Forgotten Places in my Backyard | Part 1

Local trips have been my jam lately, as I have undertaken two such jaunts in my backyard. What I realized and likely you have too; travel around your home is super enjoyable and makes you appreciate what you have so much more. I want to share with you the details of those adventures such as where I stayed, what I did, and where I ate. That way you can fully plan and make wonderful travel memories near home with a car, particularly if you live in BC. Sound good? Let’s get right to it.

SQUAMISH - THE SEA TO SKY CORRIDOR

My first trip this month was to Squamish, a 1.5-hour to 2-hour drive from Vancouver. If you have never heard of this place, this town is often cast as the middle child, as it is on the way to Whistler, the year-round resort and host of the 2010 Winter Olympic games. Squamish has a lot going for it with a relaxed pace of life, spectacular West Coast scenery, and a trendy and hippie downtown core. This was also my first solo trip at home and the first time I decided to go away for the weekend for the thrill of it. 

EATING

Squamish surprisingly has some awesome places to eat. I never had a bad meal and I definitely would stop here on my way to Whistler and even consider staying here rather than going all the way to Whistler. 

Other than taking a meal up with me for my dinner on the first night, I had the following restaurant rotation:

• Saturday breakfast at Zephyr Cafe (come early!!) This vegan and vegetarian friendly cafe is super colour and hippie looking. It definitely attracts hikers, rock climbers, families and the bohemian.

• Saturday dinner at Saha, a Middle Eastern eatery. I got take out - chicken harissa kebob, baba ganoush and pita bread… Super delicious!

• Sunday breakfast at Sunflower cafe for a croissant and coffee to go! 

EXPLORING

Paradise Valley just outside downtown Squamish.

There are so many scenic gems in Squamish, even the view from the top of the Chief (rock climbing hotspot) is stunning. But the real magic is in Paradise Valley. Nestled along the Chekamus river and 22 km from the centre of Squamish, Paradise Valley is truly a stunning natural wonderland. It is surrounded beautiful woodlands, including a section of the road bordered by moss covered trees on both sides. There is also a campground that boasts affordable stays on its grounds, starting from $35 a night. 

If nature is not your thing (gasp!), but I got you covered with cutesy downtown Squamish. It looks like you have entered the set of a fun 90’s teen drama. Here there are tons of top-notch local restaurants, cafes, and trendy clothing stores. There is also a brewery at the end of the main road, Howe Sound Brewery, a farmers market, and an outdoor stage area for performances during the summer. I was actually impressed and loved the small town, mountain hideaway vibe!  

AIRBNB

Yet, what really got me to Squamish was my choice of accommodation. I picked a weekend stay in a secluded and cozy studio cabin via AirBnB. If you are like me, your choice of where you call ‘home’ while away is super important. The vibe has to be just right. You have to have everything at your finger tips: 

• tons of walking trails, 

• stop on the side of the road to Insta-story worthy scenery, 

• decent wifi, 

• be a short drive away from the amenities and

• private enough to realize how big Canada really is.

I took tons of pictures of the inside of the AirBnB. See some of my snaps below. Stay tuned for part 2 of this series on Parksville, Vancouver Island!