The vibrancy of this
region of the Kootenays is evident in the
number of lovely small towns and places to visit
and the multitude of things to do. From
strolling the cosmopolitan town of Nelson to
birding the quiet, spectacular valley where
Meadow Creek runs, this is truly an area
perfect for a restful and memorable vacation
getaway. With a wide range of B&B
accommodations, from small quiet bed and
breakfasts to impressive lakefront inns, there
is most certainly the perfect lodging for your
unique Kootenay Lake retreat.
There are so many things to
see and a minimum of three days is recommended
to be able to better appreciate this varied
region. One day alone could be spent in Nelson
enjoying the shopping and restaurants.
Another could be
spent touring the gorgeous Silvery Slocan Loop
that includes the ghost town of Sandon as you
travel through the scenic Valley of the
Ghosts.
Yet another could be spent viewing the Kokanee salmon spawning (late August to
September) from Meadow Creek to Kokanee Creek
Provincial Park.
Alternatively, spend a day
hiking up to the Kokanee Glacier or a day
taking the free Kootenay Lake Ferry that travels from Balfour
to the east shore of the lake where you can
visit the community of artisans in Crawford
Bay. How about a day hiking and bird watching
on the north east shore of the lake near the
lakeside communities of Argenta and Johnsons
Landing? Did we say three days?
Kaslo is a lovely, intimate
town that hosts an international jazz festival
at the end of July/ beginning of August. Here
one can view the SS Moyie, the world's oldest
surviving passenger-carrying sternwheeler.
In the mood for a hot,
relaxing soak after a hard day of skiing? The
famous Ainsworth Hot Springs has
soothing mineral waters year-round. Swim in
the cave with stalactites or relax under
falling snowflakes in the large outdoor hot
pool. In summer, you might want to take a
guided tour of the ancient limestone
formations in the caves at Cody Cave
Provincial Park. Continue on to Kokanee Creek
Provincial Park between Balfour and Nelson
where one of the largest osprey populations in
North America can be found.
The words that describe Nelson
are artsy, eclectic, and heritage. Over the
years, Nelson has preserved many of its
heritage buildings from the boom years when
silver was mined in the mountains around the
town. 'Artwalk' held continuously through the
summer transforms the town into a living art
gallery. The main street of Nelson is closed
off for StreetFest toward the end of July when
some of the world's greatest street performers
are in town. The area around Nelson offers
fantastic cross country skiing (Nelson Nordic
Skiing), great back country skiing, and
challenging powder skiing (Whitewater Ski
Resort). Combine one of the other annual
festivals that Nelson hosts [for example, the
Nelson Fat Tire Festival (mountain biking)] or
the The Queen City Cruise (classic cars) with
the gourmet restaurants that abound in town,
and you will have a remarkable variety of
things to do all year around.
Oh, and did we mention golf?
The Kootenays is home to almost two dozen golf
courses, four of which are very close to (or
in) Nelson. Imagine golfing with the scenic
Purcells or the deep blue Kootenay Lake as
your backdrop--you may not even care about
your final score! Some of our member bed and
breakfasts have golf packages available so
please inquire.
4 B&Bs found.
Kootenay Lake/ West
