You\u2019ll find great craft beer whether you\u2019re visiting BC\u2019s lush parks and gardens or its lively museums and art galleries. From iconic hotels and lodges to exhilarating bike rides and wildlife experiences, the BC Ale Trail has got you covered with numerous brews to sample all over this Western Canadian province.<\/p>\n
Let\u2019s check out 15 British Columbia attractions that offer craft beer from BC. And remember \u2013 this is just a little taste!<\/p>\n
Note: Some of these attractions do require skill and coordination, so perhaps save the beer for a post-excursion reward, and always drink in moderation.<\/small><\/p>\n Burgeoning with huge western red cedar and Douglas fir trees, Stanley Park<\/a> remains Vancouver<\/a>\u2019s most popular tourist attraction. The iconic 1,000-acre urban park bordering the West End is home to herons, beavers, raccoons, and coyotes.<\/p>\n Whether you\u2019re strolling around Lost Lagoon, admiring the Lions Gate Bridge from Prospect Point, or biking around the 8.9-km Seawall, you\u2019ll naturally work up a thirst. Head to the Stanley Park Pavilion<\/a> or the Prospect Point Bar & Grill<\/a> to throw back Central City<\/a>\u2019s Red Racer IPA or Red Truck Beer Company<\/a>\u2019s Blackberry Bourbon Ale.<\/p>\n The Vancouver Art Gallery<\/a> attracts visitors with world-renowned Emily Carr paintings like Big Raven and Red Cedar and contemporary art exhibitions like Vancouver Special: Disorientations and Echo<\/a>.<\/p>\n The in-house 1931 Gallery Bistro<\/a> serves flavourful brews from Four Winds Brewing<\/a>\u2019s tart Nectarous Sour to Bomber Brewing<\/a>\u2019s heavy-hitting Russian Doll Stout. Afterwards, you can explore the recently refurbished Robson Square and \u0161x\u02b7\u019b\u0313\u0259n\u0259q Xwtl\u2019e7e\u0301nk\u0331 Square, the plaza north of the Vancouver Art Gallery that received a new Indigenous name<\/a> in 2018.<\/p>\n In North Vancouver, the 1889-launched Capilano Suspension Bridge<\/a> offers Indiana Jones-style thrills, including the Treetops Adventure\u2019s viewing platforms perched high in the rainforest and Cliffwalk\u2019s vertiginous views overlooking the Capilano River.<\/p>\n Catch your breath at the Cliff House Restaurant<\/a>, whose beer list ranges from Backcountry Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Widowmaker IPA to Off the Rails Brewing Co.<\/a>\u2019s Czechmate Pilsner.<\/p>\n Just up the road from the Capilano Suspension Bridge, Grouse Mountain<\/a> offers an awesome athletic challenge with the Grouse Grind, a steep 2.9-km climb that takes most hikers an hour and a half.<\/p>\n Even if you opt to ride the Skyride aerial tramway 1,610 metres to the summit, you\u2019ll likely be in the mood for liquid refreshment after checking out the lumberjack show, the Eye of the Wind turbine, and the wildlife refuge with wolves and grizzly bears. You\u2019ll definitely need some fluids if you go mountain biking or ziplining at Grouse Mountain.<\/p>\n On the Altitudes Bistro<\/a> patio, enjoy a spectacular panorama of Metro Vancouver while sipping Wildeye Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Choppy Waters IPA or Deep Cove Brewers and Distillers<\/a>\u2019 POG Sour, which is fermented with passionfruit, orange, and guava.<\/p>\n In a typical year, Victoria<\/a>\u2019s world-famous Butchart Gardens<\/a> gets more than a million visitors. There are a million things to see at this 1904-founded attraction just north of the provincial capital, ranging from the old limestone quarry that was transformed into the Sunken Garden to the wooden footbridges and traditional boar-scarer that grace the Japanese Garden.<\/p>\n At the Butchart Gardens dining room, you can get Hoyne Brewing<\/a> core beers like Hoyne Pilsner and Hoyne Dark Matter.<\/p>\n Overlooking the Inner Harbour, the recently revitalized Fairmont Empress Hotel<\/a> is as much a symbol of Vancouver Island<\/a>\u2019s biggest city as the nearby Parliament Buildings. Built in 1904, the Empress has hosted famous guests like Barbra Streisand, Harrison Ford, and Queen Elizabeth II.<\/p>\n While this Francis Rattenbury-designed luxury hotel is best-known for serving afternoon tea, you can grab a seat at the Q at the Empress<\/a> bar and choose from BC craft beers ranging from Category 12 Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Juicy Data Hazy IPA to Vancouver Island Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Q Blonde Lager. On the luxurious, perks-laden Fairmont Gold Floor, the honour bars include Phillips Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Blue Buck Ale and Central City’s non-alcoholic Red Racer Street Legal IPA.<\/p>\n Vancouver Island Brewing sells limited-edition 2021 Pod Packs<\/a> \u2013 featuring four collaborations with other Island breweries \u2013 in support of resident killer whales in the Salish Sea.<\/p>\n Pod Packs furnish a nice complement to your whale-watching tour with Prince of Whales<\/a> or Eagle Wing Whale & Wildlife Tours<\/a>, launching out of the Inner Harbour. You can find Pod Packs at Vancouver Island Brewing\u2019s Government Street brewery or local liquor stores. (To be clear, you\u2019ll want to drink them after your tour, not on the boat. The orcas thank you in advance.)<\/p>\n The luxurious Wickaninnish Inn<\/a> is an ideal launching pad for a day of surfing or fat biking at Tofino<\/a>\u2019s 2.5-km-long Chesterman Beach. Facing the open Pacific Ocean on Vancouver Island\u2019s west coast, this Relais & Chateaux property near Pacific Rim National Park offers infinite ways to relax, from the fabled Ancient Cedars Spa to the in-room hot tubs and gas fireplaces.<\/p>\n Beers available on draft at The Pointe Restaurant<\/a> include Tofino Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Blonde Ale and Longwood Brewery<\/a>\u2019s Island Time Lager.<\/p>\n For those seeking an adrenalized outing with wind, waves, and wildlife, the Tofino Resort + Marina\u2019s Ultimate Adventure Tour<\/a> brims with variety.<\/p>\n When you head out with your guide on a 21-foot Grady White fishing boat, you could spot grey whales surfacing near Vargas Island or black bears foraging on the shores of Vancouver Island for clams and mussels.<\/p>\n Drop crab traps in Lemmens Inlet and come back later to pick up Dungeness crab that you can enjoy freshly cooked at the resort\u2019s waterfront 1909 Kitchen<\/a> restaurant for dinner.<\/p>\n 1909 Kitchen\u2019s excellent selection of draft beer includes Yellow Dog<\/a>\u2019s High 5 IPA and Driftwood Brewery<\/a>\u2019s Blackstone Porter.<\/p>\n In 2010, Whistler<\/a> served as the official host mountain resort of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, co-hosting with Vancouver. Fun fact: after Canada\u2019s Jon Montgomery surprised the experts by winning the gold medal in men\u2019s skeleton, he swigged a pitcher of beer<\/a> that he was handed outside Black\u2019s Pub in the Whistler Village during his celebratory march.<\/p>\n Today, while Whistler remains best-known as North America\u2019s top ski resort, a two-hour drive north of Vancouver, it also abounds with summer activities<\/a> like axe throwing, bear viewing, hiking, rock climbing, and riding the Peak 2 Peak Gondola<\/a>.<\/p>\n When you\u2019re ready to kick back with a gold medal-worthy brew or two, the BrewHouse<\/a> at the Whistler Olympic Plaza awaits with such flagship beers as Grizzly Brown Ale and 5 Rings IPA. Also, head to Function Junction to sip a pint of Black Tusk Ale at Whistler Brewing<\/a> or Hope You\u2019re Grapefruit IPA at nearby Coast Mountain Brewing<\/a>.<\/p>\n Situated roughly halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, the Sea to Sky Gondola<\/a> offers unparalleled views overlooking Howe Sound.<\/p>\n Take the 10-minute gondola ride up to the Summit Lodge, 885 metres above sea level, and enjoy an easy, family-friendly hike along the 1.3-km Panorama Trail or get your heart rate up on the epic, 8.4-km Al\u2019s Habrich Trail through the backcountry. The 100-metre-long Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge is another can\u2019t-miss experience at this Squamish<\/a> attraction.<\/p>\n Whether you wind up feasting on pizza, poutine, or pork ribs on the Sky Pilot Restaurant<\/a>\u2019s spacious, sunny patio, you can wash it all down with a pint of Sky Pilot Northwest Pale Ale from Howe Sound Brewing<\/a>, which has been brewing beer in Squamish for 25 years. Reservations are recommended.<\/p>\n And once you’ve taken the gondola back down, be sure to check out A-Frame Brewing<\/a> and Backcountry Brewing<\/a>, which are both located in Squamish.<\/p>\n As one of BC’s best-loved rail trails<\/a>, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail runs close to 650 km from Hope to Castlegar. For recreational cyclists, the scenic, easygoing ride from Penticton to Naramata<\/a> \u2013 a 21-km, four-hour round trip \u2013 is an unquestioned highlight. Biking through the rolling hills next to the soul-soothing expanse of Okanagan Lake, many visitors enjoy checking out the award-winning Naramata Bench wineries. Look for Abandoned Rail Brewing<\/a> to open along this stretch later this summer.<\/p>\n Indeed, beyond the vineyards and orchards, Penticton<\/a> is also home to a captivating craft beer scene. You can easily kick off or wrap up your Kettle Valley Rail Trail odyssey with some outstanding brews.<\/p>\n Just a five-minute ride from where the trail starts on Vancouver Avenue, hit up Cannery Brewing<\/a>\u2019s taproom for a pint of Sunblink Berry Sour or Naramata Nut Brown Ale.\u00a0 Also check out Highway 97 Brewery<\/a>‘s new location right next door.<\/p>\n Orphaned at just five months old, Boo the grizzly bear got a new lease on life at the 20-acre Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge<\/a>.<\/p>\n Located at Golden<\/a>\u2019s Kicking Horse Mountain Resort<\/a> on the BC-Alberta border, the refuge offers multiple interpretive tours to view this magnificent bear, including the Ranger Assist Program. Twice daily (9 am and 3 pm), rangers \u2013 accompanied by up to five guests \u2013 visit Boo in his habitat and make sure he gets his daily vitamin supplements.<\/p>\n To enhance your beer nutrition, check out the Peaks Grill<\/a>, just a 10-minute chairlift ride down from Boo\u2019s refuge. It serves such thirst-quenchers as Moody Ales<\/a>\u2019 Lavender Sour and Fernie Brewing<\/a>\u2019s First Ascent Gose.<\/p>\n Debuting in June 2021, the Golden Skybridge<\/a> is currently Canada\u2019s highest suspension bridge, swaying 130 metres above a valley in the Columbia Canyon. Teeter across a second, 80-metre-high suspension bridge, and gaze at the Columbia and Purcell mountain ranges and a towering waterfall. Ziplines and a giant swing are in the works for this exciting new Kootenay Rockies<\/a> attraction.<\/p>\n Craft beer lovers can quaff the likes of Whitetooth Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Thread the Needle Witbier or Nelson Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Hooligan Organic Pilsner at the on-site Village Grill.<\/p>\n When a lodge is located within eyeshot of a site known as Stupendous Mountain, you\u2019re setting the bar high. Fortunately, Tweedsmuir Park Lodge<\/a> \u2013 marking its 90th anniversary in 2021 \u2013 has all the fresh air, natural splendour, and upscale amenities required to deliver a stupendous British Columbia experience for adventurous souls.<\/p>\n Just over an hour\u2019s flight from Vancouver on the Central Coast, the Bella Coola<\/a>-area lodge offers luxury chalet stays, e-biking, and fly-fishing excursions along the Atnarko River. Ancient First Nations<\/a> petroglyph-viewing opportunities, a new 1.1-km Via Ferrata climbing route overlooking the Great Bear Rainforest, and the chance to see grizzly bears and black bears foraging in their natural habitat are other key highlights.<\/p>\n With dinner, guests can drink BC craft beers like Steamworks Brewing Co.<\/a>\u2019s Flagship IPA and Whistler Brewing<\/a>\u2019s Hazy Trail Pale Ale.<\/p>\n For more information about British Columbia attractions, see Destination BC<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n Travel is part of our DNA and we\u2019re all excited to see it return and welcome our neighbours from Alberta and the rest of Canada. Summer 2021 is a great time to #exploreBCnow and connect with family and friends and explore everything British Columbia has to offer \u2013 great cities, incredible nature, and parts less travelled ready to welcome people. Step 3 has a lot of changes, such as masks being optional for those who have had both vaccination shots, and showing proof of vaccination is not required. It\u2019s important to remember we are all learning as we go, and we need to have kindness and patience at the heart of everything we do. We\u2019re asking everyone to be patient as we work to get our services to the same high levels they were before the pandemic. We\u2019re improving quality all the time as we address staffing shortages, train new staff, and adapt to new guidelines. The B.C. government information on travel and business rules are online at\u00a0www.gov.bc.ca\/covidtravel<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\nVancouver<\/h3>\n
1. Stanley Park<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Stanley](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/24932_dbc_1200_px-1024x683.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
2. Vancouver Art Gallery<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/24937_dbc_1200_px-1024x683.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nVancouver’s North Shore<\/h3>\n
3. Capilano Suspension Bridge<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/84302_dbc_1200_px-1024x683.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
4. Grouse Mountain<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/87005_dbc_1200_px-1024x683.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nVictoria<\/h3>\n
5. Butchart Gardens<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Butchart](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Butchart-Gardens-2-1024x685.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
6. Fairmont Empress Hotel<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/DSCN2314-1024x768.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\" "\\"fairmont-empress-victoria-lucas-aykroyd\\"")
7. Victoria Whale-Watching Tours<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/pw_digtal-1024x587.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nTofino<\/h3>\n
8. Wickaninnish Inn<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/DSCN9264-1024x768.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\" "\\"wickaninnish-inn-tofino-lucas-aykroyd\\"")
9. Ultimate Adventure Tour<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/DSCN9344-1024x768.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\" "\\"tofino-vancouver-island-lucas-aykroyd\\"")
\nWhistler<\/h3>\n
10. Whistler Olympic Plaza<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/29277_master-1024x683.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nSquamish<\/h3>\n
11. Sea to Sky Gondola<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/44123_master-1024x683.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nPenticton<\/h3>\n
12. Kettle Valley Rail Trail<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/25033_dbc_1200_px-1024x684.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nGolden<\/h3>\n
13. Kicking Horse Grizzly Bear Refuge<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"BC](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/39716_dbc_1200_px-1024x684.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
14. Golden Skybridge<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"The](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/JPP06083-2100x1392-3a92c7a3-b9b6-4c2c-ba81-b1d953b8dfd4-1024x679.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nBella Coola<\/h3>\n
15. Tweedsmuir Park Lodge<\/a><\/h2>\n
![\"Tweedsmuir](\"https:\/\/ef5pdbk7uqr.exactdn.com\/app\/uploads\/2021\/06\/Bella-Coola-Heli-Sports-TPL-Jesaja-Class-Web-DJI_0009-1024x661.jpg?strip=all&lossy=1&quality=90&webp=90&avif=80&sharp=1&ssl=1\")
\nTravel in BC<\/h3>\n