A-Life BC Travel Blog

By Neil Judson

The Royal BC Museum parted three black curtains to reveal the 2011 and 2012 exhibition schedule to an eagerly expecting crowd of museum supporters this week.

From the vivid beauty of wild animals in action, to the gaping jaws of a towering dinosaur, or the glitter and grace of a waving Queen Elizabeth II, the international lineup is designed to appeal to a wide demographic, including budding paleontologists, royalty aficionados and nature lovers.

The three touring international exhibitions will begin their display Dec. 16 with the North American premiere of Wildlife Photographer of the Year from London’s Natural History Museum. An ancient-looking tortoise slowly greeted the audience to help announce the exhibition which will showcase more than 100 award-winning photographs in 18 categories chosen from more than 40,000 entries from around the world.

Continue reading on Tourism Victoria's Going Local blog.  

By Neil Judson

We don’t need to go far to experience a bird’s eye view of the surrounding ocean, islands and mountain ranges. Nor must we scale precarious cliffs or even pack a lunch (although picnics are highly recommended).

Mount Douglas Park offers one of the area’s most majestic and accessible viewpoints. Affectionately known locally as “Mount Doug,” the park’s centrepiece reaches 227 metres elevation and showcases 360-degree vistas of the South Island and beyond.

For complete article, please visit Tourism Victoria's Going Local blog.  

By Neil Judson

To celebrate 100 years of wilderness protection, Parks Canada is combining the best of BC's great outdoors with one of Canada's most popular rap artists in Vancouver on Saturday (July 16).

Juno Award winner K'Naan is headlining this big birthday bash at Stanley Park's Brockton Point (near the totem poles). The event is designed to give urbanites a taste of Canada's protected wilderness areas with family activities during the day and music by night.

Expect to learn how to prepare for West Coast adventures likes hiking and camping while testing your balance on a surfboard and your skills on a climbing wall... all without leaving the city. The purpose? To encourage more people to turn off their televisions and immerse themselves in the natural beauty and recreational opportunities abound in national parks such as Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

By Bri Wilson & Neil Judson

We’re excited to announce the addition of five local travel bloggers to the A-Life blog!

Get out and explore downtown Victoria and the rest of beautiful Vancouver Island with help from Ross, Jessica W. and Holly. Meanwhile, Jessica G. will be your guide to all things Okanagan, and Michael will bring you travel tales from around the globe.

We're looking forward to fresh posts by our new bloggers and more great content from our original A-Life team.

By Neil Judson

Most people don't know what a flipwhip looks like, let alone what it looks like performed on a giant barge.

But this weekend, the people of Victoria will be awed by the first ever dirt jump mountain biking competition to be carried out on such a floating course.

Brought to you by the newly formed non-profit Dockside Mountain Bike Society, Jumpship concludes the Victoria International Cycling Festival in extreme fashion in the city's Inner Harbour Friday to Sunday (June 10-12).

A former journalist, Neil maintains a passion for telling stories through words and images.

Fortunately, his roles as Aviawest communications specialist and A-Life editor give him the freedom to continue these interests while focusing on travel lifestyle, outdoor recreation and all-round feel-good topics.

Neil can be found on a mountain bike when he isn't exploring the West Coast with his wife and golden retriever.

> Read Neil's posts