BC Eagles and Hot Springs and Sasquatch?

Plan To See BC Eagles And Hot Springs And Sasquatch

When we visited Vancouver in British Columbia, we had planned to see BC Eagles and hot springs and Sasquatch.

We were in Vancouver for almost 6 months.  On our stay, we did a lot of day trips and saw a lot.  But we had not yet had a spa experience. We considered two spa options.  One option took us to the north shore and a mountain spa in Whistler.  The second option had us heading out to the Fraser Valley to the Harrison Hot Springs.

When snow was forecasted for Whistler, we decided we were not yet ready to face that before our road trip home to Toronto. So we got in the car and headed east. Little did we know that our spa trip would get us BC eagles and hot springs and Sasquatch!

Heading In The Fraser Valley To Harrison Hills

We travelled before and missed local festivals or events.  So we tried to get an idea of what we on in a region enroute or when we arrived. David’s research highlighted that the Chehalis Flats Bald Eagle & Salmon Preserve in the Harrison area was a natural nesting spot for eagles.  At this time of year they were nesting and preying on the salmon spawning in the area. We would definitely be on the lookout for eagles.

Opting to not take Hwy 1, we took Hwy 7 and enjoyed a slower, more picturesque drive. We weren’t in a hurry since checkin time for our hotel was at 4pm.  

Arriving in Harrison Hills at lunch time, we pulled in behind a tour bus at the Rivers Edge Restaurant for lunch. It was located on the Sandpiper Golf Course and when we looked out over the greens we saw the flats. We watched during lunch for eagles to come swooping in.  But we needed to walk a little to get closer to the flats.

Lunch included a great hot chowder to warm us up. David had the first of 7 meals that would be salmon or fish. He sure ate well on this trip!

Finding BC Eagles

Finishing lunch we headed for the short walk out to the Pretty Estates Observation Point.  But we were not sure that the weather was in our favour. Winds were high and gusty and we saw the golf course littered with large trees down from a wind storm the previous week.

There were some eagles at this spot but the high winds kept them hunkered down. The juvenile eagles seemed to enjoy floating, almost stationary in this high wind.

Not to be deterred we headed to the next spot at the Eagle Point Park Observatory. The path through the River Reach Estates subdivision was well marked and we had two different observation points. While we saw more eagles in this spot, slightly sheltered from the wind, it was certainly not the 500 that people said they saw on the previous weekend.

We continued along Morris Valley Road and came out on the flats.  There we saw more eagles as they watched for salmon in the trickling stream. Above us we occasionally was swarms of eagles headed out to float on the wind.

While we didn’t see the hundreds of eagles that we knew were in this area, it was great to catch sight of so many eagles on the ground and in flight. We enjoyed the eagles frolicking with blue herons, trumpeter swans, various species of ducks and the ever present gulls. If we headed that way again, we would watch for a calm day in November when the salmon were still around.

Harrison Hot Springs Offered A Two Day Retreat

With the eagle excitement behind us, we headed for our next adventure on our  trip for eagles and hot springs and Sasquatch!

When we booked at the Harrison Hot Springs, the only natural choice for us was the Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa. We wanted to be right at the springs and not just visit for short dips. The Spa was well rated and we needed a whole day to just unwind. When we arrived and found at least half the people wandering around the hotel in their robes, we knew we found a place to relax.

We had a great room with a view out over the lake and to the mountains in the distance. From the room we caught the sunrise as it lit the snow capped mountains.

We looked forward to the “free” afternoon tea, images of our great cruise afternoon tea experience dancing in our heads. But we think they should really call it “tea and cookies”. We knew it would not really be a High Tea  experience as we saw people lined up in towels and robes.  They were in line 15 minutes before the start of this 30 minute event to make sure they got their cookies.

We had booked mid-week in late November and hoped to find a very adult experience at this family resort.  So we were quite surprised at home many kids showed up when free cookies were offered. I guess we will wait until we visit Victoria and the Fairmont Empress Hotel for a real afternoon tea.

A Spa Experience

Even if we didn’t book a spa day, there were several indoor and outdoor options for a hot springs experience. We chose not to huddle in the crowded indoor pools as the smell of chlorine hit us when we walked in the door. We braved the cold outdoor walkway and hurried into the beautifully hot large adult pool.

The signs said to only stay for 10 minutes,.  But once people settled in under the water, they were not anxious to emerge into the freezing cold air. We put our robes and towels close by.  We did not need the health benefit of a hot and cold treatment. It was nice to sit with the open air above us and let the heat and the minerals of the hot spring work away the tension.

When you book a spa day you can also choose to have a private hot springs pool soak. This was a great choice right before a massage to loosen up your muscles in a totally calm environment.

The spa experience was a great way to spend a day being pampered in a quiet and soothing environment. We booked one night’s dinner in the Copper Room and enjoyed a slow romantic dinner with a live band. As the older couples floated in synch around the dance floor, we vowed that we would again take dancing lessons. With a dance floor in the middle of the floor, we were not competing with couples who looked like they danced together every day.

It was a great if very expensive 2 day retreat. The spa was great. There were some mid-week, off season packages that we took advantage of.  But I must admit my evaluation of “value” took a nose dive when we saw our bill for 2 days included over a dozen lines for taxes and $12 for parking. There was no visible “resort fee” but the fees for each little thing was one of the things we hated on hotel stays.

But Will You See A Sasquatch?

We were ready for our next adventure looking for BC eagles and hot springs and Sasquatch! I must admit to being a bit perplexed when we saw the first sign for Snohomish County Sasquatch.

When we entered the town of Harrison Hot Springs, we found statues of Sasquatch everywhere. And of course, we couldn’t help but pose beside the statues.

We didn’t venture up to the hills or really away from the resort hotel.  So we never saw any real Sasquatch. We were sure there were stories told in that area, but you will have to search for yourself.

Plan To See BC Eagles And Hot Springs And Sasquatch

We enjoyed our 2 day vacation to the Harrison area and a chance to experience BC eagles and hot springs and Sasquatch!  It was relaxing break before we started to think about our long road trip back to Toronto.

Don’t miss the eagles in the late fall but wait for a good weather day. Standing on the windy flats in cold temperatures and only catching a view of eagles if you have a great zoom lens, may not the the right experience.

If you visit the hot springs, plan to stay for a few days and stay right at the springs.  This will let you enjoy them any time you want. And if you see a Sasquatch, take a pic and send it to me 🙂

Did you see BC eagles and hots springs and Sasquatch?  Would you do a hot springs splurge again? 

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