By The Pampered Baby
For the original article with additional photos and links, visit http://thepamperedbabyblog.blogspot.ca/2016/09/bliss-on-bowen.html
A few weeks back I shared 5 reasons why I think we all need a girls getaway every once in a while (see that post here). Aside from the obvious (you just plain deserve it!), it can be so refreshing and help you recharge. It’s also a chance for you to spend some quality time with friends and enjoy a glass of wine (or a few! 😉 ) and do whatever you want when you want. Doesn’t that sound amazing?! Oh the things we appreciate so much more after kids…!
One of the amazing women I know, my friend Kate, wanted to celebrate her birthday surrounded by a few of her favourite gals and she planned a 2- night getaway on Bowen Island so we could all get away and enjoy ourselves. And did we ever!!! This was my first time going to Bowen and I couldn’t stop thinking about how beautiful it was and how it was amazing to feel so removed from our busy lives, but only be a 15 minute ferry ride from Vancouver! It’s called beautiful British Columbia for a reason folks, and Bowen Island- plus the scenery to and from- was a reminder of how easy it can be to take this place we call home for granted. We’re blessed living here in the West Coast in all this natural beauty.
We had an amazing time and I’m sharing a little about our getaway below including where we stayed and what we did- and how we got there, just wait and see!- see below and be prepared to fall in love with Bowen Island…
Getting to Bowen you take a 15 minute ferry ride from the Horseshoe Bay Ferry Terminal in West Vancouver. Just the view from the ferry terminal is pretty amazing and once you’re loaded & on your way, the views just get better. It’s too bad it’s only a 15 minute ferry ride!
Packing up 5 women for 2 days, you wouldn’t think we’d have that much stuff to bring with us. Oh but we did…!!! I had a beautiful Ford F- 150 at my disposal for the week thanks to Ford Canada (more on that coming soon) and we had it loaded (see below). It was actually just plain funny how much stuff we packed for 2 days, but hey- we made it count! Even though I don’t usually offer to be the driver for things like this, it was so much fun to drive that truck that I took the opportunity to play chauffeur. Let’s just say I really didn’t want to give it back when we got home. It was spacious and comfortable even with all 5 of us and some bags inside. It was loaded with features including cooled seats and a moonroof, which were appreciated in the Summer heat, and I loved how this truck practically purred when I drove it. We hooked up a phone and one of the ladies played DJ as we drove to the ferry terminal. Such a great start to the trip!
… try not to laugh too hard! 😉
Once we got to Bowen, it was a 30 second drive off the ferry (seriously!) to our home away from home. We stayed in The Summer House at the Union Steamship Marina and it was beautiful. The Summer House overlooks the marina and beach and is close to everything from restaurants & cafes to a grocery store, shopping, and fun things to do (like paddle boarding & kayaking!). It’s walking distance to most things and we enjoyed relaxing on the patio in the evenings. I loved cozying up in a bed with a window at the end overlooking the garden- such a cool place to fall asleep at night!
While we were on Bowen we enjoyed time at the beach, shopping, relaxing, and- my favourite!- paddle boarding. We tried out several of the restaurants and cafes while we were there including Tuscany Restaurant, The Snug Cafe, and Artisan Eats and snooped around Artisan Square for some locally made art and other goodies. Bowen is the perfect place to unwind and we definitely soaked in every blissful minute of it. Without our kids, we were able to take our time, do what we wanted whenever we felt like it (throwback to life pre- kids!), and chat without constant interruption. There was something special for each of us about this trip, and I came home reflecting on some amazing times & memories made. Just what I’d been hoping for.
The first morning we were there I woke up early and decided to go for a walk around the marina. It was so beautiful and tranquil and was the alone time I had been craving. I just sat on the beach shooting photos and enjoying my surroundings. Simple pleasures. Paddle boarding was definitely the highlight of the trip for me (surprise, surprise!) and we rented ours for 2 hours from Bowen Island Sea Kayaking. I didn’t have my phone on me, so I sadly didn’t snap any photos, but I’d absolutely recommend it (or rent a kayak instead) to enjoy the beauty of Bowen from the water. And it wouldn’t be a girls trip without wine (and a few other grown- up sips!) and our fridge was stocked with quite the variety. We all took turns serving up drinks and loved indulging in some kid- free days and evenings with a tasty beverage in hand (a big thank you to Trading Post Brewing for sending me to Bowen with some of their delicious 1827 Helles Lager & Otis Farmhouse Rye IPA- if you enjoy craft beer like I do, make sure you find them in Langley!).
This little getaway left me feeling refreshed and so thankful for the lovely ladies I got to share the experience with. To my friend Kate, who made this whole amazing getaway possible, thank you. You’ll never know how much this time on Bowen meant to me. I’ll be holding some special memories close to my heart.
Until next time Bowen, thanks for being such a blast!
For more information about Bowen Island, where to stay & what to do, visit the Tourism Bowen website.
Find Bowen Island Tourism on social media:
Facebook: Tourism Bowen Island
Instagram: bowenislandtourism
Twitter: @TourismBowen
Thank you to Trading Post Brewing and Ford Canada for coming along on the trip!
Trading Post Brewing is based in Langley, BC and crafts a variety of small- batch beers that offer inventive flavours made from quality ingredients. Visit their website for location info, beer selection & more
Facebook: Trading Post Brewing
Instagram: @tradingpostbrewing
Twitter: @tradingpostbrew
To learn more about the Ford F- 150 and other vehicles, visit the Ford Canada website.
Facebook: Ford Canada
Twitter: @FordCanada
Instagram: @fordcanada
