: From Gibsons, www.gibsonschamber.com, an artists and writers community where the Canadian television show The Beachcombers was filmed, drive to Sechelt, www.thesunshinecoast.com/secheltchamber, home to some of North America’s best diving spots. Continue on to Pender Harbour, www.bigpacific.com/about/penderharbour.html, known for its Skookumchuck Rapids, one of the west coast’s largest saltwater rapids.

Or spend the afternoon enjoying this narrow strip of land separated from British Columbia’s mainland by the coastal mountains for what it really is: a mecca for outdoor enthusiasts. Partake in any number of excursions—biking, hiking, kayaking, cruising, windsurfing, diving, and more, www.bigpacific.com/whattodo/excursions.html. Just as plentiful are the outfitters willing to guide you. Getting There: BC ferries, www.bcferries.com, or Malaspina Coach Lines, +1 877 227 8287

—Heather Morgan

Heather Morgan is a TRAVELER associate researcher and online editor.