British Columbia Hot Springs Loop with kids

We have been researching all the Hot Springs in BC and decided to pack up the kids for 11 nights and travel the loop. BC tourism offers a few travel loops and travel suggestions and is a great place to start your research. Hot springs are not just relaxing; they are also said to have health benefits like boosting blood circulation, promoting good sleep, and reducing stress. No matter which hot springs you go to for a soak, these waters provide an enticing, all-natural way to relax.

We did our research and have decided to check out and book accommodation at (if you are an RV’er there are camping spots available at most of the hot springs on site. For Ainsworth and Halcyon Hot Springs camping spots are located close in proximity)

1. Canyon Hot Springs

2. Revelstoke

3. Halcyon Hot Springs

4. Ainsworth Hot Springs

5. Cranbrook, BC

6. Trickle Creek, BC

7. Fairmount Hot Springs

8. Radium Hot Springs.

Let’s go…

I have mentioned before my parents have an RV at RVVR Resort in Radium, which is about 2.5 hours from Calgary. We decided to stop at the trailer for one night to say hello before going to our first destination of Canyon Hot Springs. I will mention some further details on Radium at the end of this blog, for we end our tour here.

Canyon Hot Springs

First up on our Hot Springs Tour was Canyon Hot Springs. Located in Albert Canyon. It offers a variety of accommodation from Tents to Camper sites, from chalets to rustic cabins on site. Admission to the Hot Springs is included with your stay when booking a cabin to chalet. Breakfast included with our stay. The owners treated the boys and us so well and were amazing!

What to see:

A short distance away are two great easy hiking Trails (I highly recommend both). Skunk Cabbage and The Giant Cedars Boardwalks.

• Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk is only 8 km west of the resort and offers an in-depth look at the ecology of this rain forest.

• Just a minute down the road you will find the Giant Cedars Boardwalk. A majestic 0.5 km trail of beauty and delight. Canyon Hot Springs was a great first stop, the surrounding scenery of the Canyon and Mount Revelstoke are awe-inspiring. It was very relaxing.

From Canyon Hot Springs we headed to Revelstoke. Not a long drive, about 30 minutes.

Revelstoke

We love Revelstoke and have stayed here before. Our favourite family accommodations are at Sutton Place, located in the Mountain Village above Revelstoke. Every suite at Sutton Place Hotel Revelstoke Mountain Resort is furnished with a gas fireplace, washer, dryer and a formal living room. A full kitchen is provided.

Our main reason for staying was to check out the PIPE mountain roller coaster. This exhilarating ride is 1.4 km of twists and turns across ski runs, between glades and through a tunnel while travelling up to 42km/hour. For those travelling with smaller kids like us, you can still do this, for the toddler or child doubles with their parent. It is $25 for a rider and an additional $10 for a passenger. Note: it can get hectic, and we had about 6 hours before our it was our time to ride the pipe.

So we decided to go and check out the Trek Park and Three Valley Gap.

• Three Valley Gap is a heritage ghost town and home to the Bell family's Heritage Ghost. There are 25 historic buildings to explore and antiques. You can lunch at the Three Valley Chateau and explore the grounds, pathways and beautiful scenery.

• Trek Park is located right in the middle of an enchanting rainforest. Trek in the trees, zip, climb, jump, swing, free-fall. They offer exhilarating outdoor activities for all the family, starting at age two. If Trek is not your cup of tea, right next door is the most adorable attraction.

• Enchanted Forest there are 350 fairy figurines hidden in this rainforest. Explore a giant cedar stump house, a castle and dungeons, don't forget to climb BC's largest treehouse. Admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children. Also, we highly recommend checking out the self-guided nature trails along the boardwalk.

Once we got back to the mountain, it was our turn to take up the gondola to ride the pipe. It was raining when our turn was up, which meant we could not go down, we got a rain check for tickets for the next morning.

Since we had a busy day, we went to relax in the outdoor pool and hot tube and eat some supper, for dinner on-site was Mackenzie Common Tavern. It featured a great kids menu, and we ate outside, which was great for the kids could run around on the grounds while we enjoyed a glass of wine.

The next morning, the sun was shining, and we were able to ride the PIPE, and the kids LOVED it. I think I was slowest and used my break more than the kids did!

From Revelstoke, we decided to take a drive to Blanket Creek Provincial Park and see the Sutherland Falls and check out the park. There are beaches and hiking trails throughout the park. The Sunderland Fall is a 5-minute walk to a spectacular waterfall. Pack a lunch and make a day of it!

On Saturday there is a farmers market from 9-12 in the grizzly plaza. Before the market stop for breakfast at Big Bend Cafe (considerable portion sizes for sharing). The market is cute with lots of produce and treats to local artists. We were here during the week, so we could not hit the market this year.

After two days in Revelstoke, we were back in the car and off to Halcyon Hot Springs. Just the photos alone on google were enough to make us want to check out this Hot Springs.

Halcyon Hot Springs

It is about a 1.5 Hours drive From Revelstoke to Halcyon Hot Springs, plus a ferry ride at Sheltor Bay. The ferry is free. Located on Upper Arrow Lake, this Nakusp spa resort offers panoramic views. A wellness spa and three hot springs pools are on site. A balcony included in all rooms. There is no cell phone service at the resort. There are a variety of options of chalets, cabins and suites to book. We decided to book into a studio suite, which had two queen bed, a pull-out couch, kitchen and bathroom. This suite located in the bottom of a chalet with someone above you. We could not hear anything. It was perfect. The hot springs admission included with your stay.

We made reservations at the Kingfisher restaurant, which is on-site and had a kids menu. It was pricey but delicious. Try to get a seat on the patio overlooking Arrow Lake. It happened to be Max’s 9th birthday today, so they made it special with a dessert and even an #9 candle.

After dinner, we went down to the lake and played in the water and build inukshuks

I will be back to this gorgeous location in the future.

Ainsworth Hot Springs.

From Halcyon Hot Spring we headed to Nakusp to check out the Fairytale Cafe, beaches and look at the Leland Hotel, built in 1892 and the oldest operating hotel in BC. Nakusp is a located also on upper Arrow Lake.

From Nakusp we headed to check out the town of Kaslo located in the heart of the Mountains and on Kootney Lake. Also known as ‘Little Switzerland’ of B.C and home to the SS Moyie. The SS Moyie is the “world’s oldest intact passenger sternwheeler.” The fsternwheeler arrived in 1898 and served over 50 years on B.C.’s southwestern lakes. The Kootenay Lake Historical Society notes that the City Of Kaslo purchased the ship for $1 and, “towed it to Kaslo Bay by the tug S.S. Granthall.”

The street are lined with charming store fronts and dining options. Kaslo’s city hall, constructed in 1898, is the oldest remaining town hall in Mainland B.C. According to the village’s website, the beautiful building, “symbolized the foresight of its founder’s optimism and aspirations of Kaslo and its future generations to come.”

For lunch we checked out Buddy’s Front Street Pizzeria, it smelled so delightful. These fire roasted pizza where devoured even by our pickiest eater!

The final destination of the day was Ainsworth Hot Springs. Owned by Yaqan Nukiy, the Lower Kootenay Band of Creston, BC, returning the Ktunaxa peoples to this significant land so that they may share their appreciation with others. Ainsworth Hot Springs consist of warm mineral waters in a natural cave and pool. The accommodations are on site and reserved a family suite which had two queen beds and a cot in the room. Admission to the hot springs was included with our stay. We loved the robes that were provided.

They also had a restaurant onsite the family friendly Ktunaxa Grill which we ate dinner and breakfast.

After a delightful stay at Ainsworth, it was back in the car, next up Cranbrook, BC, a 3-hour drive plus ferry.

First, stop Balfour Ferry, and is named the longest scenic free ferry in the world. It runs every 40 minutes beginning at 6:30 am. Make sure to give yourself 15 minutes to look around. Some interesting shops and the Kool Bus is a must-stop photo op. It was a quick trip to the other side.

From the ferry landing, we headed straight to St. Eugene Resort. It was a hot day, and the kids were excited to play in the pool. Located between the Purcell and the Kootenay Rocky Mountains, 9 km from downtown Cranbrook, this pet-friendly resort offers world-class golf and casino nightlife just minutes from a national park. There are two onsite restaurants. The kids were tired, so we just decided to watch a movie and call it a day!

The next day we headed to a historic site sits outside the city at Fort Steele Heritage Town. Perched on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains, this historic site has lived through the ages; from boomtown to ghost town. We were booked in at Trickle Creek Lodge, which was only a 25-minute drive.

Before heading to the hotel, we wanted to check our Marysville Falls. These stunning falls are a must-see when you visit Kimberley. Located in Marysville there is parking access just off the main road, there is a covered bridge that starts the short walk along mark creek that eventually leads to the falls, they are beautiful and an easy hike that does not take very long to get to the falls.

From the falls we headed to the platzl for a late lunch. The Platzl in Kimberley is a pedestrian-only area with boutiques, restaurants, fountains, the world's largest cuckoo clock. The trip would not be complete without trying some German food. So we headed to the Old Bauernhaus Resturant, and it was worth every last bite!

It was time to check in to Trickle Creek Lodge and take a swim in the heated outdoor pool. Upon check-in, the kids were spoiled with a treat bag, cookie, stuffed animal and chapstick and in the room they even had robes for the boys. We booked into a two-bedroom suite which included a kitchen.

The next morning we headed to Fairmount Hot Springs. Fairmont Hot Springs is home to Canada's largest natural mineral hot springs, is a year-round destination nestled in the heart of British Columbia. Our accommodations located at Panorama Mountain Resort in Invermere, so we hit the hot spring on the way. Admission was costly, $100 for our family of five. If you wanted a day pass so, you can come and go you are looking more at $150. It is a beautiful hot spring, and the mountain backdrop is gorgeous. It was a cooler day, so the kids wanted to leave earlier than we hoped. So we got dressed and headed to our Panorama condo which we rented off Airbnb. We love coming to Panorama in the summer you can bike, hike, swim and play. They have a kids activity pack which the kids tried mini-golf, mining for gems, eurobungy and rock climbing.

After a night at Panorama, we headed to Radium Hot Spring which we headed back to RVVR. We ended back at the RV with Oma and Opa. We love the amenities at this resort. You can mini-golf, ride your bikes, swim at the indoor or outdoor pools, play tennis or pickleball and even try horseshoes. When we are here, we always go to the Radium Hot Spring, affordable at $25 for the entire family. Along with hot spring, there is a cold pool with a diving board and small slides.

There are a few hikes to check out in Radium or on your route towards Calgary, AB.

What to see:

• Juniper Trail to see Sinclair Canyon. Located in Radium. This 3 km round trip hike is full of switchbacks. It is an easy trip down and a bit more effort back to the top. Some wooden bridges provide a view of the steam and canyon.

• Lower Bugaboo Falls - a 30-minute moderate traffic walk to the falls. About a 20 mixture drive from Radium by the town of Spillimacheen, British Columbia. I think this is an excellent trail for all ages and levels.

• Marble Canyon - on highway 95 towards Banff, AB, located in Kootenay National Park. The gorge grows more impressive with every step. Multiple bridges that hang above the canyon, giving you unbelievable views with a majestic waterfall at the end of the path.

• Paint Pots - an easy 3km trail, 85 km from Radium. The Paint Pots consist of 3 pools made up of cold mineral springs that are surrounded by earth predominantly composed of iron ore. Native tribes used the ochre for paint.

It has been an adventure full of fun and excitement, but now it is time to head back to YYC and unpack our Suitcase!

From our Suitcase to yours, Happy Travels!