As Kelowna residents for nearly a decade, we’ve called Kelowna home for a while now. While it seems we’re still discovering new things all the time, we’ve had the chance to experience both the highs and the lows that this city has to offer.

From gorgeous sunny days checking out vineyards in the morning and paddle boarding on the lake in the afternoon to preparing a last minute go bag as the nearby wildfires got a bit too close to our home, we’ve experienced it all.

While living in the Okanagan Valley has tons of positives, like any place in the world it also has a few negatives. So, whether you’re one of the few true locals who was born here or one of the many nomads from around the world now calling Kelowna home like us, let’s dive in and explore the pros and cons of living in Kelowna as we give you a local’s guide to the city.

Pros of Living in Kelowna

Thinking of moving to Kelowna?

Kelowna has plenty of positives. From some of the nicest weather in Canada to some of the nicest lakes and mountains found anywhere in the world. With nature literally on most people’s doorsteps, it’s easy to get outside and enjoy the area’s natural beauty.

Kelowna also has a vibrant arts scene plus hundreds of wineries, cideries and orchards that to us beat any of its Canadian equivalents. If you’re looking to move here or just thinking about taking an extended work vacation to the valley, there are plenty of work opportunities plus tons of friendly locals to help you get situated.

Not yet convinced? Here are some of Kelowna’s biggest positives to help make you consider making Kelowna your forever home.

Natural Beauty of the Okanagan

With its stunning vistas of Okanagan Lake and the surrounding mountains, Kelowna is a nature lover’s dream. From summer days on the beach to winter ski trips at nearby Big White (a 30 minute drive), there’s no shortage of outdoor activities here.

Whether you’re staying on one the many hills in town overlooking Okanagan Lake or staying in the valley with gorgeous views of the nearby hills, nature is a big draw for anyone living in this city. Truth be told, there’s not too many areas in the 140K populated metro that you can’t be away from people after a few minutes drive. If you’re sick of the crowds, there are tons of parks and local Kelowna hikes found throughout this city where you can at least feel like you’re getting away from it all.

Kelowna’s Wine Country

Known for its award-winning vineyards, Kelowna is the perfect spot for wine aficionados. The climate and soil combine to produce top-notch grapes. Spend your weekends touring local wineries, and don’t forget the wine festivals!

With over 300 wineries calling the Okanagan Valley home plus dozens of cideries, micro breweries and even small distilleries, you could go to a different place every day for a year and never hit the same place twice. That said, we have our own local favorites and always enjoy the chance to take visiting friends and family to a new place when the opportunity knocks. We’ve learnt that in Kelowna, your favorite place might just be down the street.

Kelowna’s Vibrant Arts and Musical Scene

Kelowna is a hub for culture, offering art galleries, theaters, and even a symphony. Whether you’re into visual arts or live performances, there’s always something happening in the cultural district.

Throughout the year, there are also dozens of festivals happening around town and it’s rare to have a weekend go by in summer without something major happening in the city. Between Kelowna and nearby Penticton, most large musical acts that hit Vancouver will also stop in town to perform as they head east. If an act or show doesn’t make it to the valley, Vancouver is only a 3 hour drive away with plenty of hotels to make your micro trip a fun one.

Moving to Kelowna? The Growing Job Market

With its booming tech industry and tourism sector, employment opportunities are on the rise in Kelowna. From startups to established companies, there’s a wide range of options for those looking to relocate here. While it didn’t make the list of best places for expats, it definitely isn’t a bad place to become an expat in Canada.

Nicknamed the little Silicon Valley of the North, Kelowna is well known for both its small startups as well as big tech companies who’ve chosen to call Kelowna home. While seasonal work brings in people from around the world, Kelowna also grew its fame as a nice retirement center for those in Canada who opted to stick around rather than head south in the winters. That original collection of young hospitality workers who helped put Kelowna on the map taking care of the retirees have now grown up and the city is booming on all fronts.

Friendly Communities in Kelowna

One thing you’ll notice is the warm and welcoming atmosphere in Kelowna. Community events, farmer’s markets, and neighborhood gatherings make it easy to meet people and feel part of the community. It seems there’s always something to do in Kelowna.

Since the vast majority of people now living in Kelowna have moved here from other locations in Canada and abroad, there is a welcoming feeling to the growing city. With a huge tourism industry, plenty of nature to explore and great weather, it’s easy to get out and meet new people.

Kelowna’s Mild Climate

Compared to other parts of Canada, Kelowna has a relatively mild climate and some of the nicest overall weather in Canada. If you hate wind, it’s also one of the least windy major cities in Canada. Though it experiences all four seasons, you definitely won’t have to deal with the harsh winters seen in other regions of Canada.

Long hot summers, mild winters (in comparison to most other Canadian Cities) and plenty of nice days in between means more opportunities to get out and explore the region. The best part is that with the mountains so close, there are tons of small micro climates you can experience depending on your location and elevation. It means that in spring you can ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon. Or, if you prefer, you can hike in the cool mornings and then bake on the beach in the afternoon all summer long.

Cons of Living in Kelowna

While it always hurts to gripe about things your city is lacking, the truth is that no city in the world is perfect on all fronts. High living costs, excessive tourism and Kelowna’s semi remote location (3.5 hours from Vancouver and 6 hours from Calgary) means that while things are relatively close in Canadian standards, the average traveler will find that Kelowna can be cut off from some of the larger centers. While that can be a huge plus for some people, others might not love it.

On that note, since we’ve already looked into some of Kelowna’s pros, let’s now dive into some of Kelowna’s cons.

Cost of Living in Kelowna

The truth of the matter is that Kelowna isn’t cheap to live in. Housing prices have soared in recent years, and day-to-day expenses like groceries and gas can also be high. Be prepared for a bit of sticker shock.

While this can be said for most places around the world these days, it’s more pronounced in Kelowna. Considered by many to be one of the most expensive cities to live in Canada, it means you can’t survive in this city if you’re only making minimum wage unless you are a large group all chipping in for the monthly rent.

Tourist Crowds in Kelowna

While tourism boosts the economy, it also means crowds, especially in the summer. This can lead to congestion, making it hard to enjoy some of the very attractions that drew you to Kelowna in the first place.

This can be easily seen when looking at traffic patterns over the course of the year. In summer, by far the busiest tourist season in Kelowna, any trip around town can easily be doubled and parking downtown or by one of the many beaches can be hard to come by. Bonus to Kelowna is that parking downtown is only around $1 an hour any time of the year with plenty of free parking outside of Monday 9 to 5 so there is that bright side.

Kelowna’s Limited Public Transport

Public transport options are limited in Kelowna, especially compared to larger cities in the country. Owning a car is almost a necessity if you plan on getting around without hassle. While plenty of University of BC students as well as Okanagan College students get to school daily via public transport buses, getting from one area of the city to another can be tough if you’re not planning on going through downtown first.

Though Uber and Uride are now available in the city, both ride sharing platforms have been slow to arrive in the city and are still lacking so you’ll often need to order a cab during the busiest times of the day if you can’t find a bus. You can also find both ebike and scooter rentals throughout the city however those aren’t ideal in the cooler winter months.

Seasonal Employment in Kelowna

While there are plenty of job opportunities, some industries in Kelowna are highly seasonal. This means job security can be a concern if you’re working in sectors like tourism. While late spring, summer and early fall can be busy, unless you’re heading to Big White for winter work, it might be harder to find something that pays the bills. That said, anyone working in the trades or for minimum wage should have zero problems finding something as jobs in those areas are always in demand here.

Kelowna’s Distance from Major Cities

Though it has plenty to offer including an international airport, a decent collection of large stores, a large shopping mall, a well ranked hockey team in the WHL, plus a thriving art scene, Kelowna is somewhat isolated from major cities like Vancouver or Calgary.

The drive to Vancouver takes around 3.5 hours and Calgary is pushing 6.5 hours provided the highways are open and clear. That’s something that isn’t always the case in the winter as both directions take you over some of Canada’s highest routes that are prone to crazy amounts of snow and even in the warmer months there are occasional rockslides to contend with. Either can severely hamper your ability to get to your farther destination easily or quickly.

Wildfires in Kelowna

In the last decade, the dry, hot summers come with a higher risk of wildfires, which can be a real concern. Smoke from nearby fires can also affect air quality during the summer months and ruin an otherwise perfect summer day in the city.

While July and August have always been Kelowna’s best months in terms of weather (with the highs in the lower 30’s every single day and not a cloud in sight), the changing climate landscape has made what were once idyllic summer days into an unknown quantity these last few years. We’ve gotten to a point where we now travel away more often in August just because there’s a good chance it will be smoky in the city.

Conclusion

Living in Kelowna offers a unique blend of natural beauty, a growing job market, and a vibrant community. However, it does come with its own set of challenges, like the high cost of living and seasonal crowds. Whether or not Kelowna is right for you will depend on what you’re looking for in a home base.

That said, we’ve loved our time in the city and both ourselves and our children have made friends here that will last our entire lives. There’s no denying that this Canadian gem has plenty to offer and if you can get past it’ negatives, it’s still a great place to live and work.

We’ve made our home base in Kelowna, BC, for over six years now. It’s amazing how time flies.

In that time, we’ve been fortunate enough to spend plenty of time exploring the sunny Okanagan Valley, with its deep, clear lakes, mountains, wineries, and abundant orchards. 

One of our favorite trips is to head south from Kelowna to Okanagan Falls. It’s a beautiful drive, passing through West Kelowna, Summerland, Peachland, and Penticton, along the shores of Okanagan Lake.

Okanagan Falls (also called OK Falls) itself is a smaller town, with a population of only around 2,500 residents. The town of Okanagan Falls is located on the southern tip of Skaha Lake.

The town of Okanagan Falls itself is… how do I say this? Well, the town itself could use a little bit of beautification. We still enjoy heading there, and the surrounding area is absolutely stunningly beautiful (especially the wineries and lake), but the town itself is beginning to look a bit tired. That said, we still adore Okanagan Falls, and love visiting every time.

Things to do in Okanagan Falls, BC

If you’re wondering what to do in Okanagan Falls, here are some of our favorite picks, from wineries to waterfalls.

What are the top attractions to visit in Okanagan Falls, Canada?

Because Okanagan Falls is a smaller town, there aren’t a lot of tourist attractions like amusement parks or water slides. That said, the lack of tourist traps is part of the charm in a town where the biggest attraction is an ice cream parlor called Tickleberries.

Tickleberries

Tickleberries ice cream shop is an absolute must stop in Okanagan Falls.

It’s a family owned business started back in 1990. There’s a lot that’s great here, but with 72 different kinds of ice cream in stock, we usually start with a delicious ice cream cone. If ice cream isn’t your thing, Tickleberry’s makes it’s own chocolates, fudge, candies and kettle corn and has an interesting collection of items for sale.

Christie Park

Christie Memorial Provincial Park has the longest beach park in OK Falls. It’s right in town, on 7th Avenue on the south shore of Skaha Lake.

There’s more to do here than hang out on the well maintained beach, with beach volleyball courts, wide grassy areas, and plenty of benches and picnic tables. Christie Park has washrooms and change areas.

If you’re here with your canine companion, there’s also a dog beach.

Okanagan Falls KVR Kettle Bridge

The OK Falls KVR (Kettle Valley Railway) Bridge is a short walk from the town of Okanagan Falls, and right next to Christie Park. You’ll find the bridge at the South end of Skaha Lake, just as Skaha Lake empties into the five km long channel that connects it to Vaseux Lake.

The bridge itself isn’t very long, but it connects to the Kettle Valley Railway Trail on the North end, which runs along the West shore of Skaha Lake. It’s a great place for a walk, and there’s a good chance you’ll see plenty of waterfowl and wildlife.

More excitingly, during OK Falls hot summer, you’ll see locals and tourists of all ages jumping off the bridge into the clear water below.

Okanagan Falls Wineries

There are 15 wineries around Okanagan Falls. Of these, the most well known are arguably Liquidity Winery, See Ya Later Ranch, and Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars.

Like the rest of the Okanagan Valley, OK Falls is well suited for wine production, with long, dry and sunny summer days, low risk of autumn frost, and rich soil.

The Wineries at OK Falls include: Black Market Wine Co, Blasted Church, Bonamici Cellars, Crescent Hill Winery, Echo Bay Vineyard, Skaha Vineyard, Liquidity, Meyer Family Vineyard, Nighthawk, Noble Ridge Vineyard, Pentage Winery, Play Estate Winery, See Ya Later Ranch, Stag’s Hollow and Wild Goose Vineyards.

What are the best outdoor activities in Okanagan Falls?

Okanagan Falls is all about the outdoors. The town is nestled at the southern tip of Skaha Lake, with mountains all around.

The warm climate is perfect for wineries, while the lake and mountains mean there are plenty of opportunities for watersports, hikes and outdoor activities too.

Okanagan Falls Waterfalls

If you’re wondering, ” Are there falls in Okanagan Falls?”, the answer is well… not really.

Unfortunately, the natural waterfalls the town is named after no longer exist. The town was named after small twin waterfalls at the end of Skaha Lake, where it emptied into the Okanagan River. In the 1950s, the falls were lost when a flood control dam was built to control the level of water flowing south into the Okanagan River.

Depending on the time of year, the dam on Green Lake Road, just north of Highway 97, can run fairly strong, creating a fast current and rapids.

Okanagan Falls Camping

The most popular Okanagan Falls campground is the provincial park, aptly named Okanagan Falls Provincial Park. You’ll also see signage for sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ, which is the name for Okanagan Falls in the local indigenous Sylix language. In fact, it’s now now officially named sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ Provincial Park.

sx̌ʷəx̌ʷnitkʷ is pronounced s-wuh-wuneet-kw, means “little falls”.

The park is managed by the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB). Make camping reservations through Discover Camping with the BC government.

Indian Head and Peach Cliff

Indian Head’s ragged cliffs to the southwest of Okanagan Falls are some of the most unusual rock formations in the Okanagan with huge dark ancient volcanic rock as well as a bunch of hiking trails.

Peach Cliff is just east of Okanagan Falls, with Balancing Rock perched at the top. Mule deer and California bighorn sheep make this their home, so it’s great area for wildlife viewing.

Skaha Lake in British Columbia

Skaha Lake is one of the warmest lakes in Canada. It’s the perfect place to fish, swim, water ski, wake board, sail, paddleboard or just go for a swim.

Visit a Local Okanagan Orchard

With it’s warm summers, Okanagan Falls is home to many roadside fruit stands and u-pick farms. One of our favorite things to do in the Okanagan Valley is take a drive around the countryside, stopping at orchards and fruit stands to enjoy home grown fruits and veggies.

Climb Skaha Bluffs

There are plenty of routes to chose from, but climbing walls include Red Tail, Doctors Wall, Fortress, The Great White Wall and The Grand Canyon, and are mostly under 30 meters tall.

Love the outdoors? Check out our best hikes in Kelowna British Columbia.

Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory (DRAO) is located at Kaleden, British Columbia, Canada, about a 13 minute drive from the town of Okanagan Falls.

It’s an active observatory, known internationally for science and technology research and development into telescopes as well as satellite receivers and electronics. Comprising astrophysicists, astronomers, engineers and technologists, the observatory is well known around the world.

The observatory was closed in 2021 to both self-guided and guided tours because of the pandemic, however during normal times, it’s open for self guided tours Monday to Friday from 10 am to 5 pm, and special guided tours are available upon request.

Ski or Snowboard at Apex Mountain Resort

Apex Mountain is a 50 minute drive from Okanagan Falls to Hedley, BC, and west of Penticton.

It averages 600 cm (or 20 feet) of snow a year, with groomed and back country trails available. There’s also a skating rink, and nearby Nickel Plate Nordic Centre has snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

It’s smaller than other resorts in the Okanagan, like Big White or Sun Peaks, but the cozy atmosphere is part of the charm here.

Baldy Mountain Resort

In the complete opposite direction of Apex, approximately 55 minutes southwest of Okanagan Falls, lies the Baldy Mountain Ski Resort.

Baldy Mountain is the 3rd highest elevation ski resort in British Columbia and is one of the most affordable skiing and snowboarding resorts in BC, Canada. Activities at Baldy Mountain include skiing and snowboarding, cross country skiing and snowshoeing. There’s even an 18 hole winter disc golf course complete with disc rentals for something a little different.

Okanagan Falls Accommodation

Because it’s a smaller town, there are only a few options for accommodation in OK Falls.

There are only a few options in the town proper of Okanagan Falls itself: La Villa Motel, Okanagan Paradise Resorts, Twilight Motel, and Holiday Beach Resorts.

La Villa Motel. La Villa is a small family motel in the heart of Okanagan Falls. Most rooms have a kitchenette, fridge and air conditioning. See prices and availability here.

Okanagan Paradise Resorts. Okanagan Paradise Resorts is a condo and vacation rental unit beside Skaha Lake. Prices here.

Holiday Beach Resort Motel. Holiday Beach Motel is in the heart of OK Falls, across from Christie Park. Suites have kitchenettes, and there’s outdoor space and barbeques available. See prices at the Holiday Beach Motel.

Twilight Motel. The Twilight Motel is a small motel with only six rooms. Rooms have a sitting area, microwave, a fridge and toaster. See more.

The Chauffeur’s Quarters. The Chauffeur’s Quarters is a short 4 minute drive south of OK Falls, close to Liquidity Wines. See prices an availability.

Bighorn Ridge Resort. Bighorn Ridge Resort Guest House Bed and Breakfast is about a six minute drive south of Okanagan Falls. Prices here.

Accommodations in Kaladen, BC

St. Andrews By The Lake. St. Andrews’ accommodation is part of a nine hole golf course. See availability here.

Casa Colina. Casa Colina is a bed and breakfast just 15 minutes south of Penticton. It’s set on a hilltop with nine acres, great views and plenty of space, and even a heated outdoor pool. There are three suites and a cottage available. See prices.

Ponderosa Point Resort. Ponderosa Resort in Kaleden has 26 privately owned lakeshore cabins on Skaha Lake itself. It’s a gorgeous setting, and popular with nature lovers that want to get away from it all. The resort itself has plenty of activities, with everything from bocce ball to tennis to kayaking.

Airbnb in Okanagan Falls

AT this time there are 22 Airbnbs in Okanagan Falls, with everything from single room stays to condos to entire houses set in vineyards.

Looking for a great deal on your next Airbnb? Click here to get a $35 USD credit on a new account!

Accomodations at Vaseux Lake, BC

Vaseux Lakeside Resort. Vaseux Lakeside Resort is a four townhouse complex on the shores of Vaseux Lake. See prices.

Okanagan Falls Restaurants

Kettle Valley Pizza and Donair. In Okanagan Falls town itself, this pizza joint offers thin or thick crust, chicken wings, smoothies and shakes.

Falls Restaurant. Falls Restaurant has Chinese food for dinner and a Western breakfast. It’s well rated, and a local favorite for the good sized portions.

Bullies Pizza. Bullies Pizza offers up pizza with homemade sauce and fresh toppings, as well as pasta.

KJ Coffee Bar. KJ is a locally owned café with a French Canadian twist. The coffee is fresh, the bread is homemade, and locals and tourist alike rave about this place.

Smoke & Oak Bistro. Smoke & Oak is a few kilometers south of town.

Okanagan Falls History

Syilx language speaker and Traditional Ecological Knowledge keeper Richard Armstrong shares the Syilx name, meaning, history and cultural significance behind the area known today as OK Falls.

How far is Okanagan Falls from Kelowna?

It’s a 81 km (50 miles) drive from downtown Kelowna to Okanagan Falls. The drive takes just over 1 hour.

From the Kelowna Airport, it’s a 1 hr and 20 minute drive of about 95 km (59 miles).

How far is it from Penticton to Okanagan Falls?

It’s a short 19 minute, 21 km (13 miles) drive from Penticton to Okanagan Falls.

Kelowna’s reputation as one of Canada’s most scenic and beautiful places is well deserved. The city lies along the deep, clear 135 km (84 mi) long Okanagan Lake, and is bordered by mountains and forest.

In our seven years of living in Kelowna, we’ve had the pleasure of hiking most of Kelowna’s great trails.

The Best Hikes in Kelowna, BC

We usually hike with our kids, so many of these Kelowna trails are family friendly, and are included in some of the top family things to do in Kelowna. Of course, since Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley is a mountainous area, there are a few trails here that are more difficult, and suitable for experienced hikers only.

Apex Trail on Knox Mountain

We take most of our out of town guests to Knox Mountain for a moderate to easy hike. It’s on the outskirts of downtown, making it easily accessible, and it also offers gorgeous views of downtown Kelowna and Okanagan Lake.

The downside here is that Apex Trail is one of Kelowna’s most popular hikes, meaning the trails can be fairly busy during peak times, like summer weekends.

If you’re feeling ambitious, you can start Apex Trail at the bottom of Knox Mountain, and hike all the way up to the top. If you’re looking for an easier hike, you can drive on Knox Mountain Drive to the parking lot about half way up, and walk the rest. It’s also possible to drive all the way to the top of Knox for a peek at the view.

Knox Mountain Drive is seasonally closed to traffic during the coldest months of the winter and can be closed in the summer if the danger of forest fires is too high in the region.

2022 Update: To assist with social distancing measures during the pandemic, Knox Mountain drive is currently closed to vehicle traffic.

There are over a dozen other trails on Knox Mountain, if you’d like to explore further. One of our family favorites is the Paul’s Tomb trail, which we talk about below.

If you’re a fan of the water, you can also access Okanagan Lake’s Kelowna Paddle Trail at the base of Knox Mountain.

The Kelowna Paddle Trail is a 27-kilometre water only trail on Okanagan Lake from McKinley Beach to Bertram Creek Regional Park. It passes along bird sanctuaries, 20 beaches and parks, three waterfront resorts, and two bird sanctuaries. It’s a great place to take out that paddleboard or kayak you’ve found.

Dogs are allowed on Apex Trail if they’re on leash, on trail, and licensed. There’s an off leash dog beach nearby, at 589 Poplar Point Dr, near the Apex Trail Parking lot.

Length: 2.0 km one way (4 km return).

Difficulty: Moderate. Potentially slippery sections with an incline.

Google Maps location

Paul’s Tomb

Paul’s Tomb, on Knox Mountain is probably the hike we’ve walked the most since we moved to Kelowna. It’s one of our favorite easy hiking trails Kelowna.

It’s a lovely hike that follows along the shore of Okanagan Lake, with stunning views of the lake at the top. The trail ends at a small, pebble-covered swimming beach, where you’ll find local families like ours taking a swim in the lake and enjoying picnic lunches.

The hike does lead to the tomb of Rembler Paul, one of Kelowna’s earlier pioneers. There’s not much to see at the tomb itself, as the door has long been sealed with rock and gravel.

To access Paul’s Tomb, it’s easiest to drive up Knox Mountain Drive to the midlevel parking lot. When Knox Mountain Drive is closed, you can park at the parking lot at the base of Knox Mountain, or drive up to the end of Poplar Point Drive, where there’s extremely limited parking on the road in a residential area.

Dogs are allowed on leash, on trail and if they’re licensed. There’s an off leash dog beach nearby, at 589 Poplar Point Dr, near the Apex Trail Parking lot.

Length: 2.5 km (1.5 miles)

Difficulty: Easy, with some moderate sections.

Location of Paul’s Tomb on Google Maps

Myra Canyon Trestles

Myra Canyon is a popular, well maintained and scenic portion of the former Kettle Valley Railway. It’s a stunningly scenic hike, with 18 giant trestle bridges and two tunnels, and features some amazing views over the lake.

Stretching just over 12 kilometers one way, you can walk the popular portions of the trestles, however, it’s more common to bike the whole way.

If you chose to bike rather than hike, you can rent a bicycle in Myra Canyon’s parking lot all summer if you need one. You can also join a tour that will explain the over 100 year long history of this historic railway stretch and the rebuilding of the trestles after the major fires in the area in 2003.

The trail head is about a 35 minute drive from Downtown Kelowna, with the last 5 or 10 minutes of the drive on a bumpy gravel road, with switchbacks. If conditions are snowy, icy or slick, you may need a 4×4.

You can access the trail via the Myra Station parking lot or the June Springs parking lot. We always choose to start at the Myra Station lot, because there are six trestles in the first few kilometers, making for a simple and interesting hike for the family.

Distance: 24 km (14 miles) return

Difficulty: Easy, but multiple steep drop offs.

Location: Myra Station Parking Lot on Myra Forest Service Road. Location on Google Maps.

Kelowna Waterfront Trail

This trail is more of a city walk than our other Kelowna hikes, but it’s well worth the time if you’d like to see Kelowna’s downtown and lakefront. The hike starts at the parking lot at City Park (it’s now a paid lot), winds its way along the downtown lakefront, and ends at Rotary Marsh.

Along the way, you’ll pass Hot Sands beach, which is the summer beach to see and be seen. For some of the best ice cream in Kelowna, stop at Moo Lix ice cream shop on Bernard St., and enjoy your ice cream along a lovely boardwalk by the manicured Waterfront Park. Waterfront Park is home to plenty of activities and festivals, including the always fun Great Okanagan Beer Festival.

Most people stop at Tugboat beach, by the Delta Grand Hotel, but if you follow the lakefront a little further, there’s an interesting little walk through Rotary Marsh walk.

Distance: 2.1 km (1.3 miles) one way

Difficulty: Easy

Location: 1600 Abbott St, Kelowna.

Google maps location

Mill Creek

Mill Creek is an easy 10 minute drive from downtown Kelowna, and just a few minutes drive from the Kelowna airport.

Because Mill Creek was hit by flooding a couple of years ago, a large portion of the initial section of this hike was reconstructed, with new footbridges, and a wider path.

The initial section of the hike (Waterfall Trail) is a little less than 1 km (0.6 miles) long. It’s wide and relatively flat, and a good choice for younger kids.

After the short walk at the initial section, you’ll end up at a small waterfall. It’s one of the closest waterfalls in Kelowna.

Just before you reach the waterfall, there’s an informal trail that’s much narrower and steeper that winds up along a ridge overlooking the waterfall. It diverges just North of the main trail, and loops back into the main trail after less than 1 km.

This is a pretty, easy hike along a smooth, wide path, mostly under cover. It’s our hike of choice on hot summer days when we want to walk under the trees.

Dogs are allowed on leash. There’s a small parking lot, and hours differ, depending on the season. It’s open 6:00 am to 11:00 pm in peak summer hours.

Difficulty: Easy (main Waterfall trail). Moderate (informal trail).

Length: 1 km (0.6 miles) one way (approximate)

More info: Mill Creek Regional Park.

Location on Google Maps.

Mission Creek Greenway

This long, winding pathway is one of Kelowna’s less talked about gems. We’re fortunate to live nearby, so we’ve walked almost every kilometer of the trail.

The Greenway follows along Mission Creek, which may technically be a creek, but what most people would consider as a smaller, fast flowing river. During spring, if runoff is high, Mission Creek can be extremely fast moving and potentially very dangerous.

Portions of the greenway are still under construction, but when completed, it will span 26 kilometers (16 miles) from the shore of Okanagan Lake to Mission Creek Falls.

Because it’s such a long trail system, most people only hike sections of the trail, so we’ve broken the Greenway down into the two most common hikes: Mission Creek Regional Park, and the downtown section from Lakeshore Drive to KLO road

Mission Creek Regional Park

Mission Creek Regional Park is likely the most familiar spot along the Mission Creek Greenway. It’s home to a honeycomb of great family hiking trails, a playground, washrooms, picnic facilities, and the EECO Center (Environmental Education Centre for the Okanagan). The EECO runs environmental education programs year round – we especially love the education they provide on spawning salmon in Mission Creek.

Mission Creek Greenway proper is a wide, flat pathway that runs parallel to Mission Creek, connecting Mission Creek Regional Park to the downtown area and Scenic Canyon Regional Park to the East. Many smaller, well marked hiking trails fan out from the Greenway that take you through Kelowna’s ever-present Ponderosa Pines, by a Children’s Fishing Pond, and past Turtle Ponds. You can also see Kokanee Salmon spawning in early fall.

This is one of our favorite winter hikes in Kelowna. The main Mission Creek Greenway trail is quite wide and flat, so it’s often less icy that other hikes with steep inclines.

Dogs are allowed on leash.

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (stairs)

Location: 2363 Springfield Rd, Kelowna, BC V1X 7N7

Locate on Google Maps

Mission Creek Greenway – downtown section from Lakeshore to KLO Road

You can access this section of the path from the Lakeshore Road and Truswell Road parking area or across the river from the Creekside Pub & Grill.

To the West in this section, Mission Creek flows into the 135 km long Okanagan Lake. Sandbars often form as the creek enters the lake in the spring, attracting birds.

If you walk to the East along the trail, you’ll find Michael Brook Marsh, for more bird watching. After a few kilometers, you’ll pass Father Pandosy Historic Site and eventually meet up with Mission Creek Regional Park after KLO Road.

Difficulty: Easy

Length: 4 km (estimated)

Dogs are allowed on leash.

Location: Corner of Lakeshore Rd and Truswell.

Locate on Google Maps

Scenic Canyon Regional Park

Entering the Scenic Canyon Regional Park from the parking lot off 2014 Hollywood Rd S (known as The Greenery on Google Maps), the trail first dips down into a marshy area, full of ducks, turtles, and greenery, and past a series of small boardwalks. There are also a couple of bridges that cross over Mission Creek.

The Mission Creek Greenway officially runs through Scenic Canyon Regional Park to its terminal point at Mission Creek Falls.

If you hit Saskatoon berry season just right (usually early summer around the end of June), this section of the trail has some of the ripest, juiciest Saskatoon berries we’ve ever found.

Further along, there are some interesting geological features along the way, including views of Layer Cake Mountain, once you’re past the KLO Creek bridge. There’s even a more challenging Rock Ovens Trail.

Currently, sections of the trail above the KLO creek bridge (on the East side) are closed due to washouts and bank instability.

Length: Section off of Hollywood Rd South (about 2 km, loop). Section off Field Road (about 5 km, total)

Difficulty: The first few kilometers off the parking lot at 2014 Hollywood Rd S are easy. Difficult sections with steep and narrow climbs are accessed from the parking lot at 3965 Field Rd.

Dogs are allowed on leash.

Location: 2014 Hollywood Rd S, Kelowna, BC

Locate on Google Maps

Stephens Coyote Ridge Regional Park – Coyote Ridge East Trailhead to Light Blue Lake

This is a pretty hike with nice views of Okanagan Lake on one side and Glenmore Valley on the other side. I personally really love the views here, but they’re subjectively less stunning than others you can find on Kelowna hiking trails. You may also have some highway or airplane noise depending on the time of day.

If you’re looking for over-the-top stunning scenery, do the hike at Mount Boucherie, Myra Canyon, or Knox Mountain.

There are plenty of trails here, leading among wetlands and largely untouched habitat. There’s a good chance of seeing wildlife like coyotes and marmots.

There’s not much signage here, and the lake is small and not recommended for swimming.

Dogs are allowed on leash.

Length: 1.6 km (1 mile) one way, or 3.2 km (2 miles) return

Difficulty: Easy to moderate with some steep sections. Not well marked.

Location: 2345 Werger Rd East Trailhead.

Location on Google maps.

Boucherie Rush Trail on Mount Boucherie

The Mount Boucherie hike rewards you with gorgeous views of Okanagan Lake and wineries below. You’ll navigate a series of switchbacks and a steep incline, but the view at the end is gorgeous.

There are three trails at the Mount Boucherie parking lot, but it’s the Boucherie Rush trail that will lake you to the top of Mount Boucherie at 758 meters elevation.

The trail itself is well maintained, with wooden railings and gravel surface. Since Mount Boucherie is an extinct volcano, you may see ancient solidified lava rock on your route.

Tip! The north east face of the mountain is much more difficult, and we recommend it only for very experienced hikers. We consistently hear reports on the local news of hikers stranded on the north face that require search and rescue assistance.

Distance: 3 km (1.8 miles) one way

Difficulty: Moderate, with steep sections and incline

Location: Parking lot at E Boundary Road.

Google maps location.

Black Mountain Viewpoint

We don’t hear a lot of people mention the Black Mountain Viewpoint trail, but it’s one of my favorite short hikes in Kelowna.

It’s a short trail (1.6 km round trip, or 1.0 mile). Start at the base of Black Mountain, and it’s a fairly steep hike along some switchbacks straight up to the viewpoint. It’s not a long hike, but it definitely gets the blood pumping.

You can be done and dusted on this hike in about half an hour, if you move quickly. With kids, we’re slower, so it takes us about 50 minutes.

Difficulty: Easy to moderate

Distance: 1.6 km (1.0 mile) round trip

Location: Park along Black Mountain Drive.

Google location here.

Crawford Falls hike

Crawford Falls is a great option if you’re looking for waterfalls near Kelowna. It’s likely the best known of the waterfall hikes in Kelowna. The hike has two options that lead to scenic waterfalls in the forest. It’s a short, steep hike to the falls on Bellevue Creek.

From the trailhead, it takes about 20 minutes to the first of the two falls. The first set of falls are about 20 feet high, and a difficult, steep hike. The second set of falls are another 10 minutes down the trail, and much taller, at about 40 feet high.

You’ll need to scramble over a few boulders, but the hike is less steep was revamped by the City of Kelowna in the mid-2010’s, and no longer has extremely steep sections with ropes.

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

Length:

Location: 1856 Canyon Falls Ct, Kelowna, BC. Location on Google maps.

What kind of weather can I expect on my hike in Kelowna?

Depending on the season, temperatures in Kelowna can range from summer daytime highs of plus 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit) to winter overnight lows of -20 Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit). Kelowna is generally considered one of the warmest cities in Canada and most days outside of the coolest days of the year around January and February and the hottest days (around July and August) hiking in Kelowna is a joy.

If you’re looking for some more fun things to do in the Okanagan Valley, see our articles on the best things to do in Penticton, BC as well as our post of fun things to do in Kelowna with kids.

Do you have any favorite hikes around Kelowna that we’ve missed? Put them down in the comments below!

We’ve lived in BC for over a decade now, and while we haven’t driven every highway in the province, we’ve definitely taken our share of drives around our beautiful province.

British Columbia is Canada’s most western province. It borders Alberta, and is known for its vast size and natural beauty. Sandwiched between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains, BC is world famous for its mountain ranges, lakes and glaciers, as well as rocky beaches, ski resorts and natural beauty.

There are numerous highways and scenic drives in British Columbia that make for some genuinely spectacular road excursions no matter the season, with thousands of valley lakes, mountains, and a largely unknown north.

The best road trips in British Columbia will not only take you through some of the most scenic areas in the province but also in Canada. You can visit the Okanagan Valley and see world class vineyards or drive along the west coast and hang out on beautiful beaches.

If you’re quickly looking for snow-capped mountains, head north from cosmopolitan Vancouver up to Whistler where you can ski or snowboard during winter months or go downhill biking in the summer.

Want to see salmon spawning or visit the Rocky Mountains in its rawest form? British Columbia has both.

Dreaming of warm mountain lakes in summer, natural hot pools year round and great hiking? BC has that in droves.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to take your family on a road trip, or you just want to explore some beautiful sights with your friends, there’s something in BC for everyone. It doesn’t matter if you’re a born adventurerr, or your idea of fun is statarting a full-on replacing windows process in Ottawa, there’s a BC road trip just for you.

So whether you’re a local wanting to broaden your range, on vacation traveling with family or friends, or just want to get away from it all, here are some of our favourite drives in BC that will take you off the beaten path and into nature’s playground.

The best road trips in British Columbia, Canada

Whether you have your own car or are looking to rent a vehicle, these are the best road trips in British Columbia to take in the beautiful scenery of this Canadian province.

If you’re in the mood for a guided tour, BC has plenty of bus tours available and if you want to see the province unfettered, traveling the province by motorcycle is an amazing experience. Whether you’re looking for the best motorcycle insurance or want to check out the best things to see and do from Vancouver to Banff, this post has you covered.

The Sunshine Coast – Sunshine Coast Highway

Vancouver to Powell River - 170km (105mi) - 4h 20m (2 Ferry crossings)

The Sunshine Coast Trail is one of the most popular hikes in BC, and for good reason. It’s located just north of Vancouver on the coast, and offers a variety of different options for hiking. This includes a section that goes right along the water with stunning views of mountains and ocean alike.

What does this have to do with road trips? Well, not only can you stop and hike the trail, but getting there is also a beautiful drive with tons of great coastal views and mountainous backdrops along the way.

A few highlights along this route include the 2 ferry crossings (the first at Horseshoe Bay and the second at Earl’s Cove) with possibilities to see everything from whales to dolphins and even killer whales right from your vehicle. The majority of the drive is 2 paved lanes and large animal sightings are common so keep your eyes open for any fauna in the area including moose, deer, bears, mountain goats and cougars.

If you want to continue your drive once you reach Powell Bay, you can take a ferry over to Vancouver Island where you’ll start your island adventure near Comox.

The Okanagan Valley – Highway 97

Vernon to Osoyoos - 173km (107mi) - 2h 25m

The Okanagan Valley is home to some amazing wineries and fruit orchards that have been around before BC was even a province!

Starting up around Vernon and continuing south down to Osoyoos you’ll see some of BC’s prettiest lakes starting with Kalamalka Lake that, depending on the season, can range from cyan to indigo.

As you drive south from Vernon on Highway 97 through Lake Country and get into Kelowna, the heart of BC’s interior, there’s tons of things to do with the family including hanging out along the boardwalk of the 135 km (84 mi) long Okanagan Lake (one of the few lakes in Canada to never freeze in the winter) and grab an ice cream before heading to the beach.

As you continue through West Kelowna (home to great vineyards like Mission Hill and Quails Gate) you’ll soon find yourself driving through towns named Peachland and Summerland (great names right!) before arriving in Penticton. Make sure to walk the boardwalk in town before continuing your drive south down to Osoyoos, the warmest city in Canada!

If you love vineyards and cideries, there are literally hundreds in the Okanagan Valley with many just off the highway so pick up a winery guide available nearly everywhere in the valley before you start your Okanagan BC roadtrip.

The Coquihalla Highway – Highway 5N

Hope to Kamloops - 203km (126mi) - 2h 15m

The stretch of highway from Hope to Kamloops has 2 things in abundance, beautiful scenery and infamous notoriety. The Coquihalla features gorgeous mountain rivers and some beautiful mountain vistas however it’s also the star in a show called Highway Thru Hell, depicting the sometimes hazardous conditions that can occur during the winter months. Since it is a high mountain highway through some unforgiving terrain, there is some merit to the legends but if in doubt, check out the Drive BC website and just pay attention to the weather.

That said, the Coq was originally built as a connector to speed up the route that the Trans Canada highway originally took as it made its way west. While the drive is indeed faster via the Coquihalla, the beauty of the drive is also unmistakable.

If you’re feeling the urge for a hot soak, veer off the highway near Bridal Falls to check out Harrison Hot Springs.

As you leave Hope via Highway 3 East (make sure your tank is full since the next gas station in Merritt is 120km or just over an hour away), you’ll quickly jump onto Highway 5 heading to Merritt and Kamloops. If you want to get out and stretch your legs, the Othello Tunnels just past Hope are worth a hike

As you pull into Merritt itself (most of the town is to the north of the highway), you can now choose to continue northeast on Highway 5 to Kamloops or head southeast down Highway 97C to Kelowna and the Okanagan valley.

If you’re planning to drive right through either cities as you continue east, the drive south toward Kelowna will add half an hour to your journey however it is a prettier drive by far and takes you through several small towns and cities.

The Island Drive – Highway 1 and Highway 19

Victoria to Qualicum Beach (Vancouver Island)- 158km (98mi) - 2h 25mins

Though not officially called The Island Drive, navigating this section of Vancouver Island definitely fits the bill. As you leave Victoria, the Victorian architecture filled capital of British Columbia, and head north on Highway 1, you’ll pass quaint villages, pretty murals and get the occasional sweeping views of the ocean and the Gulf Islands.

There are hundreds of places to stop along the way to grab a bite to eat, hike or shop however there are a few wineries and cideries around Cobble Hill that are worth checking out. If you want a quick hike, it’s also worth checking the Kinsol Trestle just before Cobble Hill. It’s one of the tallest free-standing timber rail trestle structures in the world and is amazing to see. It’s part of the Cowichan Valley Trail and is a popular hiking area.

Nanaimo is the next major city on the way north. It’s not a bad place to stock up supplies for your Qualicum Beach stay (if you’re planning a short vacay) and is also the other major ferry terminal if you want to hitch a ferry back to the mainland.

More great articles:

• Our Heymondo Review – Why We Always Get Travel Insurance
• 45 Great Jobs You Can Do While Traveling The World And How To Get Them
• How to Save Money When Traveling

As you continue north you’ll eventually reach picturesque Nanoose Bay and then Parksville, another major water side destination in its own right though the long sandy beaches along Qualicum Beach are usually what attract the crowds.

While in the region, make sure to check out the Goats on the Roof (literally) at the Old Country Market as well as the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre. Both are great places to take the kids and hang out for a few hours.

The Sea-to-Sky Highway – Highway 99

Vancouver to Whistler - 121km (75mi) - 1h 25mins

Not many people who visit Vancouver, often ranked as one of the best cities on earth, don’t take a day or two to make their way up to Whistler, BC’s premiere ski destination. The hour and a half roadtrip north up Highway 99 is filled with gorgeous ocean and mountain views and passes through Squamish, an outdoor lovers playground.

With everything from rock climbing to Bald Eagle viewing tours in the winter (it held the largest eagle viewing count in the world at 3769 with around 1300 spotted most given years), if you like the outdoors then likely Squamish has something for you. Squamish is also home to the wonderful Sea to Sky Gondola, a year round engineering marvel that zips you to the top in comfort with plenty of trails on either landings.

As you drive into Whistler, it’s quickly evident why it’s touted as an adventurers destination with a myriad of activities for the outdoor enthusiasts. After hitting the slopes, make sure to check out the town centre (known as The Village) with great shopping, restaurants and pubs open year round. Though we often think of Whistler as a winter destination, there are plenty of activities there happening year round.

Visiting in the summer? Check out Porteau Cove Provincial Park, a popular scuba diving destination with artificial shipwrecks and reefs supporting a huge variety of marine life, such as octopus, lingcod and starfish just minutes north of Horseshoe Bay. Don’t know how to dive? Take a course or explore the rocky beaches and go swimming in the ocean for a nice break from your road trip.

The Glacier Drive – Highway 5 and Highway 16

Kamloops to Jasper - 441km (274mi) - 4h 45mins

While Jasper isn’t technically in BC (it’s 20km from the BC/Alberta border), the vast majority of this drive is in British Columbia and it’s a beautiful road trip through valleys and mountains, with a few great sites along the way.

As you head up Highway 5 north from Kamloops, a great little city fronting the beautiful Thompson River and home to the BC Wildlife Park, you’ll pass wide open valleys that soon turns into winding mountain passes. The nicest part about this Kamloops to Jasper road trip is that the highway follows along the North Thompson River for a sizable portion of the drive, which makes for a great backdrop and gorgeous views.

Along the way, you can check out some amazing waterfalls or go whitewater rafting around Clearwater. If you don’t have time to check them out but want to stretch your legs, check out either North Thompson River Provincial Park right before Clearwater or the Blue River Provincial Park. Both are right along the highway and are easy to pull off into.

As you turn right (North) onto Highway 16 (known as the Yellowhead Highway) you’ll have another few places to stop with Rearguard Falls Provincial Park just on the right and then the Mount Robson visitor centre with Mt. Robson (the tallest mountain in the Rockies) as a nice backdrop. If you’re an avid hiker, the Berg Lake Trail (23km) is often considered one of the top 5 best hikes in Canada with plenty of gorgeous scenery and wildlife spotting.

Pulling into Jasper, it’s easy to see why it’s touted as one of the best destinations in Canada. From the stunning water colors of the Athabasca River and surrounding lakes, to its proximity to glaciers and icefields to the Sky Tram and Marmot Basin ski resort it has plenty to see and do including Canada’s best Dark Sky festival.

If you have the time, there are some of the most beautiful waterfalls in Canada less than an hour from Clearwater. Helmcken Falls, the 4th largest waterfall in Canada, in gorgeous Wells Gray Park is just one of them. You can also check out both Spahats Falls and Dawson Falls while on the way. Total time to Helmcken Falls is around 45 minutes (44km) one way.

The Cathedral Drive – Highway 4

Parksville to Port Alberni (Vancouver Island) – 50km (31mi) – 44mins

We only discovered this route a few years ago when visiting Port Alberni for the first time but it’s a quick, gorgeous drive through old growth forests and one of the prettiest walkways you’ll find on Vancouver Island.

Just as you pass picturesque Cameron Lake, past the halfway point of your journey, lies Cathedral Grove in MacMillan Provincial Park. This trail leads to the most accessible giant Douglas fir tree stands on Vancouver Island. You can walk the short number of trails under the shadow of giant Douglas-fir trees with some more than 800 years old.

Due to some severe windstorms over the years, some of the ancient trees have fallen and the park and trails are continually being monitored and repaired. Make sure you check to make sure it’s open if you decide to make the trip out there.

The Rocky Mountain Pass – Highway 1

Revelstoke to Lake Louise - 227km (141mi) - 3hours

The Rocky Mountains are a some of the most mountainous terrain in the world however the drive through them is often a very pleasant experience. Similar to Jasper, Lake Louise is only 10km from the BC/Alberta border so the majority of this road trip takes place in British Columbia.

Along the way, you’ll drive over Canada’s highest mountain pass, see a few hot pools, look up at the second tallest waterfall in Canada, traverse the premiere whitewater rafting river in the country plus witness some of the best scenery Canada has to offer.

Leaving east down Highway 1 from Revelstoke, a former train station hub and home to the great Revelstoke Mountain resort and Pipe Mountain Coaster, a 1.4km all downhill rollercoaster that barrels your way down a mountain, you’ll soon hit a series of boardwalks and trails. The one you don’t want to miss is Giant Cedars Boardwalk, a quick 20 minute walk through some extremely large cedar trees.

Right after that you have Canyon Hot Springs resort with a nice set of hot pools and soon after that you’ll be climbing through Roger’s Pass, the highest point along Canada’s 8000+km TransCanada highway.

As you arrive into Golden, Canada’s whitewater rafting capital, there are a myriad of adventures you can partake in like whitewater rafting or checking out the Golden SkyBridge, Canada’s highest suspension bridge and zipline site. After Golden you have Field, a cute mountain town with nearby access to Takakkaw Falls, Canada’s 2nd highest waterfall and around 10 minutes off the highway.

Once you arrive in Lake Louise, you’ll want to check out the gorgeous turquoise lake the town is famous next to stunning Chateau Lake Louise. There are some great hikes around the area and if you happen to be there in winter, Lake Louise Resort is considered one of the best ski resorts in Alberta.

If you want to read about more things to do along British Columbia’s TransCanada Highway, check out our ultimate Vancouver to Banff road trip guide.

The Pacific Rim – Highway 4

Port Alberni to Tofino (Vancouver Island) - 126km (78mi) - 1h 50mins

Traveling on Highway 4 west from Port Alberni to the coastal side of Vancouver Island is a leisurely affair with some beautiful coastal roads, some old growth forests and plenty of sights along the way.

As you leave Port Alberni, a small city on the Alberni Inlet, Vancouver Island’s longest ocean inlet, you’ll quickly pass Sproat Lake, a 4 season area with lakeside cabins and camping sites popular with fishermen and boaters alike. Next, you have Wally Creek. Right beside the highway with parking spaces, this is a perfect spot to jump in and cool off in the cristal clear blue water.

Continuing on you finally arrive at the coast. If you want to explore some of the natural beauty of the Pacific Rim National Park, now’s a great time to stop and grab a pass at the Pacific Rim Visitor centre. If you want a small detour, feel free to head south down to Ucluelet while first stopping off for a short walk around the Ancient Cedars Loop Trail.

To the north and towards our final destination of Tofino, another great walk is the Rainforest Trail that is a wood boardwalk & gravel trail through a veritable forest of cedar & hemlock trees covered in moss.

Next you have the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with a tiny tourist town (Long Beach) on the edge of a nature lovers coastal retreat. Near endless stretches of beach attract surfers year-round however most visit simply to watch the waves and walk the miles of sand.

Soon you’ll be at the end of your road trip and driving into Tofino proper. This cozy town on the edge of the world is popular with surfers, nature lovers, whale watchers and hikers. In summer the population swells but it’s also a popular area year round with some great chefs and restaurants calling the town home.

Another popular surfing and beach spot in the area is Chesterman Beach on the southern outskirts of Tofino. There are plenty of inns and hotels in the area if you plan to stay for a few days.

The Kootenays – Highway 6, 31A, 31 and 3A

Nakusp to Creston via Balfour - 218km (135mi) - 3h 15mins (1 Ferry crossing)

Unfettered nature is the best way to describe this road trip through British Columbia’s fabled Kootenays. Gorgeous lakes, relaxing hot springs, swaths of forests and a ferry ride are all highlights of this drive.

We first start in Nakusp, a nice beach village on the edge of the rather long Upper Arrow Lake. The Nakusp region is always busy in summer and has a gorgeous beach with clear water. As you head southeast out of town on Highway 6, you’ll soon be driving parallel to picturesque Slocan Lake. As you arrive into New Denver, a quaint village along the lake bank, you’ll soon be heading due east on Highway 31A.

As you drive over the Kokanee Glacier ranges, you’ll eventually reach Kaslo, a village on the west shore of Kootenay Lake in the West Kootenay region. If you want to stretch your legs, a quick walk along the Kaslo River Trail in town is a nice diversion and there’s a few good restaurants here as well. Further south of Kaslo, Fletcher Falls makes a great short pit stop with some nice little falls just off the highway.

Next we have Ainsworth Hot Springs, a favorite place of ours with some really nice hot springs and a heated hot springs cave. There’s also a delicious restaurant on site as well and if you stay in the hotel, the hot springs are included. Otherwise, they offer day passes for visitors.

After a lovely drive south along along Kootenay Lake we arrive in Belfour where it’s time to jump on a ferry over to Kootenay Bay as we continue down Highway 3A. The highway itself follows Kootenay Lake all the way towards Creston so don’t worry about getting lost now. Creston itself is a valley town with a variety of amenities, hotels and restaurants plus a few wineries and the Columbia Brewery (home of Kokanee beer) that gives brewery tours. If you’re there in summer, make sure to check out the wetlands at the Kootenay-Columbia Discovery Centre.

To get to Nakusp, you can either head due south from Revelstoke on Highway 23 or head east from Vernon on highway 6. Either roads are great however the additional cable ferry ride from Needle to Fauquier is a great bonus when driving in from Vernon and there are some great views and awesome lakes, namely Mable Lake, Sugar Lake and Echo Lake just off Highway 6 that are worth checking out as well if you have time.

Bonus Road Trip – The Island Highway – Highway 19N

Comox to Port Hardy (Vancouver Island) - 290km (180mi) - 3 hours (1 Ferry crossing)

Since no list is ever complete, we’ve decided to throw this last BC road trip in as a bonus. It starts in picturesque Comox.

In Comox you can check out the fisherman’s wharf or one of the numerous beaches such as Goose Spit Park. Kite surfing is a popular pastime here as well you’ll likely see some kites flashing by as you walk the many beaches.

Heading north up Highway 19, you’ll soon be arriving in Campbell River. The city is a very popular whale watching center as well as famously hosting grizzly bear tours. Either tour can be booked well in advance with several companies and some even guarantee a sighting or your next tour is on them. Another popular activity here is heading to Elk Falls Suspension Bridge with it’s large suspension bridge and waterfall as well as checking out the Quinsam Salmon Hatchery, one of the largest salmon hatcheries in Canada.

Continuing past Campbell River (make sure you fill up before leaving) you have a lot of land to cover that includes a few rivers plus a lake before getting back to the coast. Soon you’ll be pulling in to Port Hardy and able to check out the many beaches and marinas plus a plethora of day trips to places like God’s Pocket Marine Preserve to view sea lions. Taking a guided kayak tour is a definite must if the weather is nice.

You can get to Comox from the mainland via a BC ferry from Powell River so if you’ve done the road trip there then this route is a natural progression of it. You can also take a ferry from Port Hardy to Prince Rupert. If you plan to do this 16 hour ferry, renting a room on board is a great way to relax and see everything along the way.

Final notes on the best road trips in BC

After having our home base in BC for over a decade, we’ve had the opportunity to see a large portion of it and can never get enough of the beautiful scenery, the friendly people and the wild beauty. While this list isn’t exhaustive, we hope it gives you a few ideas of some of the best road trips in British Columbia and inspires you to visit and see the province for yourself.

Think we missed a hidden gem? We’d love to hear about it below. Safe travels.

Advertisement: This is a paid partnership with Choice Hotels® Canada.

We just came back from a wonderful short getaway on Vancouver Island! It felt amazing to feel the sea breeze, dip our toes in the ocean and explore the island.

As part of our paid partnership with Choice Hotels® Canada, we received enough Choice Privileges® points to book our hotel stay for this trip. For us, using our Choice Privileges® points was a fun and easy way to go on a new adventure within Canada.

Visit Choice Privileges® to learn more here!

It just goes to show, you really don’t have to travel across the globe to have new experiences as a family. We had a blast on our road trip to Vancouver Island, and just as much fun during our earlier Kelowna family staycation.

On Vancouver Island, we explored tidal pools, visited local waterfalls, checked out a wild animal rehabilitation centre, stared in amazement at old growth forests, ate delicious local food, saw some goats on a roof and let our cares melt away.

We even had a blast at a local mini golf course, and then got soaked on bumper boats, all a stone’s throw from our hotel.

We stayed at the lovely Bayside Oceanfront Resort in Parksville, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia on Canada’s west coast. It’s part of the Ascend Hotel Collection, which is part of the Choice Hotels family.

Just look at that view from our oceanfront room!

There was great swimming mere feet from our room (when high tide was in) and so much to explore and fun to be had when the tide went out.

I just love a cozy, clean hotel room. I couldn’t wait to sink into the bed!

There was even a wonderful welcome gift waiting for us: A gift certificate for the hotel restaurant, complete with an oceanfront patio.

Our experience booking with the Choice Hotels® mobile app

Everything was so easy with the Choice Hotels® mobile app! It was so fast to book our stay, manage our reservation, and even keep track of our Choice
Privileges® rewards!

I booked our stay on the app in about one minute flat (no exaggeration), using our points. I love how easy that was!

Even better, Choice Privileges® members can get exclusive member rates, making for amazing savings!

The Choice Privileges® program

As Choice Privileges® Canada ambassadors, we’re excited to share how the
program works.

We’ve been Choice Privileges® members for over a decade and have
collected points for years, long before our ambassadorship started.

What is the Choice Privileges® program?

Choice Hotels®, which most Canadians know best for its Comfort Inn and
Quality Inn brands, has its own loyalty program: Choice Privileges®.

Whenever you book a night or use one of the Choice Hotels® services at any
of their thousands of hotels worldwide, you can earn points which you can
then use for free hotel stays, services the hotel offers or even gift cards to
local attractions.

It’s free and easy to join online, and Choice Privileges® member benefits begin the instant you join. Members can even get reduced prices for their stays so it’s worth signing up even for single night trips!

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Advertisement: This is a paid partnership with Choice Hotels Canada.

As a traveling family, we’ve had amazing adventures together, like camping in the Sahara desert, riding in a hot air balloon in Turkey, looking for land turtles in the Galapagos, and road tripping across Spain and Portugal.

But you don’t have to travel far to make amazing memories. We just enjoyed a fun family staycation in our hometown at the Comfort Suites Kelowna, here in British Columbia, Canada. Plus, we earned Choice Privileges points for our next adventure with Choice Hotels Canada while getting a chance to experience Kelowna from a fresh point of view.

It’s easy to overlook your hometown when making travel plans. Especially during shoulder seasons such as now when the weather isn’t always predictable.

Be honest: How long has it been since you visited some of the top things to do in your hometown?

We’re especially lucky, since it’s hard to beat Kelowna’s combination of outdoor adventures, spectacular mountain and lake scenery, world class wineries, and fantastic local food.

Since we’re all about saving money while we travel, and maximizing our experiences, we were excited to partner with the Choice Privileges rewards program for this trip. As Choice Privileges members, we get benefits instantly, from booking a hotel with exclusive member rates, to earning points with our hotel stay, to redeeming points for over 20 gift cards!

Learn more about the Choice Privilege rewards program here. Signing up is so easy, and member benefits begin instantly!

How to Have the Perfect Kelowna Staycation

So, how do you make the most of a staycation? Here are some of our top tips for making the most of your time.

Check-in to a great hotel

One of the best parts of travel is getting away from everyday life and responsibilities. Sure, it may be tempting to take the cheaper option and stay at home, but it’s hard to relax when you’re looking at the same unmade bed, unwashed dishes, and uncompleted household projects that you see every day.

Even better, you get to snuggle up in that huge, comfy hotel bed. The first thing our 14 year old did after checking in was snuggle up in our room’s King size bed. Lucky kid!

The trick to a great staycation is to physically get away from everyday life an check into a great hotel. When you check into a hotel, someone else makes the bed, and cleans up after you. All you need to do is relax and enjoy your time!

Enjoy the hotel amenities

Even better, our hotel (Comfort Suites Kelowna) had a great waterslide and pool to burn off some of the kids’ pent up energy. We even stopped by the exercise room for a little extra activity.

Free hot breakfast

One of our favorite hotel amenities is the hot breakfast, and Comfort Suites definitely didn’t disappoint.

I was a fan of the freshly brewed coffee and huge pile of fresh fruit, and Charles and the kids made a beeline for the freshly made waffles and bacon. How good was it? So good that I couldn’t even get them to look up when I snapped the above photo!

When we booked our hotel in Kelowna, I used our Choice Privileges membership to get access to exclusive member rates, making it a great deal!

Because we’re Platinum members, we even got a few great perks with our booking, like earning 25% extra bonus points! Those bonus points will count toward our next hotel stay.

Get outdoors

We spend far too much time indoors in our daily life, so a staycation is the perfect chance for outdoor adventure.

Kelowna has almost limitless opportunities for getting outside with the family. We put on our hiking shoes and checked out one of Kelowna’s most popular hikes at Knox Mountain. There are plenty of trails, beaches, mountain scenery, and stunning views of Okanagan Lake. Even better, Knox Mountain is easily walkable from downtown Kelowna.

There’s also great hiking at Bear Creek and we love the short hike at Mill Creek for families with younger children. If you don’t want to have to exert a lot of effort, Mission Creek is also a great choice with its well-groomed pathways and easy accessibility.

If you’re more of the city type, Kelowna has an easily walkable, accessible downtown with a wide, flat kid-friendly boardwalk that runs along Okanagan Lake and marina. In the summer, kids will love downtown’s sandy beaches, playground, water trampoline park, and spray park.

If you visit Kelowna in the winter, there’s plenty of fun on the outdoor rink at Stuart Park (which was already closed for the season when we visited in late February), snowboarding or skiing at nearby Big White, or snowshoeing and cross country skiing up at Telemark Nordic Club.

If you’re looking for a winter outdoor adventure that’s more unstructured (and free!), we spent a fun afternoon tobogganing down a local hill near Telemark.

Local’s tip: The toboggan hill is at the corner of Glenrosa Rd and Jackpine Forest Service Road, just past Telemark on the road to Crystal Mountain Ski Resort.

In the summer, be sure to hit one of the over 30 beaches in Kelowna proper for some true summer family fun. There are plenty of options at the downtown marina or one of the numerous beaches to rent a powerboat, kayak or stand up paddle board to get out on the lake.

Looking for more ideas? Check out our family things to do in Kelowna article.

Enjoy local restaurants

One of my favorite parts of any vacation is getting a chance to have someone else handle the meals.

Kelowna has a vibrant food scene, with great farm to table dining options, fun family restaurants, and tried and true favorites.

We stopped by one of our all time favorites, the Train Station Pub, in a restored 1926 railway station, and easy walking distance from downtown.

It was the kind of day that called for the quintessential Canadian snack food: poutine, drenched in rich gravy and cheese curds.

One thing I really like about the Choice Privileges program is that you can redeem points for shopping, travel or restaurant gift cards. There’s even an Ultimate Dining gift card, which has awesome brands like Swiss Chalet, Harvey’s, Milestones, Montana’s, Kelsey’s, and so many more!

For this trip, I redeemed my points for Starbucks and Cineplex movie theaters. I’m a huge Starbucks lover, so it was wonderful to indulge in all the caramel drizzled espresso macchiato drinks my heart desired for the weekend! I even treated my 14 year old to his favorite Strawberry Acaí Refresher drink. It’s amazing, and perfect if you’re not a coffee lover!

We’re huge movie fans, so the Cineplex gift card lets us treat ourselves to a movie at our local theatre. Our Cineplex even has reclining seats, so we can catch a flick in comfort, too!

Take a drive

In our day-to-day life, we tend to stick with the tried and true, never venturing far out of our neighborhood. No matter where you live in the world, a staycation is the perfect chance to shake off the everyday and go for a drive.

We hopped in the car, and went for a winding drive among the mountain roads above Okanagan Lake, stopping to take in the views.

For our Kelowna staycation, we decided to earn some Choice Privileges points by renting a fuel efficient car from a Choice Privileges rental partner for our adventures.

Not only did we get a stylish car for our little road trip, but we were also racking up Choice Privileges points!

Renting a car was also a great way to save on gas, since our regular vehicle is a bit of a gas guzzler. We need our regular vehicle to tow our travel trailer in the summer, but it was so nice to rent a smaller vehicle for the weekend. Not only was it a greener choice, since it had much better gas mileage, but it was also nice to save racking up extra kilometers on our regular vehicle.

In summer, one of our favorite Kelowna road trip adventures is to drive along the Westside Wine Route, home to amazing wineries like Mission Creek and Quail’s Gate. With over 300 wineries in the local Okanagan region, stopping at a winery (or three) is a must any time you head out for a road trip.

For a relaxed summer drive, I love to cruise by Arlo’s Honey Farm (tours by appointment), Carmelis Goat Cheese Farm, and the Okanagan Lavender Herb Farm. You’ll pass orchards full of plump, ripe fruit along the way.

Local’s tip! If you’re lucky enough to visit during cherry season, stop by Arndt Orchards to pick cherries by the bucket full. It’s a tradition we’ve done every summer since moving out here and nothing beats eating cherries right off the tree!

See local attractions

Kelowna’s best known for its wineries and outdoor adventures, but it also has a thriving museum culture.

The city’s home to the Okanagan Heritage Museum, Okanagan Military Museum, Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame, and the Laurel Packinghouse, home of the Okanagan Wine and Orchard Museum. There’s also the Sncewips Heritage Museum (in West Kelowna), Kelowna Art Gallery, Rotary Centre for the Arts and the Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens Gallery and Studio.

On our walk downtown, we stopped by the Laurel Packinghouse, home of the Okanagan Wine and Orchard Museum. It’s one of Kelowna’s best known event venues, and even home to numerous movie sets. The Laurel Packinghouse was built in 1917, using bricks made from clay from Knox Mountain, and originally served as a packing house for local orchards and farms.

We had a blast browsing around the Okanagan Wine and Orchard Museum, and a fun chat with museum staff, who were full of enthusiasm and knowledge.

Later on, we decided to test out the quirkier side of Kelowna by visiting Axe Monkeys indoor axe throwing center. With only a handful of locations around the world, it’s great we have our own center here. What a blast and a staycation was the perfect excuse to finally check it out for ourselves.

How to use Choice Privileges

As Choice Privileges Canada ambassadors, we’re excited to share how the program works. As existing Choice Privileges members, we’ve been collecting and using points off and on for over a decade and already knew that the rewards can be sweet.

What is the Choice Privileges program?

Choice Hotels, which most Canadians know best for its Comfort Inn and Quality Inn brands, has its own loyalty program: Choice Privileges.

It’s free and easy to join online, and member benefits begin the instant you join.

How do you earn rewards?

Once you join, you can earn rewards with hotel stays, renting a car, or by staying at Choice vacation rentals or resorts! You can even earn points on car rentals with Avis or Budget, by referring a friend, or by exchanging points with other rewards programs. Once you reach Choice Privileges Gold, Platinum or Diamond membership status, you can earn even more Choice Privileges points per stay, get welcome gifts, and even room upgrades!

When you book a hotel, you’ll get special member rates offered to all Choice Privileges members.

For hotel stays, Choice Privileges rewards members earn 10 points per every U.S. dollar spent.

How can you redeem rewards?

You can redeem points for hotel stays, vacation rentals, resort stays, gift cards for shopping, merchandise or restaurants, on airline or Amtrak travel, or you can exchange points with other rewards programs.

Stay tuned! We’ll be writing a full review and guide of the Choice Privileges program in a later post. Sign up for our newsletter here so you don’t miss it.

Learn more about the Choice Privileges program here.

Have you checked out the Choice Privileges rewards program?

Well, we’re fortunate enough to live close to one of the best places in the world to see a sockeye salmon run, at the Adams River Salmon Run in the interior of British Columbia, Canada.

You can find this famous salmon migration event happening around four and a half hours east of Vancouver just off the TransCanada Highway 1, right before the small city of Salmon Arm in late September and October every year.

Still not sure? Well the Adams River not only has one of the largest sockeye salmon runs in North America, but if you show up in a dominant year, chances are you will see thousands of brightly colored salmon only a few feet from you.

Every fourth year is considered a dominant salmon run, which means that there are more salmon running in the river, and more people coming to watch. 2018 was the last dominant year and the next will be 2026.

Tsutswecw Provincial Park (formally Roderick Haig-Brown)

Important 2023 update. Unfortunately, the park was seriously damaged during the 2023 wildfire season, and is closed until a complete assessment is done.

Check the park website for updates.

Every year we visit, we’re wowed by the beautiful surroundings the park, and the spectacle of watching millions of Sockeye Salmon return to their historical spawning beds in the Adams River.

Lucky for us, the Tsutswecw Provincial Park (where the Sockeye salmon Run takes place), is less than a two hour’s drive away from our home base in Kelowna. It makes a great day trip for us and a great excuse to be outdoors.

Formerly known as Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, this British Columbia park has now been renamed Tsutswecw Provincial Park (pronounced choo-chwek) in honor of the original aboriginal name the area was once known as.

Regardless of the name, it’s mind boggling to see the salmon struggling to make their way over 250 miles (400 kms) from the Pacific Ocean upstream, only to lay their eggs and die in the same river they were born in.

Salute to the Sockeye Festival

During dominant years, the Tsútswecw Provincial Park runs a Salute to the Sockeye Festival that runs during peak salmon watching season, usually between late September and late October. You can get exact dates for best viewing times, current events and more directly from the Adams River Society.

The first year we saw the salmon run, back in 2010, it took a bit of research to find the park and even more to find information about what to expect once we arrived there. Back then, after pulling into the free small parking lot, there was only a lovely interpretive area, and a few paths to watch from, but we were largely on our own, even considering that it was a dominant year that year.

In the past few years, the event has grown and there are now many walking paths, including a few that are paved, as well as a huge paid parking area with helpers assigning spots, plenty of signs and information booths, as well as food trucks and even special events daily during the peak days.

When to visit the BC Salmon Run

Since 2018 was a dominant run, 2022 and 2026 will be dominant years as well and would be the best years to visit. 2019, 2020, 2023, 2024 and 2025 are considered sub-dominant years, meaning fewer fish, however plenty of salmon can still be found if you happen to be there then.

During a dominant year, it’s not uncommon for over two million Sockeye to return to the area. In the year after a dominant run, you may see 300,000 or more so it’s still not a bad time to visit.

During our last trip, we witnessed the Salute to the Sockeye Festival in full gear at Tsutswecw Provincial Park. The festival takes place every four years during a dominant run.

There’s a visitors centre, and on-path experts that will tell you all about the salmon you’re seeing in the river, artisans, music, events and even food vendors on site.

Trust us, we were thrilled to see a mini donut truck on site and, judging from the line ups, so was everyone else. Since it was later on a Canadian fall day, getting a warm cup of hot chocolate was also a nice bonus.

It can get pretty busy during dominant salmon years, and organizers have thought of pretty much everything, including an impressive row of port-a-potties to handle the crowds.

The best part is that entry to the festival and the park is free. There’s a small per car fee for parking that goes directly to maintaining the park and grounds, however you can park on the road and do the long hike in for free if you’re looking to save a few dollars. We enjoyed easy access to our vehicle and the fee goes towards a good cause so we opted to pay for parking.

Protect the spawning salmon!

Here’s what a lot of people don’t know: the salmon eggs stay in the gravel in the bottom of the river for 90 to 150 days and salmon actually hatch mid-winter. The alevin (larval salmon) stay in the gravel for several more weeks, and then emerge into the stream as fry in April or May.

This means that if you step in the river, or let your dog or children step in the river, you could be destroying thousands of salmon eggs and even face a fine, so please stay out of the water. Also remember not to throw rocks since that can disturb spawning rituals.

How many salmon will I see?

It varies year to year how many salmon come back to the same river to spawn. That said, we’ve never been disappointed. We were lucky enough to see a river teeming with salmon eight years ago, and were still thrilled to see plenty of salmon last year.

Check out our video below, of what the Salmon Run looked like back in 2010 at the Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park, which was also during a dominant run, and happened to be one of the largest salmon runs in recent history.

Every year, the river can change course, and viewing angles can change. We took that video from a viewing platform that was no longer in place at the river in 2018.

Here’s a pretty raw video we took of the Salmon run on the Adams River in 2018. There are definitely less salmon than when we were there back in 2010, but there’s still plenty to see!

What’s the best place in the park to see salmon?

Tsutswecw Provincial Park is a big place, and the river takes a long, circuitous path through the park, making for a lot of potential area to view the salmon spawning.

Depending on a lot of factors, including river volume or past flooding damage, the Adam River path can change year to year. That means it can be a bit tricky to find the best place to see the salmon.

We got the best views of salmon by walking along the river bank, rather than on a viewing platform.

There are 26 km of trails in the park, but we stuck to the 3 or 4 km of trails closer to the parking lot.

Tip! There aren’t a lot of daylight hours in October in Canada for salmon viewing. Sunrise is usually around 7:50 am, with sunset around 4:30 pm. We arrived at around 3:00 pm, and it was already getting cooler. We’d suggest arriving earlier in the day for peak sunshine and warmth!

The easiest access to viewing salmon close up is to take the Lower Trails to the right of the parking lot. Look for the sign for the Island Loop trail to the left at about 200 meters (give or take). The Island Loop trail takes you right along the Adams River, on somewhat flat ground. You will however, need to walk over some loose river rock to access the river so wear good shoes.

Towards the end of the Island Loop trail is a small, shallow creek with hundreds of salmon half out of the water. This was one of the busiest areas, but also one of the best to get a clear view of the salmon themselves.

You should be able to find the most up to date trail map here on the BC Parks website.

If you’re looking to see salmon jump through a waterfall, there’s an area of the park where the Adams River squeezes through a canyon on Bear Creek. You can see the waterfall from the Flume Trail system, though we’ve never visited it. Your best bet would be to chat with park staff to find out more details.

CAUTION: Some portions of the river bank can be dangerous and unstable! Use caution and observe any warning signage!

For 2019 and later, there are a few viewing platforms that should remain stationary. At the east end of the main viewing area, taking the Lower Trails to the left of the parking lot, there’s a large platform that looks down on the river.

Since it’s pretty high up, you won’t get to see salmon up close from here, but it is a really pretty view of the river.

While salmon are the main draw, there is plenty of other wildlife in the park, including beavers, river otters, mink, black bears, and deer. You may even get lucky and see eagles feasting on salmon in the river!

While most of the trails lead to the river, with few amenities, there is a trail that leads from the left of the parking lot, where you can relax at picnic tables near the river. The kids are enjoying they’re hot chocolate from the mini donut food truck!

Wheelchair access

The main parking area is on flat land, with dirt and gravel cover, with access to the main Salmon Society log cabin.

There’s also a fully accessible trail that’s a little over 30 meters long that winds through the forest and ends at the viewing platform over the river. When we visited, it was a flat trail with gravel (not paved).

That said, we saw the most salmon by walking along the rivers edge, which is a dirt track covered with loose river rock, and quite narrow in parts. We had to walk slowly to get along, so wheelchair access would be impossible right next to the river here.

Where to stay near the Adams River Salmon Run

Since the park is in the wilderness, there are no hotels (or camping, even) on site.

You can camp at Niskonlith Lake Provincial Park and Shuswap Lake Provincial Park, which are both within a 20 minute drive. In mid-October it can get well below freezing at night in the Canadian mountains so we wouldn’t recommend tenting unless you’re an experienced camper who has winter camped in below freezing temperatures before.

One of the closest hotels is the independent (and well rated) Jade Mountain Motel. It’s a basic, affordable motel just off the Trans Canada Highway that should run under $100 CDN a night.

There are also a handful of hotels and bed and breakfasts in the nearby village of Sorrento, BC.

The nearest small city is Salmon Arm. We like the Comfort Inn & Suites Salmon Arm, which is a good value at around $110 CAD a night.

If you’re staying in Kamloops (which is about an hour to the West, and on the way from Vancouver), the Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriot Kamloops rates well.

How to get to the Adams River Salmon Run at Tsutswecw Provincial Park

Most visitors come by car or by tour bus. The nearest cities are Kamloops (50 minutes), Salmon Arm (40 minutes ), or the small town of Chase (10 minutes).

Our home town of Kelowna is just under a 2 hour drive, and Vernon is just over an hour away.

Vancouver is about four and a half hours by car and Calgary is seven hours by car. The nearest international airport to Tsutswecw (Roderick Haig-Brown) Provincial Park is in Kamloops.

The entrance to Tsútswecw Provincial Park is five km from the town of Squilax. From the intersection of the Squilax and the TransCanada Highway, head north on the Squilax-Anglemont Road for a little over five kilometers. The entrance was well marked when we visited.

The closest communities are Salmon Arm, Kamloops, Chase, and Sorrento.

It’s a fantastic city, and there are plenty of things to do in Vancouver with the family, from indoor fun like the Vancouver Aquarium, to outdoor adventure by the ocean, to thrill seeking fun on either the Lynn Canyon or Capilano suspension bridges.

Things to do in Vancouver with kids

There are hundreds of fun things to do with kids in Vancouver, but we’ve picked the very best for this list.

The Vancouver Aquarium

The non-profit Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre is committed to rehabilitation and re-release (wherever possible) of injured, ill or abandoned marine creatures. It also operates Ocean Wise, a conservation program that works directly with local restaurants, markets, food services and suppliers to ensure that they have the most current scientific information and to help them make ocean-friendly buying decisions.

The Vancouver Aquarium is Canada’s largest aquarium and home to over 58,000 animals. It’s a great place to take kids, with the new Discover Rays touch pool, and plenty of kid-friendly exhibits and play areas.

Stanley Park

I’m not sure I can count how many times we’ve visited Stanley Park over the years. Quite handily, it’s right next to downtown and it also houses the Vancouver Aquarium. There are over 1000 acres here, with stunning views of Vancouver’s skyline, and plenty of room for kids to run free. It’s a special place that lets you glimpse the natural wonder of British Columbia’s coast in an urban setting. Be sure to take your time and wander through the giant Sequoia trees. If you love trees, Stanley Park won’t disappoint.

First Nations heritage

The First Nations people of Vancouver have played a large role in preserving Stanley Park in its natural state. If you’re interested in First Nations culture, and especially the relationship between First Nations people with Northwest coast trees and plants, I’d highly recommend taking the Talking Trees tour with Talaysay Tours. It’s a two hour tour, and I was fascinated by our soft-spoken guide’s intimate and detailed knowledge. Just a note, this tour may be better suited to slightly older children.

Horse-drawn tours and railway tours

Everyone on these old-fashioned horse drawn carriages looks like they’re having a blast. The tour leaves from Coal Harbour, and a guide describes Stanley Park’s attractions, which include the Vancouver Harbour, Lions Gate Bridge, the cedar forest, totem poles, and Deadman’s Island and more.

The kids will also love the Stanley Park Miniature Railway and the Prospect Point totem poles.

Stanley Park beaches and more

Everyone in your group will love the miles of stunning boardwalks that line the rugged coast with walkers, joggers, bikers and rollerbladers all cruising by. There are also numerous beaches and beach volleyball courts set up along the shoreline.

Science World at TELUS World of Science

Kids adore Vancouver’s Science World, with it’s fun, hands-on interactive displays like Eureka!, as well as huge special events, OMNIMAX films and real life art exhibits. Even if you don’t go inside, there are plenty of free fun things to check out outside like the giant marble maze and the moving water stand.

With continually changing exhibits and galleries designed just for kids, there’s something new at Science World every time we go.

Vancouver Seawall

The Vancouver Seawall is a 28 km (17 mile) long paved pathway that runs along the ocean front through most of metro Vancouver. Views are fantastic here, and it’s always busy with families and health enthusiasts. There are beaches, kids play structures and beach volleyball courts running along the seawall at various places so make sure you grab your swimsuit if you’re there in the summer months.

Capilano Suspension Bridge

Kids will love this suspension bridge, which stretches 140 meters (over 450 feet) long and 70 meters (230 feet) high above the Capilano River. The only negatives I can say about it are that it can be busy, and that admission is steep at over $40 for an adult. Kids under six are free, though. As well as the bridge, there’s the Treetops Adventure, a decent collection of First Nations totem poles, rain forest ecotours, gardens, nature trails and the new cliff walk which lets you climb on the outside of a cliff along a slim cable suspension bridge.

The FREE Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

As an alternative to the pricey Capilano Suspension bridge, we like to visit the free Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. The lesser known (and free!) Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver’s Lynn Canyon Park is a solid alternative to the Capilano bridge and has some pretty pathways that cross the bridge and lead down to natural pools and waterfalls.

Granville Island

Granville Island, in Vancouver’s downtown district, is the city’s most popular tourist attraction. Both kids and adults usually love a visit.

The main attraction here is the bustling Granville Island public market, full of fresh fruit and veggies, pastries and breads, specialty coffee, ethnic specialty cuisine, and artisan handicrafts. There are also almost 300 stores on Granville Island itself.

As well as the shops, there’s almost always some sort of show being performed on Granville Island. Whether that’s buskers blowing enormous water bubbles for the kids, musicians playing everything from bongos to reed instruments to banjos to dance troupes performing acrobatic stunts, there’s always something there to entertain the kids.

Granville Island is surrounded by lovely views of the waters of False Creek and the Burrard Street Bridge. There are marinas and boats all along the shore front here. Also, be sure to take some time to walk by the floating water homes just east of the public market.

Getting to Granville Island

You can either cross the Granville Island bridge on car or on foot (it’s a very long walk by foot) however parking is very limited on Granville Island. As such, most people take an Aquabus Ferry to get there.

The kids will also love cruising around False Creek on the Granville Island Ferries, which runs a fleet of adorable, mini ferries that buzz back and forth between small docks around False Creek and Granville Island. It’s also the easiest way to get to Granville Island if you’re walking in from downtown.

The Kids’ Market

Be sure to check out the kid’s market on Granville Island! It’s housed in a large, yellow building, and packed with toy shops and a busy play area. Your kids will love it, but your wallet probably won’t so take that as you will.

The Granville Island Water Park

Despite Granville Island’s small size, they’ve managed to build the largest free water park in North America. It’s open all summer and is a great place to chow down on all the goodies you picked up at the public market.

Kitsilano Beach

Located right downtown, Kitsilano beach is a long swath of soft, gold sand that peeks out over beautiful English Bay.

There’s plenty of fun to be had here resting on huge logs along the beaches, beachcombing for shells and playing in the golden sand. There’s also a playground right there with park benches for the parents and beach volleyball nets set up, ten tennis courts, as well as basketball courts.

Vanier Park

Kitsilano Beach, or Kits Beach as the locals call it, is next to expansive, leafy Vanier Park, which is home to the Museum of Vancouver, the Vancouver Maritime Museum, the City of Vancouver Archives, and the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre. There’s plenty of grass and space here, making it perfect for a relaxing day under the trees. If you visit during summer, check to see if the International Children’s Festival is happening in the park which is a popular festival for kids every summer.

Kitsilano Pool

You’ve likely seen photos of this outdoor, heated salt water pool with city and mountains in the background. It’s only open in the summer, and there’s a place for little kids in the shallows.

Cuddle cats at the Catfe

Catfe is Vancouver’s first cat cafe, featuring adoptable cats from the BC SPCA! Animal loving kids will adore a visit here, but since it’s hugely popular, make sure to make an online reservation as soon as you can since it’s usually booked up days in advance.

Saving money on your trip to Vancouver

Vancouver’s beautiful and fun, sure, but it can also be a bit pricey. Here’s little list of ways to save some cash in Vancouver.

• Get $35 USD in Airbnb credits the first time you use them. (We get a credit, too).
• Check out Groupon’s local deals. You may be surprised at some of the great deals, especially for food and attractions.
• Get a credit card with good travel perks.
• Check out the coupons on the Vancouver Attractions site.
• Stop by Tourism Vancouver visitor’s centre downtown on Burrard. They often have coupons in stock, and know the best deals, plus they can give you some fantastic, personalized ideas for family fun in Vancouver.

Attractions near UBC

During our last visit to Vancouver, we stayed on the UBC (University of British Columbia) Campus, at the lovely West Coast Suites at UBC. If you’re looking for a quieter pace, the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Museum of Anthropology (MOA) and the Greenheart TreeWalk at the UBC Botanical Garden may be just the ticket.

Tip! If you’re planning to visit several UBC attractions, look into the UBC Museums and Gardens Pass. You can buy adult, concession (senior, youth or student) or family passes. The pass gives you admission to the Museum of Anthropology (MOA), the Beaty Biodiversity Museum, Nitobe Memorial Garden and the UBC Botanical Garden. It also gives discounts on food, books, clothing and the fun Canopy Treewalk.

Beaty Biodiversity Museum

An enormous blue whale skeleton is the first thing you’ll notice at the Beaty Biodiversity Museum. Inside, we were fascinated by a dated, but interesting, documentary on how the blue whale skeleton was found, unearthed, and installed. The vault-like downstairs houses more than two million specimens of plants, marine invertebrates, insects, fish, vertebrates, fungi, and fossils. Kids with a naturalist or scientific bent will love this place.

Greenheart TreeWalk and the UBC Botanical Garden

Our kids had a blast tearing along this 310 metre (1,000 foot) long canopy walkway. It’s not as tall or scary as the Capilano or Lynn Canyon Suspension bridges, but the multiple walkways make it a lot of fun for kids. At its tallest, it’s almost 20 metres (65 feet) above the forest floor.

Tip! The Greenheart TreeWalk is not included in the UBC Museums and Gardens Pass, but the pass offers a 10% discount on the treewalk.

The Greenheart TreeWalk is in the larger UBC Botanical Garden, which covers about 110 acres (44 hectares) and has over 8,000 different plants. We loved the long, winding trails through big, shady trees, as it gave the kids (and us!) a chance to burn off some energy.

Museum of Anthropology (MOA)

If your kids are a little older, they may appreciate the beautiful Museum of Anthropology (MOA). Inside, there are stunning displays of First Nations totem poles plus 38,000 ethnographic objects, as well as 535,000 archaeological objects. The MOA building, designed by famed architect Arthur Erickson, is a gem in itself.

The best family accommodation in Vancouver

Deciding where to stay in Vancouver with a family can be a bit tricky. All of the accommodation downtown can be a bit pricier, but it’s a good choice if you want to be near the city’s main attractions. We’ve picked our favorite downtown hotels, an excellent choice just out of the center, as well as a great airport hotel, and our best value option out of the downtown.

The Perfect Location – Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver

A couple of years ago, our little family stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver for two very happy days.

It’s a gorgeous hotel in a perfect location downtown across from Canada Place, and it caters perfectly to families. Our kids loved sitting in the room looking out over the harbor to watch float planes land and take off, and cruise ships like the Disney Wonder dock. Rooms are modern and beautiful, with plenty of room for little ones to run about, and it has every amenity you would want, from a heated outdoor pool to a spacious gym to quality dining downstairs. There’s even a rooftop herb garden and beehives that you can visit!

See prices and availability.

The relaxed family hotel – West Coast Suites UBC

Don’t get me wrong, we love Vancouver’s downtown. It’s interesting and vibrant, with plenty to do and see. However, downtown’s not always a kid friendly place. When the kids were a bit younger, we were in town for a wedding, and got a hotel a close to Granville Street. On the way back to the hotel from the reception, with our then nine and six year olds in tow, we had to dodge a lot of drunk and rowdy folks so choose your place accordingly.

Needless to say, we were up for a hotel that was a bit more relaxed the next time we visited the city.

West Coast Suites at UBC was a perfect choice, with its location out of the downtown core, and surrounded by quiet grounds. Driving to the hotel, you’ll see the spacious UBC campus to one side, and get peeks of British Columbia’s stunning Pacific Coast on the other.

All of the rooms at West Coast Suites at UBC are one bedroom units with a full kitchen and a pull-out Queen bed for the kids. You can read more about our West Coast Suites stay here.

See prices and availability.

The airport choice – Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel is Vancouver’s only in-terminal airport hotel. It gets great ratings, and might be worth the splurge if you’re looking for a little luxury at the airport. There’s a surcharge for WiFi.

See prices and availability here.

The budget downtown option

If you’re looking for a budget hotel in the heart of downtown, Robson Suites and Sunset Inn and Suites both get good reviews.

We haven’t stayed in either because they’re always infuriatingly fully booked far in advance, but they’re both smaller boutique hotels that should run you close to, or under, $120 a night for a double room. Both hotels include free WiFi, but Robson Suites is closer to Stanley Park (but doesn’t include breakfast, though rooms have a kitchen or kitchenette), while Sunset Inn is right next to Stanley Park (and includes breakfast in the rate).

See Robson Suites availability.

Check Sunset Inn and Suites availability.

A bit of a drive, but great value – Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Riverport Richmond

If you’re up for taking the SkyTrain or driving into downtown Vancouver, and want to save a few $$, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Riverport Richmond is an affordable, clean option. We stayed here for a few days a few years ago, and would stay again. It’s a pretty standard chain hotel, but clean and new, with free breakfast, free airport shuttle, fast, free WiFi, and a pool and hot tub.

See prices and availability here.

The Hidden Gem – The hotel on Granville Island

Granville Island Hotel is one of Vancouver’s less known gems. It’s a boutique hotel located right on Granville Island, overlooking the water, and gets great reviews.

Check prices and reviews here.

Airbnb

As a family, we love staying in Airbnb properties. We always rent a condo or house, which gives us a kitchen, more bedrooms, and often an extra bathroom. The price you’ll pay varies on location and size, but a small private studio starts at around $60/night downtown, while a private two bedroom starts at around $100.

Create a new account using this link, and get $35 USD in Airbnb credits the first time you use them. (We get a credit, too).

How to get around Vancouver as a family

Whether you drive, grab the efficient Skytrain, or take a scenic SeaBus, there are plenty of transportation options for families in Vancouver.

SeaBus to North Vancouver

This is relaxing, affordable ride across Burrard Inlet, and gives you a lovely view of Stanley Park, the Lions Gate bridge, and mountains on the distance. Kids will love watching float planes land and watching the other boats on the water.

Ferries

Vancouver public transit includes the SeaBus (above). To get to Vancouver Island or the other off coast islands, you can take a ferry with BC Ferries.

Granville Island has its own ferry company, Granville Island Ferries, with a fleet of adorable, mini ferries that buzz back and forth between small docks around False Creek and Granville Island.

Hop-on, Hop-off Sightseeing

We haven’t had a chance to take the hop-on, hop-off trolley downtown, but our kids’ eyes light up every time they see it drive by. I’m sure it’ll be a huge hit!

Wee ones are thrilled to see Vancouver from an old-fashioned trolley or an open-air bus. With fully narrated tours, Vancouver’s hop-on, hop-off sightseeing tours give a great overview of the city, along with giving families the flexibility to make stops whenever suits them. Hop off to explore all the downtown attractions, then hop back on again to continue to the next exciting destination.

Drive

Driving around downtown Vancouver is certainly possible, and we’ve done it many times. As long as you’re not visiting during a major event, there are usually enough parkades to handle the traffic. Just be warned: traffic can get highly congested during rush hour or if there’s an accident. Parking is also one of the most expensive in Canada and runs $10 to $30 a day in downtown Vancouver, depending on your location.

Skytrain

Most visitors to Vancouver take advantage of the Skytrain service around the city. The system is quick, efficient (trains leave the downtown stations every two to five minutes) and covers most of the city. You can take the Skytrain out to the suburbs, and scenic Westminster Quay on the way to (not so scenic) Surrey.

Public transit

Aside from the ubiquitious Skytrain, Vancouver has a large fleet of buses that cover most of the city and are a great option if you’re staying at UBC.

Uber and Lyft

As of January 2018, ride sharing apps like Uber or Lyft aren’t available in British Columbia, but there are suggestions that may change soon.

Have you visited Vancouver with kids? What were your favorite Vancouver attractions for the family?

Vancouver, British Columbia is all about relaxed West Coast vibe and stunning scenery. With a thriving downtown and a reputation for great food, it’s a city where you can grab a tasty breakfast, browse the local markets, shop for high end fashion then hike a local mountain before it’s noon.

We’ve been lucky enough to spend a good chunk of time in Vancouver, and it remains one of our favorite Canadian cities.

If you’re planning to check it out, here are our tips for the best things to do, see and eat in Vancouver, plus some recommendations on where to stay. So whether you’re splurging on luxury or staying on a budget you have a ton of choices.

The Best Things to Do and See in Vancouver

It’s often been said that Vancouver’s one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and it’s really no exaggeration. It’s a truly world class city, where nature is never more that a 15 minute walk away from wherever you happen to be. Here are our top picks.

Visit Granville Island

Granville Island is Vancouver’s most popular tourist attraction, and beloved by locals as well. Once you check it out, it’s easy to see why.

It’s located near the heart of downtown, surrounded by the waters of False Creek, and features a thriving public market chock full of homemade treats, fresh fruit and veggies, and artisan handicrafts. We loved the Vancouver Foodie Tour (more on that in What to Eat in Vancouver later), which gave us a sampling of many of the artisan foods on site.

There’s a separate kid’s market, Granville Island Brewing, and the Emily Carr University of Art + Design nearby. Be sure to take some time to walk by the floating water homes and check out the view of Burrard Street Bridge.

Visit Stanley Park

Located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Stanley Park is over a thousand acres with great views of the Vancouver skyline. It’s a must-see place, with giant red cedar trees towering over a park that’s largely natural and untouched. You won’t find sculptured lawns and pretty flower beds here; this is a natural park.

The First Nations people of Vancouver have played a large role in preserving the park in its natural state. If you’re interested in First Nations culture, and especially the relationship between First Nations people with Northwest coast trees and plants, I’d highly recommend taking the Talking Trees tour with Talaysay Tours. It’s a two hour tour, and I was fascinated by our soft-spoken guide’s intimate and detailed knowledge.

While you’re in the park, be sure to check out the Stanley Park Miniature Railway for kids and Prospect Point totem poles. It’s one of the best things to do in Vancouver with kids.

Walk or bike the seawall

The Seawall is a 28 km (17 mile) long pathway that runs along most of metro Vancouver. It’s the perfect place to take in some stunning views. It’s a long hike to do the entire distance, so we suggest just walking along a section or taking the advice of Gemma from Two Scots Abroad and cycling the seawall.

Go to the beach

Vancouver BC is home to several lovely beaches. You can go swimming in the summer, but they’re perfect for walking along while checking out the tidal pools and scenery any time of year. In summer, the Vacation Gals recommend swimming in English Bay, or First Beach, both on the perimeter of Stanley Park.

Be sure to visit Jericho and Kitsilano beaches in trendy Kitsilano, which Adelina from Pack Me To calls one of Vancouver’s most desirable neighborhoods, due to its proximity to both downtown and nature. Kits is also home to the H.R. MacMillian Space Centre and the Vancouver Museum.

Visit a swinging suspension bridge

Most Vancouver guides suggest checking out the popular Capilano Suspension Bridge. While Capilano’s definitely beautiful and accessible, it’s expensive at approximately $38 per adult.

The lesser known (and free!) Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver’s Lynn Canyon Park is a solid alternative to the Capilano bridge and has some nice pathways leading up to the some great natural pools and waterfalls.

If you’re heading out to the Sea to Sky Gondola to check out the views (and you should), there’s also the pretty Sky Pilot suspension bridge at the top of the gondola ride.

See the Telus World of Science

This hands-on science museum is hard to miss, with its eye-catching geodesic dome at the tip of False Creek. There are plenty of hands-on exhibits to delight kids and adults alike, plus an OMNIMAX theatre.

Explore downtown on foot

Vancouver’s downtown neighborhood is diverse enough to be worth spending some time exploring on foot. You’ll find plenty of action in downtown Vancouver, which comprises of the West End, Yaletown and Gastown.

Gritty Gastown, Vancouver’s oldest neighborhood, teems with great restaurants, pubs and shops. The Vancouver Art Gallery is well worth a visit, with rotating exhibits and an attractive exterior. If you’re not keen on walking, grab a seat on the Vancouver Trolley.

See Trolley Tickets on Viator tours here.

Get outdoors

Even in the heart of downtown Vancouver, you’re never more than half an hour from the ocean, or from hiking a local mountain. There are plenty of outdoor adventures in the city, and Vancouver’s close proximity to the mountains and ocean makes it easy to get deep into nature without a lot of effort.

Adelina of Pack Me To suggests kayaking in Deep Cove in North Vancouver. Deep Cove is only about half an hour from downtown Vancouver, and kayaking here gives you a chance to get out on the water in a smaller, quiet community.

If you’re the athletic type, take the steep Grouse Grind (1.8 mile/2.9 km) hike to the top of Grouse Mountain in North Vancouver for beautiful views of the city from the top.

Because of its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, you can go whale watching off the coast near Vancouver. Erin and Josh with Travel with Bender give you the details about whale watching here. You can take the same tour they talk about with Viator.

Check out Vancouver’s craft brewery scene

It’s well worth checking out Vancouver’s booming craft beer scene. Taylor and Daniel from Once We’re Young Travel recommend taking in the craft beer at Storm Brewing, Parallel 49, Powell Street Brewing, 33 Acres, and Dockside Brewing.

Viator offers a few fun brewery tours, including a new Electric Bicycle VIP Craft Beer Experience tour. We ran into some folks on the electric bicycle tour on our last family trip to Vancouver, and it looked like they were having a blast.

Explore Quirky and Offbeat Vancouver

Vancouver’s a young, vibrant city, with a quirky side to match. Here are just a few of the offbeat things to do in Vancouver.

Cuddle a few cats

Catfe is Vancouver’s first cat cafe, featuring adoptable cats from the BC SPCA! It’s hugely popular, so make sure to make an online reservation as soon as you can.

Stroll the Richmond Night Market

The Richmond Night Market is probably the closest you’re going to come to a crowded Asian street market in Canada. A giant rubber ducky greets you at the entrance, and inside you’ll find tables selling everything from knickknacks to CDs, a midway, and a food court tucked in the back. We haven’t eaten there, but Savored Journeys suggest visiting Rotato, which offers a deep-fried potato cut in a long spiral with 8 different possible flavors. Most food items are under $5.

The Richmond Street Market is held through the summer months during weekends. You can get to the night market by SkyTrain from downtown Vancouver. While you’re in Richmond, stop by Steveston Village, a picturesque former fishing village, for some fresh seafood and charming views.

Visit the Jimi Hendrix Shrine

Every summer, the Jimi Hendrix Shrine opens at 432 Homer Street. Jimi spent summers in Vancouver with his grandmother Nora, who hosted a number of visiting performers like Nat King Cole and Louis Armstrong.

See the street art

Vancouver’s street art scene is thriving, with some talented artists involved. The City of Vancouver has some helpful information on self-guided street art tours of Vancouver at Vancouvermurals.ca. For a preview, check out Travel Addicts’ post on the street art around Cordova Street.

One of the largest is the Giants, a huge graffiti mural on silos at a cement factory on Granville Island, painted by two Brazilian artists OSGEMEOS.

Stop by Chinatown

Surprisingly, you don’t often see Chinatown mentioned in most Vancouver activities recommendations, but Chris and Heather from A Brit and a Southerner make the point that Vancouver’s Chinatown is well worth a visit. While you’re there, stop by Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden. It’s small but a distinctive place to relax, with colorful plants and symbolic yin and yang representations.

Go Shopping

Granville Island is our top pick for grabbing some souvenirs and goods with a real local vibe. There are almost 300 stores on Granville Island. Be sure to check out Edible Canada’s retail store for Canadian goodies like maple syrup, smoked salmon, and goods from artisans across Canada.

If you’re a fashionista, the place to shop is Robson Street, with shops including Zara, Le Chateau and Plenty. Check out Alberni Street nearby for luxury stores like Hermes and Gucci. You’ll find independent fashion like Roden Gray in Gastown and along Main Street (20th to 22nd Avenue).

If you’re looking to buy or rent quality outdoor gear, Mountain Equipment Co-op (or MEC, as it’s known by locals), is our top pick. MEC has been around since 1971, and is still run as a co-op by members. To shop there, you’ll need to buy a $5 membership share, which gives you co-op voting rights. We’ve been members since 1989.

Smack in the heart of downtown Vancouver, Pacific Place Mall has hundreds of retail stores and places to eat. Pacific Place Mall is clean, spacious, and largely underground, making it a great choice if you’re looking for indoor shopping.

Visit the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre

In a time brewing with controversy about the treatment of marine animals (think Blackfish), the non-profit Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre gets it right. It’s an organization committed to rehabilitation and re-release (wherever possible) of injured, ill or abandoned marine creatures. It also operates Ocean Wise, conservation program that works directly with local restaurants, markets, food services and suppliers to ensure that they have the most current scientific information and to help them make ocean-friendly buying decisions.

The Vancouver Aquarium is Canada’s largest aquarium and home to over 58,000 animals, including beluga whales, dolphins, sea otters, anacondas, three-toed sloths, eels and more. It’s a great place to take kids, with the new Discover Rays touch pool, and plenty of kid-friendly exhibits and play areas.

For more than 47 years, the Vancouver Aquarium has operated the Marine Mammal Rescue Centre. The program rescues and rehabilitates marine mammals found injured, ill or abandoned until they’re healthy enough to be returned to their natural habitats.

Tanu, one of the otters in the photo above, was rescued as baby too young to how to eat by herself or groom herself. Dedicated staff had to bottle-feed and groom her until she learned how to do it herself. Now, Tanu is over five years old, and thriving in the Aquarium habitat.

The Rescue Centre admits over 150 distressed marine mammals annually. Over the years, rescued animals have included harbour seals, Steller sea lions, northern fur seals, elephant seals, sea otters, orcas, dolphins and porpoises. Some have been threatened or are endangered species.

The Sea to Sky Gondola

If you’re making a trip to Whistler, make time to visit the stunning Sea to Sky Gondola near Squamish. The views are breathtaking, and you can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant, walk along hiking trails, go tubing in the winter, or walk across the suspension bridge.

If you’re looking for some more ideas for what to do in Vancouver, Viator Tours offers some fun and affordable activities, including sightseeing, whale watching, a private tour to Whistler, a trip in a seaplane over Vancouver, or a distillery tour.

If you’re looking to use Vancouver as a stopping off point for a larger adventure to discover the Canadian Rockies or even to do Alaska by ferry and rail, then it may be worth checking out the tours offered by G Adventures.

Where to Eat in Vancouver

Vancouver has no shortage of fantastic restaurants, running the gamut from trendy, award-winning restaurants, to expensive Michelin-star affairs, to inexpensive, hole in the wall local favorites.

Given Vancouver’s location on the West Coast of Canada, there’s no shortage of fresh seafood, and the local melting pot of cultures means that you can enjoy almost any type of food you’d like.

AnnaLena

As a vegetarian, I spend a lot of time eating meals that seem to be a bit of an afterthought compared to a restaurant’s carefully prepared meat dishes, even at more expensive restaurants.

Two thumbs up to the kitchen at AnnaLena who bucked that trend in a big way. I’m not sure I’ve ever had a better entree than their vegetarian pasta with potato agnolotti, wild mushrooms, confit shallots and asiago foam.

Turns out I’m not alone in my praise. AnnaLena was named one of Canada’s best new restaurants by enRoute Magazine. Located in trendy Kitsilano, AnnaLena, also serves a wickedly good desert selection and finely crafted cocktails.

Price: $22 to $35 mains

YEW Seafood + bar

YEW Seafood + bar at the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver was the baby of Chef Ned Bell, who’s well known for his farm-to-table philosophy. Bell is founder of Chefs for Oceans, an organization that promotes sustainable seafood. In keeping, the YEW Seafood + bar menu is 100 per cent Ocean Wise.

The menu is bursting with fresh, sustainable seafood options, with everything from fresh oysters to Arctic char and non-fish options like chicken and Wagyu shortribs.

Vegetarians like me aren’t left out, with an ample vegan menu that includes fresh, flavorful vegan tacos and a rich, creamy vegan chocolate tort.

Price: $20 to $45 mains

Go Fish Ocean Emporium

Beloved by locals, this little blue shack on False Creek near Granville Island serves up fresh, tasty fish and chips, a daily grilled seafood selection, tacones, sandwiches and sides. It’s a take-away spot, but the views of downtown Vancouver and False Creek make it worth the inconvenience.

Price: $5-11 mains

Vancouver Foodie Tours Granville Island

While not a restaurant per se, a foodie tour of Granville Iisland is a wonderful way to get introduced to the best treats at the Granville Island Market. I took the Granville Island Market Tour with Vancouver Foodie Tours, and left absolutely stuffed with homemade bread, artisan cheeses, gourmet coffee, fresh Okanagan apples, Chai tea, homemade donuts and many more delights.

Edible Canada is the must-visit place for foodies on Granville Island. It’s dedicated to showcasing the best of BC and Canadian cuisine in a comfy bistro.

Insider tip: Edible Canada’s eggs bennie sauce is one of the best I’ve ever tasted.

Budget eats in Vancouver

Tacofino is beloved in Vancouver for its affordable fish tacos, vegetarian and chicken burritos, and relaxed vibe. There’s a Tacofino restaurant in Gastown and Tacofino food trucks pop up all over the city.

Mains: $6-11

Brunch in Vancouver

Brunch is pretty much an institution in Vancouver. There are too many great spots to mention, but The Twisted Fork, Café Medina (long lines, but worth it), Boulevard, The Red Wagon Cafe, and the trendy YEW Seafood + bar are all well worth a visit.

If you’re looking to take a foodie tour of Vancouver, check out what Get Your Guide offers in Vancouver.

They offer everything from craft brewery tours to Stanley Park walking tours.

Where to Stay

Vancouver has hundreds of hotels. Places to stay in the downtown area tend to be higher in price. Here are our tip picks for where to stay, no matter what your budget.

Family – The Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver

We stayed at the Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver for two very happy days. This is a gorgeous hotel that caters perfectly to families. The rooms are modern and beautiful, with plenty of room for little ones to run about, and it has every amenity you would want, from a heated outdoor pool to a spacious gym to great dining downstairs. There’s even a rooftop herb garden and beehives that you can visit!

See prices and availability.

One of our favorite things about the hotel was the location facing Vancouver’s oceanfront. The kids (and us!) were mesmerized for hours watching the cruise ships (including the Disney Wonder) dock, and watching seaplanes land.

Luxury – The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver

The Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver is everything you’d expect in a downtown Vancouver luxury hotel. Service is relaxed, friendly and impeccable. The hotel sits above the Pacific Centre mall, and it’s a short walk to most downtown Vancouver attractions. There’s a welcoming heated indoor/outdoor pool and hot tub leading to an outdoor rooftop patio, with the fantastic YEW Seafood +bar downstairs. Basic WiFi is free, but there’s a surcharge for those who’ll be using a lot of data.

See prices here.

Airport Convenience – Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel

The Fairmont Vancouver Airport In-Terminal Hotel is Vancouver’s only in-terminal airport hotel. It gets great ratings, and might be worth the splurge if you’re looking for a little luxury at the airport. There’s a surcharge for WiFi.

See prices and availability here.

Budget downtown

If you’re looking for a budget hotel in the heart of downtown, Robson Suites and Sunset Inn and Suites both get good reviews. We haven’t stayed in either because they’re always infuriatingly fully booked far in advance, but they’re both smaller boutique hotels that should run you close to, or under, $120 a night for a double room. Both hotels include free WiFi, but Robson Suites is closer to Stanley Park (but doesn’t include breakfast, though rooms have a kitchen or kitchenette), while Sunset Inn is right next to Stanley Park (and includes breakfast in the rate).

See Robson Suites availability.

Check Sunset Inn and Suites availability.

Value – Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Riverport Richmond

If you’re up for taking the SkyTrain or driving into downtown Vancouver, and want to save a few $$, the Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Riverport Richmond is an affordable, clean option. We stayed here for a few days last year, and would stay again. It’s a pretty standard chain hotel, but clean and new, with free breakfast, free airport shuttle, fast, free WiFi, and a pool and hot tub.

See prices and availability here.

Hostel – SameSun Backpacker Lodge

SameSun Backpacker Lodge gets great reviews (8.6/10 on Hostelz.com, which we like because it has independent reviews), and includes WiFi and breakfast. It runs about $28 for a bed in an 8 room dorm, or $42 a person for a shared double with en-suite bathroom. You must be 18 years old.

Check prices and availability now.

The Hidden Gem – The hotel on Granville Island

Granville Island Hotel is one of Vancouver’s less known gems. It’s a boutique hotel located right on Granville Island, overlooking the water, and gets great reviews. Check prices and reviews here.

Airbnb

Vancouver has a host of Airbnbs available. Prices vary a lot depending on location and size, but you can get a small private studio starting at around $60/night downtown, and a private two bedroom starting at around $100.

Sign up using this link, and get $35 in Airbnb credits the first time you use them.

Camping

We don’t usually suggest camping in our city guides, but Vancouver’s proximity to nature makes it an option. You can pitch a tent or park your RV in the busy Capilano River RV Park, which has an outdoor pool, Jacuzzi tub, and WiFi. There is more concrete and cars here than nature, but it’s as close to metro Vancouver as you’re going to get while camping. Book as early as possible, as sites go fast.

Looking for something different? Tourism Vancouver lists a few campsites within Vancouver itself, and Destination BC has a helpful search feature here if you’re looking for a private or national campsite further out from downtown Vancouver.

You can rent camping equipment and outdoor gear from Mountain Equipment Co-op.

In the mood for a little more beautiful scenery? Check out this video from Destination BC that shows how truly wild and beautiful this province really is.

Need more info?

Be sure to check out the official Tourism Vancouver website, and the Destination BC website.

*Note: I visited Vancouver courtesy of Destination BC. As always, though, all opinions are our own. We would never recommend a place to you that we haven’t visited and loved!

The snow is falling in soft, giant, sleepy flakes, muffling almost all sound. All I can hear is the gentle splashing of our oars and the gurgle of the stream below. The scenery is stunning, with Sunwolf’s yellow rafts bobbing on crystal-clear glacial water, and dreamy mist-cloaked mountains in the distance.

But I came for the eagles, and they don’t disappoint.

Soon, the silence is broken by the swoosh of a bald eagles’ wings as it settles to rest in the trees along the bank. The enormous eagle’s beak rips apart a half-eaten salmon that’s clutched in the raptor’s razor-sharp talons.

It’s the spawning salmon that bring thousands of bald eagles here. They return every winter to this spot just outside of Squamish, in the small community of Brackendale, British Columbia to gorge on salmon from the glacial-fed Squamish and Cheakamus rivers.

Today, Brackendale is rapidly becoming known as one of the best places in the world to spot bald eagles.

My first eagle is soon joined by another, and another, and within 20 minutes I’m starting to lose count. Along this stretch of the river, it’s not uncommon to see 80 or more eagles during a one-hour float tour.

Seeing this many eagles in their natural environment is a privilege that was almost denied to all of us. In the late 1950s, bald eagles were on the brink of extinction in the continental United States, with only 412 nesting pairs in the 48 contiguous states of the USA.

Today, thanks in large part to the reduction of the use of pesticides like DDT and controls on hunting, the bald eagle population has rebounded, with an estimated 110,000–115,000 birds in Canada and the USA.

After an hour on the water, my feet are starting to tingle from the cold.

Luckily, hot chocolate and warm chili by the fire in Sunwolf’s cozy riverside lodge are a welcoming treat. The treats, plus some impossibly thick homemade brownies, are from the on-site Fergie’s Cafe.

Here’s a note from Fergie’s website, 2019! Fergie’s is currently closed due to a fire in our kitchen in April 2018. The long-awaited rebuild began on October 15, 2018 and we are hoping to reopen in the spring of 2019.

Fergie’s, best known for its tasty Eggs Benny, is fast becoming the go-to breakfast place for anyone driving the Sea to Sky highway between Whistler and Vancouver.

After stuffing myself with a few brownies, I’m off to my welcoming little cabin, which is also part of the resort operated by Sunwolf. My cabin is rustic but cozy, and kitted out with a gas fireplace and a comfy queen size bed.

Ever-present at the resort, and on the float, are Jake and Jess, Sunwolf’s energetic and personable owners. They’re a young British expat family who left behind thriving careers in the UK for the welcoming climate and outdoor adventures in nearby Whistler. After a stint working hospitality jobs in Whistler, the couple bought the rustic Sunwolf lodge.

With the decision to buy Sunwolf, Jake and Jess became part of a close-knit community in Squamish, which works together to promote eagle conservation.

The heart of that conservation effort is a few miles away at the Brackendale Art Gallery in the town of Brackendale, a small community just north of the Squamish town center.

If you’re lucky, you’ll run into Thor Froslev, the Gallery’s owner. Thor’s an 83 year old who’s been an outspoken advocate for the eagle population in Squamish probably since before you were born.

We’re in luck when we visit, and pretty soon Thor’s telling us a winding tale that’s liberally peppered with good-humored expletives. To hear Thor tell it, his involvement with the eagles started on a typical day with the “West Coast pissin’ down rain”, and continues to this day.

As he regales us with the tale of his journey from longeshoreman to Brackendale’s most outspoken eagle advocate, you can see that even though he’s 83, he has no plans of slowing down.

Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival & Count

Every year in January, the small community of Brackendale hosts the Winter Eagle Festival. Most events are arranged through the Brackendale Art Gallery, and include music, dance, and even a lecture series.

What you need to know: the Eagle Float

You can book the Eagle Float Tour directly through Sunwolf. Tours take about an hour, and depart at around 10:30am directly from Sunwolf. Tours start at $110 CDN, and include tea, coffee, muffins and a lunch afterward. Rain boots, pants & jackets are provided if you need them, as is a personal flotation device (PFD). Dress warmly!

Where to stay

Sunwolf offers rustic riverside cabins, each outfitted with a gas fireplace and cozy queen bed. Some come with a full kitchen, or small kitchenette, and many have a double day bed. Larger groups can be accommodated in the fully renovated Fisherman’s Cottage (sleeps eight) or the Logger’s Shack (sleeps four).

Where to Eat

Fergie’s Cafe is part of Sunwolf lodge, and the goodies we ate after the eagle float were all handmade at Fergie’s. It’s a small place that serves up a hearty and homemade breakfast and lunch, with picnic tables outside for the summer months.

How to get there

Brackendale, located in northern part of the town of Squamish, is a short 40 mile (63 km) drive from Vancouver, BC. You can rent a car, or Sunwolf can arrange a shuttle for the eagle float that can pick you up from Whistler or Vancouver.

The closest international airport is Vancouver (YVR), which has flights arriving from most international destinations everyday. 

Adventure the easy way – tours in Squamish

Don’t forget to check out the stunning Sea to Sky Gondola when you’re in Squamish. The views are stunning, and you can grab a bite to eat at the restaurant, wander along hiking trails, go tubing, or walk across the suspension bridge onsite.

Need more info?

Be sure to check out the official Explore Squamish website, and the Destination BC website.

In the mood for a little more beautiful scenery? Check out this video from Destination BC that shows how truly wild and beautiful this province really is.

*Note: I visited Squamish courtesy Destination BC. As always, though, all opinions are our own — We would never recommend something to you that we haven’t tried and loved!