Provinces and Territories >> Western Canada

British Columbia

What to Do & Where to Go

British Columbia is Canada’s most westerly province, and is a mountainous area whose population is mainly clustered in its southwestern corner. 

BC is Canada’s third-largest province after Québec and Ontario, making up 10 per cent of Canada’s land surface. British Columbia is a land of diversity and contrast within small areas. 

Coastal landscapes, characterized by high, snow-covered mountains rising above narrow fjords and inlets, contrast with the broad forested upland of the central interior and the plains of the northeast.

The intense “Britishness” of earlier times is referred to in the province’s name, which originated with Queen Victoria and was officially proclaimed in 1858.

British Columbia Flag

Major Cities in British Columbia

Vancouver British Columbia Canada

Vancouver

Vancouver, a bustling west coast seaport, is among Canada’s densest, most ethnically diverse cities. it’s surrounded by mountains, and has thriving art and music scenes.

Victoria British Columbia Canada

Victoria

Victoria, capital of British Columbia, sits on the craggy southern end of Vancouver Island. With abundant parkland, it’s known for outdoor activities.

British Columbia's Regions

This is where the Pacific Ocean is met by bustling city and towering forest; where soaring snow-capped mountains give way to picturesque valleys, and where lively urban life blends in beautifully with the nature that surrounds it.

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast British Columbia

Cariboo Chilcotin Coast

Kootenay Rockies British Columbia

Kootenay Rockies

Northern British Columbia​

Northern British Columbia

Thompson Okanagan British Columbia

Thompson Okanagan

Vancouver Coast & Mountains British Columbia

Vancouver Coast & Mountains

Vancouver Island British Columbia

Vancouver Island

National Parks in British Columbia

Glacier National Park British Columbia

Glacier

Gulf Islands National Park British Columbia

Gulf Islands

Gwaii Haanas National Park British Columbia

Gwaii Haanas

Kootenay National Park British Columbia

Kootenay

Mount Revelstoke National Park British Columbia

Mount Revelstoke

Pacific Rim National Park British Columbia

Pacific Rim

Yoho National Park British Columbia

Yoho

UNESCO World Heritage Sites

British Columbians have often fought hard to keep their natural landscapes wild.

Burgess Shale UNESCO British Columbia

Burgess Shale

Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks UNESCO British Columbia

Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks

Clayoquot Sound UNESCO British Columbia

Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Reserve

SGang Gwaay Llnagaay UNESCO British Columbia

SGang Gwaay Llnagaay

Kluane/Wrangell-St Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek UNESCO British Columbia

Kluane/Wrangell-St Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek

Where is Located the Province of British Columbia

Official Tourism Sites

Science has proven that time spent immersed in nature can make us happier, healthier, and less stressed. It’s called The British Columbia Effect.

BC’s big backyard inspires introspective personal journeys and unbridled adventures.

BC cities, set on the doorstep of the wild, make it easy to step into nature and explore the endless possibilities of the outdoors.

Their people connect explorers with unexpected moments that renew the human spirit.