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Biking in Victoria, British Columbia

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With over 4 million global visitors per year, Victoria British Columbia is one of the most beautiful places you can see in your lifetime. The capital of Canada is widely known as the City of Gardens, but Canadians consider it to also be the Cycling Capital of Canada.

If you’re worried about taking your favorite pro bicycle with you, don’t sweat it. Moving quotes are available to get your bike there safe and sound so you can enjoy your cycling vacation in style. There’s no need to do without when you are out and about. So feel free to bring your bike along to beautiful British Columbia.

To kick off your cycling trip, visit the Galloping Goose Regional Trail. What used to be an old railway line has been transformed into a scenic cycling trail just under 35 miles long. The trails winds gracefully through the wilderness and the city all in one go.

The Botanical Beach, Juan de Fuca Provincial Park provides an expanse to explore and much more with its dazzling coastal placement. The 9.5 mile long trail leads you up and down the coastline. It’s a three hour drive, so strap your bike on the roof and pack a bagged lunch.

The Lochside Regional Trail is built off another old railway and provides a sprawling view of Mount Baker along its 18 mile trail. The winding trail is connected to the Galloping Goose and takes you through wetlands and forested trails as well as grassy fields.

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Activities for Canadian Winters

Panorama of the Whistler Blackcomb resort, the...

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When it comes to winter, there may be no better place to spend it than Canada. It’s no secret that Canadians love their winter season. As a result, there are plenty of activities to keep you busy, whether you’re just visiting for a few days, a week, or if you’re lucky enough to be able to move there. If you’re looking for something fun to do while in Canada, look over the list below and go from there. The possibilities are almost endless!

  • Visit a ski resort. There is no shortage of these throughout Canada. One of the most popular is Whistler Blackcomb, only a couple hours north of Vancouver in British Columbia. Mont-Tremblant is just north of Montreal, and Banff & Lake Louise in Alberta are also popular skiing/snowboarding destinations.
  • Stay a few nights at the Quebec Ice hotel. This is sure to be one unique experience! The entire hotel has the outer appearance of a cathedral and is sculpted entirely from ice—even the furniture and chandeliers! The hotel is built new each year and is open from January to April. Dress appropriately, though. The temperature runs between 23 and 28 degrees Fahrenheit (-2 to -5 degrees Celsius).
  • Skate the length of the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. The canal is five miles long and is a popular skating destination each winter. Visitors and residents use the ice for recreational purposes, but some also use it as a means of transportation. Open when the canal is decidedly frozen, you can rent skates right when you get there!
  • Give snowshoeing a try. This activity was first used as a way of transportation for traders and the like, it’s mostly a recreational activity now. Whether you’re looking for a new way of exploring the terrain or just want a new form of exercise, snowshoeing is definitely worth a try. Many Canadian lodges and ski resorts offer snowshoe rentals at decent prices, and if you’re looking for more than just a day of the activity, take it one step further—heli snowshoeing takes you to remote locations. If you’re not up for that, try a two-day excursion and stay overnight in an igloo.
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Popular Winter Events in Labrador, Canada

A view of the RAF line at CFB Goose Bay, Labra...

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If you’re heading to Canada for a winter getaway, but aren’t sold on the idea of vacationing in the “normal” cities such as Vancouver, Toronto, or Quebec City, give Labrador a chance. Located in the big province of Newfoundland, Labrador, like most of Canada, offers some great scenery. The city also offers considerable amounts of snowfall and cold temperatures, but if you’re a fan of the winter season, Labrador also presents some enjoyable activities.

The Cain’s Quest Snowmobile Race is held every year, typically during the second or third week in March. The race was first held in 2006 and spanned 745 miles (1,200 kilometers) and was an instant hit with Labrador residents and tourists. Cain’s Quest now runs at least 1,553 miles (2,500 kilometers) and participants are from Canada and the United States. If you’re not up to watching the race, you can track participants via the race’s website.

The SnoBreak Winter Festival is also a huge tourist attraction. Held at Happy Valley-Goose Bay over the second week in March, this festival is very family friendly. It includes activities like ice sculpture carving, a GPS-based treasure hunt, A cross-country skiing race known as “The Big Land Loppet,” and a “Family Toboggan party,” which offers numerous family-oriented games, hot dogs, and loads of hot chocolate.

Every three years, the location above hosts the Labrador Winter Games, which typically span the first week in March. In a large celebration of the winter season and sports and the culture of the city of Labrador, people can partake in many different events. These include volleyball tournaments, dog sled, snowmobile, and snowshoe races, hockey, and the Northern Games, a set of four different (and interesting) skill events.

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New Rule in the National Hockey League

The National Hockey League has had to institute a new rule to deal with players giving a blindsided hit on the head during games. A good example of this kind of behavior came during a game where the San Jose Sharks were playing the St. Louis Blues. Sharks’ player Joe Thornton gave a hard shoulder hit to the head of Dave Perron who plays forward for the Blues. This landed him a suspension for two games from referees. Even though he has appealed the judgment, he was turned down.

Players can still give a solid body check to another player without the need to include a headshot. Perron was able to complete the game after being struck, but has been benched for the past 21 games due to a concussion. His Blues teammate, David Backes, does this kind of move all the time without the need for a head-to-head. He is also known as one of hockey’s most aggressive players, with 17 hits up to this point in the season.

There are three criteria that the National Hockey League is concerned with when it comes to this kind of hit. The hit has to be a lateral one, there must be contact with the head and it has to come from the blindside. That is where rule number 48 is coming to play, outlawing this kind of hit on the head. Players seem to be adjusting to the rule well, too at one point even agreeing to suspension for doing this kind of a hit. This happened when Mac Cooke from Pittsburg and Marc Savard from Boston both agreed to a suspension. This shows that despite some negative outbursts from a few, most players are in support of the rule. It will help protect players from concussions and related injuries that could land them on the bench for most of the season.

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