Things to Do in Anacortes

To FlyBC Paragliding’s founder, Jim Reich, paragliding represents freedom. Not only does it free riders from the restrictions of gravity, it liberates them from the typical inconveniences of flight, such as expensive airplane fuel and restrictive air traffic regulations. Through Reich’s school, he now teaches newbies the sport, as well as other aerial arts such as hang gliding, paramotoring, and flapping your arms until you sort of levitate.

Reich and his instructors, all trained and certified by the Hanggliding and Paragliding Association of Canada, base their training and recreational flights out of a 25-acre training facility. Dubbed Eagle Ranch, the facility features an on-site hill and is nestled between two rivers. Beyond training, the school can outfit students in gear from brands such as Ozone, SkyCountry, and Gin, or lead them on paragliding trips that journey to scenic locales in Mexico,.

Docked inside British Columbia's former Supreme Court building in Bastion Square, the Maritime Museum of BC bridges visitors to the province's past with an affluent collection of nautical and legal treasures. More than 35,000 unique artifacts—plus 40,000 photographs—join forces to ferry eyes through history, including displays and exhibits that showcase notable pirates, explorers, heritage vessels, and shipwrecks.

A fleet of three iconic sailboats has also dropped anchor beneath the museum's roof, and, despite its age and creaky knees from years of playing pond hockey, the oldest operating birdcage elevator in North America still volunteers to tote guests from floor to floor. Aside from its seafaring trove, the museum also runs public and school programs on topics such as immigration, pirates, and women at sea.

On Father's Day weekend, few gifts could be better than letting dad browse motorcycles, whiskys, and golf gear—all at the same location. Enter The Vancouver Men’s Show, which will host 250 exhibitors that appeal to men, ranging from liquor distilleries to fishing adventure companies to snowmobile manufacturers. Three days’ worth of events supplement the exhibitors’ offerings. Visitors can sample an international selection of beers and wines, and those with a bachelor’s degree in grunting can compete in the arm-wrestling and bench-press competitions. Throughout the weekend, House of Q serves its barbecue and leads cooking shows, and Cascades Casino hosts a Texas Hold ‘em poker tournament on Saturday and Sunday. Among the charitable events is Bash a Car for Kids, which gives participants several swings at an automobile with a sledgehammer in exchange for donations to BC Children's Hospital.

The Braefoot Community Association was created to enrich its community with sports and recreational activities. Each of their programs is designed to help kids develop social and physical skills while encouraging healthy lifestyle habits and instilling in them an eagerness to remain active instead of imitating plastic-molded mannequins. Kids aged 16 months to 12 years can undergo non-competitive instruction in roller hockey, soccer, basketball, baseball, and tennis, and owners of fancy feet can take pre-professional and children's level dance instruction with the Westcoast Academy of Performing Arts. During the summer, a slew of camps keep children occupied and involved, teaching kids kayaking or biking basics, or helping them hone their soccer or hockey skills. The organization’s multi-use facility also has grounds for the Lakehill Soccer Association and the Saanich Lacrosse Association to play on and is working toward expanding their activities to include adult programs.