Biking around Stanley Park, enjoying boiled crab on a west coast camping trip, wine-tasting in the Okanagan Valley, spending an entire winter skiing the powder-filled bowls of Red Mountain Resort, honeymooning in the Cariboo region, and getting “Hyderized” at the Glacier Inn—Andrew Hempstead has done all of this and more. He’s not out there because it’s part of compiling a guidebook, but because he loves British Columbia. These diverse experiences, coupled with a deep respect for nature and an interest in local history, have been essential in his creation of Moon British Columbia.

Andrew spends as much time as possible out on the road, and rather than having an itinerary laid out for him by local tourism offices, he travels incognito and experiences the many and varied delights of British Columbia the same way his readers do.

Since the early 1990s, Andrew has authored and updated more than 60 guidebooks, contributed to dozens of major magazines, supplied content for online clients, such as Expedia and KLM, and been employed as a corporate writer for Parks Canada. His photography has appeared in a wide variety of media ranging from international golf magazines to a Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum. Andrew is an academy member of S. Pellegrino World's 50 Best Restaurants; he has spoken on guidebook writing to a national audience; and he has contributed to a university-level travel writing textbook.

Andrew and his wife Dianne own Summerthought Publishing, a regional publisher of nonfiction books. He and his family live in Banff, Alberta. His website, www.westerncanadatravel.com, showcases his work and provides invaluable planning tips for travelers heading to Canada.