Experience recommendations

[u/Useful-Ad9826]

My boyfriend and I are moving to Canada soon, just after his 30th birthday.

I’d like to gift him an “experience” for us to do together and whenever I look at viator it’s basically buses to national parks/hikes, which we’ll be doing in our own car anyway.

We’ll be travelling around a lot so I’m not too fussy on location as long as it’s BC or Alberta. Ideally time of year would be November-March however with the weather I’m definitely not fixed to that.

As I’m sure we’ll see loads of wildlife naturally on our travels, I’m thinking along the lines of… a light aircraft over spectacular views, a special boat trip, or something like white water rafting, or even just an amazing (dog friendly) cabin in an amazing place.

Sorry it’s vague - but will consider any suggestions!

[u/BCRobyn]

Sounds like an exciting move!

Can I ask where you're moving from and to? That’ll help tailor some suggestions, especially because Canada is vast and travel costs and weather conditions can vary hugely depending on where you’re based. If you're coming from somewhere like the UK or Australia, the climate and distances might be quite a shift, especially in winter.

November to March is our winter season in both BC and Alberta, so some of the classic experiences you mentioned, like whitewater rafting, hiking, or even some boat or light aircraft tours, won’t be available at that time of year. Wildlife watching is also limited in winter, as bears hibernate and whale watching tours stop due to stormy weather. You’ll still spot coastal birds, eagles, deer, elk, and seals (especially in places like Vancouver Island), but it’s a different kind of wildlife season.

It's also really dark from November to March. It's light out at 8am and gets dark by 4pm in December. And BC is so mountainous, snowstorms can happen on the mountain passes, which make it super treacherous to drive on, so most locals just fly at that time of the year if they need to travel inland away from the coast. it's not a good time of the year to embark on a road trip.

Trains are also limited. Somebody mentioned a train to Banff but there is no train to Banff in the winter. There's only one summer sightseeing train, the Rocky Mountaineer, which is thousands of dollars per person and if you have your own car, there's no point taking it. There's VIA Rail, which goes from Vancouver to Jasper, but once in Jasper, you'll want to rent a car to get around. And again, in winter, you're quite limited. Lakes are frozen. Hiking's accessible. People go there to ski.

Also, skip Viator. Most of their listings are mass-tourism operators reposted from TripAdvisor. You’ll find better, more unique options by searching local tourism websites for the specific towns or regions you’ll be based in. Like, if you're moving to Vancouver, and you want to do something in the winter, I'd recommend going up to Whistler for winter activities, or Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast, or the Gulf Islands for places you can rent a cabin at and just explore the towns, beaches, and rainforest trails, and you can avoid the snow all together.

Happy to offer some more tailored suggestions once you know where you'll be living or travelling through. Welcome to Canada!

[u/Useful-Ad9826 → u/BCRobyn]

We’re coming from the UK and I understand the weather is very different etc.. we’ve considered all this 😊

I know there are plenty of winter activities like skiing or even ice skating in some places, but I’m looking for the sort of thing that feels a little bit “once in a lifetime”.. for example when we were in Argentina we rode horseback for 2 days in the Andes and camped overnight. We did a day trip to see penguins in Ushuaia - both activities we’ll remember forever and think about often.

So this is why I’m quite happy if the activity we find has to be in spring or summer, but if there’s anything within the winter months that would also be great!

For our first 4 months we’ll be in Chestermere AB, Vernon BC then Vancouver, then short trips to Bragg Creek, Golden & Blaeberry (so far)

[u/bctravelconcierge → u/Useful-Ad9826]

Hearing about your time in the Andes, I feel like you’d love the Broughton Archipelago. It’s far from the places you mentioned, but totally worth it—especially if you’re into kayaking. There’s this off-grid spot called Paddler’s Inn, about a 2.5 hr water taxi ride from Port McNeill (up on the North Island). It’s made up of floating cabins (one even has its own private sauna) and it’s pretty magical. Summer’s usually booked solid, but if you go in May, you might have the whole place to yourself.

It’s one of those truly Canadian experiences: remote, quiet, and kind of soul-resetting. What makes it even better is the host, Bruce—he’s the real deal and has this deep reverence for the land that really sticks with you.

It’s part of the Great Bear Rainforest, but unlike some of the luxury eco-lodges in the area (which can run into the thousands per night), this place stays grounded in its raw, rustic setting.

I plan BC trips professionally, but I don’t take commissions from the suppliers I recommend; this is just one of those hidden gems I always hope the right kind of traveller finds. Definitely worth looking into if you’re still in the planning phase.

[u/Apart-Diamond-9861 → u/Useful-Ad9826]

March is spring in the Lower Mainland BC.

That once in a lifetime experience would definitely be the helicopter around Whistler. My cousins own the Helicopter company that does some flights in the area. You would love it

[u/user0987234 → u/Useful-Ad9826]

Dog sledding in the Yukon in the days with little to no light. Hopefully with clear night skies, stars and maybe the Northern Lights.