Whistler/Vancouver/Vancouver Island

Our trip from Kamloops to Lillooet, BC and on to Whistler was a bit twisty and turn-y, especially after we left Lillooet.

I was surprised, as we neared the end of this leg of the trip, to meet travelers headed in the opposite direction. It would soon grow dark, and there was virtually no place to stop for the night between Lillooet and Whistler.

It's a pretty drive, though.

Here is a section of fairly "straight" highway.

We used an accommodations service at Whistler's Information Building and soon had good rooms at a nearby hotel. After settling in, we went out to dinner at a nearby restaurant.

The next morning we browsed the shops. Here Lynn and I, veteran shoppers for sure, stopped long enough to have our picture taken.

The next morning we drove about two hours to reach North Vancouver. We booked our hotel rooms and drove immediately to Granville Island.

And then the next day, one of the biggest highlights of our trip: Vancouver Island and The Butchart Gardens! 

I chuckle when I think how I'd worried, before the trip, that the gardens not be particularly "showy" in September.

Boy, was I wrong!

I knew Lynn would absolutely love this place, and she surely did.

This is always my favorite spot in the gardens, where one can stand on a overlook to see the stunning Sunken Garden in what was formerly a limestone quarry.

I have a Japanese friend on FaceBook who has visited The Butchart Gardens at Christmastime. She says it's a beautiful place then, too, because of all the Christmas lights.

I guess any time of year is a good time to visit The Butchart Gardens.