For the sake of argument, let’s agree that salmon have no arms. But there is a Salmon Arm in the southern interior of British Columbia on the Trans Canada Highway half way between Vancouver and Calgary. After a five hour drive through the Roger’s pass or over the Coquihalla Highway, stop for a day or five cupped within the exquisite mountains and beside the lakes in Salmon Arm, a place both mellow and vibrant.
Yet unspoiled by a nest of big box stores, the Salmon Arm downtown allows visitors to design their own tour of shops and cafes. There’s unhurried time to chat with locals or merchants, and later stroll, cycle or snowshoe the waterfront trails. Try any of the twelve international cuisine restaurants and other homespun cafes like the Pie Company on Alexander St. There are activities in every season:
Salmon Arm for winter fun:
January: Bring toques and mittens for cool days in these Monashee Mountains. On January 1, with or without a hangover, shock clear any New Year’s resolutions at the Canoe Beach polar bear swim. Warm up in time to join the Reino Keski-Salmi cross-country ski Loppet in mid January.
February: Don’t spend the 28 days indoors.The trails built by volunteers at Larch Hills are kept well groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. But, ask this author, follow the map. Rentals are available. When Shuswap Lake freezes over, ski with the silence for kilometers of unbroken white.
March: In town on the TCH watch for “The Barley Station Brew Pub” where five 'house beers" plus seasonal varieties are brewed on site. It’s one of only four breweries in the BC Interior. Enjoy a recommended meal with a beer to compliment the entrée for a friendly apres ski.
Spring in the Shuswap
April: Join in with the latest trend of geocaching for a fun way to explore the Shuswap. The snow has just melted, bring hiking boots.
Thousand’s of tourists each year cruise a week or more on not just at or beside Shuswap Lake. Make your reservations early for a unique vacation at this “Houseboat Capital of BC”. Prices vary in shoulder seasons.
May: Planning to write the great Canadian novel? Register for the Shuswap Writers’ Festival, a weekend of writing creativity taught by established authors. Evening performances are open to the public.
Salmon Arm’s bird, the Western Grebe, performs its astonishing dance in the bay; listen for its distinct high pitched “ca-creet”. Bring binoculars, the conservation area walking trail along Shuswap Lake, near downtown, provides safe habitat for deer, coyote, beaver, otters and easily 40 species of birds. Watch for ospreys and their young on poles high above the longest pier in BC. Walk by McGuire Lake, where the Red Necked Grebes make their nests. The waterfront in town is not a swimming beach.
The Farmer’s Market by Piccadilly Mall begins on Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:00 – 12:30. Join those who walk the talk to support local farmers and regional artisans.
Summer Sun and Salmon Arm History
June: Plan a picnic at Margaret waterfalls for an eerie walk under a crouch of original growth trees that were missed by fires in the 1920’s. On a hot summer day, the trail is a cool whisper of another world.
Salmon Arm, with only 16,000 people, still has that “small town” feel. However, get your latte early, many coffee shops close by 6:00.
The original history of Salmon Arm may be best understood by attending a Powwow with the Secwepemc People at their traditional village in June or July.
July: At Haney Village and Museum stroll the trails, or explore the Shuswap buildings of another century. Along with dinner in the cookhouse, there’s outdoor theater followed by rhubarb pie.
Maps from the visitor’s center suggest local walking and cycling trails, but don’t forget swimwear for Canoe Beach, the indoor pool, or the water slides next to an RV park. Sandy Canoe Beach has launches for various water craft, picnic tables, and a marked swimming area.
The Salmar Classic Cinema, one of the few in North America still locally owned and operated, presents kids’ films all summer. The two film festivals every year offer excellent international productions.
A Children’s Festival takes place on July 1 at Fletcher Park near downtown, just ask. Salmon Arm is golfers’ heaven: Twelve courses within driving (no pun intended) distance.
August:Try first of the apple crops in late August. Sixty years ago Salmon Arm was the “Non-irrigated apple capital of the world”. In 1949 Christmas warm weather coaxed out the blossoms, but January temperatures dropped to -40 and subsequently wiped out the apple crops, many orchards never recovered.
Looking for a little confusion? Explore the corn maze at DeMilles Farm and petting zoo.
Plan now to attend Salmon Arm’s most popular event, the Roots and Blues Festival which offers three days of performers on four outside stages including one for kids. Tickets are available on-line and but book any accommodation months ahead. The Prestige Inn offers a commendable waterfront resort. The Holiday Inn, Podolan Inn, Best Western, and Motel 8 are a few known chains, but also consider the many B & B’s.
The Arts and Bounty of the Shuswap
September: Visit the beautiful downtown SAGA Art Gallery near the TCH for commendable exhibits. Wheelchair accessible. The eateries nearby include The Pink Cherry which stays open to 9:00 pm.
Drop in for the old-fashioned style of the Salmon Arm Fall Fair, one weekend after Labour Day. Bringing a scarecrow is optional.
Though not in Salmon Arm, the salmon run on the Adams River has no comparable experience. Not a cliché, don’t miss this annual event.
October: It’s wine time. Visit a few of the family run award Shuswap winning wineries.
Between October and May the Shuswap amateur Theatre offers three productions plus a yearly always surprising Christmas play.
Salmon Arm lives up to its reputation of excellent artisans, check the local papers for Christmas shows.
Salmon Arm with Snow and Ice:
In the Fly Hills area, snowmobilers have options of 200 km of well mapped, safe and interconnecting trails, with awesome winter views. Riders are asked for a small fee.
Canadian is so synonymous with Hockey, attend a Salmon Arm Silver Backs game. Wear blue and white or alternately dress like a grizzly.
The Christmas train brings Santa and entertainment by the Shuswap choir.
The Salmon Arm Visitor Centre,
Open year round, the centre provides brochures for these activities. It’s a jewel of a place with riches to share in every season. Though known for its outdoors and its arts, there are still secrets. On a good day go salmon fishing in Salmon Arm, or in any of the four arms of Shuswap Lake. But be careful, after ten years of holidays in Salmon Arm, this author moved in.
Booking.com
Yet unspoiled by a nest of big box stores, the Salmon Arm downtown allows visitors to design their own tour of shops and cafes. There’s unhurried time to chat with locals or merchants, and later stroll, cycle or snowshoe the waterfront trails. Try any of the twelve international cuisine restaurants and other homespun cafes like the Pie Company on Alexander St. There are activities in every season:
Salmon Arm for winter fun:
January: Bring toques and mittens for cool days in these Monashee Mountains. On January 1, with or without a hangover, shock clear any New Year’s resolutions at the Canoe Beach polar bear swim. Warm up in time to join the Reino Keski-Salmi cross-country ski Loppet in mid January.
February: Don’t spend the 28 days indoors.The trails built by volunteers at Larch Hills are kept well groomed for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. But, ask this author, follow the map. Rentals are available. When Shuswap Lake freezes over, ski with the silence for kilometers of unbroken white.
March: In town on the TCH watch for “The Barley Station Brew Pub” where five 'house beers" plus seasonal varieties are brewed on site. It’s one of only four breweries in the BC Interior. Enjoy a recommended meal with a beer to compliment the entrée for a friendly apres ski.
Spring in the Shuswap
April: Join in with the latest trend of geocaching for a fun way to explore the Shuswap. The snow has just melted, bring hiking boots.
Thousand’s of tourists each year cruise a week or more on not just at or beside Shuswap Lake. Make your reservations early for a unique vacation at this “Houseboat Capital of BC”. Prices vary in shoulder seasons.
May: Planning to write the great Canadian novel? Register for the Shuswap Writers’ Festival, a weekend of writing creativity taught by established authors. Evening performances are open to the public.
Salmon Arm’s bird, the Western Grebe, performs its astonishing dance in the bay; listen for its distinct high pitched “ca-creet”. Bring binoculars, the conservation area walking trail along Shuswap Lake, near downtown, provides safe habitat for deer, coyote, beaver, otters and easily 40 species of birds. Watch for ospreys and their young on poles high above the longest pier in BC. Walk by McGuire Lake, where the Red Necked Grebes make their nests. The waterfront in town is not a swimming beach.
The Farmer’s Market by Piccadilly Mall begins on Tuesdays and Fridays, 8:00 – 12:30. Join those who walk the talk to support local farmers and regional artisans.
Summer Sun and Salmon Arm History
June: Plan a picnic at Margaret waterfalls for an eerie walk under a crouch of original growth trees that were missed by fires in the 1920’s. On a hot summer day, the trail is a cool whisper of another world.
Salmon Arm, with only 16,000 people, still has that “small town” feel. However, get your latte early, many coffee shops close by 6:00.
The original history of Salmon Arm may be best understood by attending a Powwow with the Secwepemc People at their traditional village in June or July.
July: At Haney Village and Museum stroll the trails, or explore the Shuswap buildings of another century. Along with dinner in the cookhouse, there’s outdoor theater followed by rhubarb pie.
Maps from the visitor’s center suggest local walking and cycling trails, but don’t forget swimwear for Canoe Beach, the indoor pool, or the water slides next to an RV park. Sandy Canoe Beach has launches for various water craft, picnic tables, and a marked swimming area.
The Salmar Classic Cinema, one of the few in North America still locally owned and operated, presents kids’ films all summer. The two film festivals every year offer excellent international productions.
A Children’s Festival takes place on July 1 at Fletcher Park near downtown, just ask. Salmon Arm is golfers’ heaven: Twelve courses within driving (no pun intended) distance.
August:Try first of the apple crops in late August. Sixty years ago Salmon Arm was the “Non-irrigated apple capital of the world”. In 1949 Christmas warm weather coaxed out the blossoms, but January temperatures dropped to -40 and subsequently wiped out the apple crops, many orchards never recovered.
Looking for a little confusion? Explore the corn maze at DeMilles Farm and petting zoo.
Plan now to attend Salmon Arm’s most popular event, the Roots and Blues Festival which offers three days of performers on four outside stages including one for kids. Tickets are available on-line and but book any accommodation months ahead. The Prestige Inn offers a commendable waterfront resort. The Holiday Inn, Podolan Inn, Best Western, and Motel 8 are a few known chains, but also consider the many B & B’s.
The Arts and Bounty of the Shuswap
September: Visit the beautiful downtown SAGA Art Gallery near the TCH for commendable exhibits. Wheelchair accessible. The eateries nearby include The Pink Cherry which stays open to 9:00 pm.
Drop in for the old-fashioned style of the Salmon Arm Fall Fair, one weekend after Labour Day. Bringing a scarecrow is optional.
Though not in Salmon Arm, the salmon run on the Adams River has no comparable experience. Not a cliché, don’t miss this annual event.
October: It’s wine time. Visit a few of the family run award Shuswap winning wineries.
Between October and May the Shuswap amateur Theatre offers three productions plus a yearly always surprising Christmas play.
Salmon Arm lives up to its reputation of excellent artisans, check the local papers for Christmas shows.
Salmon Arm with Snow and Ice:
In the Fly Hills area, snowmobilers have options of 200 km of well mapped, safe and interconnecting trails, with awesome winter views. Riders are asked for a small fee.
Canadian is so synonymous with Hockey, attend a Salmon Arm Silver Backs game. Wear blue and white or alternately dress like a grizzly.
The Christmas train brings Santa and entertainment by the Shuswap choir.
The Salmon Arm Visitor Centre,
Open year round, the centre provides brochures for these activities. It’s a jewel of a place with riches to share in every season. Though known for its outdoors and its arts, there are still secrets. On a good day go salmon fishing in Salmon Arm, or in any of the four arms of Shuswap Lake. But be careful, after ten years of holidays in Salmon Arm, this author moved in.
Booking.com
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