TORONTO SUN
TRAVEL
torontosun.canoe.ca
WEDNESDAY, JULY 26, 2006
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Fall for the view
55
The drive between Vancouver and Whistler offers three must-see waterfalls cataract is also found just off the highway, 47 km north of Squamish. The viewing platform is a 500-metre walk from the parking lot. You cross a footbridge over Brandywine Creek and railroad tracks along the way. According to an information board at the viewpoint, Brandywine Falls got its name when two railway surveyors bet brandy and wine over its height in the early 1900s. Looking at the layers of rock surrounding the waterfall’s plunge pool, you can easily make out the remnants of successive lava flows. The best time to visit Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is in late spring or early summer, as the falls are most impressive when the creek is at peak flow. So, after a two-hour drive, you’ve made it to Whistler but wouldn’t mind seeing another waterfall? Head 32 km north to Nairn Falls.
A 1.5-km walk takes you to the 60-metre falls, with their fascinating potholes. Nairn Falls Provincial Park, three kilometres south of Pemberton, also makes the perfect base camp from which to explore day-hikes in Garibaldi, Joffre Lakes and other provincial parks in the area. stephen.hui@tor.sunpub.com.
BOTTOMLINE
Parking lots for all three waterfalls are on the east side of the Sea to Sky Highway, or Hwy. 99, which leaves TransCanada Highway 1 just before the Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal in West Vancouver. Pay parking is $1 per hour at each park. On the web, contact B.C. Parks, env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/.
air only ✈ roundtrip ✈ ✈ ✈✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ $ $ london 277 edinburgh 377 munich nov 05 rtn. nov 09 • th/ts oct 05 rtn. oct 13 • th/ts aug 24 rtn. sep 22 • th/ts $ $ manchester newcastle frankfurt 277 327 oct 31 rtn. nov 22 • th/ts oct 11 rtn. oct 19 • th/ts oct 02 rtn. oct 06 • th/ts $ $ glasgow belfast 277 oct 06 rtn. oct 09 • th/ts 277 paris oct 15 rtn. oct 26 • th/ts oct 08 rtn. oct 14 • conq/z4 $ $ birmingham amsterdam madrid 327 399 oct 23 rtn. oct 28 • th/ts oct 02 rtn. oct 05 • th/ts oct 06 rtn. oct 24 • conq/ts + taxes & fees $206.65
making a big deal out of the sun & europe
+ taxes & fees $215.40
+ taxes & fees $215.65
+ taxes & fees $211.15
flights
package plus
london
899
$
royal national
sep 17, 19, 21 • 1 wk • th/ts
+ taxes & fees $206.65
air + 7 nts htl. & bkft. dly.
hotels
paris + london
bleu marine/president hotel
1479
$
sept 06 - sept 26 • 1 wk • th/ts + taxes & fees $206.65
air, htl & bkft, eurostar train tfr.
cars trains
3 days greek island & turkey cruise + 4 days mykonos aug 27 • 1 wk
+ taxes & fees $312.15
air + cruise & meals + htl & bkft
noli/ts
madrid, spain
splendid madrid - asturias
book online
www.exitnow.ca or call
1 877 739-4877 open 7 days/week 9 am to 9 pm
visit us! 1553 bayview avenue, south of eglinton mon to fri: 9 am to 7 pm sat: 9 am to 5 pm
1779
$
Aug 18, 25 • 1 wk noli/ts
1439
$
+ taxes & fees $158.90
air + htl + bkft. dly.
paris
1119
$
quality abaca
sept 20, 27 • 1 wk • th/ts
+ taxes & fees $248.65
air + 7 nts htl. & bkft. dly.
ireland
go as you please driving holiday with b&b’s aug 10, 15, 19 • 1 wk • th/ts
989
$
+ taxes & fees $206.65
air + bed & breakfast + car.
minos magic
4 day cruise + 2 days crete + 3 days santorini + 3 days athens aug 17, 24 • 2 wks
2159
$
+ taxes & fees $350.15
air + hotel & bkft + trsf
noli/ts
costa brava, spain $
1299
hotel blaumar sept 22, 29 •1 wk noli/ts
+ taxes & fees $178.90
air + htl. + trsf + brkft & dinner daily
las vegas • excalibur • air + htl + trsf • aug 06 • 4 nts • conq/5g disney’s • disney’s all stars/orlando • air + htl + trsf • sep 03, 10, 17, 24 • 1 wk • noli/ts
cruising
+ taxes & fees $158.90
sun, sea & sand
usa
587 $ 439 $
+ taxes & fees $252.00 + taxes & fees $214.10
incl. airfare from toronto
eastern caribbean • carnival valor •
+ taxes & fees $242.00
+ taxes & fees $185.65
glorious greece & spain
mykonian gold
377 $ 369 $ 387 $ 617
+ taxes & fees $188.40
+ taxes & fees $218.90
european vacations
✈ ✈✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈ ✈
$
+ taxes & fees $179.15
+ taxes & fees $219.40
+ taxes & fees $215.40
packages
STEPHEN HUI/SUN MEDIA
Brandywine Falls is 66 metres of breathtaking beauty.
caribbean
WHISTLER, B.C. — Drive from Vancouver to Whistler and you get a quick introduction to what British Columbia’s spectacular Coast Mountains have to offer. Dense forests, towering cliffs, glaciated peaks and an island-dotted fjord — all are seen on the Sea to Sky Highway without even leaving the car. Now, to really get to know these landscapes, you have to spend some time hiking or skiing. But for those with less ambitious plans — say, shopping in Whistler Village — or just needing a quick break from the road, the waterfalls are not to be missed. One of the most popular attractions en route to Whistler is Shannon Falls, located 58 km north of Vancouver and two kilometres south of Squamish. Following the
signs for Shannon Falls Provincial Park takes you to a parking lot adjacent to Hwy. 99. The falls are just minutes away. After a brief, 350-metre walk, you are rewarded with an awe-inspiring look at B.C.’s third-highest waterfall. To get an even closer — and wetter — perspective, take a few minutes to visit the higher viewpoint. Shannon Creek and its 337-metre cascade are fed by snowmelt and run-off from Mount Habrich and Sky Pilot Mountain. In colder years, the falls occasionally freeze over and are taken advantage of by ice climbers. Shannon Falls is also used as an alternate starting point for hikers following trails up the back of the Stawamus Chief, the world’s second-largest granite monolith. Less well known but equally spectacular is Brandywine Falls. This 66-metre
mexico
Sun Media
aug 13 • th/ts • 1 wk
699
+ taxes & fees $499.00
1547
+ taxes & fees $497.90
$
air, cruise & all meals (cat. 4b) miami - nassau - st thomas - st maarten - miami
mediterranean • costa fortuna • july 29 • sunq/5g • 9 nts
$
air, htl, cruise & all meals on board (cat. 2 or 7) rome - naples - palermo - tunis - palma - barcelona - marseille - savona
cuba
STEPHEN HUI
947 245 $ 143 $ 143 $
athens
oct 12 rtn. oct 27 • noli/ts
+ taxes & fees $237.15
$
vancouver
aug 23 rtn. aug 30 • th/5g
+ taxes & fees $218.66
ft. lauderdale
july 30 rtn. aug 05 • th/ts
+ taxes & fees $244.86
orlando
july 29 rtn. aug 06 • th/ts
+ taxes & fees $200.66
7 nights all inclusive
& fees $ puerto plata • c.v. playa dorada • aug 21 • noli/ts 397 + taxes$273.90 & fees $ punta cana • punta cana grand • aug 05, 07 • sign/5g 617 + taxes$273.90 + taxes & fees $ jamaica • royal decameron • july 31 • th/5g 697 $255.90 & fees $ st. maarten • great bay • aug 12, 19, 26 • th/ws 1037 + taxes$227.90 + taxes & fees $ panama • royal decameron • sept 30, aug 06, 20 • noli/ws 847 $190.90 & fees el salvador • royal decameron salinitas • aug 14, 17, 21,24 (6 nts) • noli/lr $897 + taxes$236.90 + taxes & fees $ aruba • holiday inn • aug 13, 27 • sunq/5g 1027 $231.16 & fees $ puerto plata • wyndham playa dorada • aug 04, 07 • sign/5g 567 + taxes$273.90 + taxes & fees $ punta cana • tropical princess • aug 05, 12, 19 • noli/ts 747 $273.90
puerto vallarta • royal decameron • aug 04 • th/5g mayan riviera • sandos caracol • aug 05, 07, 12, 14 • sign/5g los cabos • posada real • aug 07, 14 • sunq/5g cancun • oasis cancun • aug 11, 13, 18, 20 • noli/5g puerto vallarta • palladium vallarta • aug 06, 11 • sunq/5g varadero • superclubs breezes jibacoa • aug 04, 11, 18 • sign/5g holguin • allegro playa turquesa • aug 13, 20 • hola/cu camaguey • brisas santa lucia • aug 12 • noli/ws santa clara • melia cayo santa maria • aug 12, 19, 26 • th/ts cayo coco • iberostar daiquiri • aug 11 • sign/5g cayo largo • sol pelicano • aug 12 • th/ws varadero • gran caribe puntarena • aug 11, 18 • th/ts
*except otherwise stated. All prices are per person departure from Toronto for new bookings only. Packages based on double occupancy in the lowest room category unless otherwise stated. All prices are available at press-time and subject to change without prior notice. Local airport taxes or tourist cards (if applicable) are payable at destination (Cuba: 25 convertible Cuban Pesos, Dom. Rep., Panama: $20us, St.Maarten: $22us, Venezula.: $115 000 Bolivars, Colombia: $31us, Costa Rica: $32us, Nicaragua: $35us). th: Transat Holidays, nol: Nolitours, reva: Rêvatour, sign: Signature, sunq: Sunquest, conq: Conquest, hola: Hola Sun, sunf: Sunflight, acv: Air Canada Vacations. ts: Air Transat (ts), c6: CanJet Airlines, ws: West jet, 5g: Skyservice, cu: Cubana, mp: Martin Air, my: Mytravel, bw: BWIA, ac: Air Canada, tc: Thomas Cook or scheduled service. More conditions may apply. Full Terms & Conditions refer to tour operators’ brochures & www.exitnow.ca. exitnow.ca 1553, Bayview Avenue, Toronto. ™ This log is a trademark of Consultour Inc. ®/TM Trademark of AIR MILES International Trading B.V. Used under license by Loyalty Management Group Canada inc. and exitnow.ca.
627 $ 687 $ 577 $ 797 $ 637 $ 657 $ 587 $ 647 $ 717 $ 617 $ 627 $ 597 $
+ taxes & fees $262.90 + taxes & fees $262.90 + taxes & fees $262.90 + taxes & fees $262.90 + taxes & fees $262.90 + taxes & fees $198.90 + taxes & fees $200.00 + taxes & fees $198.90 + taxes & fees $198.90 + taxes & fees $198.90 + taxes & fees $198.90 + taxes & fees $198.90
Ont.Reg.#50011377