It’s pretty common to look out at Vancouver’s picturesque combination of ocean and mountain and thank our lucky stars that we live in this gorgeous province. BC has natural beauty in spades, so get your ass outside and soak it up! Spend the weekend adventuring in the great outdoors at the first ever Lillooet Outdoors Festival on May 27-28. Call it a mini road trip, a much-needed vacation, and an outdoor adventure all rolled into one. Here are a few motivators – actual events from the festival – that we feel will justify hounding the friends with cars that you know. Maybe swap the intel for a spot in their caravan.

Yoga in a Vineyard | Zen out with some stretching in the beautiful vineyards of Fort Berens and then keep the health kick going with the doctor recommended daily dose of fermented grapes.

Get Back to Nature | Hands on eco-cultural tours will teach you about the Sek’wel’was culture and give you some tasty examples of what grows in their neck of the woods.

Culture Cruise | Experience the past and present of the Fraser River as you cruise your way through its St’at’imc village site and Chinese diggings.

Party On | Fort Berens Estate Winery is also hosting a party for free complete with live music and a family-friendly atmosphere.

Get Active | With self-guided kayak tours, sheep pasture golfing, and a bunch of live music to sway to, this kind of festival should get you up and going.

Salmon Celebration | Walking with the Smolts on Friday is sure to be a well-rounded good time with ecology lessons, tree planting, and tunes by the river as we celebrate young salmon “finding themselves”.

Escape the city, enjoy nature, and have some wine while you’re at it, May 27-May 28. Prices and times for each activity here.