Web Gadget Error

Greater Vancouver is spreading into the Fraser Valley, and although it is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, it is still plagued with traffic congestion. A visitor driving into the city has to contend with heavy traffic all day, road signs, one way streets and, often, rain.

There are some RV parks in the area, but you’ll like Vancouver better if you don’t have to drive through it, you and your RV, with you, Charlie, struggling with lane changes and Agnes trying to find your location on a map. A sightseeing tour would be just the thing. It can be done.

From Mission, you can still commute to Vancouver. It’s a long drive and I wouldn’t want to do it in rush hour. But there is an alternative - the West Coast Express. This fast, modern train will take you into downtown Vancouver in 75 minutes and it leaves 5 times a day starting at Mission. Those times are between 5:27 am and 7:27 am and the return trains leave Vancouver between 3:50 pm and 6:20 pm. Service is Monday to Friday with one Sunday train during July and August.

With this service, you can stay in Mission (or Port Moody or Coquitlam, or Port Coquitlam or Pitt Meadows or Maple Ridge or Haney) and have only a short trip to many of the other attractions you may want to visit.

The fare is about $14 return for adults to and from Mission and that same ticket can be used throughout the BC Transit system – buses, seabus, skytrain. This is less than the cost of parking your car downtown for the day and you don’t have to buy gas either. Senior fares are half price.

But this is about RVing. What I want you to know is that you don’t have to stay in Vancouver.
From Mission east, the road is two lane, not divided highway, and there is much to see.

Hemlock Valley skiing is about an hour east of Mission. From the turnoff from Highway 7 it is supposed to be a 20-minute drive but I would allow half an hour. The first half is paved and the second half is a wide gravel road with lots of potholes. The thing is, the paved part is about as curvy a road as you’ll find anywhere. The switchbacks are like paperclips. That’s why I took half an hour. The scenery is glorious but I didn’t want to become part of it.

Lift tickets are $30 for adults but if you are 65 or better, they are free. So are season passes. So if you are a senior skier, the price is right. The ski school offers workshops, group lessons, kids’ lessons and snowboard. There is also tobogganing, cross country, easy and hard trails, ski shop, day lodge and a cafeteria. Telephone 1 800 665 7080 for times and details.

A couple of miles past the turn off to Hemlock Valley, just off Highway 7 and well marked, is the Kilby Store and Farm. It’s a 1920’s museum with stable, milk house, chicken coop, piggery, orchard and garden, bull pen and farm buildings. There is a post office, café and general store in operation. The café serves mostly soup and sandwiches at reasonable prices. There are special events throughout the year – the site is open 10 am to 5 pm every day except Christmas day. Phone 604 796 9576.

Agassiz is a small, friendly town (population about 5000) about 20 minutes past Kilby. It is an active farming community with plenty of events and interest groups. There are branches of service clubs – Elks, Masonic Lodge, Rotary Club and Canadian Legion. There are pubs, restaurants and local festivals.

Harrison Hot Springs is just minutes away from Agassiz; its hotel and hot springs are world famous. The hotel has several restaurants, one with dancing and dining. There are river boat tours, golf, fishing charters, horseback riding, festivals and events for most of the year.

There are a number of RV parks in Mission and in Harrison and they are open from about March to November. They shut off the water in the cold months so the pipes won’t freeze but they offer full hookups when the weather warms up. Phone first to check for availability.

In Harrison Hot Springs, try these.
Bigfoot Campground - 1-800-294-9907
Glencoe Motel and RV Park - 604-796-2574
Hot Springs RV - 604-796-3467
Sasquatch Springs RV Resort - 604-796-9228

At Hatzic Lake, 3 miles east of Mission, Everglades Resort, (604) 826 2529 or fax (604) 826 5698 offers rental space for day, month or season. There are also lots available for sale, many on the waterfront. Prices begin about $20,000 ($35,000 for waterfront).

A mile along the road to Hemlock Valley, on Morris Valley Road, is Tapadera Estates. This is an RV community of deeded lots and some are still for sale. There are numerous site amenities and activities – this is home for a lot of people. If you are considering purchase of an RV lot, you and your RV are invited for a visit as their guest (which means free) for a couple of days. Tapadera Estates is open all year round. Phone 1 800 477 6776 or fax (604) 796 3842 to reserve a space.
There are other parks as well.

From both Mission and Harrison Hot Springs you can easily get to any of the places you may want to see.
There is a bridge over the Fraser River to Highway 1 at Mission and another very near Harrison Hot Springs.
From Mission, cross the bridge over the Fraser River to Abbotsford and the lower Fraser Valley. This road also takes you to the US border.

Drive east on Highway 7 to go to Hope, the Fraser Canyon to the Cariboo, the Coquihalla to Kamloops and the North Okanagan and the Hope-Princeton to the South Okanagan.

You can enjoy the best of both worlds, beautiful Vancouver and peace in the valley – all on the same day.
At present, Kathie is writing a Directory of RV Parks and Resorts and invites Resorts to contact her for inclusion in the Directory.

Kathie Scott c/o
Panatech Management Consultants Inc.
7156 Circle Drive, Chilliwack BC V2R 254
Tel: 604 858 5629 Email: 2ronnies@dowco.com