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Caru' cu Bere
The sign declares this the number-one gumbo shop in town.
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The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
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An illustration of Port Royal from the book “On the Spanish Main.”
Port Royal: The Rise and (Literal) Fall of a Booming Pirate City
about 16 hours ago
Museum founder Paul Stewart often traveled to local classrooms, like this Denver elementary school, to share the stories of Colorado’s Black Cowboys.
The Black American West Museum Celebrates the Black Cowboy
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The Golden Gate Bridge as seen from the Marin Headlands at sunrise.
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All Canada British Columbia

The Atlas Obscura Guide To British Columbia

139 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in British Columbia

Updated July 8, 2025

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Cities

Top Cities
Vancouver
The Moss Lady.
Victoria
Whistler Train Wreck
Whistler
The log provides the only stability and food for the little tree
Port Renfrew
The World’s Largest Hockey Stick & Puck hang on the side of the rink where the Cowichan Capitals Junior A Hockey Club plays in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada.
Duncan
Qualicum Beach
All Cities
  1. Comox Strathcona K
  2. Duncan
  3. Field
  4. Greenwood
  5. Hope
  6. Maple Ridge
  7. North Vancouver
  8. Osoyoos
  9. Port Renfrew
  10. Qualicum Beach
  11. Radium Hot Springs
  12. Richmond
  13. Surrey
  14. Tlell
  15. Vancouver
  16. Victoria
  17. Whistler
Attractions
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Unusual Attractions in British Columbia

Maze

Vancouver, British Columbia

VanDusen Garden's Elizabethan Hedge Maze

This Elizabethan hedge maze is one of only six in North America.

Malakwa, British Columbia

The Enchanted Forest

An old world fairytale-land with over 350 fairy folk figurines hidden amongst 800 year old cedars.

Qualicum Beach, British Columbia

Free Spirit Spheres

Sleep snuggled in a sphere suspended atop the forest canopy of Vancouver Island.
Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Garden - Maple Hall Courtyard.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden

Traditional 15th century Chinese garden in the middle of Vancouver.
Capilano Suspension Bridge

North Vancouver, British Columbia

Capilano Suspension Bridge

This expansive bridge in the Canadian wilderness was originally just built for friends.
Repaired entrance to first tunnel, where shotcrete has been applied to stabilize the wall on the right.

Hope, British Columbia

Othello Tunnels

Railways may have forged this quintet of lovely tunnels, but now they are open to hikers.
The tarnished brass main entrance.

Vancouver, British Columbia

The Marine Building

This Art Deco masterpiece has stood in for some of the most famous buildings in comic book history.
(Justus Hayes/Shoes on Wires/shoesonwires.com/Flickr)

Coquitlam, British Columbia

Riverview Hospital

Historic psychiatric asylum and most-filmed location in the Great White North.
See All 139 Things To Do in British Columbia

Cool Places to Eat & Drink in British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia

Japadog

Surprisingly delicious Asian-style hot dogs.

Osoyoos, British Columbia

Nk'Mip Cellars

North America's first Indigenous-owned winery is located within Canada's only desert-like ecosystem.
Elk and bison are regularly featured on the menu.

Fort Langley, British Columbia

Tradish's The Ancestor Cafe

First Nations’ foodways are front and center at this food truck-turned-brick-and-mortar.
In partnership with KAYAK

Plan Your Trip

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Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

Explore British Columbia

A
Architecture 20
Architectural Oddities 13
Plants 11
Trees 10
Animals 10
Museums 9
Parks 8
Art 8
Abandoned 8
Water 7
Ecosystems 7
Sculptures 6
Places To Stay 4
Unique Restaurants & Bars 2

British Columbia Leaderboard

Places Added

  1. SamM
    14
  2. canuck
    9
  3. Kergin
    4
  4. jbartlett2000
    3
  5. slgwv
    3

Places Edited

  1. SamM
    16
  2. Rachel
    10
  3. Annetta Black
    9
  4. Martin
    9
  5. notoriousFIG
    9
Join the Ranks!
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Places Visited

  1. forrest314
    102
  2. katieprescott79
    77
  3. femaleabroad
    72
  4. Munringus
    70
  5. sophiestjacques
    68

Recent British Columbia Activity

  • dorothycaoyu

    has been to Riverview Hospital

    1 day ago
  • jonahgrignon30

    has been to Mile 0

    1 day ago
  • cdoi

    wants to go to Boswell Embalming Bottle House

    1 day ago
  • caitlinpantos

    has been to Okanagan Lake

    1 day ago
  • FrankMcD

    has been to The Marine Building

    about 22 hours ago

Stories About British Columbia

As eulachon arrive in British Columbia’s Nass River, hundreds of hungry birds follow. The spawning fish also attract other predators, such as sea lions and seals.

Where the Savior Fish Still Swims

In an era of collapse, a fabled fish keeps coming back to the Nisg̱a’a nation.
by Shanna Baker
March 10, 2025

In British Columbia, Dead Salmon Make for Happy Butterflies and Bees

Researchers hauled bins of fish carcasses through bear country to learn how salmon affects plants and pollinators.
by Suzie Hodges
August 6, 2024
Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation’s Gitdisdzu Lugyeks Marine Protected Area (MPA) was recently awarded a coveted “blue park” status by a renowned international ocean conservation group.

Canada's First Blue Park Is a Stunning Showcase of Marine Stewardship

British Columbia's Kitasu Bay is the first Indigenous-protected marine park in the world.
by Rochelle Baker
May 13, 2024

New Clues Emerge About the Fluffy Dogs Once Bred for Their Wool

The story of these distinctive doggos is emerging from ancestral knowledge of the Coast Salish peoples and a new genetic study of the pelt of a pup named Mutton.
by Roxanne Hoorn
December 14, 2023
A young spirit bear, part of a genetically unique population found only in Great Bear Rainforest on British Columbia’s central coast, is one of many animals First Nations coastal guardians work to protect.

On the Coast of British Columbia, Ancient Stewardship Gets a Modern Spin

From tracking rare spirit bears to responding to disasters, First Nations coastal guardians are on watch.
by Ashley Stimpson
August 30, 2022
The author, right, and slime mold expert Pam Janszen add water to Triquetrella californica and watch the desiccated moss rehydrate and unfurl.

One Island's Effort to Count Every Species, and Make Every Species Count

Scientists, residents, and visitors have banded together for a massive biodiversity survey of British Columbia's Galiano Island.
by Marina Wang
August 1, 2022
The nose knows when invasive species are present, thanks to dogs’ innate superpowers of scent and extensive training.

Meet the Dog With a Nose for Keeping British Columbia Free of Invasive Mussels

Destructive mollusks threaten the Canadian province's waterways but K9 Kilo and his handler are on the case.
by Marc Fawcett-Atkinson
July 25, 2022

How Radar Is Helping Track Down Lost Indigenous Gravesites

It's getting easier to find potential remains non-invasively—but that's just one step in a long and painful process.
by Diane Peters
April 25, 2022

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