Top Things to do in Kootenay Rockies
Top Hotels in Kootenay Rockies
- 1. Coast Hillcrest Hotel
- 2. Hume Hotel & Spa
- 3. Gateway Motel
- 4. Prestige Lakeside Resort, BW Premier Collection
- 5. Days Inn & Conference Centre by Wyndham Cranbrook
- 6. Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
- 7. Ramada by Wyndham Revelstoke
- 8. Rocky Mountain Springs Lodge and Restaurant
- 9. Swiss Chalet Motel
- 10. Bighorn Meadows Resort
The 10 Best Things to do Good for Kids in Kootenay Rockies, Kootenay Rockies
Discover the best top things to do in Kootenay Rockies, British Columbia including Kicking Horse River, Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch & Guest Cottage Buffalo Tours, Emerald Lake, Cranbrook History Centre, Whitewater Ski Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort, Revelstoke Railway Museum, Takakkaw Falls, Mount Revelstoke National Park, The Enchanted Forest.
Restaurants in Kootenay Rockies
1. Kicking Horse River
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 105 reviews
Restless river passing through picturesque valleys offers spectacular scenery and some of the finest white water rafting in the country.
Reviewed By 5cottie - British Columbia, Canada
From White water rafting on the upper reaches to Kayak paddling where is enters the Columbia this river is full of fun (if you're sensible) and adventure. The flow much of the year is pretty fast and it ices over in the winter. DON"T WALK ON IT IN THE WINTER. The thicknes of the ice varies dramatically and if you go through you're not comming out! End EX. If you're there in the spring the ice breakup can be pretty dramtic too at times. Ice from further up the Mountain bottlenecks at Golden and tends to pile up , especially after a hard windter and a fast melt. When it lets go it's a sight to see I'm told! It is a great viewpoint though at any time of the year. Whether from the road bridge or the spectacular covered wooden bridge a few yards downstream. The Riverside walks are pleasant too. Spirit place is a tranquil spot to stop and smell the flowers or take a cold bear at the Riverside Tavern and the water garden adds that visual and aural water delight as you can't see the river for the flood bank, protecting Spirit Place.
2. Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch & Guest Cottage Buffalo Tours
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 169 reviews
Rocky Mountain Buffalo Ranch & Guest Cottage ~ Buffalo Tours. A working Buffalo & Guest Ranch. We offer educational buffalo tours daily May thru September. The owner, Leo Downey, does one tour every morning May 15th thru September, starting at 10:15 a.m. (Alberta Time )This includes the native fire making demonstration. We also offer year round accommodations in our fully furnished guest cottage and our peaceful cabin by the creek,, Wagon in the Woods and Buffalero's Bunkhouse in the Barn. Make yourself at home, see buffalo in their natural social order, learn about them first hand, wander the ranch and our pristine river frontage on the beautiful Blaeberry River.
Reviewed By 733brianaw - Perth, Australia
If you're visiting Golden, this is a must do! Leo is so knowledgeable and a really lovely person, operating a beautiful tour in a great country setting. My boyfriend and I visited a few days ago and got a private tour and absolutely loved it! The bison are just spectacular to see and his love of them is clear - thankyou so much Leo! :)
3. Emerald Lake
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 1,286 reviews
Peaceful lake nestled in the mountains and surrounded by lush, green forest.
Reviewed By RAEF715
Before our trip, without really knowing about the beautiful lakes in the Canadian Rockies, by 13 year old mentioned having a dream about being out on a beautiful lake with mountains around, and he wanted to do that, so a canoe trip here was a top goal on our trip. After hitting some construction traffic on the way, we got in the lot just a couple minutes before the deadline- he and my wife ran in and got the last canoe, while my other son and i just enjoyed the late afternoon light hitting the lake. Just a memorable time, and quite the contrast to the white water rafting we had completed earlier in the day. Louise and Moraine are incredibly beautiful, but loved our time at Emerald Lake.
4. Cranbrook History Centre
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 159 reviews
The Cranbrook History Centre is a museum and archives dedicated to the research, preservation, and restoration of the history of Cranbrook and the surrounding area. Located in beautiful downtown Cranbrook, the History Centre offers something of interest for visitors of all ages. Also known as the Canadian Museum of Rail, the Centre is also home to the Trans-Canada Limited, a 1929 luxury train, as well as many other restored Canadian trains.
Reviewed By SarahKraus - Edmonton, Canada
The museum was a bit old, but the train tour was wonderful! Our tour guide Logan was great, taught us a lot about the TransCanada line. The amount of work that went into restoring each car is remarkable. Highly recommend stopping in!
5. Whitewater Ski Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 243 reviews
Whitewater Ski Resort, quietly legendary, is hard to describe to those who have not had the privilege to experience its true authenticity and abundance of snow. Over 12 meters (40 feet) of snow falls each season on 2044 vertical feet of uncrowded slopes of family-friendly groomers and bumps, remarkable steeps, top of the line tree-skiing, and endless backcountry. Some come for the legendary skiing, and some come for the legendary food. Whitewater serves up proper Kootenay hospitality with its internationally acclaimed menu that has inspired four National Best Selling cookbooks. Whitewater. Pure, simple and real…DEEP
Reviewed By 417deboraht - Vancouver, Canada
We loved skiing Whitewater over the holidays. We felt safe and well taken care off. The snow conditions were great and everything was well organized. All services ran very smoothly including the lift line ups. Staff and guests followed all the Covid protocols that were in place. The resort's website explains everything really well: what to expect this season, how to book your lift tickets, how to reserve a table to have lunch, etc. Whitewater ski resort should be commended for a job well done!!
6. Fernie Alpine Resort
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 497 reviews
Deep in the snow, high up on the Powder Highway, lies Fernie Alpine Resort. With 37 feet of perfect powder, stunning scenery, 5 huge alpine bowls and endless downhill thigh burning runs. Don't miss an opportunity to fall in love with Fernie, start in the large Learning Area at the base of the mountain serviced by its own t-bar lift, once comfortable you have a huge resort full of secret powder pockets and hidden mountain spots to keep you occupied throughout your skiing/riding career! Find out why Fernie has been named as a Top 25 Ski Town in the World, Best Winter Trip and Coolest Town in North America in recent years.
Reviewed By RainerLorenz - Merimbula, Australia
We're a couple of 'Motoring/Travel Journalists', catering for German and Australian media. As you would expect we ski every year around the world (for 26 years) and usually only make repeat visits if we really like a place. Fernie is listed in our top 6 in the world and our number one in Canada, although we have another couple of places we like, namely Apex and Revelstoke. Yes, we like the steep and deep, but Fernie is a resort able to cater for all tastes and all skiing abilities. This year was our 8th visit to this mountain and again, we where not disappointed. Although we had little new snow for the 5 days, all groom-able runs where perfectly prepared, even some of the steeper ones. Here and there we could find some untracked runs of about 30cm new white bliss, especially close to trees. This year the emphasis was on speed and carving, which was so much fun and a whole lot different from what we experienced days earlier at Revelstoke. Why do we like Fernie? It offers a lot of skiing variety including some magnificent ski-in, ski-out facilities, like for instance the Lizard Creek Lodge with a chair-lift only 40m from the front door. As mentioned earlier, Fernie has something for every standard of skiing. A lot of runs are protected by trees, great when the weather gets nasty and visibility bad. The drive to the town of Fernie takes only 15 Minutes and on offer are great eateries, shops, drinking holes and entertainment. Fernie is well worth a visit with the possibility to fall into love with the place and . . .
7. Revelstoke Railway Museum
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 388 reviews
For the month of April, we are open Friday through Sunday. We are currently closed to the public Monday through Thursday. At the Revelstoke Railway Museum we strive to preserve, share and inspire a sense of wonder and excitement for our Canadian Pacific Railway. Come and see some of Canada's railway treasures. It's a great experience for all ages!
Reviewed By DonL120 - Chilliwack, Canada
I love trains and anything associated with them. The Revelstoke museum has lots of engines and rolling stock to see, together with great displays of related features. Well laid out with a steam engine and passenger car inside the building with a diesel engine and other cars outside. Plan on stopping for a acouple of hours.
8. Takakkaw Falls
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 885 reviews
The falls, in the northern half of Yoho park, drop 833 ft -- making it one of the highest waterfalls in Canada. The falls are spectacular in early summer, when melting snow and ice provide ample runoff.
Reviewed By Roving545392
I went twice. Once with fellow adult friends and again with my daughter and my young grandchildren. Photos cannot capture the depth of this waterfall. Five levels...and the height is phenomenal. The spray coming off and down into the river continually changes the surrounding view. The large boulder slide directly to the west of Takkakaw Falls is also a sight to behold. Climbing to the base of the fall is exhilarating and hiking nearby trails offers view after view after view of Takkakaw and many other beautiful sites in YOHO. Picnic tables along the banks the Kicking Horse River at the trailhead make for a perfect spot to enjoy a meal while your eyes feast on this spectacular waterfall.
9. Mount Revelstoke National Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 464 reviews
Reviewed By 59236812997 - Surrey, Canada
This park is beautiful. It's an easy 25 km drive to the end of the road. From there it's a 1 km walk to the summit. There are several wonderful viewpoints and trails along the way. Do them all and you will have walked 10 km. The best trails are at the top where in August, Mother Nature creates the most spectacular garden of wildflowers. There are several trails here, take your time to enjoy this panorama of views and color. If you are are hiker you will want to take a day to hike the trail to Eva and Miller lakes. This 6 km trail leaves from the summit area and for the first part it's an easy walk through meadows. After the halfway mark the trail starts climbing, you cross several rock slides and then a short scramble to the top brings you to picturesque Eva lake. Be sure to walk at least halfway around the lake for some great views onto the other side of the mountain. On your return trip take the short side trail to Miller lake. This lake is situated in a valley with steep mountains above, quite different from Eva lake but just as beautiful. You will arrive back at your car tired but exhilarated from your day in this spectacular setting. Mother Nature has for a time erased COVID from your mind
10. The Enchanted Forest
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 643 reviews
Imagine old world fantasy in the magical setting of The Enchanted Forest where you can discover over 350 jolly fairy folk figurines amongst 800 year old cedars. You can climb BC's tallest and grandest tree house, paddle in real beaver ponds with a self guided row boat tour and enjoy a nature walk through a lush forest and boardwalk. In 2010 The Enchanted Forest celebrated its 50th Anniversary and continues to provide a lifetime of wonderful memories. Wonderful family fun! Come and be enchanted and discover the magic!
Reviewed By looseink - Princeton, Canada
I remember this place in the 1970s. I'm so glad to see that it is still around in an age where entertainment is either delivered to handheld devices or more extreme in nature. My wife, Brenda, and I wanted to stop by here last October but they were closed so...for our late-season annual vacation this year we made sure The Enchanted Forest was open. Essentially you walk an easy grade path through a stunningly lush forest environment to various childhood nursery rhymes that come to 'life' through cement figures. Some are truly very creative and others are not as much but all are very entertaining. We killed over an hour in the walking tour, taking tons of photos and laughing at some of the creative displays. The fish/duck pond was worth seeing and the gift shop is incredible. After we toured the site, we pulled out our cooler from the car and ate lunch in the parking lot watching traffic zip by. A highly recommended stop - at the very least to support entrepreneurs who have continued to keep an old-time roadside attraction open and in superb condition. Thanks!
