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You don’t have to go far in Vancouver, BC to feel complete immersion in the outdoors. From every neighborhood, temperate rainforests, sandy beaches, and switchback mountain trails are only minutes away. And when you hop on one of the impeccably run BC Ferries to get a bit further out of town, you’re in for a treat.
Just a 20 minute ride from postcard perfect Horseshoe Bay (the last vestiges of West Vancouver before you hit the Sea-to-Sky Corridor en route to Whistler) lies Bowen Island. For an early winter weekend getaway at the Trail House—a cozy vacation cabin rental complete with wood fired hot tub—we drove onto the ferry and left our worries of emails and overdue to-dos behind—all in under an hour from downtown Vancouver.
Bowen Island is technically part of Metro Vancouver, yet the island community of around 4,000 full-time residents is a veritable Garden of Eden. Just shy of 25-square miles in size, Bowen is complete with immaculate trails, cozy coves, and just the right amount of cafes, pubs, and markets, and—most relevant to this story—a collection of architectural styles that range from hygge chic to classic Canadian cottages.
Minutes from the aptly named port of Snug Cove (the "city centre" of the island) along the steel blue waters of Howe Sound lies the Trail House. If one could distill the ethos and feeling of a place like Bowen Island into a space, this is it. It’s calm and inviting yet elegant and considered. A place to relax and unplug with intention. And that intention revolves around the cabin's main focal point: the Goodland wood-fired hot tub.
Getting this wood fired hot tub up to temperature takes time, but it’s well worth it. When the steam starts rising off the water after an hour or two of fire building and maintenance, one feels a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that’s hard to match with any old conventional spa. And, there’s the crackle of the fire and the smell of woodsmoke as you soak beneath the stars.
While the flames warmed the waters, we took the opportunity for a pre-tub cold plunge at nearby Eagle Cliff Beach. On a map, it looks deceptively close—just across the street. However the driveway down to the road is steep enough that you’ll want to lace up your trail runners. No slippers on this trip to the beach. But the schlep is worth it.
Cross the perpetually quiet road, dip down another steep path and you’ve arrived at a stony public beach that feels private with a view of the mountains and seals searching for a snack. It’s the perfect place to catch the sunset and get absolutely freezing in the clear waters of Howe Sound. Don’t worry, that uphill climb back the the house is the perfect warmup before sliding into your private hot tub.
Inside the Trail House, the space is well-equipped for ample lounging—though if you're looking for a place to hole up and cook the weekend away, be aware that two plug-in convection burners and a toaster oven take the place of a conventional stovetop and oven. We managed to chef it up with ambitious meals over two nights and three days, but there is an element of alpine hostel vibes to the cooking setup, for better or worse.
That said, the house is well stocked with everything one would need otherwise. On the bookshelves you’ll find a selection of hardcovers seemingly plucked from the reading list of Field Mag editors, sure to inspire further wanderlust and enhanced forest bathing.
Best of all, at the Trail House there are no screens except the ones you bring. (The wi-fi is strong though, in case you need to tap into Netflix for some smooth brain vibes.) Between splitting wood, stoking the fire in the tub, cozying by the wood stove in the house, and pan frying a locally caught steelhead trout there’s little need or desire for much of anything else in the Trail House. And that’s the greatest thing one could ask for in a weekend away—except perhaps a whale sighting or two.
The Trail House Bowen Island cabin rental is available from $269 per night CAD.
Published 12-14-2023
