Next Stop
Issue: May/June 2010
Destination: Nelson, B.C.
If it’s good enough for Steve Martin ...
My wife and I desperately needed a vacation, but didn’t know where to go. I’m still not sure why I suggested Nelson, B.C. All I knew about it was that the 1987 Steve Martin romantic comedy Roxanne was filmed there.
I’m a film buff, but not enough of one to base a trip on a movie. Instead, we went for the area’s natural beauty. The southeastern B.C. town sits on the western arm of Kootenay Lake in the middle of the Selkirk Mountains. I knew I’d made the right choice when we pulled into town and saw a view of Victorian homes straight from Roxanne.
The 90-minute hike to Pulpit Rock reinforced the wisdom of our decision. We’d gone up for a view of Nelson and were treated to a spectacular view of the lake winding through the mountains. It was enough to inspire this avowed non-hiker, and so hike we did. First, to Fletcher Falls, then beyond to a cove where we picnicked, then swam in the lake. The next morning it was a 4.3-mile day hike in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park on a marmot-filled trail featuring pretty glacier views, a late-1800s miner’s cabin/museum and a luxurious cabin for overnight stays. Later, we soaked our weary bones in the horseshoe-shaped cave and pool at Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort.
We spent the next day driving winding roads to Sandon, a deserted mining town, and then New Denver, where we saw a former Japanese internment camp as well as the Kohan Reflection Garden, a formal Japanese garden hidden in an RV park.
By the time we finally spent time in Nelson, all we had energy for was roaming funky shops and galleries along Baker Street and an architectural walking tour of some of the city’s 350 heritage buildings. Did I mention a self-guided Roxanne walking tour followed by an evening watching the movie?
Just because I won’t build a trip around a movie doesn’t mean I won’t find a way to work it in.
YUM:
Kootenay Bakery Café Cooperative, get a sandwich packed for a day of exploring or indulge after a hike, (377 Baker St.).
Oso Negro Café, 20 blends of coffee beans, (604 Ward St.).
All Seasons Café, an upscale hole in the wall, (620 Herridge Lane).
ZZZZZs:
Hume Hotel, (422 Vernon St.).
Mistiso’s Place Guest House, (811 Vernon St.).
Kokanee Glacier Resort, (2615 Hwy. 3A).
