Travel Journal: A road trip to the southern interior of BC
In the past few months, my level of stress was beyond what I could handle. It was affecting my personal life, so the need to unplug and take some days off from the routine was a priority. What was just a simple getaway became an amazing road trip soaking in a hot spring, tasting delicious food, wine touring and enjoying wildlife and scenic landscapes on the road.
We headed up Highway 1 and made a stop in Kamloops to grab lunch after 4 hours driving —we were starving after fasting all morning. I would like to say we had enough time to stroll around in the city, but unfortunately the smoke from the wildfires encouraged us to get back on the road to Revelstoke. This tiny town in British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies Region, well-known for its ski resort, has more to offer during summer: art galleries, local breweries and secret beaches heading north.
After getting some beers and taking photos of the classic Revelstoke architecture, We took Highway 23, a road with gorgeous views to the lake, until we arrived to Shelter Bay ferry, where a storm hit us and we had to slow down the pace. Thank God the ferry came just on time so we didn’t wait much at the shore.
Crossing the lake, we stayed at Halcyon Hot Springs Resort, where we checked in, chilled for a bit in a a cozy one-room cabin before grabbing some dinner at the restaurant. FYI, they have “smart toilets“, so don’t be surprised if the seat is warmed and shoots water when you sit on it —Oh boy, I shouted so loud. Also, funny fact, you can press various buttons to get a different ‘experience’ —on offer for guests is the “lady wash“ option; no idea how that works and too shy to try.
Anyways, this resort in the middle of nowhere has the most beautiful view to the Upper Arrow Lake, so no matter how much you want to stay in the hot springs, I recommend exploring the area around the resort and heading down to the lake for the sunset, which has views of the peaceful, soaring Monashee Mountains.
If you ask DJ about the best part of the resort, he would definitely say the healing waters on the upper deck. There are four pools with different temperatures, ranging from 40°C - 30°C, and a cold plunge —my favourite. After hours diving in the hot waters, we went to the spa. I highly recommend the deep tissue massage (90 minutes), a combination of Swedish techniques to target your aches and pains. To finalize the day, go to the King Fisher restaurant and get the brown butter seared scallops. I’m still dreaming about that wild mushroom risotto.
The next day, we decided to keep driving to the village of Nakusp, nestled on the shores of Upper Arrow Lake, between the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges. Downtown Nakusp has plenty of local coffee shops, boutiques and restaurants to try. Check out Broadway Deli Bistro, one of the local favourites. This small town is an oasis of culture, relaxation and inspiring natural views.
Something that caught my eye were the memorials across the village. I’ve seen dedicated benches in Vancouver, but in Nakusp there are a mix of sculptures, furniture and trees, all dedicated to beloved community members. My favourite was a chair with a magnificent view to the mountains. No matter how many years will pass, there will be always someone sitting in that chair, reading the name of the person on that plaque.
We were so lucky to experience a local popup market on a hot Saturday afternoon. We strolled around, got some delicious apricots and took them to the beach, where kids were playing with their floaties on the lake. We sat there, just chilling in the sand, and then started walking down the shore before continuing to out next destination.
Kelowna, here we go. I was so excited to be there, because, as you may be aware, anything that reminds me of Italy somehow becomes a favourite spot —it can be a scenic, a good margherita pizza with extra basil, or a simple drink.
DJ has some family down there and it was nice to stay with them. The road trip was eighty percent improvised, so it was nice to not worry about the accommodation at all. His uncle has a beautiful home, so while they were watching a hockey game, I walked around with Mona, the most beautiful cat I have ever seen, and took some photos to share here. The first day was basically catching up, enjoying some drinks in the backyard and eating dinner. Afterwards, we went for walk around the neighbourhood. I was impressed with the temperature there, a hot, dry evening —loved it.
The next day, our priorities were diving in the lake and drinking as much wine as we could —literally. So we started our day at 8:00am, ready for coffee with our swimsuits on. The house is less than five minutes walking to the lake, so we ran across the sandy fake beach to the shore, threw our sandals away, and jumped into the water from a dock, which was I think private property. If I could do that every morning for the rest of my life, wow.
But as I mentioned, we had other priorities on our list, so we took a shower and I picked a dress —because of course it had to be a dress to go to the vineyards— and we hit the road. I had my top five wineries to visit, but as you know, most of the decisions on this trip were spontaneous and we didn’t realize that, due to COVID restrictions, we needed a reservation. So, from the top five, we were able to visit just one, but we found along another the way.
We visited Quails Gate, operated since 1956. It’s located before Mission Hill in West Kelowna. The tasting is only by appointment, so I highly recommend to book days in advance to get a spot. We were lucky to get a walk-in. The tasting experience was okay; nothing especial, but the wine was good. We bought two reds and two whites after the tasting. My favourite is the Gewürztraminer, which has pronounced aromas of lychee, guava, ginger and rose petal. Get lunch at the restaurant is a must.
