With so much to offer, you may wonder why you should ever leave Vancouver. The answer is simple: There’s even more of the stunning natural splendor that frames the immediate vicinity of Vancouver a little further afield. More shoreline, islands, and the majestic Coast Mountains. From the biggest ski resort on the continent to quaint seaside villages, here are some of the places that are worth taking a day trip to. And you can get to nearly all of them without a car. You can’t say that too often in North America.
You’ll need your passport for this day trip, but it’s one of the most rewarding you can take from Vancouver. Bellingham, a college town just south of the border in Washington state, has a surprisingly good collection of Art Deco buildings and, because of Western Washington University, a quirky and young population that is very outdoorsy.