25 reasons why British Columbia is awesome

This is, without a doubt, a list that could stretch on for the rest of eternity. I say that with out a speck of bias. British Columbia doesn't, objectively, need a PR department, one has only to spend a few days here, especially if you're traveling around and seeing its stunning natural beauty to realize that there is something incredibly special about Canada's most westerly province.

Tomorrow is the August Civic holiday, also known as the August Long Weekend, the only official holiday that most Canadians get between Canada Day at the start of July and Labour Day on the first Monday is August. Here in British Columbia, it's also referred to as BC Day sometimes.

It is something of a midway point in the season, too, and as a child I remember that it always instilled a wave of panic in me, because I knew that school would be back in session in about five weeks. Not that I dreaded school, quite the contrary, but like most kids, I loved summer vacation even more and wasn't keen to see it end.



{The August long weekend, a time of fun, connecting with nature, great barbeques, and heading to the beach, if you live near one. It's basically the breather we all need in the middle of the summer to kick back, let lose and celebrate a lot of what makes summer so spectacular!}


This holiday is akin to what is commonly referred to as a bank holiday in Europe and does not have strong historical ties to any particular event or public figure. Interestingly, and rather unfortunately for those who live there, it is not even observed uniformly across the nation (Quebec, Newfoundland, and the Yukon don't formally observe it and some of the other provinces don't currently recognize it as a statutory holiday). Thankfully here in British Columbia we not only observe it, but it's a stat, which means that we get a day off from work and believe me, we put it to good use!

As you guys know, I'm flat out wild about my country and will talk about Canada until the cows, err, I mean, moose and bears, come home! Today, in celebration of the August Civic Holiday tomorrow and that fact that there are few times that can revival August when it comes to the sweeping beauty of my home province, I thought it would be tons of fun to share some fascinating facts about British Columbia here with all of you.

This is by no means an extensive list, but it touches on many of the many reasons why I absolutely love this corner of Canada, as well as some of the things that help it stand out from its other provincial and territorial peers.

So sit back, grab your favourite summer beverage (it is a holiday weekend after all) and join me on this fun, fast paced look at 25 reasons why British Columbia is awesome!!!

1. According to leading authorities such as the United Nations, we have some of the most livable towns in the whole world

2. We have a fantastic living Victorian era gold rush ghost town called Barkerville (where I had my first "grownup" job in my teens, as a waitress)

3. There are hundreds upon hundreds of lakes and rivers in BC, making for some of the best fishing to be had anywhere in the world

4. Our official provincial animal is the ultra rare Spirit Bear, which is only found in BC!

5. British Columbia accounts for approx. 10% of Canada's total land mass size

6. We have some of the best ski hills in the world (they didn't host the 2010 winter Olympics here for nothing!)

7. The (huge!) Trans-Canada Highway starts in Victoria, BC and stretches out across all ten provinces

8. The first, and oldest, Chinatown in Canada is located in Victoria (only San Francisco's is older in North America)

9. BC has the closest thing anywhere in Canada to a desert, and it's located right here in the Okanagan Valley, where we live

10. This province has produced a lot of great artists, performers, musicians, scientists, and other seriously talents folks, ranging from Michael Bublé to David Suzuki to Emily Carr

11. Canada's tallest waterfall, Della Falls, resides in Strathcona Provincial Park on Vancouver Island

12. We have some unbelievably gorgeous sunrises and sunsets

13. BC has a high number of annual Sasquatch sightings/encounters

14. The vast amount of stunningly beautiful, highly diverse wilderness makes it an outdoor enthusiast, camper, nature lover, or photographer's paradise!

15. There is plenty of world class surfing to be had here on the Pacific Ocean, especially in Tofino on Vancouver Island

16. We're the birthplace of the fabulously delicious Nanaimo bar!

17. Vancouver (and its surrounding area) is nicknamed Hollywood North, with many world famous movies and TV series being shot here each year (X-Files being one of the best known)

18. Orca whales!!!

19. We're an extremely tourist friendly province, which is great as BC begs to be explored from tip-to-tip and side-to-side

20. You can see the breathtaking Northern Lights from various parts of the province, including - but by no means limited to, the Rocky Mountains

21. We're home to Canada's smallest official town, Greenwood, BC (with a population of around 700 people)

22. BC produces a massive volume of fruit, vegetables, and spirits (particularly wine) each year, with the Lower Mainland and Okanagan Valley both excelling in these kinds of areas in particular

23. The Capilano Suspension Bridge in Vancouver

24. We have the oldest operational movie theatre in Canada, Patricia Theatre, founded in 1913 and still going strong to this day in Powell River

25. A legendary lake monster named the Opogopo is said to inhabit Okanagan Lake, located right here in my own town!

{To learn more about a specific image, please click on it to be taken to its respective source.}

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Now tell me you aren't itching to visit BC? If you do, be sure to shot me a line, if you're headed through the Okanagan, we could certainly try to plan a meet up, such as the one that I had with my lovely online friend, Rachel, last year.

Nearly ever corner of the globe has its charms, its strengths, and is fascinating facts. BC does not have a monopoly on such things in the slightest (nor is it necessarily the only place where you can find each of the things on this list), but it is an incredible province. I've lived in two others (Alberta and Ontario) and visited areas of two further provinces (Saskatchewan and Quebec) so far and while I loved each of them and would highly recommend spending time there to anyone, no other part of our vast nation has yet to grab my soul and heart alike quite like British Columbia.

While I'm quick to cite Calgary, Alberta as my favourite Canadian city, I really do believe that British Columbia will be my favourite province for all time. I was born here and though I've ventured fairly far afield at times (including living in Ireland for a while), I find that something akin to an internal magnet draws me back time and time again.

I've had the good fortunate to reside here again most recently since early 2012 and to welcome my Italian born and raised husband, Tony, into the BC fold for the first time in the process (he'd previously only lived in Ontario when it came to his time in Canada). I could happily live here for the rest of my life and I love knowing that no matter where I go in this vast, amazing world of our, British Columbia will always be home.

And you know, at the end of the day, that is the number one thing that makes BC awesome for me - though of course, the points highlighted here, and scores of others, certainly go a long way there as well!