Q&A with Moon Author Carolyn B. Heller
To celebrate the new edition of Moon Vancouver & Canadian Rockies Road Trip, we chatted with author Carolyn B. Heller about her experiences researching this book—and what makes Western Canada a can’t-miss trip.
What sets this destination apart?
Snow-topped mountains, sandy ocean beaches, quirky small towns, diverse cities, lakeside wineries, countless hiking trails, and opportunities to experience Indigenous cultures—when you’re road tripping between Vancouver and the Canadian Rockies, you can incorporate all these adventures into a single trip.
Plan your Canadian Rockies road trip
What was your favorite experience while researching the latest edition?
While researching the latest edition of Moon Vancouver and Canadian Rockies Road Trip, I detoured to several of the many hot springs in the Kootenay-Rockies region. Indigenous-owned Ainsworth Hot Springs, near the town of Nelson, is a natural mineral pool where you can soak inside a softly lit horseshoe-shaped cave. Halcyon Hot Springs has three outdoor pools of varying temperatures, all overlooking Arrow Lake south of Revelstoke. Further east, in the Columbia Valley near Kootenay National Park, Fairmont Hot Springs boasts the largest mineral pool in Canada. A soothing soak in a bubbling hot pool might be the perfect ending to a road trip day.
Your favorite hike?
You can hike almost anywhere across Western Canada, from the rainforest trails in Vancouver’s Stanley Park to the pathways that wind between the peaks of the Canadian Rockies. The region’s numerous national parks have more hikes than you could do in a lifetime, and from small towns like Squamish or Revelstoke, you can head out for a short scenic stroll or a full-day mountain adventure.
Visiting Yoho National Park with one of my daughters and her partner, we hiked both the Hoodoos Trail, which takes you up to a cluster of unusual rock formations, and the Wapta Falls Trail that goes to the base of a rushing waterfall. Both are intermediate level hikes that encompass very different scenery. I also love the day hikes on the west coast of Vancouver Island, including Tofino’s Tonquin Trail that takes you through the rainforest above several beaches and the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet that offers spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean.
Best spots to grab a bite?
While there’s great food across the region, I’m partial to the diverse dining options in my home city of Vancouver, where you can enjoy excellent seafood, cuisine from across Asia, and all sorts of creative dishes made from locally sourced ingredients.
A few favorites: dim sum at Dynasty Seafood or Chef Tony’s, brunch at Belgian/North African-influenced Chambar, fresh sushi to-go from Sashimiya for a picnic on the beach, and for a special evening, the creative, hyper-local seasonal menus at Burdock & Co. I love the pastries at Purebread, too; there’s a location at Vancouver International Airport for one more treat before you head home!
What unexpected experience or underrated spot do you want to share with travelers?
Indigenous peoples have lived in what is now western Canada for more than 10,000 years. Learning about these diverse histories and present-day cultures can add depth to your travels.
In Vancouver, take a guided walk through Stanley Park with Indigenous-owned Talaysay Tours. From Tofino on Vancouver Island’s west coast, kayak to the tribal park on Meares Island or go bear-watching with a local Indigenous guide. At the Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre in Whistler, you can learn more about this region’s First Nations communities, while in the Okanagan, you can sample the wines at Nk’Mip Cellars, the first Indigenous-owned winery in Canada; don’t miss the nearby Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, too.
Further east, a stay at St. Eugene Resort – set in a former mission that was once a residential school for Indigenous children – not only supports the First Nations communities who now run the hotel, but the onsite interpretive center can tell you more about the residential school era, a dark chapter in the nation’s history.
In Banff and Jasper, a walking tour with an Indigenous guide can illuminate your experiences in the Canadian Rockies region. Detour to Métis Crossing, north of Edmonton, the first major interpretive center to highlight the Métis people, whose roots encompass both European and Indigenous heritage.
About Carolyn B. Heller
A travel writer based in Vancouver, Canada, Carolyn B. Heller has celebrated spring in the Canadian Arctic, swapped fairy tales with a Druze family in the Golan Heights, studied Spanish in Ecuador, Costa Rica, and Colombia, and road tripped throughout North America. She writes about cultural, culinary, and offbeat adventures for Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Forbes Travel Guide, BBC Travel, Montecristo, and many other publications.
