You’ve gathered a great group of people. All you need is a worthy getaway destination.
From a hedonistic urban romp in Portland to beach camping on Vancouver Island, here are five inspiring and memorable summer friendcation spots, all in roadtripping distance from Vancouver.
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a no-brainer for fun with friends. A more intense version of Vancouver’s hipster scene, the City of Roses offers infinite pleasures for free-spirited eaters and drinkers. When gastronomic novelties and mezcal cocktails get old, get lost browsing the city-block-sized bookstore Powell’s City of Books, or improve your brain checking out the modern art at the Portland Art Museum: the first museum in the PNW. Use the new Biketown bike sharing program. Go nuts.
Distance: 500 kilometers
Drive time: 5 hours
Where to stay: Ace Hotel Portland
Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Ucluelet, Vancouver Island
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For a combo of beach time and forest time, ideal for heart to hearts under the stars, head to Pacific Rim National Park Reserve on the west coast of Vancouver Island. The park has three distinct areas: Long Beach, the offshore Broken Group Islands, and the legendary 75-kilometre West Coast trail. Split up for hiking, surfing, and kayaking when togetherness feels oppressive.
Distance: 238 kilometres with ferry
Drive time: 5 hours 40 minutes
Where to stay: Pacific Rim National Park Reserve campgrounds
Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park, Pemberton, BC
Birkenhead Lake, situated between Whistler and Lillooet, is an easy-to-reach, budget-friendly getaway for a group of friends. Lakeside campsites are well-maintained and equipped with facilities. The only thing you need to worry about is how to get all your friends as well as the stunning azure backdrop into a selfie. And keeping your grub safe from bears. Hiking, boating, windsurfing and swimming, and lounging on a sand beach are all available.
Distance: 209 kilometres
Drive time: 3 hours 20 minutes
Where to stay: Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park campground
Penticton, Okanagan, BC
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A long established summer beach resort tucked between Lake Okanagan and Skaha Lake in wine country, Penticton means ‘a place to stay forever,’ and chances are you are going to want to. There are five kilometres of golden sand beaches, superb dining, roadside fruit stands, and over 60 wineries to visit. Go forth and sip.
Distance: 430 kilometers
Drive time: 4 hours and 20 minutes
Where to stay: Summerland Waterfront Resort
Bend, Oregon
Sun-drenched days, cool evenings, and snow-capped peaks characterize life in Bend. This mountain getaway is an outdoor playground similar to Squamish, with the added value of the largest craft beer trail in the West. Gather the gang for lazy or extreme rafting, biking, and hiking Mt. Bachelor, a towering dormant volcano, before embarking on the legendary Bend Ale Trail. Deschutes, Crux Fermentation Project, 10 Barrel, and Boneyard are just a few breweries to hit up, and there are plenty of car services who will take tasters safely from pub to pub. Accommodation ranging from high-end resorts to affordable Airbnbs and camping makes this a win on any budget.
Distance: 750 kilometres
Drive time: 8 hours
Where to stay: McMenamins Old St. Francis School Hotel and Brewpub
See also
- 5 Vancouver road trips for adventure seekers
- 5 romantic Vancouver road trips to take this summer
- 5 awesome family road trips from Vancouver to take this summer
- 5 fun solo road trips from Vancouver for when you need to get away
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