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Kamloops Information

PRACTICALITIES

The infocentre , 1290 W Trans-Canada Hwy (mid-May to mid-Oct Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat & Sun 9am-6pm; mid-Oct to mid-May Mon-Fri 9am-5pm; tel 374-3377 or 1-800/662-1994, www.venturekamloops.com ) is a good 6km west of downtown, close to the Aberdeen Mall. They have full accommodation and recreational details for the town and much of the province, and a particularly useful book of local trails self-published by a local hiker ($13.90). The Greyhound terminal (tel 374-1212), on Notre Dame Avenue off Hwy 1, across from the infocentre, is a crucial interchange for buses to all parts of the province; to head into town, jump on the #3 bus that leaves from outside the station. Kamloops is also served by three weekly trains in each direction from Edmonton, via Jasper (Mon, Thurs & Sat) and Vancouver (Mon, Wed & Sat). The VIA Rail office is at 95 3rd Ave, behind Landsdowne Street, but is open only on days trains are running (tel 372-5858 or 1-800/561-8630).

Kamloops’s huge volume of accommodation is aimed fair and square at the motorist and consists of thick clusters of motels , most of which blanket the town’s eastern margins on Hwy 1 or out on Columbia Street West. The Thrift Inn , 2459 Trans-Canada (tel 374-2488 or 1-800/661-7769; up to $40), is probably the cheapest of all, but it’s about the last building on eastbound Hwy 1 out of town. You pay a slight premium for central beds, most of which are on Columbia Street: here the Casa Marquis Motor Inn , 530 Columbia St (tel 372-7761 or 1-800/533-9233; $40-60) is reasonably priced, or you can try the reliable and recently renovated Sandman , 550 Columbia St (tel 374-1218 or 1-800/726-3626, www.sandman.ca ; $40-60), part of a chain. If you want top-of-the-range comfort after a long journey, make for the central Stockmen’s Hotel & Casino , 540 Victoria St (tel 372-2281 or 1-800/663-2837; $80-100). A youth hostel , Kamloops Old Courthouse Hostel, is housed downtown in a restored courthouse building at 7 W Seymour St (tel 828-7991; up to $40): it has dorm beds and a few private rooms. There’s also a clutch of motels around the bus terminal, in case you arrive late and have no need to drop into town. The nearest campsite is the Silver Sage Tent and Trailer Park at 771 Athabasca St E (tel 828-2077; $15-18), but if you’ve got a car aim for the far more scenic facilities at Paul Lake Provincial Park . Snack food is cheap and served in generous portions at the popular Swiss Pastries & Café , 359 Victoria St, which really is run by Swiss people and does good muesli, cappuccino, sticky buns and excellent bread. The Grassroots Tea House (summer only), in Riverside Park at 262 Lorne St, is a nice spot for lunch or dinner washed down with ginseng tea - a local product. If you’re splashing out on a proper meal, on the other hand, the best restaurant is the upmarket Deja Vu , 172 Battle St (tel 374-3227; closed Sun & Mon), where Thai meets France and Japan, though locals also rate the much cheaper, but less exotic, Ric’s Grill at 227 Victoria St. Kelly O’Bryans , 244 Victoria St, is good for a pint, and for supermarket stock-ups there’s a Safeway on the corner of Seymour and 5th Avenue.

Copyright Rough Guides Ltd as trustee for its authors. Published by Rough Guides. All rights reserved.The Rough Guides name is a trademark of Rough Guides Ltd.

Kamloops, located in western Canada, is a city of wonders; particularly of the natural variety. As the third largest city in the interior of British Columbia, this four-season paradise has something for everyone. The city is easy to reach, has the warmest weather in Canada, and boasts world-class sporting facilities and incredible recreational experiences. It is also a very affordable city which treats its visitors graciously.

There are many reasons to visit Kamloops. The city has the warmest summers in the area with an average temperature of 72F during June, July and August. There are a number of beautiful parks throughout the city. At any time of year, there is some type of tournament taking place, giving Kamloops the nickname “The Tournament Capital of Canada”.

With a mild, dry four-season climate, visitors can enjoy summer and winter activities. Kamloops experiences over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year and only 10.62 inches of rain. In the winter, the area is transformed into a postcard-like effect with an average snowfall of 33.86 inches in Kamloops to 17 feet at nearby Sunpeaks, one of Canada’s largest ski areas.

Conveniently and centrally located in the heart of British Columbia’s Interior, visitors can arrive via train, plane or automobile from all parts of the province. With such convenience, it’s easy to take advantage of the many things to see and do, both in the city as well as throughout the entire area. Travelers to Kamloops will find a clean, lively city with an abundance of year round indoor and outdoor recreation activities and sports. The city offers a variety of museums, art galleries and live productions. Sports enthusiasts will find hiking, bicycling, fishing and golf in the summer and tobogganing, snow skiing, ice fishing and ice skating in the winter. Scenic views are another attraction to travelers. Visitors are lured to the city for a view of the surrounding mountains and lakes. Some of the major activities and sports in Kamloops include golf, hiking, and boating in the summer and skiing and snowboarding in the winter.

A visit to the British Columbia Wildlife Park is well worth the time spent. Visitors can wander with the family through a unique wildlife facility. The park features over 70 local and endangered species, programs for children, and even a water park. For a unique adventure with spectacular scenery, take a trip on the Kamloops Heritage Highway by rail. Guests can ride the rails with the sights and sounds of the magnificently restored steam engine 2141, “The Spirit of Kamloops”. Watch out for Billy Miner and his gang who are known to stop the train and re-enact the “Great Train Robbery.” A truly unique attraction is the Sunmore Ginseng Factory. Here visitors can take a tour of the 18,000 sq. foot facility and learn about the healing powers of ginseng. This is the only professional ginseng manufacturing facility in North America. For the out of doors enthusiast, there are a variety of activities both in the city and nearby. Hyak Wilderness Adventures offers guests a fun and safe whitewater rafting experience. Depending on how much excitement a visitor desires, one can take a motorized raft trip or enjoy a paddle trip and really get involved with the river.

For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, no visit is complete without viewing the Adams River Salmon Run. Every year, nature’s great story of birth, death and renewal takes place in the shallow waters of the Adams River, east of Kamloops. This annual reaffirmation of life is one of nature’s most remarkable shows, witnessed by travellers from all over the world. Every year in late September to mid-October, hundreds of thousands of salmon make their way up the mighty Fraser and Thompson Rivers to spawn. It’s a massive migration and a yearly ritual established well before humans settled the area. The Adams River is also the final home for Chinook, Coho and pink salmon. Of course there is nothing like a day of skiing and there is plenty available. One of the most noted ski resorts is the Sunpeaks Ski Area. The resort is internationally recognized and known for its abundant sunshine, dry and plentiful snow, friendly locals, superb grooming, and an award-winning trail and village design. There are over 3,600 skiing acres on three mountains and the highest peak soars nearly 3,000 feet above the village. Sunpeaks can entertain all from the most aggressive to the most cautious of skiers and snowboarders with its wide variations in terrain.

Whatever the interest and whatever the time of year for a visit, visitors to Kamloops will leave rewarded with wonderful memories and wonderful pictures, so be sure to bring the camera.

Kamloops City Information

Population: 80,000

Elevation: 345 metres (1133 feet) above sea level

Location: Located in the center of the Thompson Okanagan tourism region of south central British Columbia, approximately 3-1/2 hours by car from Vancouver, British Columbia and 5-1/2 hours from Seattle, Washington. The city lies in the heart of British Columbia’s southern interior at the confluence of the North Thompson and the South Thompson rivers which join near the city center and flow together downstream as the Thompson River.

Time Zone: Pacific Time Zone (when it’s noon in Kamloops, it’s 2pm in Chicago, 3PM in New York City (EST), and 3pm in Toronto). Kamloops observes Daylight Savings Time from April – October

Weather: Average Temperatures:

Month High Low

January 41F 32F

February 44F 34F

March 50F 37F

April 58F 40F

May 64F 46F

June 69F 52F

July 74F 54F

August 73F 54F

September 65F 49F

October 57F 44F

November 48F 39F

December 43F 35F

Local Seasons:

Kamloops has a mild, dry four-season climate which means visitors can enjoy summer and winter activities. Kamloops experiences over 2,000 hours of sunshine a year and only 270 mm (10.62 in) of rain. It also gets a fair amount of snow. The average snowfall is 86 cm (33.86 in) in Kamloops to 559 cm (17 ft) at Canada’s 3rd largest ski area, Sunpeaks.

In a weather survey of cities in Canada conducted by Statistics Canada, Kamloops had excellent ratings: Here’s how Kamloops ranked in the top 100.

1st - hottest summers

2nd - warmest spring

2nd - driest city

2nd - most sunny days in warm months

11th - warmest year round

13th - mildest winter

14th - most sunny days year round

National Holidays:

New Years Day: January 1

Good Friday: Varies

Easter Monday Varies

Victoria Day: Monday preceding May 25

Canada Day: July 1. The Holidays Act provides that July 2 is Canada Day when July 1 is a Sunday.

Labour Day: First Monday in September

Thanksgiving Day: Second Monday of October

Remembrance Day: November 11

Christmas Day: December 25

Boxing Day: December 26