Beyond the Beautiful Game: Find Your Best Seat in BC’s Beautiful Backyard

British Columbia knows how to throw a world-class party, and buzz is already building for next summer’s hottest ticket: The 23rd FIFA World Cup™ at BC Place Vancouver. The beautiful game is rolling into 16 North American cities between June 11 and July 19, 2026, and Vancouver is slated to see (and no doubt hear) seven of the 104 matches. 

Though seats may be scarce, fans won’t be—so count on plenty of places to gather and celebrate around the city. And when you eventually need respite from the revelry, there’s always a quiet corner to be found in BC’s breathtaking backyard. Take a few days—or longer, if time allows—and stake a front-row seat beyond the stadium for a different sort of thrill: Ancient forests and alpine meadows; wild shores and wide-open vistas. 

Pull up a chair—or a rock, or a boat—and enjoy the winning views. Because when it comes to best-available seating, BC always gives you something to cheer about.  

In Wells Gray Park, count 41 named waterfalls fuelled by rivers and lakes carved by ancient volcanoes and slow-moving glaciers. Connect with the enduring legends and culture of local First Nations as you wander the dramatic landscape of Nisg̱a’a Memorial Lava Bed Park (Anhluut’ukwsim Lax̱mihl Angwinga’asanskwhl Nisg̱a’a Park) or revel in the timeless traditions of the Xeni Gwet’in First Nation at Nemiah Valley Lodge, where wild horses still roam the pristine wilderness.

And in Yoho National Park, high in the Canadian Rockies, ponder the fleeting glory of a World Cup win as you explore the 500-million-year-old fossil beds of the Burgess Shale.

Craving more traditional tastes? Hop on the Canada Line and head for the Asian food court at nearby Aberdeen Mall to sample a delicious variety of budget-friendly fare. Or try a more refined experience at Vancouver’s Bar Maumi, where skilled chefs prepare exquisitely fresh Edo-style nigiri sushi right before your eyes—and then serve it across the counter at the peak of perfection.

Over on Vancouver Island, Nanaimo’s Nori sushi offers its own take on omakase—the Japanese equivalent of a chef’s menu—with colourful sake pairings. And for a meal that marries BC’s agricultural bounty with scenic beauty, snag a table at Backyard Farm in Oliver, The Beer Farmers in Pemberton, or Wild Mountain in Sooke.

Chasm Provincial Park, in the Cariboo Chilcotin, promises a bird’s-eye-view for spotting wildlife—alongside rock formations and layered canyon walls in what’s colloquially referred to as the Grand Canyon of BC.

Bear enthusiasts will want to climb aboard the Grouse Mountain gondola in North Vancouver and head for the wildlife refuge to breakfast with the resident grizzly bears, Grinder and Coola. And birders are sure to find their bliss on a bicycle: Enjoy a slow roll through the avian abundance of Richmond’s Dyke Trails, Delta’s Boundary Bay Trail, or the Okanagan’s Kettle Valley Rail Trail.

On Vancouver Island, the vast network of west coast trails is a hikers’ heaven, winding along the rocky edge of the Pacific Ocean. Enjoy a casual wander around Ucluelet’s Wild Pacific Trail, or strap on a backpack and spend several days traversing the more challenging Juan de Fuca Marine Trail between China Beach and Botanical Beach (the trail is closed for summer 2025; beach day-use access provided).

And when the mountains call, head northwest to the Rainbow Range in Tweedsmuir Provincial Park, northeast to Tumbler Ridge, home to western Canada’s only UNESCO Global Geopark, or east to Mount Robson to hike the Berg Lake Trail on the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. Or just let the guides of Whitecap Alpine curate a unique itinerary for you through the subalpine meadows of McGillivray Pass, in the Pacific Ranges near Lillooet. 

There are equally stunning panoramas to be found at roadside pull-outs along the most well-travelled provincial highways—the Sea-to-Sky and Alaska Highway, for example, or Vancouver Island’s Malahat (where a new 10-storey Skywalk expands the coastal view to a full 360 degrees).

And if you prefer to work harder for your scenic reward? Head for the Via Ferrata at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden or the new Cliff Walk at Revelstoke Mountain Resort: Breathtaking mountain views with a side of brawn.