Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

I wanted to write a blog post last night but I want to hold that one off to write about this one instead. The Bruins won the Stanley Cup last night against the Vancouver Canucks, woohoo! On that note, I thought I would do a post about Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Vancouver is on the western coast of Canada and is the third largest metropolitan area in the country. Vancouver has developed in the past several decades to be the third largest film production center in North America after Los Angeles and New York. For this reason, Vancouver has recently been dubbed “Hollywood North.” Officially incorporated in 1886, the city has just celebrated its 125^th anniversary. Although not as interesting as the city of Boston (hahaha), here are some places to check out while in Vancouver.

The H.R. MacMillan Planetarium is an astronomy museum founded in 1968. The museum is named after H.R. MacMillan, a British Columbia industrialist and philanthropist. This is a site to see especially in the summer when the skies are clearer.

The VanDusen Botanical Garden is a public garden in Vancouver and is a place you cannot miss while you’re there. There are multiple exhibits always happening around the year and as you can see: everything is breathtaking! With just a small admission fee, you can browse around the whole garden for as long as you’d like and get lost in the beauty of all the colors you’ll see around you.

If you’re up for a little adventure while in Vancouver, you can choose to go whale watching with the Prince of Whales. This company offers not only whale watching by boat but also flightseeing tours! They will take you up in the air and make a round trip between Vancouver and Victoria. You can watch as massive killer whales, baleen whales and other sea mammals such as seals, sea lions and otters roam around their habitats.

We’ve explored the city of Vancouver in British Columbia. Hope you enjoyed it! Now may not be such a good time to visit because it’s probably a tear-fest over there after the game last night…but it’s still a unique place to enjoy another time. :)

Québec City, Canada

Today we’re going to Québec City, Canada. Although I’ve been to Québec when I was younger, I unfortunately did not get a full experience out of the trip because I went in the middle of an awful, snowy winter. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy all the things to do in this amazing city! Québec is the capital of the Québec Province in Canada and the second largest city after Montréal in the province. The flag of the province also includes the fleur de lis, also the symbol of my sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma! Québec city was founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608 and is one of the oldest cities in North America. It is also the only remaining fortified city in North America north of Mexico, which means that there are walls that surround the entire city. Check out some of these sites to visit the next time you make a trip to Canada!

Château Frontenac is the world’s most photographed hotel for its beauty and lavish architecture. This hotel is hard to miss because it dominates the skyline of Québec City. Once a real palace, the building was restructured as a hotel by architect Bruce Price and William Van Horne, the General Manager of the Canadian Pacific Railway in the late 19^th century. The name was inspired by the French governor, Louis de Buade, Count of Frontenac. Located in the Old Québec district, you’ll love the historic and antique places to check out. There are horse-drawn carriages, street entertainers, singers, and artists. If you like to check out the local art scene, the Rue du Trésor offers an open-air art gallery for all the aspiring artists to flaunt their talents.

If you are feeling up for a challenge and are planning a winter trip to Québec, then you should most definitely visit the Ice Hotel. This is an experience that you just cannot miss out on while you’re there! Otherwise the hotel will literally melt away in the spring. The Hôtel de Glace, first built in 2001, is constructed every year to last for four months. It is made of 15,000 tons of snow and 500,000 tons of ice! You can have a comfortable stay at the hotel while your luggage storage, meals and showers are offered at the Four Points Sheraton Québec. These packages might seem a little pricey, ranging from $400 to $600 per person, but they are so worth it. Some offer dogsledding rides with a shuttle service or a visit to the hotel’s sauna and hot tub, while every package comes with ice cider cocktails in ice flutes. Whether you’re looking for a winter adventure or a romantic getaway, the Hôtel de Glace offers a unique experience you will never forget.

As well as these awesome places to visit, there are plenty of places in Québec if you want to grab a bite to eat. The Restaurant Le Patriarche, which is also located in Old Québec, is famous for its French and Canadian cuisine. It offers courses made from local farm products that are simply to die for. However, if you’re looking around on a budget, you should try out the most famous and highest rated restaurant in town called Casa Calzone. This Italian restaurant is conveniently located right downtown and offers mouthwatering calzones that visitors and locals cannot resist. So plan a trip to Québec City the next time you are looking for a cool getaway!