Our perfect day on Vancouver Island in British Columbia combined the tried and true with the new. When we visit Victoria we never fail to go north a few miles to visit the stunning Butchart Gardens. Being surrounded by overwhelming beauty is a simple joy. As ambitious gardeners we are always looking for tips and inspiration. From the gardens we headed by BC Ferry to the picturesque Cowichan Valley to unwind and sip award winning wines and ciders. We discovered the Church & State and Zanatta wineries. Enjoyed walking through the Damali Lavender Farm and finished the day learning about ciders and brandies from David at the Merridale Estate Cidery. Next stop for the Go Bucket List Concierge Team: Seattle.

On our perfect day in Vancouver, Canada with friends from Williamsburg, VA we headed north across the Lions Gate Bridge across Burrard Inlet to enjoy a hearty breakfast at The Bakehouse in Dundarave before hiking among the old-growth Douglas firs and Red Cedars in Lighthouse Park, down to the Point Atkinson Lighthouse. Lighthouse Park, with almost 200-acres of forest and numerous trails, is a National Historic Site in the District of West Vancouver with some of the oldest Douglas Firs and Red Cedars in the Vancouver area - some over a thousand years old. From there we trekked north to Squamish, BC to the Shannon Falls Provincial Park to see waterfalls in the Cascades. Returning back to Vancouver we stopped at the Olive and Anchor at Horseshoe Bay for lunch in view of the BC Ferries busily taking vacationers over to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Back in Vancouver we explored the shops and wonderful public markets on Granville Island, strolled through the impressive rose gardens at Queen Elizabeth Park and had an entertaining evening in the Gas Lamp District. Next stop: Victoria, BC, Canada

Once a year the Maine windjammer fleet meets at the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse for an hour of parade. We were fortunate to sail on the Schooner Olad, Captain Lincoln,out of Camden, ME and sail in the July 13th parade alongside beauty windjammers, some over 140 years old!

Escaping the Summer Heat

Camden, Rockport and Rockland, Maine are three pretty sister villages on the Maine Mid-Coast with populations ranging from 5,300 in Camden up to 7,700 in Rockland. Each town still shows off grand homes and gardens from a time when shipbuilding, timber, wool and lime industries brought prosperity in the 19th century. We came for the cooler weather and schooners. The towns’ fleets of tall-masted schooners and windjammers ply Penobscot Bay for daysails and over-night pleasure trips. We are looking forward to spending Friday at sea on the Schooner Olad with Captain Aaron Lincoln. We’ll sail out of Camden and be part of the annual Rockland Breakwater Windjammer Parade. Our favorite strategy for visiting Maine is to rent a cottage by the sea, which can be surprisingly affordable. Please let us know if we can help you arrange for your Maine get-away. Give us a call at 855-GOBUCKET

Celebrity Cruises has partnered with Bravo, bringing the excitement of the Emmy Award winning television show - Top Chef - to sea. We were fortunate to share in the Quickfire Challenge fun on a recent cruise to Bermuda on the SUMMIT. Celebrity has four very special Top Chef Signature Sailings planned for later this year, hosted by Top Chef past winners and chef’testants. The cruises will offer cruisers a chance to meet the chefs, sample their creations, attend chef demonstrations, private cooking classes and participate in Quickfire Challenges.

Call Go Bucket List Travel today at 804-557-3006 or toll free at 855-GOBUCKET for more information and to book one of these wonderful Top Chef cruises:

• Bermuda - SUMMIT - Depart Cape Liberty July 27. Chefs: Spike Mendelsohn, Ash Fulk and Angelo Sosa [on sale this week: book no later than Wednesday. Inside from $499 plus tax and port charges per person. Cabins subject to availability]
• Alaska - SOLSTICE - Depart Seattle Aug 15. Chefs Paul Qui, Tiffani Faison, Brooke Williamson and Nina Compton
• France/Spain - INFINITY - Depart Harwich Sep 19. Chefs Chris Crary, Kristen Kish and Sarah Grueneberg
• Eastern Caribbean - REFLECTION - Depart Ft Lauderdale Nov 11. Chefs Hosea Rosenberg, Casey Thompson and Tiffany Derry