A U.S. talk show host says she's a big "fanada" of Canada after spending some of her vacation time in the Vancouver area and on Vancouver Island.
Kelly Ripa, host of ABC's "Live with Kelly and Ryan," spent about 15 minutes at the top of Wednesday's show raving to fill-in co-host Jerry O'Connell about her recent vacations to B.C.
Ripa has visited the province twice in the span of a month, with her son Joaquin and daughter Lola in tow, to visit husband Mark Consuelos as he films the second season of "Riverdale."
Consuelos plays Veronica's father, Hiram Lodge, in the drama inspired by Archie Comics.
From the New York studio, Ripa recounted the time their family spent in the Vancouver area, including watching Canada Day fireworks in the city.
She held up printed photos she'd taken last week, calling the images "vacation porn."
Ripa, who was in the Vancouver area in mid-June and returned last week, said the family had "climbed every mountain" together. She made a joke about "whine hikes" – which her co-host initially took to mean hiking with wine – saying some of the trips uphill were accompanied by an "are we there yet?" refrain.
"It is the most – you guys, I cannot tell you, I was so blown away," she said of her time in the city.
Ripa said their flight was delayed, but they arrived in Vancouver and were met by a greeter who took Consuelos to the area where he was to fill out his work visa.
"In typical Canadian fashion, the first thing she says is, 'I'm sorry the weather hasn't been optimal,'" Ripa said.
After two days of fog, the sun came out and revealed the view from Consuelos' apartment.
"We are surrounded by mountains and water," she said.
The photo showed a sunset, which she called was a "midnight photo." Sunset begins in Vancouver at 9:20 p.m., while the sunset in New York is a full hour earlier, at 8:30 p.m. ET.
"It was so spectacular, we loved it so much."
After taking in the views from downtown, Consuelos surprised Ripa with a trip on a seaplane to Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, a retreat in Tofino.
While on the plane, she noticed the snow on the mountains, worrying she didn't pack warm enough clothes.
"You land on this pristine, pristine lake. Placid – turquoise, the water – gorgeous," she said. Resort staff picked the family up in a horse-drawn carriage, and took the food they had in their bags, sealing it into a Ziploc.
When she asked why, she was surprised to learn that it was because of the bears. She said they all slept in the same tent because they were too afraid.
In addition to camping, they learned how to skeet shoot and tried archery. They also went biking, and spotted a bear while riding around.
"We're there six minutes, y'all, and we're bearing," she said.
Resort staff told the family to think of the animals like large dogs, she said, and that the bears were more afraid of humans than they were of bears.
They also saw sea lions, watched a bald eagle catch a fish, and encountered a pod of orcas while fishing in the area.
"Nature was breaking out around us everywhere," she said.
She said the family was devastated when they had to leave the resort. As they flew away, her 14-year-old son couldn't take his eyes off the landscape.
"We have never been at one with nature. It is the most beautiful, pristine, unspoiled place we have ever been," she said.
Ripa, who said she got back to New York Tuesday morning, also posted photos from the top of the Stawamus Chief in Squamish and the Cypress Mountain area in West Vancouver.
She shared another image of a tired-looking Consuelos at the 3/4-mark of the Grouse Grind.
Find out more about "Live with Kelly and Ryan" on CTV.ca, or watch the show on CTV weekdays at 9 a.m.
