North America

UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver: Why You Should Go!

Arts & Culture, Canada, Destinations, Museums Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment on UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver: Why You Should Go!

Last updated on December 22nd, 2024 at 06:25 am

The Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) is the must-see museum in my hometown of Vancouver.

While I was on an Alaskan cruise a few years back, several visitors asked me what they should see during their one day in Vancouver. I always said the anthropology museum and always received a blank stare.

An image collage promoting the UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, featuring totem poles and bold text reading “Why You Should Go!” with “artsytraveler.com” at the bottom.

Regrettably, this world-class museum is not as well known as it deserves to be. Usually, when people talk about what tourists should see in Vancouver, they say the Capilano Suspension Bridge (crowded and way over-priced), the Vancouver Art Gallery (okay), and Stanley Park (a definite yes).

But a trip out to UBC to tour the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) is an absolute must. MOA houses an unparalleled collection of northwest coast Indigenous art and artifacts, along with exquisite exhibits of objects from cultures all over the world.

Overview

In this post, I share my recommendations for enjoying your visit to the UBC Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, BC. I’ve also included practical information, such as hours, admission fees, and how to get there. Finally, check out what else you can see at the University of British Columbia and my suggested hotels in downtown Vancouver.

Where is the Museum of Anthropology (MOA)?

Designed by famed Canadian architect Arthur Erickson, the Museum of Anthropology (also known as MOA) is located on the campus of the University of British Columbia at the very tip of Point Grey, a peninsula that juts into the Strait of Georgia west of Vancouver’s downtown core. See #1 on the map below.

After being closed for a few years for seismic upgrading, MOA is again welcoming visitors.

Here’s the view of mountains and ocean that greets you from the rose garden on a hill above the museum.

A view of the rose garden at the University of British Columbia and the view of mountains and ocean beyond. The roses planted in the garden are in bloom.

The map below shows the location of the Museum of Anthropology (#1) along with other worthwhile sites at the University of British Columbia and recommended hotels in Vancouver.

Trip map created with Wanderlog, a trip planner on iOS and Android

Arriving at MOA

After parking in the lot conveniently located just off NW Marine Drive and adjacent to the museum, you pass the MOA sign and a rock with a message in two languages reminding you that you are on the ancestral homeland of the Musqueam people.

Sign at the entrance to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in BC
Rock at the entrance to the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in BC

I grew up close to this area and regrettably learned very little about the people who first lived here. In recent years, great strides are being made to redress the imbalances.

One such development is the increasing use of Indigenous names for landmarks that for 150 years were known by their “settler” names. 

Entering the Museum of Anthropology

Enter the spacious lobby and buy your ticket. If you have a backpack or bag, you’ll need to store it in the lockers provided (they even give you a quarter to open a locker!).

And now get ready to be blown away! Your first stop? Walk down a shallow ramp past exhibits of local First Nations art and into the Great Hall.

On your way, read the many informative plaques to learn about the displays. Their purpose is to educate visitors about why each object or artifact is significant to the culture and heritage of the First Nations people.

A vibrant woven blanket with intricate geometric patterns hanging in a museum exhibit, next to a wooden carving. These are featured on the way into the Great Hall at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver, Canada.

Here’s the description of the contemporary woven blanket displayed to your right as you walk down the ramp:

We dedicate this blanket to our mother Helen, our elders, and those who have gone before us. We look at this blanket as part of the tradition of education that was in place in our community for generations and is now being revived. Our ancestors speak through this weaving, through all of our weavings. In this way, they continue to share their knowledge with us.

The Great Hall

I’ve visited the Museum of Anthropology at UBC many times. But every time I walk into the Great Hall filled with one of the world’s most extensive collections of Indigenous art from the northwest coast, I feel an overwhelming sense of awe.

MOA does an excellent job of explaining the significance of each of the displays, with much of the information contributed by Indigenous artists who are carving totems and creating art today.

Stroll around this large space to get a feel for the awesomeness of the art and take time to read the explanatory plaques. 

Here are some of the many totem poles carved from cedar by west coast First Nations people. Tilt your head back and marvel at the intricacy and beauty of the poles soaring to the rafters in this incredible space.

Totem poles in the great hall at the Museum of Anthropology at the University of British Columbia in BC
Tall Indigenous totem poles displayed in the Great Hall at the Museum of Anthropology museum with floor-to-ceiling glass windows and natural light.

Sea-Lion House

It’s difficult to single out any one piece for more elaboration because every piece is accompanied by a fascinating story. The Sea-Lion House (Indigenous name Klix’Ken Gukwdzi) is particularly noteworthy.

According to the information provided, this house was built in 1906 in defiance of the assimilation pressures imposed through the federal Indian Act.

A large Indigenous wood carving featuring a figure with painted facial details, supported by two figures holding a wooden beam.

This house was the last old-style dwelling erected in the village as a home for an extended family. It’s probably one of the last examples of traditional northwest coast architecture in the entire Pacific Northwest.

Colonialism and Indigenous People

The dramatic beauty of traditional northwest coast art on display at MOA is all the more remarkable considering that for decades, many of the cultural traditions of the First Nations people in British Columbia were banned.

Potlaches were outlawed, people were not permitted to wear their masks or dance or sing their traditional songs, and their languages were systematically wiped out.

In recent decades, the devastation wrought by these draconian laws is slowly being overcome. MOA’s curators and historians are doing an amazing job of putting together thoughtful and beautiful displays that celebrate the First Nations culture and do not shy away from painful truths about the colonial past.

Sculptures created by artists in the pacific Northwest on display at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.

After marveling at the totems and other displays in the Great Hall, return to the entrance and head to the right to tour the Koerner Collection of European ceramics.

The feeling here is completely different but no less interesting. This extensive collection features ceramics displayed in a darkened room that every time I’ve visited has been virtually empty.

Cases of ceramics, mostly plates and dinnerware in the ceramics room at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.

I enjoyed learning something about the history of ceramics and was fascinated by so many incredible examples of ceramic art, some dating back millennia.

These little guys are particularly adorable. They were made in the 18th century at the Holič factory in Hungary.

Brightly colored ceramic sculptures created in Hungary and on display in the ceramics room at the Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver.

Multiversity Galleries

From the ceramics exhibition head back through the main hall and explore the museum’s multiversity galleries. MOA pioneered the use of open storage displays to exhibit their massive collection of objects from around the world.

These message greets you at the entrance to the Multiversity Galleries:

Enter here to meet creative expressions from around the globe. The galleries are laid out like a map of the world, joined by oceans and rivers. Pull open the drawers. Look up more information at the computer stations. Experience how connecting objects and people can bring the collection to life.

Here’s a portion of the South Pacific collection.

One of the entrances into the galleries showing objects from Oceania at the Museum of Anthropology

Northwest Coast First Nations Art and Objects

Don’t miss the collection of Pacific Northwest objects and art created by the area’s First Nations people. It is by far the largest collection in the galleries and features impressive displays of sculptures, masks, baskets, hats, textiles, and much more—some historical, some contemporary.

This massive Raven mask has been passed down for generations and, like all the exhibits in the First Nations collection, holds both artistic and spiritual significance along with precious knowledge for the communities that used it in ceremonies.

Massive raven mask (about six feet long) on display at the Museum of Anthropology

World Cultures

MOA features an impressive collection of thousands of ethnographic objects and artifacts from around the world. You’ll see magnificent objects from the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Oceania along with thoughtful and comprehensive descriptions.

Here are just a few examples of the breadth and astonishing variety of the collection the museum features.

Wall of masks from Mexico on display at the Museum of Anthropology
Collection of Indonesian dolls on display at the Museum of Anthropology
Samurai armor on display at the Museum of Anthropology

Take your time to really look at these incredible objects. You could easily spend hours. And don’t forget to open the drawers! You never know what you’ll discover.

Works by Bill Reid

Acclaimed Haida artist Bill Reid is renowned for his sculptures and jewelry, several breathtaking examples of which are displayed in the museum.

The centerpiece is Bill Reid’s sculpture called The Raven and the First Men.

The Raven and the First Men sculpture by Haida Artist Bill Reid

This stunning sculpture, made from a 4.5-ton cube of 106 laminated beams, took several years to complete. The museum acquired it in 1980.

Here is the legend of Raven and the First Humans as presented on MOA’s excellent website:

One day after the great flood Raven was walking along the beach at Rose spit in the Queen Charlotte Islands when he heard a sound emanating from a clamshell at his feet. He looked more closely and saw that the shell was full of small humans. He coaxed, cajoled and coerced them to come out and play in the wonderful new world. Some immediately scurried back into the shell, but eventually curiosity overcame caution, and they all clambered out. From these little dwellers came the original Haidas, the first humans.

Walk around the sculpture and be constantly enchanted by how it changes. This piece is a marvel.

Special Exhibitions

In addition to the three areas described in this post, MOA has areas devoted to special exhibitions. These vary throughout the year, so check the website to find out what’s on during your visit.

Tours of MOA

You can choose to take one of the free guided tours the museum offers with one of the new Cultural Interpreters. Learn about the collection from an Indigenous perspective and gain insight from Cultural Interpreters who have a personal connection to the belongings and treasures.

Tours last 45 to 60 minutes and are offered Tuesday to Thursday at 11 am, 1 pm and 3 pm, and Friday to Sunday at 1 pm and 3 pm.

Make sure to check the website to confirm the schedule.

Practical Information

The Museum of Anthropology is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (Thursdays to 9 pm). It’s closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

Museum admission currently costs $25 for adults, $22 for seniors (65+) and students, and $10 for youth. Children under 5, Indigenous people, UBC students, staff and faculty, and MOA members are admitted free. The website has the latest rates.

Museum Gift Shop

The museum’s small gift shop features with some pretty nice stuff, including plenty of examples of Indigenous art, jewelry and crafts, along with books and souvenirs.

Accessing the Museum of Anthropology from Downtown Vancouver

The Museum of Anthropology is located on the University of British Columbia campus, about 20 minutes from downtown Vancouver (#2 in the map at the beginning of this post). Here are some options for getting there from downtown Vancouver:

By Public Transit: Take the #4 UBC Bus from various downtown locations to the UBC Exchange or take the #99 B-Line bus to the UBC bus loop. From there, it’s about a ten-minute walk to MOA. Check the Translink website for routes, fares, and schedules.

From Vancouver International Airport (#3), take the Canada Line Skytrain to the Olympic Village station and then transfer to the #84 bus to UBC.

By Car: The museum is located at 6393 Northwest Marine Drive on the UBC campus. Ample parking is available at the museum, and parking fees are typically in line with campus parking rates.

Walking or Cycling: If you’re staying nearby, you can reach the museum on foot or by bicycle.

Other Attractions Near the Museum of Anthropology

If you have time to explore further, there are several other interesting attractions nearby.

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

Located a short walk from MOA, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum (#4) on the UBC campus is another excellent museum with exhibits showcasing the incredible biodiversity of our planet. Here are some pictures I took on a visit there.

A taxidermy big horn sheep with large curved horns against a dark background.
A museum display featuring colorful taxidermy birds, including a silver pheasant with iridescent feathers and an Elliot's pheasant on wooden stands.

You could spend hours browsing the extensive displays. With its wonderful collection of taxidermy animals, it’s a great place to take children.

UBC Botanical Garden

Another nearby gem is the UBC Botanical Garden (#5). Here, you can explore themed gardens, hiking trails, and a diverse collection of plant species from around the world. Established in 1916, the garden is Canada’s oldest university botanic garden.

I love going in the late spring and summer. Take your walking shoes; there’s a lot to see and it’s big!

Pacific Spirit Regional Park

For nature lovers, Pacific Spirit Regional Park (#6) offers extensive walking and hiking trails through lush forest, providing a peaceful retreat from the city. It’s a great spot for a post-museum stroll.

Nitobe Gardens

I adore Nitobe Gardens (#7) and pop in almost every time I visit the campus of the University of British Columbia. The gardens are a short walk from MOA so you can easily include it in your visit.

Considered one of the most authentic Japanese gardens outside of Japan, Nitobe Gardens is just gorgeous no matter what time of year you visit. But the best times are in spring when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom and again in the fall when the maple leaves are bright red.

Here are two photos taken in late spring.

A tranquil pond in the Nitobe Gardens at UBC, a Japanese garden with an arched bridge surrounded by pink blossoms, green trees, and the reflection of the landscape in the water.
A view of the Nitobe Gardens at UBC in Vancouver showing a pond reflecting a blossoming cherry tree, rocks, and lush greenery in the background.

Where to Stay in Vancouver

Vancouver is a major tourist destination for Canada-bound travelers, and as such has plenty of excellent hotels. Your best bet is to stay in a hotel downtown, preferably one with a view of the magnificent North Shore mountains and the ocean.

Here are my three favorite hotels in Vancouver:

Granville Island Hotel

Located on Granville Island about a ten-minute bus ride from downtown Vancouver, the Granville Island Hotel is a great choice if you’re looking something a little bit different.

You can stroll around the Granville Island Market and other shops, take in a performance at nearby Bard on the Beach or the Arts Club Theatre, and listen to the seagulls as you drift off to sleep.

Pan Pacific Vancouver

Pan Pacific Vancouver is one of Vancouver’s most iconic hotels with gorgeous views of the cruise ships and freighters in Burrard Inlet with the North Shore mountains beyond.

This hotel is upscale, expensive, and right in the center of the action. It’s a great choice if you’re staying overnight in Vancouver before taking an Alaskan cruise.

The Westin Bayshore

I love The Westin Bayshore and often stay here if I’m taking a “town” break from my home on nearby Bowen Island.

The Bayshore’s location right next to Stanley Park is a huge selling point. Rent a bike and ride around the park, then return to the hotel and enjoy a drink overlooking Vancouver’s stunning harbor.

Vancouver Tours

GetYourGuide offers a variety of tours of Vancouver and the surrounding areas. If you have a full day to spare, then I recommend you head up to Whistler.

On this tour, you’ll ride the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish, explore Whistler Village (don’t miss the Audain Art Museum), and visit stunning Shannon Falls on the world-famous Sea-to-Sky Highway.

Powered by GetYourGuide

After visiting MOA, you may feel inspired by the various Indigenous portrayals of the Orcas that swim in the local waters. Treat yourself to a whale watching experience.

Powered by GetYourGuide

Conclusion

The Museum of Anthropology in Vancouver is a cultural and artistic treasure well worth a few hours of your time.

The sweeping views of mountains and sea you’ll enjoy on the journey out to the University of British Columbia are reason enough to visit, but you’ll also learn so much about the Indigenous cultures of the Pacific Northwest and get a chance to marvel at the the objects on display from around the world.

The ingenuity of people never ceases to amaze me, which is why I love museums like this.

Have you visited the Museum of Anthropology? What were your favorite exhibits? Share your recommendations and observations in the Comments below.

Here are some more posts about museums I’ve visited and heartily recommend:

View over Maligne Lake near Jasper in the Canadian Rockies

Out-of-this-World Scenery Sparks Joy on a Maligne Lake Cruise

Canada, Destinations, North America Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment on Out-of-this-World Scenery Sparks Joy on a Maligne Lake Cruise

Last updated on November 15th, 2024 at 12:44 am

UPDATE: August, 2024. Tragically, the Maligne Lake Tour is no longer something travelers can enjoy, at least for many months yet. Wildfires half-destroyed Jasper in early August of 2024. The community is rebuilding and there are plans to resume tourism activities as soon as possible. In the meantime, please enjoy my account of our magical day at Maligne Lake near Jasper in the summer of 2023.

My heart goes out to the residents of Jasper and I wish them all the best as they rebuild their glorious community.

For our full day in Jasper after taking the two-day Rocky Mountaineer rail journey from Vancouver, we decide to take a all-day tour with Maligne Adventures to Maligne Lake that includes a stop at Maligne Canyon and a cruise on Maligne Lake.

We are blessed with a beyond-perfect day—a toasty 25C/78F degrees, clear blue skies, and spectacular views in every direction.

A Maligne Adventures bus picks us up promptly at 9:30 am and we meet our friendly driver and guide Chloe, who is from the UK. She is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable guide who makes sure our tour matches the perfection of the weather.

Map of the Tour

Here’s a map of the area we visited, starting with the town of Jasper (1):

Map created with Wanderlog, for making itineraries on iOS and Android

In Search of Bear

After picking up about a dozen more travelers, Chloe tells us that her colleague leading another tour has just spotted a bear on a road that will require a slight detour. She wheels the bus around and heads uphill towards Patricia Lake in search of the bear. Alas, we don’t find her (she was a mum with cubs), but no matter. Chloe informs us that bear sightings are less common in August. If we really want to see bears in Jasper, we need to come in the spring.

This is the only bear we see while in the Rockies–a stuffed one in the lobby of our hotel!

Large stuffed bear in a glass case in Jasper, Alberta

Learning About Local Wildlife

As she drives, Chloe provides a lively and informative commentary, mostly about the animals in the area. She reminds us that the animals are wild, including the huge, antlered elk often seen wandering the streets of downtown Jasper. They are most definitely not tame. She tells us that one of her colleagues recently had to intervene to save a child’s life when he spied the child’s family trying to put the child onto the back of a fully grown male elk like he was some kind of Rocky Mountain pony ride. Fortunately, he was able to stop them just in time to avoid what could have been a very nasty accident. Elk have extremely sharp hooves, not to mention deadly antlers.

We saw several elk on the trip, including these two–a male by the side of the road and a female in front of the Visitor Center in the middle of Jasper.

Large male elk with antlers near Jasper
Female elk grazing in front of the Jasper Visitor Center

We learn later that Parks Canada will levy fines up to $20,000 on people who get out of their cars and approach wildlife. Good call! To their credit, Parks Canada does its best to try and keep bears away from humans. All garbage cans are bear-proof (and also pretty people-proof as I discovered when trying to open one to throw something away).

Bear proof garbage can in Jasper
Bear-proof garbage can in Jasper

Bear Parts

After stopping to look at the elk by the side of the road, Chloe hands out two rubber bear claws made from the footprints of bears. The mold on the left is the paw print of a grizzly bear (yikes!) and the one on the right is the paw print of a black bear.

Rubber molds of a grizzly bear paw and a black bear paw
Grizzly paw on the right; black bear paw on the left

Chloe tells us the rhyme to remember when it comes to surviving a bear attack:

Black fight back, brown get down, white good night.

In other words, if the bear is black, you can fight back by yelling, throwing rocks, and making yourself look big. If the bear is brown (AKA a grizzly), lie on the ground face down (and presumably pray). If you’re faced with a polar bear, you’re toast. Polar bears don’t mess around. Neither do grizzlies, but apparently a grizzly attack may just be survivable. A polar bear attack is not.

I’d just as soon not meet any bear, except maybe a baby panda. If you get between a black bear and her cubs, you could still be in a for a nasty injury. I remember walking alone along a trail in Yellowstone National Park many years ago and feeling very, very nervous thanks to the many signs warning of bears (black & grizzly) in the area. I did a lot of loud singing and, after about a mile, decided that whatever view awaited me at the end of the trail wasn’t worth dying for and so turned back.

Maligne Canyon

Our next stop is Maligne Canyon where we leave the bus to do the short circuit around a portion of the canyon. It is incredibly deep and sculpted. Every time I lean over the edge to snap a picture, I worry that I might inadvertently let go of my phone. Chloe cheerfully informs us that if we drop our phones, we’re out of luck. She’ll not be going into the canyon to retrieve them! Not that she could. The water surges through the narrow canyon, every year sculpting more of the rocky sides into abstract waves. In winter, the river freezes and travelers can take guided hikes along the icy bottom. That would be pretty cool!

View of Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park
View of Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park
View of Maligne Canyon in Jasper National Park
Beautiful Maligne Canyon

In Search of Berries

Chloe tells us that a typical bear eats about ten pounds of berries every day when they are getting ready to hibernate. She looks for a berry to show us and manages to find only one rather shriveled one that the bear that had just gone through the area had left behind. One of the people on the tour samples it and declares it very bitter.

We also learn about juniper berries and are each given one to sniff. I can’t place the odor until Chloe tells us that gin is made from juniper berries. They are certainly delightfully pungent.

Guide on the Maligne Adventures tour in jasper National Park
Our guide teaching us about berries and bears

Disappearing Lake

Back on the bus, we continue on our way to Maligne Lake along an in-and-out road that skirts tranquil Medicine Lake, also called the Disappearing Lake because a unique underground drainage system causes the water level of the lake to vary from season to season, so that sometimes the entire lake disappears. Over the years, attempts have been made to plug the system to keep the water in, but to no avail.

The scenery encircling us is truly remarkable—endless peaks, steep hillsides, and an area that had been devastated by wildfire. The charred remains of the forest are another stark reminder of the power of fire.

Medicine Lake, also known as Disappearing Lake in Jasper National Park
Tranquil Medicine Lake AKA Disappearing Lake
Forest fire damage in Jasper National Park
Burned forest near Medicine Lake

Maligne Lake Cruise

We arrive at Maligne Lake where we have a few minutes to pick up a sandwich at the restaurant and then wait on the dock for our boat. We settle on to a warm bench and watch the lake. The couple from New York that we ate breakfast with on the Rocky Mountaineer gets off one of the boats and waves as they pass.

The boats that ply Maligne Lake are quite small and low to the water, with bench seats fitting about 40 people (although I didn’t count!). After a short delay, we board and meet our crew—Seb the boat driver, and Dec the guide, who keeps up an entertaining and informative commentary for most of the journey.

Getting on the boat for the Maligne Lake cruise
Boarding the boat for a cruise on Maligne Lake

The views as we cross Maligne Lake are spectacular in every direction—truly one of the most beautiful lakes I’ve ever been on. We set off at a sedate pace so that our wake doesn’t upset the many people sharing the lake in canoes, kayaks and even on paddle boards. I don’t envy them. They are one slightly- too-high wake away from ending up in the lake and possible death from hypothermia if they don’t get out quickly enough. It’s a glacial lake, which means it is very, very, very cold.

You can canoe across Maligne Lake to Spirit Island (our destination) in about four hours. That’s a lot of canoeing. I’m happy to enjoy the 30-minute boat ride.

Seb revs the engine once he’s out of range of the small craft and we set off for Spirit Island. I don’t know what to expect, having read nothing nor even looked at any pictures of the lake prior to our tour. Julia told me this was the tour to take and so here we are. I rather like that I have no idea what’s in store.

En Route to Spirit Island

Crossing Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park
Views are breathtaking in every direction on Maligne Lake

We round a bend in the lake to see tiny Spirit Island just ahead. It is actually an isthmus rather than an island, at least most of the time. If the lake water rises, the narrow strip of land connecting the island to the mainland is submerged.

Spirit Island is sacred land to the First Nations peoples who originally hunted and lived along these shores. As a mark of respect, visitors are forbidden to step foot on the island. We will pull into shore close by for a fifteen-minute visit on the mainland overlooking the island and the view.

Dec tells us to keep our gaze fixed on Spirit Island and asks us to figure out why it is so special. I dutifully stare at the island—more of a small outcropping iced with narrow, Alpine trees than an actual island. I confess I can’t see what’s so special about it, although I dutifully shoot a short video.

The Hall of the Gods

Our guide tells us to shift our gaze from Spirit Island to behold the view from the island. OMG! Aptly named the Hall of the Gods, the mountains rising imperiously at the far end of the lake are beyond breathtaking. Pictures can’t do justice to the view. This is a 3-D experience no flat photo can capture. Of course, that doesn’t stop every person on the boat from spending the next fifteen minutes on shore clicking away.

We certainly do! Here are just a few of the many pictures we snapped.

I feel like I’ve won the tourism lottery. This view will stay with me long after I leave the area. There is definitely something indefinably spiritual about it. No wonder the First Nations made the island overlooking it sacred.

Mountains ringing Maligne Lake in Jasper National park

On the way back across the lake, Dec shares more information about recent efforts by local First Nations people to reclaim their connection to the area. After many decades of separation from land that the government controls as part of Jasper National Park, the descendants of the original inhabitants return every year to conduct ceremonies on Spirit Island and throughout the area. Dec tells us that one of the hallmarks of their culture is to thank the natural forms we see around us every day–to say thank you to the mountains, the lake, the trees, and the bear, wolf, elk, and chipmunk. Doing so celebrates our connection with nature, and reminds us that we are not separate from it.

Take the Cruise

The Maligne Lake cruise is a must-do during a trip to Jasper, but make sure you book it well in advance. Several people on our tour had booked with Maligne Adventures after all seats on the boats (run by a different company) were already filled. Instead of taking the cruise, they went on a 90-minute hike with Chloe to Moose Lake where they hoped to see moose. Unfortunately, they did not see moose, but the hike on the brilliantly sunny day was a hit.

View from the back of the boat as we leave Hall of the Gods to cross Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park

On the drive back to Jasper, Chloe continues to share her knowledge about the flora and fauna of the area. We pass an eagle’s nest and learn that eagles mate for life and return to the same nest year after year, repairing and adding to it to accommodate a new brood. An eagle’s nest can weigh over 1000 pounds.

An Afternoon in Jasper

Chloe drops us off in downtown Jasper and we wander around in the heat for a few hours, checking out the shops (not terribly exciting, to be honest), taking the obligatory photos with Jasper Bear statues, and grabbing dinner. We also see a female elk calmly munching the grass in front of the Visitors Center. She is not remotely bothered by the tourists snapping photos while keeping a respectful distance. Thankfully, we don’t see anyone trying to put their child on her back.

Carol Cram with Jasper Bear statue in Jasper, Alberta
Julia Simpson with Jasper Bear statue in Jasper, Alberta

Old-fashioned train locomotive in Jasper, Alberta
CN Locomotive from back in the day

By the time we walk the twenty minutes back to the Forest Park Hotel, we have just enough energy left for a quick dip in the pool and a soak in the hot tub. Later in the evening, we wander out to see the sunset blow up the sky above the mountains ringing Jasper.

Sunset over Forest Park Hotel in Jasper, Alberta
Sunset over the Forest Park Hotel in Jasper

Accommodations in Jasper

Our accommodation at the Forest Park Hotel in Jasper was stylish and comfortable. The spacious room included a balcony with a good view over the parking lot and the mountains. Considering Jasper is ringed by mountains, it’s pretty hard not to get a view of mountains no matter where you stay. The Forest Park Hotel is a good choice when staying in Jasper, particularly if you are driving. It is a fairly stiff twenty- minute walk from the main part of Jasper.

Sunset over Jasper
View from the balcony of our room at the Forest Park Hotel.

Here are other accommodation options in Jasper. Note that Jasper is an extremely popular destination in the Canadian Rockies, which means that hotels regularly sell out. When Julia booked the Forest Park Hotel for us over six weeks before our trip, she got one of the last rooms. People who arrive in Jasper during the summer without booked accommodation are often obliged to drive many hours to find a place to stay. Jasper is pretty remote! So definitely plan ahead! Oh – and be prepared for some serious sticker shock. Hotels in Jasper are not budget, even the budget ones!



Booking.com

More Jasper Sightseeing Options

Conclusion

Have you traveled to the Canadian Rockies? Share your experiences and recommendations with other Artsy Travelers in the Comments below.

Here are three posts to read next to help you plan a trip to Canada (my home country):

Check Out an Artsy Traveler Weekend Getaway in Seattle

Destinations, North America, United States Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment on Check Out an Artsy Traveler Weekend Getaway in Seattle

Last updated on October 11th, 2024 at 05:53 am

A weekend getaway in Seattle yields plenty to do for the artsy minded traveler. I’ve lived in Vancouver all my life, which is just three hours north of Seattle, and yet I’ve only been to Seattle a handful of times, not counting stops at the airport en route to somewhere else. It’s just never a city I think of visiting when contemplating a weekend away. Well, my loss. A weekend away in Seattle is a fantastic Artsy Traveler option for this Vancouver-based gal.

My reason for a quick visit was to see a production of the musical Six which was not going to come to Vancouver. I’d seen Six in London the year before and knew my daughter Julia (check out her crochet art on Wayward Pineapple Creations!) would love it, so I suggested we take a weekend trip.

Here’s how it went!

Getting to Seattle

Although Seattle is only a three-hour drive from Vancouver, that number can easily double thanks to delays at the border and horrendous traffic around Seattle. I don’t fancy risking that much time behind the wheel, so we opt to take the train.

Taking the Train

Good call! The Amtrak train from Vancouver to Seattle takes just under four hours and costs about $60 return—a bargain by any stretch. The train goes all the way to Eugene in Oregon, stopping at several towns along the way, including Bellingham, Edmonds, Tacoma, and Portland. Much of the journey is very scenic.

View of Puget Sound at sunset from the train to Seattle
View from the train on the way to Seattle from Vancouver

We hop on the train in central Vancouver at 6 pm Friday evening and arrive at King Street Station in downtown Seattle at 11 pm. The seats are fairly comfortable and the views of the ocean after leaving the border at Blaine exceedingly lovely. Note that there is very little food available on board. If you’d like to eat well, pack a meal.

TIP: Check out the Amtrak website to buy tickets.

A taxi takes us swiftly through quiet downtown streets to the Paramount Hotel, a stone’s throw from the Paramount Theater where we’ll be seeing Six the next evening.

Orientation to Seattle

The map below includes the places mentioned in this post. Click a number to find out more information.

Trip map created using Wanderlog, for making itineraries on iOS and Android

Staying in Seattle

We stayed at the Paramount Hotel (#1) in Seattle, which is overpriced, but then so are all of the nicer downtown hotels in Seattle. Once you get over the sticker shock, it’s a good choice–comfortable with a friendly staff and an excellent breakfast. And its central location is a plus—steps from the monorail to take us to the Space Needle and Chihuly Gardens and a pleasant downhill walk to Pike’s Place Market.

Here are other accommodation options in Seattle.



Booking.com

Day 1 in Seattle: Exploring Seattle Center

On our one full day in Seattle, we’re up early, and after breakfast, off to find the monorail. Built in 1962 for the Seattle World’s Fair on the site of what is now Seattle Center, the monorail trundles dutifully between downtown and Seattle Center where we plan to spend the day. There’s a LOT to do there for the Artsy Traveler.

It’s a gloriously sunny day and so we decide that our first stop should be the Space Needle (#2). I have a vague memory of visiting Seattle when I was about seven years old in 1963, the year after the Seattle World’s Fair. I do remember standing at the base of the Space Needle and looking way, way up and thinking it was the most amazing thing I’d ever seen. It was so ultra-modern—just like The Jetsons, which was a favorite of my brother’s and mine in those innocent times.

Space needle in Seattle
The Space Needle still looks pretty cool to me

Going Up the Space Needle

We arrive at Seattle Center, a 74-acre complex in the heart of the city housing top attractions such as the Space Needle, International Fountain, Chihuly Garden and Glass, Pacific Science Center, Museum of Pop Culture, and Seattle Children’s Museum. Although it’s still quite early in the day, crowds are already forming, particularly to go up the Space Needle.

We’re worried the wait may be too long, but the attendant assures us that the lines will get much longer as the day continues. He’s right, we discover later, when we descend the tower and find the line three times longer than it was when we went up. Fortunately, the line snakes past displays chronicling the building of the Space Needle and its opening on April 21, 1962.

Finally, we get to the elevator and are whisked to the top in a dizzying ascent. The attendant welcomes us and tells us about the Space Needle in an impressively timed spiel that lasts exactly 90 seconds. She does this about 25 times an hour all day long.

What’s Up Top at Seattle’s Space Needle

At the top of the Space Needle, the attraction is, well, a view, but what a view! The city of Seattle spreads below us and in the distance are the massive bulks of Mount Rainier and Mount Baker. We circle the viewing platform a few times and then head down one level to the much-vaunted glass-bottomed viewing area. It’s a little freaky to step out onto the glass and look straight down, particularly because the glass portion is rotating.

The view over Lake Union in Seattle particularly interests me. Lake Union Publishing (so named because it is located near Lake Union in Seattle) is the publisher of my first two historical novels: The Towers of Tuscany and A Woman of Note. So I have a bit of a soft spot for it. The view from so high up is pretty darned stunning.

View of Lake Union from the Space Needle in Seattle
View of Lake Union in Seattle

Someone kindly offers to take our picture. We settle onto one of the benches thoughtfully provided around the perimeter of the viewing platform.

Carol and Julia at the top of the space needle in Seattle
Julia & Carol at the top of the Space Needle overlooking a view of downtown Seattle
View of Mount Rainier and downtown Seattle from the Space Needle
Downtown Seattle with Mount Rainier in the distance

We finally descend to the earth and prepare for our next attraction—and the one I’m looking forward to most—Chihuly Garden and Glass.

Visiting Chihuly Garden and Glass

Ever since my first visit to Venice back in the 1990s, I’ve adored glass art so it’s no wonder that I’m a huge fan of Dale Chihuly, who is one of the world’s foremost glass artists. In a career spanning many decades, Chihuly really has put glass art on the map. His pieces sell for thousands, even millions for the really big ones, and he’s been the mastermind behind numerous massive installations in Venice, Jerusalem, Sweden, and more.

From the moment I step into the museum, the creativity and sheer gorgeousness of Chihuly’s work entrances me. A series of beautifully curated rooms display several of his most iconic series. Each room is more jaw-dropping than the one before.

Winter Brilliance

An explosion of sharp, white stars greets us when we enter the first room. Called Winter Brilliance, the stars were commissioned by Barneys New York in 2015 for its holiday window display. A quote from Chihuly accompanies the display: Ice is one of my favorite materials to work with because of the way it interacts with light. It inspired me to create the icicle form.

Chihuly Winter Brilliance at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Winter Brilliance

Sealife Room

The Sealife Room is dominated by the massive 15-foot Sealife Tower that takes its inspiration from the sea and Puget Sound. According to the plaque, The Towers evolved from Chihuly’s desire to present sculptures in places where ceiling structures could not withstand the weight of his Chandeliers (we see them later in the museum). This impressive piece gets even better when examined up close.

Chihuly Sea Garden sculpture at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Sealife Tower
Close up of Chihuly Sea Garden sculpture at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Close-up of the glass forms that make up the Sealife Tower

Around the perimeter of the Sealife room are several smaller sculptures of sea creatures. I am totally captivated by the whimsy and the detail. Chihuly truly is a master!

Here are just a few of my favorites.

Chihuly sculpture of small octupi
Chihuly sculpture of a gold and black crab
Chihuly sculpture of small octupi
Chihuly sculpture of black and gold turtle
Chihuly’s sealife creatures – octopus, crab, tiny octopus, and turtle

Persian Ceiling

Gasps abound and necks crane back as the crowd (which is considerable) moves into the next room to behold the Persian Ceiling. Chihuly began the pieces in the Persians series as pedestal compositions, then mounted larger forms to walls and suspended them as overhead compositions. The effect truly is immersive. I feel like I’m walking into a kaleidoscope and long to stand in the middle of the room and twirl myself, head thrown back.

Chihuly sculpture called Persian Ceiling - bright and colorful glass
Chihuly sculpture called Persian Ceiling - bright and colorful glass
Chihuly sculpture called Persian Ceiling - bright and colorful glass
Persian ceiling pieces by Dale Chihuly at the Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Chihuly’s Persian Ceiling

Large Room Full of Glass!

I neglected to read the name of the next room because I was too busy swooning. I mean, honestly, the sheer inventiveness of the forms, the riot of color, the creative ways in which the pieces are displayed are simply breathtaking.

Chihuly bright and colorful sculptures with tall red fronds, flat shells, and large orbs
Chihuly bright and colorful sculptures with tall yellow fronds, flat shells, and large orbs
Chihuly bright and colorful sculptures with green orb and a reflection of a large twisted red and yellow glass sculpture
Chihuly bright and colorful red and yellow glass sculpture with tall purple fronds and large orbs
An endless riot of color and form

Chihuly’s Drawings

Chihuly also creates two-dimensional works that often form the basis for his 3-D glass sculptures. As the partner of a visual artist, I was fascinated by these pieces. He apparently began making these drawings after dislocating his shoulder and losing sight in his left eye. His Burned Drawings explore color and texture in new ways. He draws on heavyweight watercolor paper with acrylics, dry metallic pigment, charcoal and graphite, and even burns the paper surface with an acetylene torch.

I love the freedom of these drawings–the texture and the gestural nature of the forms. Chihuly states: Drawing really helps me to think about things. I’m able to draw and work with a lot of color and that inspires me.

Chihuly drawing - copper colored fronds
Chihuly drawing - golden tendrils
Drawings by Chihuly

Ikebana and Float Boats

Just when I’m thinking the displays can’t get any more jaw-dropping, we walk into the next room to see the Ikebana and Niijima Float Boats. One of the wooden boats is filled with Ikebana elements–long, flower-like glass stems inspired by the Japanese art of Ikebana. The other contains Niijima Floats, inspired by Chihuly’s trip to the Japanese island of Niijima and by childhood memories of discovering Japanese fishing net floats along the beaches of Puget Sound (Chihuly is from the Seattle area).

The placement of the boats on a polished black floor produces pristine reflections that double the sensory pleasure of the installation. The orbs in particular look so inviting. They remind me of giant version of the marbles I played with as a child.

Chihuly Ikebana boat full of glass shapes
Niijima floats from an installation at Chihuly Garden & Glass in Seattle
Ikebana boat (left) and Niijima Floats (right)

Chandeliers

The next room bristles with Chihuly’s Chandeliers. Inspired by his interest in architectural settings and how art interacts in spaces, Chihuly has mounted various installations of the Chandeliers over the years. One of the most notable was the 1995-96 project called Chihuly Over Venice during which Chihuly had thirteen Chandeliers hung at outdoor sites throughout Venice. The current room includes five installations inspired by Chihuly Over Venice. Here are two of them.

Chihuly green glass chandelier
Chihuly's Chandeliers in Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Two Chihuly Chandeliers

Macchia Forest

I’m seriously starting to suffer from the Stendhal effect as we drift into yet another room full of treasures. The variety and depth of Chihuly’s creative output is staggering. I would be hard pressed to choose a favorite room, but the dizzying display in the Macchia Forest room is a strong contender. Chihuly began the Macchia series in 1981 with the desire to use all 300 colors available to him in the hotshop (where the glass is made). The word macchia means “spot” in Italian.

While devising the series, Chihuly realized that the color in glass panes in a stained glass window look more vibrant against a cloudy sky than a blue sky. As a result, he created these pieces by adding a white layer in between – like a “cloud”. Each of the works is speckled with color, which is the result of rolling the molten glass in small shards of colored glass during the blowing process. A lip wrap of a contrasting color is then added to complete the piece. I could have stayed in the Macchia Forest all day!

Chihuly macchia - purple and pink
Chihuly macchias - orange, purple and pink
Chihuly macchia - purple and pink
Chihuly macchia - pink and lime green
Chihuly macchia - green and blue
Chihuly macchia - deep red
Chihuly macchia - golden
Macchia Forest pieces by Dale Chihuly at the Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Pieces in the Macchia Forest

Chihuly Films

The awesomeness of the Chihuly Garden and Glass doesn’t stop with the indoor displays. We crowd into a theater to watch five short documentaries about Chihuly’s work. It’s fascinating to find out how he oversaw his teams to produce huge installations all over the world, including Venice, Finland, and Jerusalem.

Room in Chihuly Garden and Glass showing a film of Chihuly blowing glass
Chihuly blowing glass
The series of five documentaries provides fascinating insights into Chihuly’s work

Glasshouse and Glasshouse Sculpture

By the time we make it to the massive atrium adorned with one of his largest works (and that’s saying something), I’m reeling. The massive glass sculpture suspended from the glass roof defies gravity and description. It is touted as the centerpiece of Chihuly Garden and Glass and is the result of Chihuly’s dream to create a glasshouse with artwork within it. The design draws inspiration from two of Chihuly’s favorite buildings: Sainte-Chappelle in Paris (no surprise there) and the Crystal Palace in London.

At 100 feet long and comprised of many individual elements, the Glasshouse Sculpture is also one of Chihuly’s largest suspended sculptures.

Massive glass sculpture in an atrium at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle

Into the Gardens

I realize I’m gushing in this post about our visit to Chihuly Garden and Glass (#3), but I can’t help myself. The complex is one of the finest I’ve seen anywhere in the world. Not only is Chihuly’s work fabulous, but the way it’s displayed, with plenty of informative descriptions, is truly inspiring.

We float from the lovely air-conditioned museum into the hot garden. But who can think of heat with so much beauty all around? Plants combine with glass objects to produce a magical series of outdoor rooms, each more whimsical than the one before. I am in seventh heaven!

This is Artsy Travel at its finest.

Thin red glass tubes in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Large lime green vertical sculpture in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Large vertical sculpture consisting of magenta glass boulders in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Thin and twisty orange glass tubes in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Large gold and black glass orb in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Large gold and blue striped glass orb in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
Purple fern-like glass tendrils in the garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass in Seattle
The Garden at Chihuly Garden and Glass

I defy anyone to visit Chihuly Garden and Glass and not smile. The whole place is a celebration of pure joy.

Visit Chihuly Garden and Glass seven days a week. It’s located in Seattle Center at the base of the Space Needle and steps from the monorail station.

Lunch at Seattle Center

After enjoying the gardens, we enter a very large indoor market with several food outlets. Julia opts for okay tacos and I make the mistake of ordering the seafood special at a fish and chips place. A massive mound of french fries vies for greasy supremacy with a large hunk of deep-fried fish, several deep-fried oysters, some deep-fried prawns, and maybe even a scallop or two. All fried. Heart attack in a basket. But, to be fair, it tastes amazing. My arteries will never be the same.

A Visit to MoPOP

Thus fortified, we go to MoPOP – AKA the Museum of Popular Culture (#5). Julia wants to see the special exhibition of the art of LAIKA, a stop-motion animation studio.

View of the rooftops of MOPOP from the Space Needle in Seattle
The roofs of MOPOP seen from the Space Needle

LAIKA redefined stop-motion animation with the instant classic Coraline back in 2009. Since then, LAIKA has been nominated for an Oscar five times. In the Hidden Worlds: The Films of LAIKA exhibition, we get a behind-the-scenes look at many of the company’s groundbreaking production techniques. Beautiful models plus several short films describe the techniques and make for a compelling exhibition, well worth the extra cost. I learn a lot about stop-motion animation and am impressed by the incredible patience required to make the various characters move.

Model of an elephant from the LAIKA special exhibition at MoPOP in Seattle
Model of a yeti from the LAIKA special exhibition at MoPOP in Seattle
LAIKA characters displayed as part of the special exhibition

Enjoying MoPOP

There’s a lot to enjoy at MoPOP, particularly for fans of popular music and genres such as science fiction and fantasy. Highlights include the massive guitar sculpture in the foyer and an exhibition of great figures in science fiction and fantasy that includes Mary Shelley.

Bust of Mary Shelley at MoPOP in Seattle
Tower of guitars at MoPOP in Seattle
Mary Shelley & Guitars at MoPOP

As well, there are displays about films in three genres: science fiction, fantasy, and horror. I skip the horror display, but thoroughly enjoy the science fiction and fantasy displays.

If you’re into making music, MoPOP has several sound studios in which you can practice instruments and compose your own pieces. It really is a marvelous place, worthy of several hours.

Performance of Six

The sold-out performance of Six was raucous and loud (the audience) and well-performed (the six queens). It’s an enjoyable show with excellent singing and an entertaining premise. If you haven’t seen Six and you’re a fan of energetic singing with a sprinkling of Tudor history (Six refers to the six wives of Henry VIII), then get tickets when a production comes to your area.

Exterior of the Paramount Theater in Seattle
Elaborate gold interior ceiling with chandeliers in the lobby of the Paramount Theater in Seattle
Paramount Theater in Seattle

Day 2 in Seattle: Exploring Pike’s Place Market & the Beach

We decide to spend the morning at Pike’s Place Market, a ten-minute walk from our hotel, and the afternoon with friends of Julia’s who take us on a drive to the beach. We could have opted to visit the Seattle Art Museum, but I’ll leave that for another trip.

Pike’s Place Market

On a hot and sunny Sunday morning, the market (#6) is hopping. We arrive around 10, just in time to join the hordes of cruise ship passengers from the three cruise ships currently docked in Seattle harbor. At times, it’s a struggle to make our way through the narrow aisles, but we enjoy checking out the many stalls.

Public Market Center sign at Pike's Place Market in Seattle
Fish stall at Pike's Place Market in Seattle
Flower stall at Pike's Place Market in Seattle
Pike’s Place Public Market in Seattle

As an inveterate lover of souvenirs, I purchase a blue glass heart in memory of our Chihuly visit, a beautiful glass pendant, and about two pounds of soap. After picking out what I thought was a pound’s worth, the attendant tells me I’m at 14 ounces and if I get just a few more pieces, I’ll have a pound and then I can get an additional pound for free. Always a sucker for a bargain, I keep adding pieces of scented soap (patchouli, lavender, peppermint and more) until I have my two pounds. I now have enough soap to last a year but that’s okay. It’s not like I’ll ever not have a reason to use it.

On the Beach and Home Again

We spend the afternoon with Julia’s friends on a long stretch of sandy beach outside of Seattle and overlooking Puget Sound. The water is very cold and none too clean. I take a very quick dip just to say I have.

View of Puget Sound from the beach near Seattle
Afternoon on the beach

At 6 pm, we board the train at King Street station for the four-hour journey home. As a result of delays, the journey is more like seven hours, but I don’t mind. I still prefer the train to driving! Even if it’s not always faster, it’s much more relaxing.

Conclusion

Our weekend away in Seattle was packed full and fun, with the hands-down highlight being the Chihuly Garden and Glass. It’s a marvel that is well worth the price of admission–and then some.

Have you visited Seattle? Share your recommendations in the comments below.

And here are some more posts about destinations in North America:

Engine of the Rocky Mountaineer train with a backdrop of mountains in Jasper Alberta

Experience Western Canada in Style on the Rocky Mountaineer

Canada, Destinations, North America Artsy Traveler 2 Comments on Experience Western Canada in Style on the Rocky Mountaineer

Last updated on September 16th, 2024 at 06:18 am

UPDATE: August, 2024. Tragically, the Rocky Mountaineer trip to Jasper has been suspended, likely to the end of the season. Wildfires half-destroyed Jasper in early August of 2024. The community is rebuilding and there train will resume the Jasper route for 2025. In the meantime, please enjoy my account of my fabulous two-day trip on the Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver to Jasper in the summer of 2023.

My heart goes out to the residents of Jasper and I wish them all the best as they rebuild their glorious community.

In August of 2023, I took the famed Rocky Mountaineer train journey from Vancouver to Jasper in the Canadian Rockies with Julia, my daughter and frequent travel companion. I’ve lived in British Columbia all my life and see mountains and trees out my window every day. Would I appreciate the scenery as much as, say, someone from Texas or Oklahoma or London or even Toronto? For people from other parts of the world, the wild BC landscape is as much a novelty as the Yangtze River or African veldt would be for me.

As it turns out, this BC girl thoroughly enjoyed the two-day Rocky Mountaineer train journey from my backyard to the majestic Rocky Mountains. Awesome scenery, fabulous service, and excellent amenities combined to make the trip truly bucket-list-worthy.

Rocky Moutnaineer train - GoldLeaf class

This post provides a full account of the trip, from boarding in Vancouver, British Columbia, to disembarking in Jasper, Alberta. Read on to find out if a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer is an experience you too would enjoy.

Day One

Rocky Mountaineer offers three routes featuring the awe-inspiring landscapes of British Columbia and the Rocky Mountains in Alberta:

  • First Passage to the West: Vancouver to Banff and Lake Louise via Kamloops
  • Journey Through the Clouds: Vancouver to Jasper via Kamloops
  • Rainforest to Gold Rush: Vancouver to Jasper via Whistler and Quesnel

We chose the Journey Through the Clouds–a two-day journey from Vancouver to Jasper. Day One takes us to Kamloops in the Interior region of British Columbia, and Day Two takes us the rest of the way to Jasper in Alberta.

Arrival at the Rocky Mountaineer Station in Vancouver

At 6:30 am, we’re out front of Julia’s apartment in North Vancouver, waiting for the Uber that whisks us across the bridge to the Rocky Mountaineer station in Vancouver for the start of our two-day adventure. Attendants welcome us with cheery efficiency into the cavernous Rocky Mountaineer station flooded with early-morning light. We soon discover that cheery efficiency characterizes every moment of the service to come. Everyone who works on the train is cheery; I presume it’s a job requirement. But it feels genuine. I sense that the people who work with guests at Rocky Mountaineer truly relish their jobs.

I enjoy my first coffee of the day at the station and look around at my fellow travelers. While I spy a few families, the majority of the passengers are couples hailing from Australia, Britain and the United States, at least judging from most of the accents I hear. I know from going on several Alaskan cruises over the years that many travelers combine a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer with a cruise to Alaska and a few days’ stay in Vancouver. Although biased, considering it’s my home town, I have to say that Vancouver is worth at least a two-night stay.

A Piper Pipes Us Aboard the Rocky Mountaineer

A piper in full Scots regalia takes up his position in front of the doors leading to the train and begins to play. I do love the sound of the pipes! The cheery train manager who will accompany us to Jasper welcomes us and then asks us all to shout All Aboard. Moments later, we follow the other passengers out to the platform.

Scots Piper at the start of a trip on the Rocky Mountaineer
The skirl of the pipes welcomes us on board the Rocky Mountaineer

We walk a few yards down the tracks to our GoldLeaf car—a double-decker with the seating area in a domed car on the top level and the dining car below.

Boarding the Rocky Mountaineer in Vancouver

Two Levels of Service on the Rocky Mountaineer

The Rocky Mountaineer train offers two levels of service—SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf. The scenery is the same, as is the level of cheeriness from the onboard hosts, but the seats in GoldLeaf are more comfortable and the cars are two levels. The dome car on the top level affords views for miles and the dining room on the bottom level hosts two seatings for a gourmet breakfast and lunch each day. An onboard chef prepares all the food to order.

In SilverLeaf, the food is pre-prepared and reheated on board, similar to first-class plane fare, and delivered to people’s seats. Also, the SilverLeaf cars are one level and, while equipped with large windows, are not as airy and high up as the dome cars in GoldLeaf.  Both are good choices, depending on your budget.

Our Onboard Seating in Rocky Mountaineer’s GoldLeaf Class

The sun streams through the fully-glassed-in dome car as we make our way to our assigned seats. There is ample leg room and all sorts of intriguing seat controls. I can choose three temperatures to warm my bottom, from mildly tingling to full-on torrid. Considering the air conditioning is cranked a little too high, I’m grateful that at least my nether regions are toasty.

There are also controls for raising the leg rest, reclining the seat without affecting the people behind (a nice touch), and even a rather lovely lumbar support. On the seat back in front of me is a hook for hanging jackets and purses. Very thoughtful.

View of the dome car on the Rocky Mountaineer train
View from our seats in the dome car

The train starts so smoothly that it’s a few seconds before I realize we’re moving. For several minutes, we shunt backwards as the train gets into position on the correct track. The train is very long, consisting of both the Vancouver-to-Jasper and Vancouver-to-Banff cars. In Kamloops, the Banff cars will be uncoupled to go on their merry way eastward, while we will begin the trek north and then east to Jasper.

First Breakfast

Our super-cheery onboard host Ryan welcomes us aboard and reads the safety information required by Transport Canada, then invites half of the passengers in the car to head down to the dining car for breakfast. We are in the first group; tomorrow, we will go second. During the two eleven-hour travel days, we will eat both breakfast and lunch (which is more like a dinner) on board, along with plenty of snacks and unlimited drinks—wine, cocktails, liqueurs, soft drinks, the lot.

We are seated opposite a retired couple from New York. The woman used to run an art gallery and so we have plenty to chat about. Breakfast is excellent. I opt for eggs scrambled with Boursin cheese and accompanied by bacon, potatoes, and greens with pomegranates. It is delicious.

We Head Out of Vancouver

The train creeps along through rail yards that are as ugly here in my home town as they are anywhere in the world. What is it with trains and cities? The tracks are always flanked by the very worst urban blight, with liberal sprinklings of rust and filth. Delightful. We assure our breakfast companions that the scenery will improve.

And it does. By the time we return to our seats, the train is gliding alongside the Fraser River with the mountains beyond butted up against massive puffs of marshmallow clouds. The sun streaming through the clear glass dome above me warms the top of my head, the verdure stretching either side of the train is a rich emerald green, and all seems very right with the world. It is remarkably pleasant, and I feel my shoulders soften and relax.

Views of the Fraser River after leaving Vancouver

The Morning Progresses

Every so often, our two hosts in the dome car—Ryan and Asia—take turns delivering informative commentary about the areas we’re passing through. I’m thrilled to discover that I can easily type on my laptop on the generously-sized tray table. My fears about the movement of the train being too jerky to allow me to do some writing while on the journey (I love to write when I travel!) are unfounded. I can type to my heart’s content from here to Jasper without missing a beat.

A laptop and a glass of wine on a tray table on the Rocky Mountaineer
Writing on a laptop is as steady as on my desk at home

Over the next few hours, we penetrate deeper into the Coast mountains as we follow the Fraser River through the Fraser Valley and into the Fraser Canyon, one of the scenic highlights of the trip. I’ve driven the canyon a few times, but the only other time I took the train through was in 1967 when I was returning from Montreal with my parents after visiting Expo 67. By some weird quirk of scheduling, the westbound train traversed all of British Columbia—the most scenic part of the country by a country mile—at night, arriving in Vancouver at dawn.

Into the Fraser Canyon

So this will be the first time I see the Fraser Canyon from a train. The hosts tell us that the town of Yale has an archeological dig with artifacts dating back to 9000 BC. Impressive.

About an hour after finishing breakfast, the bar opens and I order a Mimosa and sip it while gazing out at the mountains looming high either side of us. The dome car is a huge plus of traveling in GoldLeaf. I feel like I’m floating through the landscape, looking up to see clouds and trees and mountaintops glide smoothly by.

Carol enjoying a mimosa on the Rocky Mountaineer
Enjoying a Mimosa at my seat

We Pass by Hell’s Gate

The train passes by Hell’s Gate, and everyone crowds to the right side to peer down at the roiling waters. Ryan excitedly tells us about the history of the area and how Canadian explorer Simon Fraser called the area the Gates of Hell, hence the name. The canyon narrows and the water pours through in unnavigable fury.

View of the Fraser River in British Columbia from the train
The Fraser River swirls through Hell’s Gate

Lunch is Served

Lunch is called for us, the first group, and down we troop. The appetizer is a long board of smoked ahi tuna and several plump prawns accompanied by pickled veggies, crisp crackers, and a delicate bruschetta. For the entrée, we can choose from six options in addition to the special—chicken in Béarnaise sauce. Julia opts for that while I choose the cod loin, which is truly one of the best servings of cod loin I’ve ever tasted. A delicate sweet-citrus sauce dresses a generously thick hunk of cod perfectly cooked.

There’s a gentle rhythm to the pace of the train—not fast, not slow. It’s a steady pace that feels just right. This is not a high-speed TGV or bullet train. This is a sedate, elegant train that gets us to where we’re going at a pace that encourages us to enjoy the ride.

Heading Into the Interior of British Columbia

We pass through Lytton–a small town tragically destroyed by fire in 2021. The charred trees bear witness to the devastation caused by wildfires every year in British Columbia. We are lucky that wildfires haven’t affected this trip, but that is by no means always the case. In fact, 2023 is one of the worst years for wildfires in Canada, but not on the route we are currently traveling.

When we are close enough to a town to get cell service, I read the heartbreaking headlines about the devastating wildfires in Maui. Wildfires are increasing worldwide and they all too often win the battle against humans and human settlements. We see evidence of fires throughout the Rocky Mountaineer journey and when we spend the day in Jasper.

Burned forest near Lytton as seen from the Rocky Mountaineer
Near Lytton, BC, the landscape shows the devastation wrought by a wildfire in 2021

The countryside keeps changing the farther into the Interior we go—the monochrome browns and ochres and greys punctuated by burned trees like exclamation points and cut through by the blue-green Thompson River that we will follow all the way to Kamloops.

Thompson River seen from the Rocky Mountaineer
View of the Thompson River from the train
View of the interior of BC near Kamloops
The landscape grows much drier as we enter the Interior

The mountains are rounder and more arid, the slashes of ochre and white more stark, the trees shrinking even more. At 7 pm, we pull into Kamloops, our overnight stop. We’ve been on the train for 11 hours, which sounds like a long time but has flown by.

Arrival in Kamloops

The organization is impressive. Large buses pull up as we leave the train and everyone from our coach is loaded in and taken to the Coast Hotel. They’ve divided passengers into coaches based on where they are staying. The Coast Hotel is situated high on the ridge above Kamloops in an area bristling with hotels, motels, and malls, and a plethora of chain restaurants, from McDonalds to Dairy Queen. To stretch our legs, we eschew the hotel restaurant and walk to a pub about five minutes’ away.

View over Kamloops from the Coast Hotel
View over Kamloops from the balcony of our room at the Coast Hotel

Snagging the last table outside where the atmosphere is quieter, we enjoy an okay meal. Service is swift and my steak sandwich, while overdone, is edible. Half an hour later we’re back out on the street. The area is regrettably unlovely—just urban sprawl overlooking brown hills and the valley below. We walk as far as the Dairy Queen for an ice cream cone that I don’t need, then stroll back to the hotel and contemplate the pool. I always like to enjoy as many hotel amenities as I can during a stay, but I’m tired and the pool is busy. We opt instead for a quiet hour back in the room before lights-out.

Day 2 of the Rocky Mountaineer Adventure

I’m up bright and early and step out onto our balcony to the smell of smoke from a wildfire about ten miles away, as the bus driver later informs us. We have been instructed to be downstairs no later than 7:30 am to board the bus for the fifteen-minute trundle to the train station. An attendant with a clipboard makes sure we’re all accounted for and off we go.

The bus driver provides a commentary about Kamloops, a town of over 100,000 inhabitants. I remember when it wasn’t much more than an indent on the highway. Over the past several years, Kamloops has grown considerably, thanks to affordable housing, a university, the headquarters of Interior Health, a few mines and a pulp mill, making it an attractive option for people looking to escape the impossibly bleak real estate prospects on the coast. Julia has two friends who have relocated to Kamloops in the past few years.

Heading out of Kamloops

The sun is again shining and within a surprisingly short amount of time, we’re away from the dry Kamloops landscape and chugging through a greener, treed landscape skirting the North Thompson River. The views are spectacular, with mirror-bright reflections and puffy clouds. I love being up so high.

Landscape outside Kamloops in British Columbia
Mirror-smooth river and clear skies outside Kamloops

We are on the second shift for breakfast today and so make do with two cups of excellent coffee and a piece of coffee cake drizzled with lemon syrup. It’s a tough go, but we manage. The biggest decision of the morning will be what to choose for breakfast. The menu is the same on both days, and I’m torn. The pancakes with lemon? Or Eggs Benedict? Or…? How to choose? I opt for eggs Benedict–cooked to perfection and accompanied by fresh fruit and lots more coffee.

After breakfast, it’s back up the narrow winding staircase that leads from the dining level up to the dome level to spend another relaxing few hours during which I write a bit of this post, listen to an audiobook, work on my Novel-In-Progress, and of course, have a nap. There is something so restful about nodding off with the smooth movement of the train. In fact, I’ve never been on a train with such smooth movement.

Wildlife Spotting

Our onboard hosts are anxious for us to spot wildlife, but unfortunately, it’s slim pickings on this trip. We spot some bald eagles hanging out at the tops of trees alongside the river and see a bear swimming upstream. Unfortunately, he is too far away for a photo. The only other wildlife excitement are a few clusters of bighorn sheep on a hillside.

Views grow less frequent as the trees close in. Every so often, I go back down to the dining car level where a large outdoor viewing platform offers a different perspective. The August air is warm and breezy.

Standing on the viewing platform on the Rocky Mountaineer
Viewing the passing landscape from the viewing platform on the lower level of the GoldLeaf car

We Approach the Rocky Mountains

The landscape fills with taller trees and increasingly larger mountains until suddenly we burst into a wide valley with a vista of the Rocky Mountains spread before us. Where before the mountains were tree covered to their summits, the tops of these mountains are bare and rocky. And these are just the foothills. The real Rockies are yet to come.

Foothills of the rocky mountains

We go down for lunch, and I opt for the Sumac Ridge Sauvignon blanc from BC’s Okanagan Valley that I sampled yesterday. Clean, crisp, citrusy—exactly what a Sauvignon blanc should be. For our entrée, we both choose the special—steak with broccoli and potatoes. It’s excellent.

We are now traveling into the heart of the Rocky Mountains. Although I’ve seen them before, I’m always surprised at just how big and rocky they are—very different from the blue and green mountains I see out my window at home on the coast. The Rockies thrust unapologetically into the cloud-studded sky—we’re here, we’re proud, we’re Rockies, and all you people in that train snaking through the valley down below have paid a small fortune to come see us. Welcome.

Pyramid Falls

The train slows to a crawl to allow us to take pictures of Pyramid Falls, reputedly taller than Niagara Falls. Extraordinary.

Pyramid Falls in the Rocky Mountains of BC
Pyramid Falls is higher than Niagara Falls

We Pass Mount Robson

An hour later, we pass massive Mount Robson—the highest mountain in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park in British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range.The trees occasionally thin out enough to provide several photo ops. Apparently, clouds very often wreathe the summit, and this is the case when we pass. Even so, it’s an impressive wall of granite.

Mount Robson in BC
Mount Robson–the tallest mountain in the Canadian Rockies
ROcky mountains
The views as we come into Jasper are spectacular

Coming Into Jasper

As we near Jasper and the end of our Rocky Mountaineer adventure, the mountains are coming thick and fast, along with the iconic deep blue lakes, the first being Moose Lake. The chefs come upstairs and dole out fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies. It’s a nice touch.

Warm chocolate chip cookie to welcome us to Jasper

And so, after another full day on the train, we pull into Jasper, Alberta, where the clock has jumped forward an hour to Mountain Time. Ryan reads out the coach numbers corresponding to our hotels. We are in the Forest Park Hotel, which Julia assures me is very comfortable (she’s right). We will be here for two nights.

Music to End our Journey on the Rocky Mountaineer

The sound system delivers a purely Canadian playlist—Gordon Lightfoot, Our Lady Peace, Celine Dion, k. d. lang and more—a fitting tribute to round out the trip. The only exception is John Denver’s Rocky Mountain High, played just as we pull into Jasper train station. A rendition of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah plays as we all rise to descend from the glorious glass-domed car we’ve called home for two days to the track level where we say farewell to our hosts. Jasper Bear meets us at the station.

A safety-conscious Jasper Bear welcomes us to Jasper

The sky is starting to dim just enough to indicate that sunset is approaching. Patches of sun splash across the peaks in the distance while forested ridges loom darkly. Clouds are tinged bright white and grey and yellow, preparing to turn crimson and gold with the sunset. We hop on the bus for the five-minute drive to the Forest Park Hotel on the very edge of town. Our room is spacious and well-appointed.

Jasper sunset
Sunset view in Jasper

We decide to walk into Jasper for dinner at a pizza place. The sky stays light for several hours, and on our way back to the hotel, we spy a few elk munching grass.

Should You Go?

Is the Rocky Mountaineer trip “worth” it? That’s a good question. It’s an experience unmatched in my life, even though I’ve lived most of it within sight of mountains. I’ve driven through this landscape several times, but the driving experience can’t compare to the relaxation of sitting in the dome car tootling along at a sedate 40 to 50 miles an hour—fast enough to feel like progress is being made, but slow enough to allow for effective picture-taking.

The service is excellent, with the onboard hosts going above and beyond to deliver a memorable experience. They balance commentary with silence and deliver drinks and snacks at exactly the right rate, neither too frequently nor too seldom.

Red carpet outside Goldleaf car on Rocky Mountaineer
The red carpet is rolled out in front of a GoldLeaf car on the Rocky Mountaineer

The journey is not for the budget-conscious. To be blunt, it’s expensive. Very expensive. But if you’re looking for a unique way to spend two days crossing the vast reaches of British Columbia and you’re happy to shell out some big bucks, then I highly recommend the Rocky Mountaineer GoldLeaf experience.

Vancouver Walking Tours

GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Vancouver!

Carol Cram in front of the National Gallery of Canada

National Gallery of Canada: Best Bets for the Artsy Traveler

Arts & Culture, Canada, Destinations, Museums, North America Artsy Traveler Leave a Comment on National Gallery of Canada: Best Bets for the Artsy Traveler

Last updated on December 21st, 2024 at 06:11 am

If you love art and you’re visiting Ottawa, than you don’t want to miss the iconic National Gallery of Canada.

It is truly a national treasure, and one of the reasons why I was very pleased when my niece told me they were moving to Ottawa with their family a few years ago.

Now I have an excuse to visit Ottawa more often, which means I can spend more time at the National Gallery!

Photo of the glass and steel façade of the National Gallery of Canada with a sign that reads “National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa's Crown Jewel,” and the website "artsytraveler.com" at the bottom.

To help you enjoy this wonderful gallery, I’ve put together a list of my 20 favorite pieces. These are just the tip of the iceberg, chosen from room after glorious room of masterpieces in the Canadian collection.

When you go, you’ll find many more pieces to marvel at.

Overview

The National Gallery of Canada is an excellent museum both inside and out.

Outside, the striking glass structure built in 1988 echoes the shape of the library on Parliament Hill that it overlooks.

Inside is a comprehensive collection of the best of the best of Canadian painting, particularly the Group of Seven and some notable moderns.

I visited the National Gallery of Canada with my daughter on a brilliant blue-sky day in early February after checking out Winterlude, eating my very first sugar shack maple-syrup lollilop (so delicious), and strolling past Parliament Hill (rated the #1 attraction in Ottawa on Trip Advisor!)

Two women smiling in front of the Canadian Parliament buildings in Ottawa, with snow covering the ground and cranes in the background.
On Parliament Hill in Ottawa on a crystal-cold February day

Location of the National Gallery of Canada

The National Gallery is a short walk from Parliament Hill along the Rideau Canal and quite close to the Byward Market.

The map below shows the location of the gallery along with a few landmarks such as the Parliament Buildings, the Rideau Centre, and the Ottawa Art Gallery (also worth a visit).

Map courtesy of Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android

Meet Maman

On your way into the gallery, you can’t help noticing the massive sculpture by Louise Bourgeois. Called Maman and created in 1999, the giant egg-carrying arachnid cast in bronze was inspired by Bourgeois’s own mom.

If you don’t much like spiders, you might want to walk quickly past Maman, but if you’re not too bothered, linger a while and take some striking pictures!

Woman in winter clothing standing in front of a large black spider sculpture outside the National Gallery of Canada, with snowy ground and the Notre-Dame Basilica in the background.
Carol & Maman

Touring the Canadian Collection

On my most recent visit to the National Gallery of Canada, I entered the main Canadian collection from the moderns and traversed backwards to the colonial and pre-colonial eras.

Usually, I start old and end new, but I found going backwards was a refreshing way to get a different perspective on the collection.

In addition to the large collection of Canadian art on the main floor, the National Gallery also includes a comprehensive collection of European and American art, and a large area devoted to contemporary work (most of which was kind of missable, to be honest).

Because I’m limiting this post to just 20 of my faves, I’m focusing only on the Canadian collection.

Ready? Let’s start with the moderns.

Modern art–as opposed to contemporary art–includes works from the mid 20th century until about the 1970s.

I’ve limited myself to five faves, presented in the order in which I came across them and listed by artist name rather than the name of the work.

Norval Morrisseau (called Copper Thunderhead)

Norval Morrisseau is credited with creating a completely new art movement inspired by non-European aesthetic conventions and iconography.

His work is a visual translation of an Anishnaabe worldview that is based on oral tradition, individual experience, and heritage.

I don’t think anyone could look at a painting by Morrisseau and not be enchanted. The vibrant colors and intriguing shapes, along with his original depictions of animals and people, are irresistible.

His work is immediately recognizable and so compelling. This painting was the first I gravitated to when I entered the room.

Vibrant painting by Norval Morrisseau with bold, colorful figures, birds, and an abstract eagle, rendered in Indigenous Woodland art style.
Norval Morrisseau (called Copper Thunderhead), Artist and Shaman between Two Worlds (1980)

Alex Colville

Alex Colville’s hyper-realistic paintings depict everyday life in the Maritimes. This piece is one of my favorites (and probably Colville’s most famous) because it beautifully captures the feel of a sunny, breezy day in summer.

Also, what is the woman looking at? Prince Edward Island? Another boat? Us? It’s enigmatic and yet relatable.

The painting depicts Colville in the background and his wife Rhoda in the foreground holding the binoculars.

Realistic painting by Alex Colville of a woman with binoculars looking toward the viewer, seated on a boat with a large white funnel and blue sky in the background.
Alex Colville, To Prince Edward Island (1965)

Art McKay

I was unfamiliar with Art McKay, although my husband, painter Gregg Simpson, has since told me that he met him back in the 1970s.

I included his work simply because I really liked it. It reminds me of a Pollock but with more fluid movement. Apparently, McKay was inspired to pursue abstraction after meeting the American abstract painter Barnett Newman in 1959.

In this painting, the limited palette (black, white, blue) produces a compellingly energetic work that drew me in. I wanted to sit with it for a while, to feel the paint swirling around me like clouds seen from outer space.

Abstract painting by Art McKay with a splatter design featuring textured black and white patches on a deep blue background.
Art McKay, Flat Blue, Flat White, Stove Enamel (1960)

Jean Paul Riopelle

The National Gallery of Canada includes several paintings by Jean Paul Riopelle in its collection, which is good news for me because I’m a big fan of his work.

This massive triptych is so fabulously joyous. Riopelle used a palette knife to apply paint directly to the surface using free and “automatic” gestures. He is known as the most ambitious artist in the Automatistes movement.

The title of the piece, “Pavane”, refers to the 16th century Spanish dance that is characterized by a stately and processional rhythm. And this painting fairly pulsates with rhythm.

I couldn’t do the piece justice with a single photograph and so took this video.

Jean Paul Riopelle, Pavane (1954)

Kathleen Munn

I had never heard of Kathleen Munn (1887-1974) whom I discovered was one of the leading modernist painters in Toronto in the 1920s.

I’m happy to see that the National Gallery is including more women in its collection. This appealing piece reminds me of a Franz Marc with its colorful shapes and abstracted landscape elements.

Painting with colorful, overlapping geometric shapes and lines in vivid hues of yellow, red, and blue, creating a dynamic composition.
Kathleen Munn, Untitled (1926-28)

Group of Seven & Friends at the National Gallery

The Group of Seven are justifiably famous for creating paintings that showed the Canadian landscape to the world back in the early 20th century.

Also known as the Algonquin School, the Group of Seven includes Frank Carmichael, Lawren Harris, A. Y. Jackson, Frank Johnston, Arthur Lismer, J. E. H. MacDonald, and Fred Varley. Other artists associated with the group are A. J. Casson, Tom Thomson, and Emily Carr.

The National Gallery devotes several rooms to showcasing the work of these artists. I’ve selected my favorites in no particular order, except that I start with my fave, Lawren Harris.

Lawren Harris

Lawren Harris is hands-down my most beloved Group of Seven artist. I particularly appreciate his later work when he moved away from landscape and toward a spiritually-inspired form of abstraction.

The painting below is an example of his later work when he was focusing on producing abstract art using geometric compositions with layered planes.

Geometric abstract painting with angular shapes in shades of blue, yellow, and red, depicting a stylized modern design.
Lawren Harris, Abstraction (1939)

This piece is one of Harris’s most famous. It depicts the north shore of Lake Superior and was painted in 1926 when Harris traveled to the region with fellow Group of Seven artist A. Y. Jackson.

Painting of a tall, jagged rock formation with beams of light streaming through clouds and a serene body of water in the background.
Lawren Harris, North Shore, Lake Superior (1926)

Call me a tourist (an artsy tourist), but I couldn’t resist taking a selfie in front of this most iconic of paintings.

Selfie of a woman wearing a red jacket in front of a Lawren Harris painting depicting a surreal, towering formation under a dramatic sky, displayed in a gallery.
Geeking out at the National Gallery of Canada

J. E. H. MacDonald

Apparently, this painting by J. E. H. MacDonald was panned by the critics when it was first exhibited in the 1920s. One critic even compared the painting to a huge tomato salad. That seems a bit harsh!

I was immediately drawn to this painting because of its exuberant depiction of fecundity. Some of the plants are decaying, some are blooming, and all are jumbled together in a glorious mess of in-your-face nature. It’s awesome!

A lush garden scene filled with colorful flowers, drooping sunflowers, and rich foliage, painted with expressive, textured brushwork.
J. E. H. MacDonald, The Tangled Garden (1916)

A. Y. Jackson

How much more Canadian can this get–red maple leaves in front of a rushing river. The painting is even called “The Red Maple” and is based on a sketch from nature produced along the Oxtongue River in Algonquin Park.

A landscape painting of a river with rapids flowing through a rocky scene, with bright red foliage in the foreground.
A. Y. Jackson, The Red Maple (1914)

Arthur Lismer

Is this iconically Ontario or what? To me, this depiction of Georgian Bay in a storm really captures the swirling clouds and choppy waves of the Great Lakes region. It really couldn’t be anywhere else in Canada!

A painting of a stormy sea with a twisted pine tree in the foreground, dramatic waves, and dark clouds in the sky.
Arthur Lismer, A September Gale, Georgian Bay (1921)

F. H. Varley

Same with this piece, which also depicts a storm on Georgian Bay. The Group of Seven artists are credited with being quintessentially Canadian, but really, they are at heart Ontarians.

As someone born and bred in British Columbia, I don’t particularly resonate with the Ontario landscape. However, I can appreciate it and also how its depiction by the Group of Seven artists showcased a corner of Canada’s vast landscape to the world.

A windswept coastal scene featuring a lone, twisted pine tree on a rocky outcrop, with turbulent water below and a moody sky.
F. H. Varley, Stormy Weather, Georgian Bay (1921)

Franklin Carmichael

Carmichael is my second favorite Group of Seven artist after Lawren Harris; I even have a print of one of his paintings in my office.

See how he smashes together landscape elements to produce a visual earthquake for the viewer. You can feel the seismic energy of the rain, the snow, and the wind in his paintings.

A painting of rolling hills and dramatic storm clouds with rays of sunlight breaking through, depicting a rugged, rural Canadian landscape.
Franklin Carmichael, Snow Clouds (1938)

Tom Thomson

Although he was not formally considered a member of the Group of Seven, the paintings by Tom Thomson are pretty much synonymous with most people’s idea of Group of Seven landscapes.

The National Gallery includes a large display of several dozen of Thomson’s small canvases. This video gives a good idea of the variety and quality of these exquisite gems.

Small paintings by Tom Thomson

Emily Carr

The other most famous artist who was not part of the Group of Seven, but definitely associated with them, is BC’s own Emily Carr. The National Gallery includes several of her pieces.

Most depict the brooding West Coast rainforest–a landscape I definitely resonate with since it’s the one I see outside my window as I write this!

A massive cedar tree is directly in my line of sight. It doesn’t take much imagination to see it as Carr did–a swirling, living mass of green energy thrusting skyward. Here are two of her pieces that I particularly liked.

A forest landscape painting with towering trees and swirling, textured brushstrokes, capturing the dense wilderness.
Emily Carr, Something Unnamed (1937)
A painting of totem poles standing in front of a dramatic landscape of mountains and water, painted in Carr’s signature post-impressionist style.
Emily Carr, Totems (1930)

Indigenous Art

The National Gallery does a good job of including several fabulous pieces of indigenous art in the collection of paintings by artists of mostly European descent.

Here are two pieces I admired.

A vibrant Indigenous mask adorned with bold red, blue, black, and white designs, featuring feathers and carved wings extending outward.
Marven G. Tallio, Raven Sun Transformation Mask (1966)
A traditional Indigenous wooden mask with intricate carvings of geometric and swirling patterns, displayed against a white background.
John Marston (QAP’U’LUQ), Spirit of the Forest – Mother Nature (2013)

Other Notable Pieces

While the stars of the show at the National Gallery are the paintings by the Group of Seven and the pieces of indigenous art, I saw some new-to-me pieces worth mentioning.

Here is yet another depiction of Lake Superior (there are many of them in the National Gallery!), which I liked because of the way in which the houses are all jumbled together in front of a massive landscape and because it’s painted by a woman artist I’d never heard of, Yvonne McKague Housser.

She painted this piece just a few years after Lawren Harris made the Lake Superior region famous.

A painting depicting a coastal scene with a small village nestled among rolling hills and a large, dark mountain in the background. The sky is filled with streaks of clouds and beams of light filtering through.
Yvonne McKague Housser, Rossport, Lake Superior (1929)

This piece from the 19th century of loggers clear-cutting the area where I now live resonated because of the interesting way in which the artist depicted the figures next to the logs.

The painting catches one moment during the workday. No one is posing; no one cares about posing. They are just getting on with a brutal day’s labor.

A historical painting of men in the process of logging, featuring several workers in hats and suspenders lifting and rolling large logs onto a cart, surrounded by fallen trees and horses in a dusty clearing.
George A. Reid, Logging (1888)

Yes, I’m a sucker for a good still life, and I particularly liked this piece by Quebec artist Joseph Légaré. Apparently, it’s the first still life executed in Canada, although I’m not sure how anyone can be 100% sure of that!

Anyway, it’s a nice painting.

A painting depicting a still life of red and white grape clusters, vines, and autumn leaves draped against a tree, with a scenic backdrop of distant hills and a golden sunset sky.
Joseph Légaré, Still-life with Grapes (1826)

And Finally – A Shout-Out to the Gift Shop

I love a good museum gift shop and the one at the National Gallery of Canada is right up there in my top ten all-time favorite museum gift shops.

There’s a wonderful selection of quality gift items, many with indigenous designs and the assurance that the money actually goes to the artists. Hopefully, that is true because in my last two trips to the National Gallery (February 2023 and December 2021), I purchased several indigenously-designed items there.

Definitely check it out after you’ve toured the National Gallery. I dare you to leave without buying something!

Practical Information

The National Gallery of Canada is located at 380 Sussex Drive in Ottawa (see #1 on the map at the beginning of this post). It is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm (8 pm on Thursday), and closed on Monday. Adults cost $20; seniors $18; and 24 and under & students $10. Children under 11 are free.

Tours & Tickets in Ottawa

Here are some guided bus tours of Ottawa and options for tickets to some of Ottawa’s major museums with Tiqets.com to check out:

Looking for a good walking tour? I recommend GuruWalks. Here are the walks available in Ottawa:

Conclusion

The National Gallery of Canada’s permanent collection is stunning and extremely safe–some would say conservative. The focus is on the crowd-pleasing paintings by the Group of Seven (and hey, I was pleased), but there are very few paintings by more recent Canadian artists.

Still, it’s a great collection and worth a few hours of your time when visiting Ottawa, a city with its fair share of excellent museums.

Have you visited the National Gallery of Canada? What are some of your favorites? Share in the comments below.

Other Posts About Great Art Museums

Huge tree roots on a massive tree on Kauai

What to See and Do on Kauai

Arts & Culture, Destinations, North America, United States Artsy Traveler 2 Comments on What to See and Do on Kauai

Last updated on December 10th, 2024 at 12:59 am

You’ve decided to travel to Kauai. Good choice!

Known as the Garden Isle (and you’ll quickly find out why when you start exploring!), Kauai has so much to offer the artsy traveler. For one thing, it’s absolutely, irresistibly, awesomely gorgeous. Like, jaw-dropping-at-practically-every-turn gorgeous.

I felt like I was traveling through a work of art—one that has taken about five million years to create.

What’s In This Post

In this post, I provide suggestions for areas to explore on Kauai and then share my recommendations about how long to stay and where.

For more on traveling on Kauai, check out Ten Tips for Traveling Solo on Kauai, and Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

Map of Kauai

Use the map below to orientate yourself to the destinations mentioned in this post.

Exploring the East Shore

The East Shore is where most residents live and is quite busy and often traffic-clogged. However, its proximity to the airport, shopping, and some good beaches makes it a smart stop for a few days, particularly when you first arrive.

Stocking Up at Big Box Stores

On my first full day on Kauai’s East Shore, I drove to Costco and Walmart in the town of Lihue to buy vacation essentials at reasonable prices. At Costco, I picked up a case of water, a large bag of macadamia nuts that lasted me the entire trip, a few bags of snacks, a hunk of cheese, and a box of salad.

At Walmart, I bought a mask and snorkel, a pair of water shoes, and a nice big beach bag. You can rent snorkel equipment at various places on Kauai, but it’s cheaper (and more hygienic) to pick up the gear at a store like Walmart.

Town of Kapa‘a

The town of Kapa‘a (#1 on the map) is over 125 years old and was once the hub of a sugar-growing and then pineapple-growing area. The old canneries are closed now, and tourism is the main industry. Restaurants and gift shops line about two blocks on either side of the highway with some of the structures retaining the architecture of a frontier town.

I stopped a few times in Kapa‘a to buy lunch at the various food trucks parked in lots convenient to the road and once to treat myself to a cup of lychee and pineapple ice cream (creamy and very yummy!).

One evening, I ventured a block from where I had parked in the main part of town to the bike and walking path that hugs the coast for about 4.5 miles north from Kapa‘a. Another 2.5-mile section of the path leads from Lydgate Park to Wailua Beach Park south of Kapa‘a. The path is mostly flat and traverses an appealing coastal landscape.

Coconut palms swaying in the wind on the beach on the East Shore of Kauai
Coconut Palms along the bike and walking path near Ka’apa

Lydgate Beach Park

One of the safest beaches on the East Shore for swimming and snorkeling, particularly with children, is Lydgate Beach Park (#2), a few miles south of Kapa‘a and close to Wailua right off the main road.

A reef protects two pools from the ocean waves. When I was there, the high winds made even the relatively calm pools too choppy for comfort. But the park would be a must-go-to on a less blustery day. Here’s a video in which you can clearly hear the wind!

Anahola Beach

This gorgeous beach north of Ka’apa is a great place to hang out while enjoying a breakfast acai (ah-sigh-EE) bowl, which is what I did on my second morning on Kauai. I suggest driving first to Kalalea Juice Hale on the road going north toward Anahola (#3), getting your acai bowl, and then eating it on the beach.

View of Anahola Beach on Kauai's East Shore
Anahola Beach

What is an acai bowl? Cool, smooth, and very purple mashed acai berries are topped with granola, hemp seeds, chia seeds, banana, and then drizzled with peanut butter. It’s a filling breakfast, but definitely worth trying a few times during a Kauai vacation.

What Else to See on the East Shore

There are many beautiful places to visit on the East Shore. Here’s a sampling:

  • Opaeka’a Falls (#4)
  • Wailua Falls (#5)
  • Nounou East Trail – ‘Sleeping Giant’ (#6)
  • Fern Grotto (#7)
  • Kauai Museum (#8)

For details, check out The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook by Andrew Doughty. This definitive guide to Kauai is a must-buy, along with Doughty’s very informative and amusing driving app. Check my post on traveling solo in Kauai for details.

Exploring the North Shore

The North Shore is wetter than other regions of Kauai, but has wonderful beaches, a more old-world, laid-back atmosphere and incredibly breathtaking scenery. Seriously, there are not enough superlatives in the thesaurus to describe the area’s sparkling beaches, lush greenery, and breathtaking mountains.

Here are a few recommended activities and sites on the North Shore of Kauai.

The Drive to Ha’ena State Park

You require a permit to enter Ha’ena State Park (#9), so if you didn’t get one several weeks in advance of your trip, you’re out of luck. Check the Haena State Park website for details.

Even if you can’t enter the park, the drive to the park, which is as far as you can drive on the North Shore before running into the impassable cliffs of Nāpali, is absolutely lovely and very relaxing because it’s impossible to drive too fast.

Every few minutes, you must navigate a one-lane bridge. After crossing the first few bridges, you quickly become an old hand, stopping at the start of the bridge, checking ahead to see if any cars are already waiting on the other side to cross, waiting for them to cross, and then when the coast is clear, crossing yourself.

Bridge on the road to Hanalei on the North Shore of Kauai.
Typical one-lane bridge on the road to Ha’ena State Park on the North Shore of Kauai

It is a bit like a dance. The etiquette is to allow about five to seven cars across at a time. Not everyone knows that so sometimes the wait to cross can take longer than it should, but who cares? You’re in paradise!

Hanalei and Hanalei Bay

A highlight on the North Shore is the charming little town of Hanalei (#10) on the world-famous Hanalei Bay. This broad, curving scimitar of sand lapped by turquoise waves and bulwarked by the first set of dramatic cliffs marching along the Nāpali Coast is an absolute must-see.

Aerial view of Hanalei Bay on the North Shore of Kauai
Hanalei Bay on the North Shore of Kauai

The town of Hanalei meanders along the road with touristy shops on each side. I poked around a bit and enjoyed a Hawaiian grilled cheese sandwich at Pink’s Creamery, but I can’t say there was much to see. More interesting was driving a block or two to Hanalei Bay itself, where I parked and spent a few afternoons on the beach. I did some swimming, but the waves were fairly rough.

One memorable evening, I drove to Hanalei pier to watch the sunset.

View of Hanalei Bay at sunset.
Hanalei Bay at sunset
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean at Hanalei Bay
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean at Hanalei Bay

Kīlauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge

At the town of Kīlauea on the North Shore, follow signs to the Kīlauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge (#11). Pay the $10 entrance fee and take a breezy stroll along the clifftops to the lighthouse. You’ll revel in dazzling views of the ocean waves crashing into the cliffs below and feel glad to be alive in the wonderfully fresh air.

Cliffs near the Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge
View from the lighthouse at the Kilauea Lighthouse and Wildlife Refuge
Kilauea Lighthouse in Kilauea on Kauai's North Shore
Kilauea Lighthouse

Kilauea Town

On the way to Kilauea Lighthouse, you’ll pass a few small shopping areas in the charming town of Kilauea (#12). I liked this area much better for shopping than the busier and more touristy Princeville area. There are some good take-out places (I enjoyed the offerings at Kilauea Fish Market and Sushi Girl Kauai) and the vibe is a lot more laid-back.

On the way back to the main highway, stop at the Healthy Hut Market & Cafe. A favorite of locals, this wonderful old health food store is chock full of health foods and organic produce and includes an excellent juice bar. I recommend the Kaupea Sundown organic fresh juice–carrots, fresh-squeezed (and local) orange juice, turmeric, and aloe. Wow!

Exterior of the Healthy Hut Market and Cafe near Kilauea on Kauai's North Shore.
The Healthy Hut Market and Cafe–great place to stop near Kilauea
A cup full of the Kaupea Sundown juice--carrot, organge, tumeric, and aloe.
The Kaupea Sundown

Hanalei Valley Lookout

Just after passing the mall at Princeville, you’ll see a pullout for the Hanalei Valley Lookout (#13). I stopped at it every time I passed because the magnificent view over the Hanalei Valley never got old. It’s, like, so gorgeous!

View from the Hanalei lookout on the road from Princeville to Hanalei
View from the Hanalei lookout on the road from Princeville to Hanalei

One time, I was lucky enough to stop when a rainbow was arcing across the valley. From the viewpoint (one of the most photographed lookouts in all Hawaii) you see taro fields, soaring mountains, and waterfalls. It is a truly magical site.

Limahuli Botanical Gardens

A stop here for either a self-guided or guided tour is a highlight of your North Shore exploration. Located just before the road along the North Shore ends at Ha’ena State Park, the marvelous Limahuli Gardens (#14) is a cool respite from crowded beaches and busy towns.

Its setting at the base of the “Bali Hai” mountain (yes, it’s the same mountain that stood in for Bali Hai in the movie South Pacific) makes it feel very remote and Hawaiian.

View of mountains from a lookout at Limahuli Gardens
View of mountains from a lookout at Limahuli Gardens

I opted for the self-guided tour which I’d booked in advance. For more about Limahuli Gardens see the post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

Exploring the South Shore

The South Shore is much drier and has great beaches but with a more “resorty” feel. The other main attractions of this area are the drive up to Waimea Canyon and the Kalalau lookouts and the Allerton and McBryde Gardens.

The area is compact, with plenty of resorts occupying much of the oceanfront real estate. You’ll also find some attractive shopping malls and many options for eating.

Walking Trail

I stayed at the Point at Poipu (more below) which is steps from a trail that runs from Shipwreck Beach through the amazing poolside areas of the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa. Here are some shots taken along the pathway:

View of a portion of the swimming pool at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa showing palm trees.
Poolside at the Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort & Spa
Sunset from the Point at Poipu on Kauai's South Shore
Sunset from the Point at Poipu

A longer “out and back” trail is the Mala’ulepu Heritage Trail that goes from the southeast corner of Shipwreck Beach along sand-dune cliffs to Punahoa Point.

Poipu Beach Park

Considered one of the most accessible and largest beaches in the area, Poipu Beach Park (#15) is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. There is a fair bit of parking, the swimming area is protected, and the snorkeling right from the beach is pretty good.

Monk seal hanging out at Poipu Beach Park
Monk seal hanging out at Poipu Beach Park

Wear water shoes when wading into the ocean. I was surprised to discover rocky shelves underfoot rather than sand. You may be lucky and see basking monk seals and sea turtles on the sands at Poipu Beach Park.

I highly recommend making reservations at Brennecke’s, right across the street from Poipu Beach Park. Dine on really tasty food while enjoying a view of the ocean. My seafood risotto was divine.

Spouting Horn

The astonishing Spouting Horn (#16) blow hole is a must-see when you’re driving along the South Shore on your way to the Allerton and McBryde Gardens. The blow hole is one of the most visited and photographed sites on the island. In fact, the only time during my trip that I saw a tour bus was at Spouting Horn.

View of sea water blown into the air at Spouting Horn on Kauai's South Shore.
Spouting Horn

Wander over to the railings and enjoy the spectacle. Every few seconds, the waves are forced up through a hole in the rocks in a fair imitation of Old Faithful but with sea water.

Waimea Canyon and Kalalau Lookouts

Take a few hours on a sunny day (make sure it’s sunny!) to drive up to enjoy out-of-this-world views of the Waimea Canyon (#17) and the Nāpali Coast. For more about the trip, see my post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

Overlooking Waimea canyon on Kauai
At the Waimea Canyon lookout

Tours of Allerton and McBryde Gardens

Make reservations to tour one or both of these gardens. The tours are educational and a feast for all the senses. A highlight is a visit to the giant wavy trees made famous in Jurassic Park. But remember to take mosquito repellent.

Huge tree with large wavy roots made famous in Jurassic Park
Wavy tree made famous in Jurassic Park

For more about touring the Allerton (#18) and McBryde Gardens, see my post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

How Long to Stay

If you have the time and the funds, I suggest staying on Kauai for about two weeks. I stayed for ten days, which wasn’t quite long enough for me to explore Kauai as thoroughly as I would have liked.

When on Kauai, divide your time between the three main regions. On my ten-day trip, I stayed for four nights on the East Shore (known as the Coconut Coast), four nights on the North Shore, and two nights on the South Shore.

View of ocean and trees on Kauai
Beach on Kauai’s East Shore

For a two-week vacation, I suggest staying two or at most three nights on the East Shore and then a full week on the North Shore and the remaining days on the South Shore. I wished I’d spent longer on the South Shore during my trip, but I’d booked late, and accommodation had become very scarce—or at least accommodation in my price range.

Tours & Tickets on Kauai

Here are some options for tours and tickets on Kauai with Tiqets.com

Where to Stay on Kauai

Kauai has a variety of accommodation options and most of them are not inexpensive. You can find some hostels and a handful of budget hotels, but most places are going to put a large dent in your wallet.

Kauai is not the best choice if you are on a limited budget. But if you have the funds, you’ll find some beautiful places to stay.

Here are my recommendations for the three areas of Kauai I stayed in: the East Shore, North Shore, and South Shore.

Staying on the East Shore–the Coconut Coast

The East Shore of Kauai is where most Kauai residents live, primarily in Kaa’pa and Lihue which are quite close to the airport. Lihue has its fair share of malls and big box stores (convenient for stocking up).

The area is nicknamed the Coconut Coast or Royal Coconut Coast because of the many coconut palms growing along the coast and highways. Also, most of the resorts in the area feature coconut palms on their grounds.

Kauai Beach Villas

My flight from Vancouver arrived at 9:30 PM when the tropical darkness had well and truly fallen. I didn’t want to drive a long distance in the dark and so I chose a place that was close to the airport but still on the beach.

The Kauai Beach Villas perfectly fit the bill.

It’s about a seven-minute drive due north of Lihue Airport and just off the main highway. Even without GPS, I would have had a hard time getting lost.

The Kauai Beach Villas shares its location with the Kauai Beach Resort & Spa. Driving into the long, tree-lined driveway from the main road, you come first to the cluster of two-story buildings that make up the Kauai Beach Villas.

At 10:30 PM, the front desk for the Kauai Beach Villas—which is more of a condo development than a traditional hotel—was still open, thankfully. I checked in (very friendly staff!) and was given a bracelet to use to access the parking area and my suite. Within minutes, I was walking into a spacious one-bedroom unit on the ground floor.

View of the dining room, living room, and lanai at the Kauai Beach Villas
Dining room, living room, and lanai at the Kauai Beach Villas
View of a kitchen with marble counter tops and pillars at the Kauai Beach Villas on Kauai
Kitchen at the Kauai Beach Villas

My Suite at the Kauai Beach Villas

I faced the lagoon and gardens. When I woke up before dawn on my first full day in Kauai, I strolled for about five minutes through charmingly landscaped grounds to a wide and sandy beach. While not good for swimming (way too rough), the beach faced east which meant I was about to experience my very first Kauai sunrise.

Several people were already gathered on the beach, cameras in hand, to await the arrival of the sun. Coming from a wet and chilly Vancouver, I felt like I’d been teleported to paradise as the warm winds swirled my skirts and the sound of the waves whooshed away jet lag.

Sunrise near Kauai Beach Villas on my first day on Kauai

I liked the Kauai Beach Villas because it was an easy drive from the airport, it was close to the beach and the adjacent resort had a restaurant, convenience store, and swimming pools.

My cosy unit was a great place to watch the only big rainstorm I experienced during my ten days on the island. It was on the first day and I was worried that rain was going to be a feature of my trip. Fortunately, I had pretty much clear skies for the rest of the trip. Here’s a video of the rainstorm taken from my lanai at the Kauai Beach Villas.

Other Accommodation Options on the East Shore

Several other accommodation options are located on the East Shore. Check the map below.

Booking.com

Staying on the North Shore

After my four nights at Kauai Beach Villas, I drove north to Princeville on Kauai’s North Shore.

Princeville itself is not really my cup of tea, to be honest. Basically, it’s a collection of resorts and vacation condos scattered atop the cliffs between Kīlauea Lighthouse and Hanalei Bay. The whole area, with its sleek developments, golf courses, and one touristy mall, feels very buffed and over-landscaped, kind of like a Pacific Palm Springs.

But Princeville makes an excellent home base for exploring the North Shore. Also, most of the accommodation options on the North Shore are in the area. Fortunately, a quick and achingly scenic drive north takes you down a winding road to gorgeous Hanalei Bay.

Sealodge F6 at Princeville

I stayed at Unit F6 at SeaLodge. Unit F6 was on the second floor of one of the many building in the 3-story SeaLodge condo development. Each unit is privately owned, either by individuals or by a vacation rental company. SeaLodge F6 is owned by Vancasa Vacation Rentals, and I booked it through booking.com (my go-to site for accommodations whenever I travel).

From the outside, the SeaLodge development is not particularly attractive with its brown, weathered shingles and boxy architecture. However, the one-bedroom unit that I stayed in was perfect. I had an outstanding view of the ocean from both the comfortable living room and the bedroom. Each night, I was lulled to sleep by the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach below the cliffs.

Living room at SeaLodge F6
Balcony and view at SeaLodge F6

I’ve read some reviews stating that not all the units at SeaLodge are as nice as Unit F6 so make sure you search for reviews of the specific unit you’re considering before you book.

Other Accommodation Options on the North Shore

Find other accommodation options in Princeville and Hanalei:

Booking.com

Staying on the South Shore

My last stop was Kauai’s South Shore for two nights. I definitely recommend you stay longer on the South Shore. This is probably the most resort-heavy area of Kauai with a wide range of accommodation and restaurant options, great beaches, reliably sunny weather, and proximity to one of the world’s great drives up to Waimea Canyon and the Kalalau lookouts.

The Point at Poipu

I stayed in the Point at Poipu, a large resort consisting of two-bedroom units with either garden or ocean views. As a solo traveler, a two-bedroom unit was overkill, but that was all that was available at the time I booked.

To save a few pennies, I’d booked a unit with a garden view rather than an ocean view. But, lucky me, I was given a fabulous ground floor unit that had both ocean and garden views. Score!

View of Shipwreck Beach steps from my room at the Point at Poipu

The Point at Poipu also has a large swimming pool which I only swam in once. But one of the best things about the Point at Poipu is its proximity to the ocean as well as the very, very swishy Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa right next door.

On my first morning, I walked out to the shoreline path in the direction of the Hyatt. As the sun rose, I snapped a ridiculous number of pictures of the lush, tropical grounds, fancifully landscaped swimming pools, and ponds brimming with fat koi.

Close-up of a mass of swimming koi
A lot of koi
Exterior of the Grand Hyatt Kauai.
The Grand Hyatt Kauai

I treated myself to the buffet breakfast at the Ilima Terrace restaurant. Big mistake! Over-priced and with mediocre and tasteless food, the buffet was, needless to say, a disappointment. However, service was friendly and efficient, and the view was nice, so that was some compensation. Skip the buffet and pick up a coffee and pastry at the Seaview Terrace after wandering through the magnificent lobby and admiring the orchid garden.

Find more accommodation options on the South Shore on booking.com.

Booking.com

All three of my accommodation choices on Kauai were condo units with kitchens. Food prices, like all prices on Kauai, are very high. You can save a little bit by occasionally cooking or at least heating up take-out. Also, having more room to stretch out is, well, nice!

Conclusion

In this post, I’ve touched on what to see on the East Shore, North Shore and South Shore of Kauai, and shared my accommodation suggestions.

But I’ve just scratched the surface! On Kauai, you can enjoy so many cool activities, from hiking to snorkeling to helicopter rides. Here are two more posts about Kauai on Artsy Traveler:

Have you visited Kauai? Share your tips and recommendations in the Comments below.

Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation

Arts & Culture, Destinations, North America, United States Artsy Traveler 2 Comments on Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation

Last updated on December 10th, 2024 at 12:59 am

My Kauai vacation highlights will get you going on exploring one of the most beautiful islands on Earth! Called the Garden Isle–and you’ll soon see why–Kauai is the perfect vacation destination if you’re looking for activity options in addition to great places to hang out and soak up the sunshine.

I visited Kauai for a ten-day solo trip during which I combined sightseeing and relaxing with working on my current novel. For tips on traveling solo on Kauai, checking out my post Ten Tips for Traveling Solo on Kauai. For an overview of traveling to and staying on Kauai, see What to See and Do on Kauai.

#1: Take a Helicopter Ride

Over three-quarters of Kauai is inaccessible by road, so if you want to see the island in its stunning entirety, shell out the big bucks for a helicopter ride. And I’m not going to lie—it’s expensive.

Andrew Doughty, author of the must-have Kauai Revealed Guidebook, includes a comprehensive evaluation of the various helicopter tour companies on Kauai and recommends Blue Hawaiian as the best. I can’t say whether that’s true, but I can say that I had an excellent experience with Blue Hawaiian. I paid extra to sit up front and had the most superb view imaginable.

A highlight of a Kauai vacation is a helicopter ride; picture here is a Blue Hawaiian helicopter coming in for a landing on Kauai
Blue Hawaiian helicopter coming in for a landing on Kauai

The Helicopter Ride Begins

The 50-minute ride took us up over the resorts south of Lihue and then inland. At take-off, the theme from Hawaii Five-O played over our headsets. Shortly after, at the request of the pilot, we introduced ourselves using a small microphone shared between two people. I found out that the other five passengers were a family from New York and Sweden.

Taking off from Lihue airport in a Blue Hawaiian helicopter and heading south over a view of sea and land--a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Taking off from Lihue airport and flying south over the cruise ship port

The music switched to the theme from Jurassic Park as the pilot swooped over the falls made famous in the movie. A huge rainbow arced across the valley and falls—a remnant of the downpours from the day before.

In fact, I had been booked to fly the day after I arrived, but inclement weather had grounded the choppers. Fortunately, I was rebooked for the following day. Not everyone is so lucky, so a good piece of advice is to book your helicopter ride at the beginning of your trip. If it’s canceled because of weather, you’ll have time to rebook.

A rainbown arcing across green mountains on Kauai as seen from a helicopter flight over Kauai--a vacation highlight.
Rainbow arcing over the interior Kauai as we head west toward Waimea Canyon

Waimea Canyon from the Air

Soon, the helicopter was soaring into the Waimea Canyon, nicknamed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific. I had already planned to drive up to the canyon, but it was wonderful to get a different perspective on the its multi-colored layers. They really did remind me of the other Grand Canyon.

Waimea Canyon as seen from a helicopter ride--one of the major highlights of a helicopter ride over the island of Kauai.
View of Waimea Canyon–the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific” from a helicopter

In between stretches of appropriately-themed music, the pilot provided an informative commentary. He pointed out interesting locations, shared facts and stories about Kauai and its history, and kept us thoroughly entertained. The occasional bouts of turbulence added to the excitement, although the woman next to me started to look a bit green toward the end of the trip.

Flying up the Nāpali Coast

The helicopter flew lazily up the famed Nāpali Coast. For a good thirty minutes, we turned and hovered, then swept into and out of deep-cut valleys and over the blue blue ocean. The only way to see the entire Nāpali coast is from the air.

Napali coast viewed from a helicopter during a Blue Hawaiian helicopter ride over Kauai--a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Napali coast
Close-up of the razor-sharp peaks and folds on Kauai's Napali coast as seen from a helicopter.
Close-up of cliffs on the Napali coast

An alternative for close-up views is to hike the famed Kalalau Trail. In some places, the trail is only about 18 inches wide with sheer drops into the ocean. Rated a 10 out of 10 on the scale of the world’s most difficult hikes, the two-day in-and-out trek along the Kalalau Trail isn’t for the faint of heart.

It certainly isn’t for this heart!

Every minute of the helicopter trip revealed a new and alluring vista. Cloaked in lush green vegetation, the impossibly slender spires and knife-edge folds of the cliffs tumbled below us like pleated napkins at a cosmic wedding. I’ve never seen a landscape like it, except in movies like South Pacific and Pirates of the Caribbean, parts of which were shot here.

The Napali coast panorama as seen from a helicopter ride over Kauai
Spectacular cliffs on the Napali coast of Kauai

All too soon, the music faded, and the rotors ceased.That was the fastest fifty minutes I’ve ever experienced!

Gently, John the pilot set the helicopter down on terra firma, and with shaking legs I clambered out.

View of deep blue water with sharp green cliffs in the foreground seen from a helicopter ride over Kauai
Looking out to sea on the Napali Coast
View of sandy beaches and turqoise water as seen from the air on a helicopter ride over Kauai
Beautiful beaches seen from the air in Kauai

Once back in the terminal, the pictures taken of the passengers before embarking were available along with a video of the entire journey. Although I’d snapped pictures almost non-stop throughout the trip, I knew they couldn’t compare with video shot from cameras mounted under the helicopter and accompanied by all the music and commentary.

So, of course, I plunked down the $60 to buy a memory stick containing the video. First, however, I confirmed that I could share it with readers on my website!

Video of My Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Ride

Here is the video of my entire Blue Hawaiian helicopter trip, divided into three parts:

Book a helicopter ride before you arrive on Kauai so that you can be sure of getting a flight. It will be the highlight of your trip.

And don’t worry about the weather. Blue Hawaiian checks the weather constantly before authorizing a flight. If the weather is inclement and you can’t be rebooked on a flight that works for your schedule, you’ll receive a full refund.

So, what have you got to lose? Book it!

#2: Take a Boat Ride

On Kauai, you can take boat trips along the Nāpali coast from Port Allen or Eleele on the South Shore or from Anini Beach on the North Shore. Most boat trips depart from the South Shore because the waters tend to be calmer year-round. However, much of the ride is spent looking at a rather uninteresting coastline. The tours of the North Shore reach the Nāpali coast very quickly, which is a huge bonus.

I chose Nāpali Sea Breeze Tours because their morning tour included snorkeling. Also, it was highly recommended by Andrew Doughty in his Kauai Revealed Guidebook.

Setting Off on the Boat Ride

We set off from Anini Beach (a great place for swimming and snorkeling) and cruised up the coast. Within minutes of leaving the beach, we approached the cliffs I’d seen a few days earlier from the air. The boat held 16 passengers and so was small enough to get very close to the many sea caves.

I was glad I’d chosen a small boat tour rather than the large 50-person catamaran tours that depart from the South Shore. They may be a bit more luxurious, but the Nāpali Sea Breeze Tour felt homier and more personalized.

View of the Napali coast from a boat tour with Napali Sea Breeze Tours--a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Cruising along the Napali Coast
Back of a crew member on the Napali Sea Breeze Tours
One of the crew on the Napali Sea Breeze Tour

The captain and two crew members went out of their way to make the trip enjoyable, pointing out a pod of humpback whales and sharing stories about their lives on Kauai. The captain took the small boat very close to the sea caves gouged out of the cliffs all the way up the coast.

Sea cave along the Napali Coast in Kauai; a boat trip of the area is a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Getting close to caves on the Napali coast
Waterfall plunging into a sea cave along the Napali Coast in Kauai; a boat trip of the area is a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Waterfall cascading into the ocean seen from the Napali Sea Breeze boat tour

Snorkeling on the Napali Sea Breeze Tour

After cruising the coastline for about three hours, we stopped at Tunnels Beach for snorkeling. The reef there is so large it can be seen from space. Luckily, after several pretty windy days, the water within the reef was calm and clear. Fish glinted and glimmered below me along with several lazily swimming turtles.

Few things are more restful than floating above a tropical reef and watching the sea life swim by.

Sea turtle swimming above a reef. Swimming with sea turtles in Kauai was a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Sea trutle swimming above a reef

Unfortunately, my boat trip didn’t end as well as it started for me. This is no reflection on the quality of the tour. I swallowed a bit too much sea water while snorkeling and was not feeling my best. As I climbed back on to the boat, the crew was setting out sandwiches and drinks and everyone was happily drying off and chowing down. I retreated to a seat at the back and looked resolutely out at the horizon in the hope that would settle my stomach.

On the way back, the ride got very bumpy with a whole lot of spray and roiling swells. The friendly couple next to me wanted to chat until finally I had to tell them I was feeling seasick and needed to stay very, very still. They were sympathetic!

But note to self (and to you!), take something for motion sickness before your boat trip, just in case.

Find Nāpali Sea Breeze Tours online. The 3-to-4-hour morning tour starts with a 7 AM shuttle bus ride to the boat at Anini Beach.

#3: Take a Garden Tour (or Two)

Kauai is home to several tropical gardens open to the public. I visited three of them—the Allerton Gardens and McBryde Gardens on the South Shore, and the Limahuli Gardens on the North Shore.

Allerton and McBryde Garden Tour

Located on the South Shore very close to the famous Spouting Horn blow hole, the Allerton and McBryde Gardens are part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden system that includes five gardens—Allerton and McBryde Gardens in the south and Limahuli Garden in the north, Kahanu Garden on Maui, and The Kampong in Coconut Grove, Florida.

I highly recommend the tour. You’ll learn a lot and see some amazing plants, and get to chat with fellow travelers and the guide during the many stops.

View of the beach and beautiful vegetation at the beginning of the "Best of Both Worlds" tour of the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on Kauai - A highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Setting off on the “Best of Both Worlds” Tour of the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on the South Shore of Kauai

The sixteen-seat minibus took seven of us through some of the most exquisite tropical gardens I’ve ever seen. I am a sucker for a well-designed garden, and the huge variety of plants on display did not disappoint.

Coolest tree ever seen on the “Best of Both Worlds” tour of the Allerton & McBryde Gardens on Kauai

Allerton Garden is named one of the ’50 Places of a Lifetime’ by National Geographic Traveler, while the McBryde Garden is an active conservation and research garden with Hawaiian cultural significance. It includes the world’s largest assemblage of native Hawaiian plants. Most of these plants grow only in Hawaii and many are threatened, endangered, or even extinct in the wild.

Together, the two gardens offered a comprehensive look at a fantastic array of trees, flowers, and fruits.

Large yellow fellow, called the "Cup of Gold" in Kauai.
Exotic flowers abound
Pink orchids growing wild in Kauai.
Orchids everywhere

What to See on the Best of Both Worlds Tour

Every so often, the driver stopped the bus and took us on a walking tour to view the plants up close. We saw familiar fruits such as pineapples, papayas and mangoes as well as new-to-me fruits such as breadfruit and a species of wild cherry that tasted wonderful. We also saw many species of orchid along with some truly remarkable trees and several birds.

The Atula plant is being grown at the McBryde Gardens in Kauai
Atula–possibly extinct in the wild, but being rehabilitated in the gardens
Lovely blue-feathered bird at the McBryde Gardens in Kauai. Touring the gardens was a highlight of a trip to Kauai.
This guy followed us throughout the orchard
View over the McBryde and Allerton Gardens in Kauai, a highlight of a trip to Kauai.
Gorgeous views over the gardens

A highlight was a stop at the “Jurassic Park Trees” where several scenes from the movie were filmed. The guide happened to have her own T Rex along with her for the ride.

Help!

The gardens also include several beautiful classically-inspired pools and sculptures in various “rooms”. Here are two of the pools I particularly liked. Notice how they are thoughtfully designed to reflect the surrounding trees and vegetation.

Classical-looking temple and an oval reflecting pool featured at the Allerton Gardens in Kauai.
Temple of Diana
Series of three reflecting pools with a large tree reflected in them at the Allerton Gardens in Kauai.
Series of pools

One note of warning if you are planning to take a guided tour—take mosquito repellent and a tube of After Bite. I did not follow this advice and paid dearly with a few pounds of my tasty flesh offered up to the mosquitoes. Voracious little blighters! I wondered why the guide was sensibly dressed in long pants and running shoes.

Limahuli Garden and Preserve

I visited the Limahuli Garden and Preserve when I was staying on the North Shore. Located not far before the road along the North Shore ends at Haena State Park, this marvelous site is a lovely, cool respite from crowded beaches and busy towns.

Its setting at the base of the “Bali Hai” mountain (yes, the same mountain that stood in for Bali Hai in South Pacific) makes it feel very remote and Hawaiian.

View of the mountains behind the Limahuli Gardens in Kauai--one of the highlights of a trip to Kauai.
Panoramic view over the Limahuli Gardens on the North Shore of Kauai

I opted for the self-guided tour which I’d booked in advance. With most if not all of the gardens on Kauai requiring advance reservations, make sure to book before you leave home.

Armed with a bottle of water and the booklet provided with my ticket, I set off from the tiny visitors’ center to explore. Many of the plants grown in the gardens are ones that are endangered or almost extinct. The mandate of the garden is to conserve, preserve and where possible propagate them.

Close-up of a vibrant pink hibiscus flower taken at Limahuli Gardens in Kauai; garden tours are a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
Gorgeous flower in Limahuli Gardens
Close-up of a vibrant yellow hibiscus flower taken at Limahuli Gardens in Kauai; garden tours are a highlight of a Kauai vacation.
LIke a drop of sunshine in Limahuli Gardens

I learned that the vast majority of the flowers, shrubs and trees that make Kauai so beautiful are actually invasive species that are choking out native Hawaiian species to the detriment of the ecosystem.

The area was home to ancient Hawaiians who planted “canoe gardens” containing plants brought in the large canoes that sailed from Polynesia over 1000 years ago.

Here’s a 360-degree view of Limahuli Gardens from a viewpoint overlooking the ocean in one direction and the “Bali Hai” mountains in the other direction.

I had the gardens almost to myself. It was lovely and peaceful and the views spectacular. I took my time and made use of the many shaded benches on the self-guided route to stop and read about the plants I was passing and admire the extensive conservation work being done.

Other Gardens on Kauai

So many gardens are worth visiting on Kauai! I wish I’d had time to visit them all. Here are some other notable gardens on Kauai.

Princeville Botanical Gardens

Located on the North Shore near Princeville, tours of these gardens include fruit and chocolate tastings (sounds good!). The gardens cultivate a diverse collection of native and “canoe” plants, medicinals, and rare and endangered flowers. Advance reservations for guided tours are required. Self-guided tours are not available.

Na’Aina Botanical Gardens & Sculpture Park

Also located on the North Shore, the Na’Aina Botanical Gardens and Sculpture Park is run by a not-for-profit organization dedicated to conservation and preservation. A variety of guided tours to the formal gardens, wild forest gardens and Kaluakai Beach are provided, along with a self-guided tour of the formal gardens. Reservations are required for all tours which run weekly on a limited schedule.

Smith’s Tropical Paradise

This lush 30-acre garden park on the East Shore is located within the Wailua Marina State Park and features over a mile of meandering pathways through tropical splendor that includes wandering peacocks and other birds. There are tropical orchards with over twenty types of fruit, bamboo and fruit forests, a Japanese-themed garden island, and replicas of Polynesian and Filipino huts.

#4: Drive to Waimea Canyon and Beyond

Set aside three to four hours to drive from the South Shore to Waimea Canyon (the Grand Canyon of the Pacific) then continue on to the lookouts over the Nāpali coast.

Two roads lead up to Waimea Canyon—the Waimea Canyon Road (Highway 550) that starts from Waimea Town and Kōkeʻe Road (Highway 552) that starts from Kekaha a few miles to the west. The two roads merge within Kōkeʻe State Park which leads to Waimea State Park.

Waimea Canyon

I drove up Highway 552 and had the wide, sweeping road all to myself. In fact, I was a bit worried I was on the wrong road because I knew that Waimea Canyon was a major tourist attraction. Fortunately, my GPS did not let me down and after a dizzying ascent, I pulled into the parking lot with the first and most panoramic view over the canyon.

Panoramic view of the Waimea Canyon in Kauai.
“Grand Canyon of the Pacific” – Waimea Canyon on Kauai

I paid $15 for all-day access to all the parking lots in the park which include views over both the Waimea Canyon and the Napali Coast, then set off up the pathway to the railings to get my first glimpse of Waimea Canyon.

The author in front of Waimea Canyon.
In front of Waimea Canyon
The author in front of the Kalalau Valley Lookout on Kauai. A visit to this lookout is a highlight of a trip of Kauai.
In front of the Kalalau Valley Lookout

Oh yeah! I’d seen it already from the helicopter, but the view from the rim was different and somehow more expansive. Here’s a short video I shot of the canyon.

Back in the car and on to the Puʻu Hinahina Lookout at mile marker 13.5. From this lookout, the Waimea River winding through the canyon is visible. While not as expansive as the view from the first lookout, this view provides another, interesting perspective on the canyon.

After driving several more miles, I passed Kōkeʻe Lodge Cabins and Campground where, according to my trusty Kauai Revealed driving app, the only restaurant in the park was located. I vowed to return for lunch and pressed on.

For more about the Kauai Revealed driving app, check out my post on Ten Tips for Traveling Solo on Kauai.

Kalalau Valley Lookouts

The Kauai Revealed app advised me to drive right past the second-to last lookout at mile marker 18 and go straight across a tire-popping stretch of potholed road to Puʻu o-Kila at mile marker 19. This is the end of the road and the best place from which to view the Nāpali Coast and Kalalau Valley. By this point in my Kauai vacation, I’d seen the Nāpali coast from the sea and from the air. Seeing it from the road was just as awesome.

View of a green tropical valley and the blue Pacific Ocean beyond--the Kalalau Valley in Kauai.
Best view of the Kalalau Valley from the Puʻu o-Kila Lookout

I was fortunate that the view of the very blue Pacific far below was clear. Often, it’s shrouded in mist and clouds. While I was admiring the view, the clouds started rolling in and by the time I left, the view was definitely compromised.

Here’s a video of the view taken just moments before the clouds started rolling in.

I drove back to the Kalalau Lookout at mile marker 18 and then, feeling a trifle overwhelmed by amazing views, settled down for a pulled pork sandwich at the Kōkeʻe Lodge. It was one of the better lunches I enjoyed on Kauai.

I took the Waimea Canyon Road (Highway 550) back down to the coast, enjoying stupendous views of the ocean below me as I swept down the mountain. I wish I could have snapped a few pictures, but that would not have been a good idea while driving!

#5: Make Friends with the Chickens

Chickens, chicks, and roosters are everywhere on Kauai. You notice them as soon as you check in to your hotel. They strut and waddle around the gardens clucking and crowing and scrounging for food. But don’t feed them—there’s a $500 fine.

I grew very fond of the chickens on Kauai, even when the roosters woke me up every morning with their raucous cock-a-doodle-doos. But at least they got me out of bed in time to see the sunrise so how could I object?

A rooster crowing on Kauai.
A rooster crows
A mother hen with baby chicks poking out of her feathers.
Momma chicken with her chicks hitching a ride

The roosters in particular are very colorful and seem to be well aware of how cool they look. I spent many happy minutes watching them strut past. Equally fun to watch were the chickens with their chicks. Often the chicks hitched a ride tucked in mom’s feathers.

Why all the feral chickens? The early Hawaiians brought chickens to the island when they arrived about 1000 years ago. Then, subsequent waves of settlers brought their own chickens. When Hurricane Iwa hit in 1982 and then Hurricane Iniki in 1992, the coops blew open and the domesticated chickens escaped and bred with the feral chickens.

Sounds plausible!

#6: Catch all the Sunrises & Sunsets

Make time every day to see both the sunrise and the sunset. Being in the tropics, night and day are pretty much the same duration so it’s a good idea to get up early so you can enjoy the maximum amount of daylight. I rose at 6 AM on the first morning to catch the sunrise around 6:20 and never looked back.

Every day from then on, I set my alarm for 6, jumped out of bed, pulled on a dress and padded out to view the sunrise to the accompaniment of the always early-rising roosters.

Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean seen from the East Coast of Kauai.
Sunrise from the East Coast
Sunrise over the Pacific Ocean seen from the South Shore of Kauai.
Sunrise from the South Coast

And here’s sunrise from the North Shore:

You can enjoy both the sunrise and the sunset from pretty much anywhere on the island.

At the end of most days, I caught some spectacular sunsets. Here are a few.

Sunset over the Pacific Ocean from Hanalei Bay on the North Shore of Kauai.
Sunset from Hanalei Bay
Sunset over the Pacific Ocean seen from the South Shore of Kauai.
Sunset from the South Shore

Every sunrise and sunset was different and every one magnificent.

Hiking on Kauai

One activity that is a definite highlight of a trip to Kauai that I don’t mention is hiking. Kauai is a marvelous place for hiking, with miles and miles of world-class trails leading to jaw-dropping views.

However, since I was traveling solo, I chose not to go hiking on my own.

But if you’re into hiking, check out the suggestions in Andrew Doughty’s Kauai Revealed Guidebook.

Tours & Tickets on Kauai

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Conclusion

I could have used several more days on Kauai to explore other highlights such as the Wailua Falls, the three gardens I missed, Haena State Park, and even more beaches. I’d also like to visit the grounds of the Hindu Monastery and Himalayan Academy. Nestled on the banks of the Wailua River near the East Coast, the Hindu Monastery is set in gorgeous grounds that are open in the mornings but require reservations (which I failed to get in time).

One of the main things I loved about visiting Kauai was how easily I could divide my time between sightseeing, relaxing, and writing. Driving distances are relatively short so reaching any given site doesn’t take much time.

And there was always a beach to flop down on and watch the waves roll in.

Top Ten Tips for Traveling Solo on Awesome Kauai

Destinations, North America, United States Artsy Traveler 6 Comments on Top Ten Tips for Traveling Solo on Awesome Kauai

Last updated on October 11th, 2024 at 01:48 am

Traveling solo on Kauai is safe, easy, and convenient. The island is compact and very comfortable to drive around with nominal help from GPS. As a solo traveler, you’ll find plenty to see and do, good accommodation options, and friendly people.

Kauai is not a budget destination, so bear that in mind when planning to travel solo on Kauai. But if you have the funds, Kauai is an excellent choice. You’ll find a terrific opportunities to explore, with lots of options for sightseeing and relaxing.

I spent ten days on traveling solo on Kauai and had a marvelous time. So much variety. And the views! Kauai wins the Hawaii gorgeousness sweepstakes hands down. No wonder Kauai is known as the Garden Isle.

In this post, I share ten tips for traveling solo on Kauai. For more on Kauai, check out my other posts:

Ready for my ten tips on traveling solo on Kauai? Here goes!

Sunrise from the beach at Kauai Beach Villas on the East Coast of Kauai.
Sunrise from the beach at Kauai Beach Villas on the East Coast of Kauai

Tip 1: Stay the First Night or Two Close to the Airport

I flew direct from Vancouver, BC, on WestJet. Its once-daily flight arrived at 9:30 PM. By that time, darkness had well and truly settled over Kauai. If I hadn’t have booked accommodation close to the airport, I’d have been driving on dark, unfamiliar roads—many without streetlights. No thank you!

When traveling solo, I suggest you make accommodation and transportation decisions based on how you answer three questions:

  • Is it easy?
  • Is it safe?
  • Is it convenient?

For my solo trip to Kauai, my answers to these questions led me to book my first few nights at the Kauai Beach Villas. Located on a beach a seven-minute drive due north on the main road out of Lihue Airport, I couldn’t get lost if I tried.

Kauai Beach Villas Close to the Airport Perfect for Solo Travelers

Checking into the Kauai Beach Villas was easy. The front desk was still open when I arrived at 10:30 PM, the spacious one-bedroom condo felt very safe and secure, and the location steps from the beach could not have been more convenient.

Living room, dining room, and garden view lanai - the one-bedroom suite at Kauai Beach Villas, great choice for the solo traveler.
Living room, dining room, and garden view lanai – the one-bedroom suite at Kauai Beach Villas
Photo of the author Carol Cram traveling solo on the beach steps for Kauai Beach Villas
On the beach steps from Kauai Beach Villas

Even if you arrive on Kauai during the day, I suggest you book a few nights at a place like the Kauai Beach Villas on Kauai’s East Shore. Otherwise known as the Coconut Coast, the area is home to most of Kauai’s population and includes several big box stores convenient for stocking up on essentials at slightly less than eye-popping prices.

View of coconut palms on the East Coast of Kauai
Coconut palms are everywhere on Kauai’s East Coast

The Kauai Beach Villas are on the grounds of another resort (the Kauai Beach Resort and Spa) that has a restaurant, convenience store, and swimming pools.

The area also boasts some of Kauai’s nicest and most accessible beaches. And, even more useful, its proximity to Lihue Airport means you don’t have to drive far to enjoy the first of my highly recommended activities on Kauai—taking a helicopter ride (more on this later!).

Other Accommodation Options on the East Shore

Several other East Shore accommodation options are close to Lihue Airport:

A Note about Big Box Stores

Normally, I’m not a fan of stores like Costco and Walmart. But on Kauai, I spent a few hours on my first afternoon traipsing through both stores in search of vacation essentials at reasonable prices. In Costco, I picked up a case of water, a large bag of macadamia nuts that lasted me the entire trip eating a good handful a day (gosh, they’re tasty!), a Hawaiian shirt for my husband (a bargain at $20 and good quality too), a few bags of snacks, and a hunk of cheese.

I considered a tub of poke for $10 and realized I’d never finish it before it started walking on its own. Messing with raw fish is not a good idea when traveling solo.

I also visited Walmart to buy a mask and snorkel, a pair of water shoes, and a nice big beach bag to carry towels and other beachie things. You can rent snorkel equipment at various places on Kauai, but it’s cheaper (and more hygienic) to pick up the gear at a place like Walmart. You’ll then have it for your next trip to a tropical paradise.

Since I live on an island (albeit not a tropical one), I look forward to using my new snorkel gear on summer swims at the beaches near my home.

Tip 2: Rent a Car

You pretty much have to rent a car when visiting Kauai. I had hoped to get around on public transit or take taxis, but nope, not on Kauai. There are busses, but apparently they are unreliable and likely won’t go to all the places you want to explore. Services such as Lyft and Uber are not prevalent on Kauai and taxis are scarce.

The biggest problem with renting a car is the cost, as in, ouch! I’ve never paid so much for a ten-day car rental in my life. But it was either that or spend my vacation stuck in one place, and what would be the point of that?

So, adjust your budget upward (waaaay upward), and book your car well in advance. In recent years, rental cars have sometimes been hard to come by. You don’t want to arrive on Kauai and find no cars available. That would suck…a lot.

Car Rental from Thrifty

As a solo traveler, I rented the cheapest car in the budget category from Thrifty. The friendly agent at the Thrifty counter upgraded me at no extra charge from a hatchback to a closed trunk model because she said that was safer. She knew I was traveling on my own (because I told her!). I joked that I’d left my husband at home so I could enjoy ten days of blissful solitude. She laughed.

Getting to the car rental counter is very easy on Kauai. Walk out of the small Lihue airport, hang a left and within seconds, you’re at the bus stop for the car rental shuttles. I hopped on the Thrifty shuttle, waited about ten minutes in a short line, and ten minutes after that I was loading my suitcase into my silver Kia.

A silver Kia car the author drove all over Kauai. Compact and easy-to-drive, a good choice for the solo traveler.
My trusty silver Kia took me over 440 miles around Kauai in 10 days

Note that silver is a very popular color for rental cars in Kauai. In parking lots, I often saw dozens of silver and/or white cars. More than once, I tried getting into someone else’s car. Fortunately, they weren’t around to notice as I quickly realized my mistake and sheepishly moved on.

The smartest thing to do is to take a picture of your license plate and also memorize the number. You’ll avoid a lot of traipsing around parking lots dolefully clicking the remote and listening for the subtle beep above the whooshing of the trade winds.

Driving Solo on Kauai

I confess that I was a little bit worried about driving on unfamiliar roads. I’m not a nervous driver, but still! I usually rent cars with my husband and then I do the navigating rather than the driving. How would I manage on my own?

As it turned out, perfectly well. Driving is sooooooo easy on Kauai because the speed limits are generally very low. Limits of 40 mph, 35 mph, and even 15 mph are common. Even on the busiest roads near the airport, the speed limit never tops 50 mph. Also, I found that most Kauai drivers obey the speed limits and do not tailgate, even if you’re going slower than the posted speed.

Okay, once, a big black truck honked at me when I was going about 30 mph in a 40-mph zone for about three minutes. Sheesh!

I remember being terrified driving on Maui where the speed limits were much higher (at least they were a few years ago) and people drove like maniacs. Kauai is much more laid back. I loved driving there!

Tip 3: Download the Kauai Revealed Touring App

And speaking of driving, one of the smartest things you can do, whether traveling solo or not, is to download Andrew Doughty’s Kauai Revealed driving app. Andrew Doughty is the author of The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook, the definitive guide to Kauai and a must-buy. If you didn’t pick up a copy before coming to Kauai, no worries. I saw it in virtually every gift shop I visited and at Walmart.

The app and the guidebook together provide you with just about all the information you need to enjoy a wonderful Kauai vacation. I followed many of Andrew’s recommendations, particularly when it came to which helicopter and boat tour companies to choose, and I was very glad I had.

What’s on the Kauai Revealed App?

Regarding Andrew’s app, it’s a hoot! Download it to your phone, click Driving Mode, plug it into your car so you hear Andrew’s commentary through the car’s sound system, and then hit the open road.

Every so often, Andrew’s voice shares some snippet of interesting information about Hawaiian history and culture, tells you where to turn to visit a cool beach, and makes all sorts of useful recommendations. As a solo traveler, I felt like I’d made a new friend.

Screen shot of the Kauai Revealed Drive Tour App, the perfect companion for the solo traveler.
Download the Kauai Revealed Drive Tour App to get the most out of driving around Kauai

Over time, I began to chat with Andrew as I drove, which sounds a bit creepy, but it was kinda fun and perhaps an occupational risk of solo travel. I can’t say I was ever lonely on my trip, but I did begin to appreciate having Andrew along for the ride as the days flew by.

For solo travelers who don’t have a companion to navigate, the driving app is a must-have. I’m a firm convert to driving apps now and hope I can find them for other places I plan to travel. Andrew also has apps and books for Maui, The Big Island, and Oahu.

Tip 4: Stay in At Least Two Areas on Kauai

As a solo traveler, I like to move around and get a feel for different areas in the country or region I’m visiting. On Kauai, some travelers settle in either the north or the south (sometimes the east, but not as often) for the duration of their trip and then take day trips to see the other parts of the island.

I don’t think that’s the best strategy. The North Shore and South Shore of Kauai are so different that each warrants at least a few days of dedicated sightseeing. After staying a few days at Kauai Beach Villas on the East Shore to get acclimatized, I drove an hour to the North Shore where I stayed for four nights.

Staying on the North Shore

The North Shore is the wetter and more tropical area accessible by road on Kauai and the scenery is absolutely spectacular. Seriously, there are not enough superlatives in the thesaurus to describe the area’s pristine beaches, tropical greenery, and sheer mountains.

For more about the North Shore, check my post What to See and Do on Kauai.

I stayed in the SeaLodge condo development in Princeville, which stretches along a clifftop about fifteen minutes east of Hanalei Bay. One of my intentions in traveling solo to Kauai was to work on my current WIP (Work in Progress aka my fifth novel). When I wasn’t out sightseeing, I spent several very productive hours writing while overlooking a view of palms and ocean accompanied by the constant sound of waves crashing against the beach below the cliff.

View of the Pacific Ocean with palm trees from the balcony of SeaLodge on Kauai's North Shore where the author stayed as a solo traveler.
View from my balcony
Exterior view of the SeaLodge condo development on Kauai's North Shore
Exterior of SeaLodge condo on Kauai’s North Shore

Talk about inspiring!

Staying on the South Shore

The South Shore is “resort central” with plenty to see and do, lots of great accommodation and restaurant options, and consistently sunny weather. I stayed at the Point at Poipu which was located right on the water and next door to the uber-luxurious Grand Hyatt Kauai Resort and Spa.

View of the Pacific Ocean with a laptop computer in the foreground from the author's suite at the Point at Poipu on Kauai's South Shore
My writing room on the lanai at the Point at the Point on Kauai’s South Shore

You’ll find lots to do on the South Shore—from touring the Allerton and McBryde Gardens to driving up to ogle Waimea Canyon and beyond that the fabled Nāpali coast.

For more about the South Shore, check my posts Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation and What to See and Do on Kauai.

Tip 5: Take a Helicopter Ride

Okay, so I’ve mentioned taking a helicopter ride twice already and now I’ll tell you why.

Because it’s awesome!

Helicopter touching down in Kauai
A Blue Hawaiian helicopter comes in for a landing on Kauai

Over three-quarters of Kauai is inaccessible by road. So, if you want to see the island in its stunning entirety, shell out the big bucks for a helicopter ride.

And I’m not going to lie—it’s expensive. Like, forget-eating-for-a-week expensive. On my ride, the other five passengers were from one family. I shuddered as I did the math for what their trip cost!

Check out my detailed account of my helicopter ride with Blue Hawaiian in the post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

Tip 6: Take a Boat Ride that includes Snorkeling

I love snorkeling! But as a solo traveler, I was nervous about snorkeling on my own and leaving my stuff unattended on the beach (although the crime rate is reportedly low on Kauai). I also feared going too far out and being swept into the Pacific Ocean.

From past trips to tropical locales, I knew that taking a guided boat trip was the best and safest way for me to get my snorkeling hit.

My Kauai Revealed guidebook listed the many boat and snorkeling tour options and highly recommended Nāpali Sea Breeze Tours.

View of the Napali Coast from the deck of a boat
See the stunning Napali coast from a boat tour with Napali Sea Breeze Tours

From a solo travel perspective, spending four hours on a small boat with everyone pretty much cheek by jowl provides lots of opportunities to chat with new friends. When we came to the snorkeling place, we were asked to pair up, so I snorkeled for about 40 minutes with a friendly woman from California whose husband, fortunately for me, decided to stay on the boat.

For a description of my boat trip and snorkeling adventure see my post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

For now, trust me when I say that the Nāpali Sea Breeze Tour from Anini Beach in the north of Kauai was fabulous and again, worth every penny.

Tip 7: Go on a Garden Tour

As a solo traveler, I find that taking the occasional guided tour is a smart way to see maximum territory with minimum effort. Before I left home, I booked the three-hour “Best of Both Worlds” tour of the Allerton and McBryde Gardens in the south of Kauai.

Strange twisted tree trunks taken at the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on the South Shore of Kauai
See some seriously amazing plants and trees on a tour of the Allerton and McBryde Gardens on South Shore of Kauai

I was so glad I did. The tour was informative and beautiful. If you love plants (and even if you’re so-so about them), take the tour. You can choose from several tours (see the website), but I’m glad I chose the “Best of Both Worlds” tour to get an overview of these two fabulous gardens.

I also enjoyed a solo walking tour of Limahuli Gardens on the North Shore.

For a description of both garden tours, see my post Six Highlights of a Kauai Vacation.

Tip 8: Participate in a Local Fitness Class

One of my favorite things to do when I travel solo is to drop in to a Nia class. Nia is a dance-fitness practice that I’ve been involved with both as a teacher and a student for nearly 15 years. It’s a worldwide practice with teachers on all seven continents. Before I leave home, I always check the Nianow.com website to find the location of classes near where I’m staying.

On Kauai, I took two Nia classes at the Golden Lotus Studio in Kapa’a on the East Shore, about a ten-minute drive from the Kauai Beach Villas. The teacher and other students were so warm and welcoming. I loved the opportunity not only to dance with them but also to chat afterwards and learn something about their lives as locals living on Kauai (lucky them!).

The author, Carol Cram, pictured next to Nia teacher Isabelle Fisher before a Nia class in Kauai.
Me with Nia teacher Isabelle Winninger Fisher before Nia class on Kauai

Even if dancing Nia isn’t your thing, consider checking out a yoga or other type of fitness class at a facility on Kauai. The Golden Lotus Studio offers several kinds of classes each week (check the website) and I’m sure it’s not the only venue.

Attending a class with locals is a wonderful way to enrich your Kauai experience and take you off the beaten tourist path.

Tip 9: Choose Food Trucks and Take-Out

Restaurants are Kauai are expensive. Very expensive. And eating alone is not much fun, particularly in crowded tourist areas. When I’m at home, I often dine alone in restaurants. But for some reason when I’m in a vacation area, I feel a bit out of place when the vast majority of other patrons are couples or families.

So, for me, the best meal options while traveling in Kauai were food trucks and take-out.

Food truck serving Indian Food near the beach in Kaapa in Kauai. Food trucks are easy and convenient options for solo travelers.
A food truck serving Indian food in Kaa’pa on Kauai

Food Trucks

Kauai is famous—and justly so—for its food trucks. Stop and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast or lunch. However, many, if not most, of the food trucks close about 3 PM, so they are not an option for dinner.

I sampled the fare at a few food trucks during my trip, although not as many as I would have liked. Either they were closed when I was driving by, or I wasn’t hungry when they were open. But for a reliable and relatively inexpensive lunch, the food trucks of Kauai are definitely a good choice.

For a comprehensive look at Kauai food trucks, check out this post.

Here are two highlights:

Kalalea Juice Hale

This spot is located on the road going north toward Anahola. I sampled my first acai (ah-sigh-EE) bowl here and was captivated! Cool, smooth, very purple mashed acai berries are topped with granola, hemp seeds, chia seeds, banana, and a few other things I can’t remember and then drizzled with peanut butter. I know, it sounds like overkill but trust me, it was divine.

Acai bowl piled high with granola, chia seeds, bananas, and drizzled with peanut butter
My first acai bowl from Kalalea Juice Hale near Anahola Beach on the East Shore of Kauai

While I was eating it at a picnic table, the heavens opened. I ran to my car and drove to Anahola Beach to finish my bowl. Anahola Beach is a worthwhile stop for dreamy views, but not for swimming, at least not on the day I was there.

View of gorgeous Anahola Beach on the East Shore of Kauai
I ate my acai bowl while enjoying this view from Anahola Beach

Indian Food

The prawn curry I enjoyed at the Indian food truck in a parking lot in Kapa’a contained a plethora of plump, meaty prawns swimming in a spicy, rich coconut-flavored sauce. A highlight was the chunky, flavorful mango lassi that accompanied my curry. Very refreshing!

Take-out container filled with creamy coconut curry next to a cup of mango lassi
Prawn curry – rich and delicious with a mango lassi from a Ka’paa food truck

Other Food Truck Favorites

So many of the food truck serve tacos of every description—pork, chicken, prawns, seafood and even tofu. Kauai seems to have more taco joints than Mexico!

Other food truck staples are shaved ice and puka dogs. Alas, I didn’t get the chance to sample either. However, I did try another Kauai specialty—a Hawaiian grilled cheese sandwich containing pulled Kalua pork, Muenster cheese, and sweet pineapple at Pink’s Creamery in Hanalei Bay. Yes, it sounds a bit odd, but it was amazing!

Take-out

In Kauai, every restaurant I poked my nose into was hopping busy. I didn’t like taking up a whole table when groups were waiting and so usually I ordered take-out and ate it it in solitary splendor back on my lanai.

Unfortunately, take-out was rather hit-or-miss. The food was usually quite flavorful, but by the time I got it home, it was also usually cold. Fortunately, every place I stayed in had a microwave, but it’s not the same, let’s face it! And don’t think you’ll save money by getting take-out. The prices are the same for take-out and dine-in so the only thing you might save on is drinks.

I bought wine from local grocery stores to accompany my take-out meals. Once, I went to the bar at the Kauai Beach Resort to have a Mai Tai. After sipping the over-sweet concoction that cost over $20, I decided to forgo the tropical drinks.

Overall, I can’t say that my culinary experiences on Kauai lived up to the island’s reputation as a place to get great food. I think staff shortages may be one culprit. Almost every place I went, from a food truck to a nice restaurant, I saw Help Wanted signs. The lack of staff coupled with the crowds did not make for relaxing dining options, particularly for a single.

Shout-out to Brennekes

However, I must give a shout-out to Brennekes, a justifiably famous eatery on the South Shore overlooking Poipu Beach Park. I splurged on a sit-down meal there (my only one of the trip) and enjoyed a swoon-worthy plate of seafood risotto. Creamy, rich, and chock-a-block with scallops, prawns, fish chunks, and mushrooms, the risotto will stand as one of my all-time great meals.

Seafood risotto - creamy and studded with scallops, prawns, and fish
Creamy, rich seafood risotto was the best meal of my trip at Brenneckes on Kauai’s South Shore

Tip 10: Choose the Safest Beaches

Kauai has some of the best beaches in the Hawaiian Islands—long sandy stretches, turquoise waters, swaying palm trees—the whole tropical nine yards. However, the beaches can also be death traps, particularly for the solo traveler.

People drown every year on Kauai as a result of being caught in rip tides or swept out to sea by rogue waves. If you’re on your own, who will be watching out for you if you get into trouble? Hopefully, there will be a lifeguard close by, but I wasn’t about to take any chances.

Sign listing the guidelines for safe swimming from a Kauai beach
Take warnings like this seriously!

Almost every day I was on Kauai, the water at most beaches was too rough for swimming. I found only two places where I could consistently swim, and even they could get quite choppy.

Swimming on the North Shore

My favorite safe beach on the North Shore was Anini Beach. The lagoon is ringed by a reef and so safe enough even for children (and solo travelers like me!). I went there a few times to bob around.

View of Anini Beach on the North Shore of Kauai
Anini Beach on Kauai’s North Shore

Also on the North Shore is Tunnels Beach which, like Anini Beach, is reputed to be safe for swimming most of the time. The day I drove there, I couldn’t find parking so only got to see it the day I swam from the boat during the Nāpali Sea Breeze tour. Oh well!

Swimming on the South Shore

On the South Shore, Poipu Beach at Poipu Beach Park is ranked as one of the best beaches in the world. That is a bit of a stretch since the bottom is not very sandy (water shoes are a must!). However, the location is certainly delightful and the snorkeling good.

View of Poipu Beach on the South Shore of Kauai
Poipu Beach on Kauai’s South Shore

On the East Shore, Lydgate Beach Park is usually safe for swimming but the day I was there, the wind was whipping the waves into a white-capped frenzy so, um, no.

The safest way to swim on Kauai is to hop into the pool at your hotel or condo. Sure, it’s not as exciting as swimming in the ocean, but it’s refreshing, generally uncrowded, and your chances of waving goodbye to this life while being swept out to sea are pretty much nil.

Tours on Kauai

Here are some GetYourGuide tours on Kauai.

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Conclusion

I loved traveling solo around Kauai. The pace was relaxed, the weather glorious (even if occasionally windy), the roads easy to drive, the service people uniformly helpful and friendly, and the scenery to die for.

If you’re craving a bit of “me time” away from your regular life, consider taking a solo trip to Kauai.

Aloha!

Have you traveled solo on Kauai? Share your recommendations in the Comments below.

Here are two more posts on Kauai:

Food as Art: FireWorks Feast at the Inn at Bay Fortune

Activities, Arts & Culture, Canada, Destinations, North America Artsy Traveler 1 Comment on Food as Art: FireWorks Feast at the Inn at Bay Fortune

Last updated on October 11th, 2024 at 01:24 am

In 2021, I again put my European travel plans on hold and instead travel with my daughter to Nova Scotia and stunning Prince Edward Island. On one magical evening, we splash out on an Experience with a capital E—a stay at the five-star Inn at Bay Fortune and an evening enjoying the FireWorks Feast. Billed as an “immersive farm-to-table dining experience”, the FireWorks Feast is the brainchild of Chef Michael Smith.

As a long-time fan of cooking shows, I was familiar with Chef Michael, one of Canada’s best-known chefs. He and his wife purchased the Inn at Bay Fortune a few years ago and have transformed it into a truly memorable destination.

Is Food Art?

When food is presented like it is at the Inn at Bay Fortune’s FireWorks Feast, I’d say yes. Very much so.

The Inn at Bay Fortune in Prince Edward Island, Canada

Farm Tour at the FireWorks Feast

We arrive at the Inn at 4 pm just in time to grab a drink and head out across the massive lawn overlooking Bay Fortune on the southeast coast of Prince Edward Island to join our fellow FireWorks Feasters for the first leg of the FireWorks Feast Experience.

My daughter, Julia, holds her drink and mine in preparation for the Farm Tour portion of the FireWorks Feast

The Inn’s resident farmer, Kevin Petrie, stands in the middle of a circle of vibrantly painted Muskoka chairs (also known by my U.S. readers as Adirondack chairs) and holds forth about the Inn’s remarkable herb garden.

Raised beds containing herbs on the front lawn of the Inn at Bay Fortune on Prince Edward Island, Canada

Kevin’s talk is the start of an hour-long farm tour that will take us from the front lawn to the extensive farm behind the Inn that features greenhouses, nursery beds, a mushroom patch, apple orchards, and even a Pots & Pans Trail.

Pots and pans hanging on a tree along the Pots & Pans Trail at the Inn at Bay Fortune on Prince Edward Island

Kevin is a font of information about growing organic food. I learn that the cilantro plant yields at least eight edible parts, including roots, leaves, and flowers that each have a different taste and texture. The seeds are called coriander – a tidbit of knowledge I’d vaguely known and have now confirmed.

I also sample a chunk of the crispest, sweetest cucumber I’ve ever tasted—almost crisp and sweet enough to turn me from a cucumber tolerator to a cucumber enthusiast.

Farmer Petrie stands in front of a greenhouse at the Inn at Bay Fortune prior to the FireWorks Feast
Farmer Petrie stands in front of one of several greenhouses on the farm at the Inn at Bay Fortune

I learn that the soil on the farm is like a chocolate layer cake – aerated and full of goodness, spongy, dark, delicious – and a wellspring of nutrition for the plants.

We tour an experimental area called the nursery to view dozens of varieties of tomatoes, some of which are almost black The purpose of the nursery is to discover which tomato varieties work best in the climate and the terroir.

Ah, the terroir – the earth from which the plants spring. Terroir garners tremendous respect, veneration even. The terroir creates the food we put into our bodies to nourish ourselves.

Oyster Hour at the FireWorks Feast

We walk from the farm back toward the Inn to find a tall man with grizzled grey hair tied in a tight ponytail. It’s Chef Michael himself standing with shovel in hand in front of a large, smoky fire on which oysters will soon be roasting.

Chef Michael Smith greets guests in front of roasting oysters at the Inn at Bay Fortune for the FireWorks Feast
Chef Michael Smith greets guests in front of roasting oysters at the Inn at Bay Fortune

An engaging speaker, Chef Michael exudes an infectious enthusiasm and passion for food, for sustainability, and for terroir. He tells us that the oysters we’re about to slurp were harvested in Bay Fortune that very afternoon. No more than a few hours separate their plucking from the sea to Chef Michael’s shucking knife.

We’ve reached the Oyster Hour portion of the evening that is devoted to sampling a variety of appetizers, including as many oysters as we can slurp. First up are oysters dotted with butter and nestled into the coals of the open fire. I select one and suck it back—tasting the sea, of course, but also a warm, smoky, buttery flavor.

Oysters quickly roasted over an open fire are ready for savoring

Raw oysters are offered next, shucked right in front of us by Chef Michael and then dotted with dollops of fresh-chopped tomatoes from the farm. My daughter Julia is not a seafood lover (where did I go wrong?), but she gamely agrees to try her first raw oyster. Chef Michael instructs her—slurp, chew, swallow.

Julia holds the oyster to her lips, closes her eyes and tilts her head back.

And then, in full view of Chef Michael Smith, she spits the oyster back into the shell. Oops! But he is good-humored about it and commends her for at least trying.

Julia has better luck with some of the other appetizers. She enjoys slices of smoked salmon, delicate pink and so fresh as to be practically swimming, served atop a crisp, salty cracker, along lobster mushrooms on a taco with Sriracha  – heat exploding across chewy smoothness.

Julia has better luck with the salmon appetizer

Pre-Feast Toast

After an hour of sampling appetizers, we gather in front of the flagpole on the lawn overlooking Bay Fortune. Chef Michael directs our attention to the large Canadian flag snapping in the wind at half-mast. He alludes to why, but doesn’t explain, evidently trusting that the gathered company already knows. I wonder if they do and hope so. For readers who may not know, most Canadians have flown the flag at half-mast throughout the summer of 2021 in memory of the thousands of indigenous children across Canada who never returned from residential schools.

Chef Michael then proposes a toast with a sparkling, bubbling Prince Edward Island “champagne” (Benjamin Bridge Bubbles). The assembled guests (about 75 people) raise their glasses and then troop gratefully into the airy dining room to enjoy six more courses of the FireWorks Feast. Julia had thought we’d eat to the accompaniment of real fireworks, but no. FireWorks refers, literally, to fire and works, meaning that most of the food we consume has been cooked over fires fed with local wood.

The FireWorks Feast Begins

We are seated at the window – a perfect spot from which we survey the wide expanse of lawn leading to the sparkling waters of Bay Fortune. As the evening progresses, golden light floods across the grass, turning it into a shimmering expanse of brilliant, molten green. Slowly, the sky turns soft pink, then mauve, then indigo as night descends over peaceful Prince Edward Island. A bonfire flares, its bright orange flames a promise of life in the darkness.

Farm, Fires, & Feast booklet at our place setting

Special FireWorks Feast Bread

First up is the bread tree – a metal “tree” in which nestles a small loaf of warm, fresh-baked sourdough bread described as made from 100-year-old naturally fermented heritage flour and baked in a wood oven. It is brown, dense, and sinfully delicious.

A trio of spreads invites extensive investigation. My favorite is the maple brown butter – sweet and creamy, but also light—frothy even. Pork pâté made from a happy pig (that’s what the server said!) is subtly flavored; again, the texture is silky smooth. Finally, I savor a lighter-than-air cheese pâté, the flavors so delicate as to be almost undistinguished.

Our bread tree with a trio of spreads

Although I’m already almost full from the oysters and other scrumptious appies from the Oyster Hour, I nevertheless chow down on two hunks of fresh bread and far too many slatherings of spreads. I know this is a mistake – the bread is only course two of seven. Seven! Already, I need a rest.

A cool white wine from Nova Scotia provides the perfect accompaniment – not too strong, a blend that truly complements the food rather than overpowers it. There is the option to have four pours of four different wines for $75. I am tempted, but decide that even my indulgence quotient has limits.

Soup Swimming with Seafood

Course three is seafood chowder for me and a chicken broth with veggies for Julia. My chowder overflows with plump and sweet scallops and clams, bright orange mussels, dense clumps of crabmeat and lobster, along with haddock, salt cod, beach wort (whatever that is), dulse (seaweed?) and potatoes, all swimming in a delicate creamy broth. The flavors do not overpower. They blend and dance across the palate, inviting slow savoring.

This is not the place to gobble your food.

Seafood chowder at the FireWorks Feast
Delectable seafood chowder

Both of us eat only half our soups, prompting the lovely young server to ask if we liked it. I hastily reassure her that the chowder is spectacular but that I need to leave room. I’d taken Chef Michael’s exhortation to eat as many oysters as we wanted far too seriously and, not wanting to let down the side for western Canada, had eaten three or four too many.

The Best Salad in the World at the FireWorks Feast

The next course is my favorite – all vegetables, and OMG what vegetables! I watch Chef Michael at the open-plan chef station dump fresh greens plucked mere hours earlier from the farm into a massive bowl. Surrounded by an impressive number of earnest-looking and mostly young chefs-in-training, Chef Michael tosses the greens with his hands. The hefty price tag for this foodie experience is feeling increasingly reasonable considering the value we’re getting.

The chefs portion the salad of herbs, shoots, stalks, stems, leaves, buds, fruits, and a plethora of brilliantly colored edible flowers into a bowl for every two people. We also receive an individual plate smeared with root vegetable purées – ash-baked beets, smoked parsnips, and roasted carrots, along with lentil sprouts and something called seedy soil that turns out to be a pleasantly crunchy, sweet and salty garnish I could have eaten all night.

Trio of vegetable purées with lentil sprouts and seedy soil

We are instructed to place a few tongfuls of the greens (studded with popcorn – seriously!) over the plate of pureed vegetables to experience the different textures and tastes.

The parsnip cream is to die for, and I don’t even like parsnips. Even the beets go down a treat – the rich red color alone worth the price of admission. I want to eat every scrap of the greens, but my tummy is starting to groan. How am I going to manage the main course?

But back to the greens – crisp, tart, sweet, earthy, fresh – I feel like I’m eating a garden, which I suppose I am. My favorites are the flowers – startling orange nasturtiums and soft violet pansies that are peppery and sweet and crunchy. I’ve only just discovered the glories of eating flowers and am now a firm convert. Every so often, a leaf from one of the farm’s 26 herb beds—mint, basil, and many more tastes I don’t recognize—glides across my palate like an Olympic speed skater.

Green salad studded with colorful flowers and popcorn at the FireWorks Feast

I reluctantly leave a fair amount of greens in the salad bowl, having practically licked the plate clean of its purée smears, and await the main course. Chef Michael and his crew are hard at work plating the two choices—brisket or halibut. I made the difficult choice when we arrived earlier but was torn. I adore halibut and almost never get it, but brisket! And I figure brisket smoked and prepared by a world-class chef had to be, well, world-class.

Chef Michael Smith preparing a main course
Chef Michael plates the main course

Main Course – FireWorks Beautiful Brisket

The main course arrives, the slabs of brisket and flatiron steak artfully (well, duh) arranged over an intriguing assortment of roasted root vegetables. But alas, my stomach rebels. I can manage only a few nibbles of wonderfully flavored kale and some brisket before having to give up. Would it be completely low-brow to ask for a doggy bag in a place like this? I envision enjoying a slab of the brisket (melt-in-your-mouth, for sure) later that evening. It would taste sooooo good then, whereas now – nope. I am far too full to appreciate it.

The main course is brisket with root vegetables

But as my dad used to say, they’ll not see you again, so I asked our server if I could have the brisket to go and she cheerfully offers to bring me a box. Phew! Later that evening and again for breakfast, I feast on the most tender, flaky, flavorful brisket I’ve ever tasted. Just enough of the salty au jus clings to the meat to give it flavor without overwhelming it.

Always Room for Dessert

Can we manage dessert? Well, of course. Dessert is a different stomach, right? Also, the gap between main course and dessert is, to my relief, long enough to give my system time to re-calibrate.

Dessert is a haskap berry tarragon meringue/sponge cake topped with blueberry cream and a scoop of lemon verbena ice cream. I eat every morsel.

Dessert at the FireWorks Feast

And still we are not done! Over at the chef station, one of the young chefs is affixing rectangles of blueberry marshmallow to the ends of long sticks. Outside the window, the crackling flames of the campfire beckon. We pick up our marshmallow sticks and proceed to the campfire. Melty, blueberry, sticky. Oh yeah!

But unfortunately, swarms of unwelcome guests also show up to enjoy campfire time. We learn the hard way that the mosquitoes on Prince Edward Island are tiny but vicious. Funny – I never remember reading about mosquitoes feasting on Anne of Green Gables.

The Morning After

Before checking out the next morning, I take a copy of my novel Love Among the Recipes to Reception and ask that it be given to Chef Michael as a thank-you for a wondrous experience. The woman at the desk tells me I can give it to him myself since he’s just around the corner in the dining room working on the evening menu.

Feeling a trifle presumptuous, I nevertheless present Chef Michael with my novel. He graciously accepts, telling me he thinks it looks like something he and his wife would enjoy. I’m honored, and float away from the Inn feeling that our Prince Edward Island splurge is one for the memory books.

Novel called "Love Among the Recipes" by Carol M. Cram
Love Among the Recipes finds a new home at The Inn at Bay Fortune

If you’re traveling to Prince Edward Island during the summer months, consider spending the night at the Inn at Bay Fortune and an evening enjoying the FireWorks Feast. You’ll come away with a renewed appreciation for fresh and nutritious food grown with love.