As fall rears its cool head, it is time to start planning your travel getaways. Since you can no longer spend your days basking in the sun, consider instead packing on a few comfort pounds with some tasty food and wine getaways around the province. Here are a few reasons not to be a couch potato.
Sip and Savour Salt Spring (September 21 – 23)
Climb aboard the Salt Spring Air’s float plane, book yourself into Hastings House and head over to Salt Spring Island for Sip and Savour. Join chefs, growers and wineries for a Friday seven-course gala Oceanside oceanside at Hastings House, then rest up for the Saturday grazing in the gardens at the Harbour House Hotel. Saturday night, there’s another wine dinner at Moby’s. Sunday morning, head to Garry Oaks winery for bubbles and brunch.
Okanagan Fall Wine Festival (September 29 – October 9)
Take the Crowsnest Highway for a scenic drive to the Okanagan and enjoy ten full days of sipping, slurping and noshing at your choice of 165+ events. Biggest bang for your buck is at the WestJet Wine Tastings at the Rotary Centre for the Arts in Kelowna, September 30 and October 1, where over 40 wineries will present their best bottles. If you’d like to get to know a single winery better, head right to the vineyards for events such as the St. Hubertus Vineyard Harvest Lunch, offered on October 1 and 8.
Whistler’s Cornucopia (November 10 – 13)
This annual event is chock full of winemaker dinners, gala tasting and late-night after-parties. Just like Vegas, what happens in Whistler, stays in Whistler. Wine geeks can expand their knowledge with numerous seminars, cocktail enthusiasts can join Nita Lake Lodge for cocktails and canapés (November 11) and gamblers will enjoy Casino Royal at Ric’s Grill. Not to miss for the late night crowd, Araxi Restaurant’s Bubbles and Afterparty, November 12 at 10:30 pm; also on the same night, this year the Bearfoot Bistro is bringing back the legendary Masquerave, an always-over-the-top party featuring burlesque, top food and stellar wine.
Sun Peaks Winter Festival of Wine (January 14 – 22, 2012)
This amazing wine and food fest takes place at one of the province’s best ski mountains, meaning you can wake up and ski or snowboard all day and then spend the evening dining, sipping and tasting some of the best BC has to offer. Try the ski, sip and stay package (starting at $499) and enjoy three nights of accommodation, two days of skiing and three events of your choice. Book now if you’re planning on attending the festival’s progressive tasting, an event where attendees walk through the village and sample BC wine at various venues scattered throughout the resort, because the event is always sold-out.
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Image courtesy of Tourism Whistler.
none of these are actually in Vancouver