British Columbia Photos
Pictures and photos from the rainforests of the Pacific coast to the snowy mountain peaks, British Columbia in Canada offers supreme scenery and endless outdoor recreation. (There are 180 photos in this photo gallery.)
British Columbia is Canada’s westernmost province. The ocean, mountains, rivers, lakes and vast forested regions make it ideal for whale-watching, wildlife-viewing, kayaking, canoeing, mountain biking, skiing, rafting hiking and climbing as you will see in our pictures.
Most of BC’s population is concentrated in the cities of Vancouver and Victoria. Vancouver, in the southwest corner of the province, it was hosting the Olympic games in 2010. Nestled in the mountains is the village of Whistler ... ...continue under photos...
Parliament Building Victoria Harbor Twilight Photo
Photo of beautiful Victoria Harbor on southern Vancouver Island, with the illuminated British Columbia Parliament buildings at twilight.
Victoria's Inner Harbour illuminated at twilight with the BC parliament buildings in the background, Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Takakkaw Falls Waterfall Yoho National Park BC
Beautiful Takakkaw Falls in Yoho National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, British Columbia, Canada
This amazing waterfall, actually a row of waterfalls, is a must see while in the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia. Located inside the Yoho National Park, accessible over a side road which is closed in winter. The Takakkaw Falls are 384 meters (1260 feet ...
Cox Bay Tofino Scenic Beach Dramatic Cloud Sunset
One of the many scenic beaches around Tofino is the beach of Cox Bay, here during a beautiful sunset with dramatic clouds, Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Dramatic clouds and sunset over the beach along Cox Bay near Tofino, a transition area of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, West Coast, Pacific Ocean, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Big Cedar Tree Rainforest Pacific Rim National Park
Many big cedar trees can be seen on a walk through the rainforest of Vancouver Island in Pacific Rim National Park near Tofino, British Columbia, Canada.
Moss covered base of a large western red cedar tree (western red cedar), Thuja plicata, along the Rainforest Trail in the coastal rainforest of Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach Unit, Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, West Coast, Vanc ...
Sightseeing Native Totempole Pacific Rim National Park
One of the iconic native symbols, a totempole, can be found in Pacific Rim National Park near Wickaninnish Bay on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Totem pole along the South Beach Trail, Wickaninnish Bay, Pacific Rim National Park, Long Beach Unit, Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, West Coast, Pacific Ocean, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Vancouver British Columbia Skyline Picture
Looking from Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia you get a stunning view of the downtown skyline.
Pink hues from the setting sun radiate the buildings along the downtown waterfront in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The skyline of the city is only a inkling to the excitement that lies ahead in downtown core of Vancouver, British Columbia.
Downtown Vanco ...
Farewell Canyon British Columbia
Carved out by the Chilcotin River Farewell Canyon in British Columbia has a number of interesting geological formations.
Farewell Canyon near Williams Lake, Cariboo Country, British Columbia, Canada, North America.
Killer Whale Watching Vancouver Island
A killer whale passes by this whale watching boat, a very common sight in the waters off Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
A Killer Whale gives tourists on a whale watching boat a close up view of himself as he leisurely swims by in the lifting fog. This whale watching vessel is one of many that tour the waters off Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada to view these majestic creatures ...
Northern Vancouver Island Vacation Destination Telegraph Cove
A charming vacation destination on the northern end of Vancouver Island, Telegraph Cove is one of the last remaining boardwalk communities in British Columbia.
Accommodation, food, wildlife tours and much more are on offer in Telegraph Cove, a popular summertime vacation destination on Northern Vancouver Island. There is also substantial space for leisure boat moorage at Telegraph Cove, a great opportun ...
Salmon Glacier British Columbia
Salmon Glacier in British Colubmia, Canada is an awesome example of the land-shaping power of a river of ice.
An example of one of natures most powerful features, the Salmon Glacier has been reshaping the landscape since the last ice-age. The glacier is juxtaposed nicely with delicate high-altitude wildflowers. The Salmon Glacier borders between Alaska, USA and ...
Rugged West Coast Vancouver Island
Taking on the sometimes ferocious Pacific Ocean, the rugged west coast of Northern Vancouver is shaped by nature whether it be water or wind. Tide pools form in the rocks at low tide making it a treasure trove of discovery.
A hidden gem on the West Coast of Northern Vancouver Island, Cape Palmerston features a rugged coastline shaped by the action of the Pacific Ocean.
Cape Palmerston on the West Coast of Northern Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Main Block British Columbia Parliament Building Victoria
The Main Block of the British Columbia Parliament Buildings in Victoria has architectural Baroque details mixed with Romanesque revival, Victoria, Vancouver Island.
British Columbia Parliament building at the Inner Harbor in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Totem Poles Thunderbird Park Royal BC Museum Victoria
A must see tourist attraction in Victoria on Vancouver Island is the Thunderbird Park which belongs to the Royal BC Museum.
Totem poles in Thunderbird Park, part of the Royal BC Museum Cultural Precinct, beside of the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
Illuminated Victoria Harbor Parliament Buildings
The main tourist attraction in the south of Vancouver Island is Victoria Harbor and the BC Parliament buildings, here illuminated at twilight.
Victoria's Inner Harbour illuminated at twilight with the BC parliament buildings in the background, Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Empress Hotel Tour Bus Victoria Twilight
One of the main landmarks in Victoria on Vancouver Island, British Columbia is the famous Empress Hotel at the harbor.
The Empress Hotel, a famous landmark in the Inner Harbour in Victoria, illuminated at twilight with a red tourist attraction tour bus in front of it, Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Pacific Ocean Coastal Scenery Sunset
A national park on Vancouver Island known for it's dramatic coastal scenery and beautiful sunsets, the Pacific Rim National Park is as the name suggests, the shores of the Pacific Ocean on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
The coastal shores of the Pacific Ocean are silhouetted by the after sunset light while the clouds and sky are still lit by the glow of the sun. Pacific Rim National Park is a park steeped in magnificent coastal scenery.
Rocky shore of South Beach ...
Scenic Waterfall Couple Virgin Falls
A couple enjoy the serenity of the Virgin Falls on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. The Virgin Falls are a waterfall set in the scenic landscape of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve.
Taking a moment to take in the scenic beauty of a waterfall, a couple sit on the banks of the small pool at the base of Virgin Falls on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Couple sitting on a log viewing the Virgin Falls which plunge 53 metres/174 ...
Scenic Pacific Rim National Park Coastline Sunset
A gem travel destination on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, Pacific Rim National Park offers both sandy and rocky beaches with scenic forested coastline which spark in the light of a sunset.
Glinting off the water surface the sun heads for the horizon along the scenic coastline of the Pacific Rim National Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Being the west coast, a view of a stunning sunset is almost always guaranteed!
Driftwood strewn over a ...
Nimpkish Lake Scenic Campfire Sunset
A glorious sunset over a campfire on the shores of scenic Nimpkish Lake on Northern Vancouver Island, heralds the end of a beautiful summer day.
Embers glow in a campfire contained by a ring of rocks on the shores of Nimpkish Lake as the sunset lights the evening sky and the scenic mountains in the background.
Camping with camp fire at Nimpkish Lake on Northern Vancouver Island near Port ...
Forest Fringed West Coast Northern Vancouver Island
A coastline fringed by lush forest while the waters of the Pacific Ocean lap at the rugged shores, the West Coast of Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, is a nature lovers paradise.
Rugged coastline and wave action along the West Coast at Cape Palmerston, Northern Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Douglas-fir Trees Cathedral Grove Rainforest Vancouver Island
A stand of douglas-fir trees reach skyward from Cathedral Grove, a protected rainforest in MacMillan Provincial Park on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Moss covered trunks give an indication of the damp environment these Douglas-fir trees live in. Cathedral Grove offers visitors a beautiful walk through a rainforest on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Tall, straight Douglas-fir trees, Pseudotsuga menziesii, ...
Scenic Inside Passage Cruise Liner BC Coast Mountains
Backdropped by the scenic waterways off Northern Vancouver Island and the Coast Mountains of BC, a cruise liner navigates the waters of the Inside Passage on a journey of adventure.
A popular route for a vacation on a cruise liner is the Inside Passage which is a scenic waterway which passes by the inside of Vancouver Island and offers magnificent vistas of the scenic coast mountains of British Columbia, Canada.
Cruise ship, Inside Passage, ...
Seagulls Scenic Weyton Passage British Columbia Coast
A group of various seagulls gather on a rock in Weyton Passage with the scenic British Columbia Coast waterways in the background.
The Inside Passage is full of scenic waterways such as Weyton Passage just off the coast of Northern Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.
Seagulls on a rock in Weyton Passage off Northern Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Spotted Lake Similkameen Valley Okanagan
Situated along Highway 3, aka the Crowsnest Highway in the Similkameen Valley of the Okanagan, Spotted Lake is a sacred lake to the Okanagan First Nations and is high in minerals which are known for their healing properties.
Though close access is denied, a view of the Spotted Lake is possible from the Crowsnest Highway in the Similkameen region of the Okanagan Valley.
Spotted Lake along Highway 3 (Crowsnest Highway), Similkameen Valley, Okanagan-Similkameen Region, ...
Night Sky Broughton Strait Northern Vancouver Island
Islands are silhouetted while the waterways known as the Broughton Strait and Queen Charlotte Strait shine like silver against the bright night sky seen off the coast of Northern Vancouver Island, Canada.
A clear night reveals views across the Broughton Strait and the larger Queen Charlotte Strait towards the coast mountains of British Columbia. The night sky is illuminated by the setting sun off on the horizon.
View over Northern Vancouver Island with Alert Bay ...
Beautiful Victoria Harbour Reflections
A calm evening reveals reflections of the grand and elegant Empress Hotel, situated along the waterfront in the inner harbour of Victoria - the beautiful capital city of British Columbia, Canada.
Illuminated Empress Hotel (Fairmont Hotel), a famous landmark in the Inner Harbour in Victoria, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Waterfall Tourist Attraction Yoho National Park
A popular tourist attraction in the National Parks system of British Columbia, Canada is Takakkaw Falls, a waterfall situated in Yoho National Park. The waterfall is the second highest in Western Canada.
As a tourist visiting the National Parks of the Rocky Mountains of Canada, the Takakkaw Falls is a must see attraction in the Yoho National Park in British Columbia.
Bridge along the trail to Takakkaw Falls waterfall along the Yoho River in Yoho National Park, B ...
Leisure Boats Telegraph Cove Vancouver Island
During the summer months the marina at Telegraph Cove on Northern Vancouver Island is full to the brim with leisure boats. Some boaters are passing through, only staying a night or two while others have a permanent place to moor their boats.
A forest fringed, boardwalk community on Northern Vancouver Island, Telegraph Cove is a popular spot for tourists. Whether arriving in their leisures boats or by other means, Telegraph Cove is often packed over the summer months.
Harbor at Teleg ...
High Speed Zodiac Coast Guard Boat
Used to get somewhere fast, the Coast Guard 508 unit use a high speed zodiac boat in order to reach boats in distress quickly or to patrol Canada's coastline.
Not a ride for the faint hearted! The Coast Guard patrolling the waters off Northern Vancouver Island use this high speed zodiac boat, propelled by two powerful motors, to respond quickly to serious situations.
Coast guard boat 508 , Vancouver I ...
Fishing Boat Sunset Vancouver Island
Returning home after a day of fishing, a commercial fishing boat is caught in the magical light of a beautiful sunset in the waters off Northern Vancouver Island.
The waters surrounding Northern Vancouver Island play host to many species of fish including salmon and halibut. Many commercial fishing boats leave the wharf of Port McNeill or Port Hardy in the early morning and often don't return until well af ...
Scenic Sailboat Broughton Archipelago
A sailboat under motor power on a calm, windless day in the scenic Broughton Archipelago off Northern Vancouver Island. The sailboat is backdropped by the beautiful scenery and the British Columbia Coast Mountains.
The beautiful and scenic Broughton Archipelago is a place of serenity on a calm day. Many sailboats ply these waters off Northern Vancouver Island on Canada's West Coast during the summer months, exploring the endless coves, bays and islands this ...
Okanagan Lake Vineyard Scenic Sunset
A cobbled outdoor patio close to Naramata is the perfect place to sit surrounded by a vineyard overlooking scenic Okanagan Lake at sunset while sipping on a glass of wine.
This romantic sunset setting is in the town of Naramata situated on the shores of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia, Canada.
Sunset over Okanagan Lake viewed from the patio at Lang Vineyards, Naramata, Okanagan-Similkameen Region, Okanagan, British Columbia, Cana ...
Broughton Archipelago Sunset Northern Vancouver Island
The coast mountains of the British Columbia mainland is bathed in the soft hues of sunset as the scattered islands of the Broughton Archipelago and shores of the Northern Vancouver Island are silhouetted.
Sunset aerial view looking from Vancouver Island over the Broughton Archipelago towards the large British Columbia Coast Mountains, British Columbia, Canada.
Cluxewe Sunset Northern Vancouver Island
A stupendous sunset lights up the dramatic clouds above the Cluxewe River Estuary on Northern Vancouver Island, Canada, and the long reed grass and channel of the Cluxewe River glint in the light of sunset.
Sunset and cloud formations over the Cluxewe River Estuary, Cluxewe (Provincial) Wildlife Management Area, Northern Vancouver Island, Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Victoria City Inner Harbour Parliament Buildings
A beautiful city both by day and night, the inner harbour of Victoria, the Capital City of British Columbia, is punctuated by the illuminated Parliament Buildings as a backdrop. Seasonal flowers also adorn the waterfront.
A graceful city and the capital of British Columbia in Canada, Victoria is always presented as clean and inviting. The inner harbour features a two level waterfront path which presents views of the marina and the Parliament Buildings which at night is illuminated ...
..., a world-class ski destination.
Victoria, the province’s capital, lies at the southern tip of Vancouver Island, the largest island off of BC’s coast. Along the west coast of the island, Pacific Rim National Park near the town of Tofino has lush rainforests with huge trees, and miles of sandy beach for surfers and beachcombers. Further north, the Queen Charlotte Islands are the home of the native Haida people, renown for their art and culture.
The gold rush town of Barkerville, in the Cariboo region of central BC, has been restored to its former glory complete with vintage shops and live reenactments of the town’s history.
In BC’s southern interior, the Okanagan has the only desert ecosystem found in Canada. With orchards, vineyards, and golf courses, it is a true paradise. To the east, the towering Rocky Mountains arise near BC’s border with Alberta.
British Columbia has something for everyone, with spectacular wilderness areas and recreation opportunities, a thriving arts community, and a rich cultural heritage. Make sure you take your camera when visiting, there are plenty of photo opportunities waiting for you.