Explore Canadian history
Canada is celebrating its 150th birthday this year. Maple Leaf Adventures offers a tour on its two, wooden-hulled expedition boats noting the sesquicentennial and the history of the First Nations peoples who inhabit the Salish Sea area of British Columbia. The Salish Sea Expedition With Canadian Geographic is a five-day/four-night outing that explores inlets of the southern portion of Vancouver Island. Naturalists and historians, including an elder from the Penelakut branch of the Salish, will explain the Canadian history of the region, as well as the much older First Nations history. The April 15-19 trip also will be a peak time for enjoying spring wildflowers and observing seabirds and marine mammals. Participants will travel aboard the MV Swell, an 88-foot converted tugboat, or the MV Maple Leaf, a 92-foot schooner. Depending on the boat, pricing varies from about $1,831 to $2,966 per person, double occupancy, plus taxes and fees. (Note that prices on the website are in Canadian dollars.) Bookings made before Feb. 15 qualify for a free local flight it’s a free local flight home from trip from Sidney to the Vancouver or Victoria airport,s,k, or a night in a suite at the Sidney Waterfront Inn prior to before the trip. 250-386-7245, tinyurl.com/jxh2nrv
Staying in Wales
Wales, besides having all of those towns with unpronounceable names, is full of history and natural beauty. It’s also a country with lots of unique lodgings. The Llancayo Windmill, for instance, is a restored 19th-century windmill that can accommodate as many as 12 guests on five floors. And, if you’re not up for a trip to Mongolia, there are various Welsh options for overnight yurt stays. If castles are more your thing, there are plenty, including the Welsh Gatehouse. tinyurl.com/ztlp4yl.