Imagine drifting off to sleep after looking up at the night’s sky all from the comfort of a warm bed encompassed in a protective and whimsical bubble.
That’s what one ranch near Prince George offers its guests on a yearly basis.
The bubble house at Woodhouse Cottages and Ranch is one of the few bubble experiences in Canada and is located about 20 minutes west of the city along Lower Mud River Road.
Owner Maureen Woodhouse says she’s ready to reopen the bubble house in May, in addition to the three year-round cottages available at the ranch.
The bubble house is a four-room bubble cottage set in the woods complete with all of the necessary amenities, including a private fire table, BBQ and food station, and fresh cinnamon buns.
Woodhouse is also a working ranch with cows, horses and chickens, so guests are treated to a true agricultural experience.
Spanning 300 acres, the ranch is surrounded by nature and Maureen says visitors are encouraged to walk the property, swim in the man-made lake and feed the horses their daily carrots.
Like many businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector, Woodhouse faced many challenges during the first year of COVID-19 as national and international guests cancelled their bookings due to travel restrictions.
However, Maureen says Woodhouse was fortunate to rebound as staycations were encouraged and locals found their way to the ranch.
She says once travel restrictions are lifted, and regional and provincial travel is encouraged, Woodhouse looks forward to sharing their little piece of paradise with even more visitors.
They've since introduced safe experiences for guests, including skating, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing trails and outdoor bonfires during thw winter months.
Maureen says Woodhouse is also looking to the summer, set to introduce more activities for guests wanting to get away from the stresses of COVID-19.
The ranch also received a Northern Development Initiative Trust's (NDIT) COVID-19 business-support grant, which allowed them to produce a video with the goal of positioning it as a destination and to help to rebuild the local tourism economy.
