With its slogan, “Super, Natural, British Columbia,” Canada’s western-most province is famous for rugged coastlines, forested mountains and abundant wildlife. One way to experience BC’s great outdoors is to stay at an all-inclusive resort where you know all meals and activities are covered from the moment you arrive. Whether you prefer to escape to the wilderness, ride horses on a ranch, relax on an island or seek adrenalin-pumping adventures, you'll find an all-inclusive spot to suit your taste in western Canada.
British Columbia has more than 1,000 protected areas and parks, which allow wildlife to flourish and provide opportunities for spotting bears, moose, whales and a variety of bird life. You'll find several all-inclusive resorts in these wilderness areas, offering the chance to get away from it all and be at-one with Mother Nature.
Options include luxurious camping at the Clayoquot Wilderness Resort in a remote area on Vancouver Island, fishing at the Elysia Resort on the shore of Quesnel Lake in central BC or escaping to the mountains at the Gak Resort in the east part of the province.
British Columbia has a rich ranching history. Beef farmers settled in the Cariboo and Chilcotin regions in the second half of the 1800s, drawn by the dry grasslands and the gold prospectors’ need for food. The area is now becoming known for its guest ranches with some of them offering all-inclusive options.
Siwash Lake Ranch in the Cariboo Region, Elkin Creek Guest Ranch in the Chilcotin and Three Bars Ranch in the BC Rockies all include meals and horseback riding in their packages.
Among British Columbia’s spectacular features are its almost 16,000 miles of coastline and nearly 28,000 marine islands. Most of the islands are uninhabited. Those that are populated are known for their laid-back lifestyle and for running on island time. Get a taste of the relaxed feel at one of the all-inclusive island resorts, where you can get out to enjoy the coastal scenery or just lie back and rest.
At the Sonora Resort, on Sonora Island, you can whale or bear-watch or stay inside for a relaxing massage. Other options include the luxury tented Solstua West resort on Rendezvous Island, where you can kayak or linger over a gourmet meal, and Dent Island Lodge, where you can hike or fish, or just curl up with a book by the fireplace in your ocean-view cabin.
With its relatively mild climate and varied landscape of mountains, ocean, lakes and forests, British Columbia is a magnet for outdoor adventurers. The terrain lends itself to the adrenalin rush of zodiac boat rides, rock climbing and white-water rafting. Several all-inclusive resorts offer these extreme adventures to guests looking to leave the city far behind.
You can be helicoptered to remote fishing spots at the Nimmo Bay Wilderness Resort in the Great Bear Rainforest, take a zodiac trip to rapids at the West Coast Wilderness Lodge in Egmont or go on a white-knuckle, white-water rafting adventure at REO Rafting Resort on the Nahatlatch River.
