Things to Do in Bellingham

Talented filmmakers at this film school teach courses that hinge on hands-on involvement. Single- and multi-session classes cover everything from screenwriting and editing to motion graphics, and venture beyond documentary making with lessons in drama and still photography. While practicing techniques and pole-vaulting on boom mics like the pros do, students use a combination of their own gear and gear they've rented from the school. In addition to firsthand filmmaking experience, documentary students get hands-on experience, partnering with community charities to create short films used for education, outreach, and fundraising.

Victoria Paintball Adventures envelops gamers in two woodsy fields of play stacked with obstacles, catwalks, and buildings among a diversified topography. Colourful combatants can paint pointillism masterpieces on opponents while traipsing stealthily through the six-acre lower field composed of a maze, catwalks, lush forest, towers, open field, and hideouts. On the four-acre upper field paintballers play splat tag at a faster pace, taking cover behind castle walls or trees and pelting challengers with paint from atop a fort tower or a stilt-walker's shoulders. A minimum of two staff members oversee a medley of 12 themed games throughout the day, such as the humans-versus-zombies melee and old-school capture the flag. Each 10- to 15-minute match is designed to keep field crusaders knee-deep in adrenalin while garnering enough knowledge about the colour wheel to write a biography of Roy G. Biv.

BC Power Sports mixes sightseeing with adrenalin to yield intimate views of hard-to-reach nature spots. Trained in first aid and approved by the Canadian Safety Council, their tour guides escort riders on ATV tours through an array of British Columbia’s verdant landscapes, from the ghosts of Stave Lake’s old cedar forest to Eagle Point, where roughly 2,000 bald eagles regularly swoop into Harrison River to adopt a pet salmon. The shop also outfits guideless adventures with vehicles chosen from their fleet of ATV rentals, which includes four-by-fours such as the 2011 Polaris Sportsman 400 HO or the two-seat 2011 Polaris Ranger. Each of the ATVs requires certification to ride, which visitors can obtain during the six-hour CSC safety course taught by a CSC qualified instructor. In addition to matching riders with four-wheeled friends, the staff also splashes through the path less taken during wakeboarding and wakesurfing tours.

The kayakers' paddles dip silently into the placid waters of the Harrison River, their very presence amid the verdant wilderness dwarfed by the mountains looming overhead. Just as one kayaker opens his mouth to speak, the guide motions for him to remain silent as she points to the sunny shore, where an assembly of seals has gathered to bask in the warm rays.

Founded with the goal of granting visitors access to the pristine surroundings and rich history of the Harrison Hot Springs area, Harrison Eco Tours cultivates unforgettable interactions with nature thanks to their expertly trained guides and unique lineup of tours. The company's guides pride themselves on their encyclopedic knowledge of all things Harrison—from local tales to area geography to the flora and fauna that populate the terrain—which enables them to provide entertaining and insightful commentary throughout each tour. Excursions in heated jet boats speed past the jaw-dropping vistas of Fraser Canyon and Kilby, and paddling outings in kayaks facilitate relaxed jaunts down Harrison River. Visitors can witness critters up close with a selection of wildlife-sighting excursions, such as the popular Winter Eagle tour wherein passengers armed with binoculars scour the horizon seeking close-up views of the bald eagles' soaring wingspans and miniature powdered wigs.

Dennis Brady and his glass-blowing brood do more than supply Victoria with a steady stream of colourful crystalline pieces. They also impart the tricks of their trade in easy-to-understand classes, lectures, and workshops. Artists can take advantage of one of the studio's many kilns for rent or use the sandblaster to etch intricate designs into smooth surfaces to practice for a new gig as Jack Frost. The glassomancers' educational programs emphasize the business end of artistry, with numerous classes aimed specifically at improving one's marketability.