Travelling, discovering, exploring, finding new places, and adventurers, does not always mean visiting foreign shores.

Often your own backyard is a good bet.

So let’s do that.

Lets the explore the wine country and wineries outside Vancouver – nestled among bucolic, tranquil, landscapes, sheep grazing away, horses out to pasture, amidst white picket fences.

There are lots of choices.

Wineries where you can taste, sip, before you buy, and a lot more.

Wineries that have great gift shops, offer fabulous picnic areas, and have great restaurants.

One of the best wine areas is the township of Langley, a 40 minute drive from Vancouver.

Its bucolic landscapes, gently, rolling, hills, horses grazing, all make for some beautiful sights to marvel at before you hit the wineries.

Set amongst this splendour are many wineries.

Our first stop.

Chaberton Estate Winery

This winery has it all – great wines (the price is right), a wonderful tasting room, a great gift shop, a nice picnic area, and a fabulous French bistro, Bacchus.

Bacchus is a terrific French bistro. One of the best. You can eat inside or on a covered patio, your vista, the wineries vineyards.

The food is terrific, typical French bistro fare.

Krause Berry Farms & Estate Winery

Set amidst vast fields of a working farm – berries and vegetables – this is another great spot.

There is so much to do, see and enjoy, you can make a day of it.

For starters, you can pick your own berries, depending on what is in season or just buy them at their market store. Fresh veggies also are available. And in the fall, the pumpkin patch is ready to be picked.

Their tasting room – dessert wines only – is a great place to check their many choices and enjoy a bite to eat.

The market harkens back to an old-fashioned country store – endless choices: homemade pies, frozen foods, and gifts galore.

Lulu Island Winery

This winery is in Richmond.

Greater Vancouver’s largest.

It has four tasting rooms and underwent a $7 million rebrand in look – Tuscan inspired and the wine is made here.

Glass House Estate Winery

Family-owned, a gem, fairly new.

A great spot, for a picnic, for great food, sipping great wine and on the weekend you can have it all, enjoying great entertainment.