We’re so lucky to live here in beautiful BC. Sometimes we take for granted how beautiful the scenery is, the mountains, the water, the forests.

One place that’s standing out for me right now is Chilliwack BC. I’ve been spending a lot of time there lately.

Chilliwack is only 1.5 hours away from Vancouver and totally worth the trek. It’s well known for its famous water park called  Cultus Lake Water Park. The park is a big attraction and draws tons of visitors every year. There’s also cottages and camping spots available, so you can just imagine how popular it can be.

So if you’re new to the province, a visitor, or simply trying to rediscover this beautiful spot, here are my three favourite things to do in Chilliwack this summer:

1. Take a boat out on the lake – at least once

Cultus Lake is a gorgeous place and the largest freshwater lake in the Fraser Valley. One of the unique things about it is that it’s home to the Pygmy Sculpin (fish) which is found nowhere else in the world.

But I digress – The lake is a great spot to take out a boat, a jet ski, a canoe, etc. And Cultus Lake Marina has the best boats. We go boating there at least once every summer and the staff is great. The boats are clean and they’re always upgrading their inventory.

You don’t need a license to rent a boat, but you are required to watch a 10-minute safety video as well as to wear a life jacket. Aside from boats, they also have jet skis available for rent too. Check their rates and availability here.

2. Check out the local farms

OMG – the abundance of fresh produce here is mind-boggling. Everywhere you look, there’s a booth selling cherries, strawberries, blueberries, and of course the famous Chilliwack fresh corn. We found a blueberry farm and took my son blueberry picking. This is such a good learning opportunity for a kid to discover where his food comes from. He was so proud that he picked his own berries and that made the fruit even sweeter.

Not only that, but this farm was much less crowded than the u-pick fields closer to home. We took our time and didn’t feel rushed at all. Best part, there were tons of fresh berries ready for picking.

3. Get lost

On our way back from boating, we saw a sign that read “lavender”. We were curious so we decided to follow it. We followed the signs for approximately 25 minutes, getting deeper and deeper into the country. We started near the lake, and we ended up at a place called Botanical Specialties and the most gorgeous lavender field we’ve ever seen.

This is one of the beautiful things about Chilliwack, there’s an adventure at every turn!

Whether you’reWhe looking for the great outdoors, a unique farm-to-table experience or a simply a chance to get away, Check out Chilliwack this summer Go to their website for more ideas on how to make the best of your time here.