Turn from water to drink wine
Cruise tours guests around B.C. vineyards
Maple Leaf Adventures is flipping the idea of a wine tour on its head.
Instead of rolling green hills with thousands of vines, expect rolling waves crashing against the shoreline as you sail to some of B.C.’s most remote island wineries.
For $3,890 a person, you can book your spot aboard the Cascadia, a 12-cabin vessel that first set sail earlier this year that’ll take you across Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and around the Salish Sea, a series of connected waterways on the West Coast.
For five days you will experience different styles of vino and visit the vineyard where they were made along with surrounding areas.
“Augmenting the wine exploration, we’ll also take in the region’s spectacular nature with naturalist guides, as we island-hop the Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands region, anchoring in remote locations inaccessible by any other means,” Maple Leaf Adventures says on its website.
“The entire trip is designed to give you special experiences not available to the general public.”
After boarding in Nanaimo, you’ll sail to Marine Park on the mainland and be provided with a selection of wines that you’ll soon become familiar with over the coming days.
Cowichan Valley (home of the world’s biggest hockey stick at 62 m long and 28,000 kg), Boundary Pass, Boiling Reef and more will dock the ship while you explore some of the best wine Canada has to offer before wrapping up in Sidney on a peninsula near the south of Vancouver Island. On board, world-class meals are made by chefs offering local flavours while you catch Pacific sunsets out the window, gaze upon snow-capped mountains and whale watch.
Spots are available for Oct. 25-29 or Oct. 28-Nov. 1.
If you prefer something colder and bubblier, a craft beer cruise is also offered on a different ship around the same dates.
Cheers!