Learning and Community

When you're talking handmade, you can't get more hands-on than the artisans I met in Cranbrook who hail from India, Northern China, Marysville, Fort McMurray and the East Kootenays. They all have one thing in common: They saw a need in their community, so they decided to hone their skills and meet it.

Even if you are good at balancing your busy schedule and finding zen in everyday life, sometimes we all just need that well deserved time off to relax and recharge. Here are the top 3 places to find your Zen in the Canadian Rockies.

The Toronto Raptors have caused quite the stir in the NBA finals, but did you know that Alberta is home to over 60 different types of dinosaurs?

The arts are the heartbeat of Port Alberni, from historic and meaningful cultural masterpieces to creative and social events. You can visit, explore, and shop over 80 artists at 15 venues during the Solstice Arts Festival in Port Alberni.

Kelowna, B.C. – Nearly a century ago, a new rail line connected Kelowna’s goods to the rest of the country. Today it connects communities along the Okanagan Valley on a scenic non-motorized trail. 

Oliver, B.C. – The presence of some 400 farms clustered around Oliver, B.C. have earned this South Okanagan community the title of “Wine Capital of Canada.” 

But, in addition to grapes, Oliver is also cultivating community through a unique local Christian non-profit. It’s not only Oliver’s wines that are being shipped around the world, but soup as well. 

Summerland, B.C. – It seems that everyone you meet in Summerland, in B.C.'s South Okanagan, is a historian.  

Sometimes the best destinations to explore can be found in unlikely places. While both the wilds of the backcountry and the thrill of big cities each carry their charm, sometimes you crave visiting a place that feels familiar and new at the same time.

It’s hard to pick just five great attractions in a city made for exploring. For too long, Lethbridge has been seen as a “drive through” city, but in recent years, it has confidently put itself on the map as a destination in its own right.

Experiencing history has never felt so hands-on and as adventurous as it does in Cranbrook, B.C. After a short, smooth and scenic flight with Pacific Coastal Air, we landed in a new kind of paradise, and eager to explore the history of the southern Rockies region, we wasted no time.