[trip style = active & adventure + staycation]
When the sun finally started shining along the Pacific Coast at the beginning of August, it felt like there was a unanimous sigh of relief, followed by a ton of hasty vacation requests and last-minute summer bookings. We were all getting questionable weather, apparently as far south as San Francisco when Virgin America tweeted about the lack of any summer at SFO. Alas, after a month of cheering and chanting, the sun made an encore, the kind concert goers dream of.
My response to our sudden summer was to spend as many weekends as I could enjoying the breezy West Coast warmth up at Whistler, until I got distracted by the lure of fresh-picked veggies, peaks that escalate as far as heaven and a roaring waterfall still gushing remnants of last winter's record-breaking snowfall. All of this was 30 minutes away in Pemberton, a small village with epic landscapes.
Similar to Pemberton Distillery's award-winning sipping vodka, here's a taster to wet your whistlerwhistle:
Nairn Falls
A campground, hiking trail, river and waterfall are all bundled into this 170-hectare highway-side nature fiesta. Whether you stop here for the 1.5km easy-breezy waterfall hike or just to use the loo, this provincial park offers a quick slice of BC paradise.
North Arm Farm
If North Arm Farm was a book, I'd tell you to judge it by its cover. Once you step out of its concrete-floored shop selling fresh-cut flowers, organic fruits and veggies, baked goods and picnic lunches, you discover 60 acres of working farmland. The u-pick strawberries, raspberries and blueberries only add to its haycation allure. Just plug your nose when pass through the open-air barn, its rustic beauty makes up for the potent aroma of hundreds of drying garlic cloves hanging from the rafters, but again, it's a working farm and this is part of its charm.
One Mile Lake
Welcoming you into Pemberton's town centre with a whisper, this tranquil lake's glassy waters and wooden boardwalk pull you in. It's the kind of place that shouts "please picnic here." Grabbing a coffee at the nearby Mount Currie Coffee Co I noticed a poster for stand up paddle board {SUP} yoga at the lake, the perfect setting for such a balancing act {note to self, wear bathing suit underneath yoga wear}. Swim, rent a SUP or walk its circumference---based on the name, you won't be walking for too long.
Whether you're visiting Whistler or live in Vancouver and crave a trip style = staycation that will temporarily whisk you away from hum drum of the city, Pemberton's clean air {that I swear could be bottled and sold}, smooth vodka {that is bottled and sold} and lakeside walks will give you the natural summer high you've been patiently waiting for.
Related Spotlight :: Whistler Live High, Pay Low in Whistler Magic Carpet Ride {River Rafting in BC}
[photos by @tripstyler]