There’s a historic seaside town in BC with mild winters & a charming festival of lights

It’s road trip time, Vancouver! Pack your weekend bags, because there’s no place better to go if you enjoy mild winters than Ladysmith, British Columbia, which is just over two hours away from the city.

The heart of the small seaside town is its historic First Avenue, AKA one of Canada’s Great Streets, combining Edwardian buildings with industrial-era artifacts and modern-day boutiques and parks.

What’s more, film buffs can check out multiple filming locations during their stay, as Ladysmith has appeared in everything from Godzilla (2014) to the TV series Puppy Prep Academy.

Festival of Lights

Looking for a fun holiday tradition to add to your itinerary this month? Ladysmith’s Festival of Lights and Light Up Parade are two huge draws of the town, transforming its historic First Avenue into a celebration to remember.

This year, the parade kicking off the festival will take place on Thursday, November 28th at 6:40 pm – though there will be festive activities at the Christmas Craft and Artisan Fair at Aggie Hall starting at 3 pm.

On November 28th, there will also be street entertainment and concessions starting at 4 pm, and a visit from Santa himself between 4:30 and 6:15 pm, when all the twinkling lights are turned on.

Note that parade participants will line up on both sides of Methuen Street starting at 5 pm.

So there you have it, road trippers! Mark your calendars for this year’s Festival of Lights and enjoy this adorable small-town tradition.

Ladysmith 

How to get there: Take the ferry from Horseshoe Bay, West Vancouver to Nanaimo and drive 22 minutes to Ladysmith via the Trans-Canada Highway/BC-1 S.

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