Looking for summer vacation info on Vancouver.?

Q: Any tips on places to stay, places to see and experience? I prefer to stay at interesting, out of the way places. I like the local (as opposed to tourist) sites, nature, and meeting local merchants and artisans. Thanks in advance for your tips! .

A: If you're looking for an artsy fartsy natural location then you're going to have to go to Saltspring Island. It's a couple of hours on the ferry leaving from Tsawwassen (40min South of Vancouver) and getting off on Fulford Harbour. It's quiet. Everyone is friendly. It's a very bohemian pace of life. You can hitch hike everywhere as there are no buses around. It's completely safe. You can rent kayaks, rent bicycles, they have great beaches and coves around to swim in. You can pick up a map in the town and take a little art tour which includes: crafts, glassware, ceramics, galleries, pottery....it's great. They have this great hostel called 'Salt Spring Island Forest Retreat' and if you're lucky you can book yourself and sleep in a gypsy caravan (my friends and I stayed there) and a treehouse, if you're so inclined. They're closed as they're travelling, but who's to say they won't be open in 2008?

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