Fireworks Competition Planned For Vancouver
Didn’t get enough fireworks over the Fourth of July? Then consider a trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, where more than a million people watch each year as the skies explode into noise and color during the annual Symphony of Fire international fireworks competition.
Each 30-minute presentation above English Bay begins at 10:15 p.m. on July 29 and Aug. 2, 5 and 9. After three nights of individual competition, the teams collaborate in the massive finale.
For more information, contact the Vancouver Fireworks Society at (604) 688-1992.
Wired: Travel information available on the Internet:
The Bed and Breakfast Association of Seattle provides information about its 14 member inns. Go to: http:/ /useattle.uspan.com/banddb/ on the Web. Or call (206) 547-1020.
A free computer screen saver (IBM compatibles only; 256 colors required) featuring scenic photos of British Columbia is now available. It can be obtained from the Web at http://www.tbc.gov.bc.ca/ screensaver.html.
Or you can order the discs by phone (though you’ll have to pay $6.95) by calling Beautiful British Columbia magazine at (800) 663-7611.
Toot toot: The Lewis and Clark Railway Co. offers scenic 2-1/2-hour excursions on weekends from Battle Ground, near Vancouver, Wash., to Moulton Falls County Park. The ride features exciting views from bridges and a tunnel. For information, call (360) 687-2626.
Rocky Mountaineer Railtours, which offers two-day rail trips through the Canadian Rockies, says reservations are running 35 percent ahead of this time last year.
The route connects the cities of Vancouver, British Columbia, and Banff, Alberta, with stops in the resort towns of Banff and Jasper. For a brochure or reservations, call (800) 665-7245.
On the road: The Montana-based Adventure Cycling Co. is offering a summer-ending tour from Sept. 3-15.
The 640-mile bike trip crosses two national parks and Montana’s diverse landscapes. The group is limited to 200 riders, at a cost of $650 per person, which includes baggage support, meals and overnight camping. For information, call Adventure Cycling in Missoula at (406) 721-1776.
An Olympia company, Bicycle Adventures, is offering a six-day biking adventure in the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. The trip, offered through October, covers Galiano, Pendery, Mayne and Salt Spring islands along the southeast shore of British Columbia.
The cost, including meals and lodging at country inns, is $1,094 per person. For information, call (800) 443-6060 or (360) 786-0989.
, DataTimes MEMO: Send information about travel opportunities around the Pacific Northwest to: Travel Editor, Features Department, The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.