It was a long weekend here in British Columbia and we wanted to get out of the house and take another mini overnight trip with Markus. We've been in the midst of the Phase 3 of British Columbia's restart plan which allows for non-essential travel within the province. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic started nearly 5 months ago, this is only the second trip we've taken, but we didn't go anywhere particularly far. Over this weekend, we went to a nearby city in Abbotsford, British Columbia and because we've limited our travel due to COVID-19, we made sure to squeeze out as much out of the trip as we could.

About Abbotsford

Abbotsford is a rural city located about an hour to an hour and a half east of Vancouver depending on where you're starting from. As you head out towards that way, there are a lot more farmland, forests and mountains, which makes for a lot of camping and hiking opportunities. When we usually travel, we tend to go up north toward Whistler or down south towards the US, but because we're limited to where we could go within British Columbia, we decided to keep it a bit closer to Abbotsford.

To make the most out of our couple of days out there, we lined up a few activities in the surrounding cities with Abbotsford as our stopping point.

Where we stayed in Abbotsford

• Location: Sandman Hotel and Suites Abbotsford

• Pet Fee: $20/night

Prior to adopting Markus, we've stayed at the Sandman Hotel and Suites Abbotsford a handful of times and we were glad to come back, but with our furry buddy this time around. We enjoy staying at this hotel because its cost is extremely competitive and most (maybe even all if I remember correctly) of their rooms are suites.

Suites are nice to have for us because Markus is a reactive dog and the sound of footsteps or voices in the hallway can often trigger his guard dog mentality and a barking frenzy. This becomes a distraction to our neighbours and it makes it hard for us to sleep through the night so for this reason, we prefer to find rooms that have an extra room inside because it's that much quieter. If the price isn't that much more (you'll be surprised), we often do it. The fact that this hotel comes with suites to begin with is a bonus that we appreciate very much.

The rooms are decorated with very modern furniture and fixtures including a full kitchen and an ensuite bathroom. This makes the stay not just appropriate with your dog, but also relaxing and with the space to do work if you need to. There are some restaurants like Denny's or Moxie's or an even quicker stop for something like Cobb's Bread in the area if you just want to grab breakfast. There's also a Superstore across the street from the hotel in case you need to pick up some more provisions.

In terms of taking the dog out, there's a small park behind the hotel. The park's a good spot for smaller dogs, although it's likely not big enough for larger dogs. We ended up stopping at the park, but cut through to take Markus around the neighbourhood for an extended walk.

What we did around Abbotsford

Although we stayed in Abbotsford, it was more of a hub for us to get in and out of the area. One of the reasons for this is because we've stayed at this hotel before and the price was good. Another reason was that there were some areas that we wanted to visit east of Abbotsford and then some other places north of it. Abbotsford seemed like a good middle spot, so that's where we ended up staying.

Lindeman Lake Trail

On the first day of our trip, we went quite a ways past Abbotsford to do the Lindeman Lake Trail. This was our long hike of the trip of it was everything that we expected and then some. The hike was a bit more difficult than we expected, but it was all worth it. The view of Lindeman Lake at the end of the hike was absolutely stunning with all of its colours. By the end of this hike, we were all tired and ready to settle down for the day, but there was still more to go!

Cultus Lake

Cultus Lake is one of those spots in British Columbia that locals love to go camping and spend time doing water activities or relaxing on the beach. Year after year, Cultus Lake is one of those camping sites that get booked up almost immediately. We have yet to go camping with Markus, but we made a stop at Cultus Lake at the dog beach to enjoy the lake and to get Markus' paws wet. We stumbled upon this beach by accident, but we were happy to have found it!

Bridal Veil Falls

We didn't actually make the stop to Bridal Falls this time around, but it is in the area and it is worth going to if you have the time. We've gone in the past, but just couldn't make it out this time around. Bridal Falls is highlighted by a short walk from the parking lot to a waterfall that cascades down the rock in a smooth way that resembles a bride's veil. If you're in the area, it is worth making a quick stop here.

Cascade Falls

On the second day of our trip, we headed up north of Abbotsford into Mission. The first stop we made on this day was to Cascade Falls, which was a great way to start the day because it doesn't require much of a hike up to the falls. In fact, it is about a 5 to 10 minute walk, up some steps or a pathway off to the side. After this short walk up, you'll end up at an observation deck where the suspension bridge is. The suspension bridge branches across the river below and right in front of the waterfall.

Steelhead Falls Trail

We're suckers for waterfalls, so we made the trip to do the Steelhead Falls Trail later that second day. There's a little bit of a hike to reach Steelhead Falls, but it's quite easy. There are a few different trails you can do in the area and even the Steelhead Falls Trail itself keeps going, but the trail forks off at one point where one trail heads down towards the waterfall.

Other things to do in the area

Abbotsford is quite a big city and there's no shortage of things to do if you're in the area. We wanted to list off three of our favourite things (without a dog) that we like to do when we're in the area.

Brodeur's Bistro

This is one of my personal favourite restaurants and every time we head out to the Abbotsford area, we make a stop at Brodeur's for a meal. They specialize in New Orleans-style cajun food and some of our favourites include their smoked wings, Brutus ribs, chicken & shrimp gumbo and their blackened catfish. Even just writing this has made me hungry!

Highstreet Shopping Centre

The Highstreet Shopping Centre has a number of things to do like shopping, watching movies and stopping in somewhere for a meal. If you need to pick up more groceries, there's also a Walmart below. Since this is an outdoor mall, you'll be able to bring your dog with you, but they won't be able to go into the shops.

The Abbotsford Airshow

If you happen to come during the right time of the year, Abbotsford is also known for their airshows. The airshow is usually only in town for a weekend in August and it is a unique experience to view some of the greatest aircrafts in the world up close and personal. It is a unique experience that's fun for the family and gets us out to Abbotsford. Although it is outdoors, it's not dog-friendly! The reason for this is because it can get very hot and the display of jets flying above can be extremely loud and frightening for dogs.

Disclaimer

Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.

Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.