Events in Nelson BC

Historical Tours
Nelson has 350 heritage homes and office buildings, whose architectural style even during construction was twenty to thirty years behind the times. It was mainly influenced by north-south trends in architecture with some commercial buildings that are more typical of those in San Francisco, Seattle and Spokane than those in Eastern Canada. The restoration of these buildings is a great source of pride for Nelson, and has earned the city a reputation as one of the finest Heritage cities in Canada. The movie Roxanne used the beautifully restored Nelson Fire Hall to great effect, so make sure you stop by for a picture. Two Heritage tours have been developed for visitors: the walking tour and the driving tour. You can pick up details and maps of these tours from the Visitor Centre, located in the Nelson and District Chamber of Commerce office at 91 Baker St. downtown.

Baker Street
Baker Street has long defined the essence of Nelson. The eclectic mix of retail stores, restaurants, and heritage buildings provides visitors with a tremendous sense of our diversity and sophistication. It’s what downtowns are meant to be: the lively heart of the city. A visit to Nelson isn’t complete until you’ve seen Baker Street.

Lakeside Park
With a beautiful sandy beach, restaurant, tennis courts, labyrinth and picnic area, this idyllic spot is the perfect setting for a day on the lake. Take a stroll along the waterfront pathway, an ongoing community project, the goal of which is to create a waterfront pathway from one end of Nelson to the other, along the water.

Streetcar 23
This fully restored streetcar was orginally built in 1906 and ran untill 1949 when it was suspended and replaced by buses. Prensent day, it takes you on a tour that starts from Lakeside Park and follows the West Arm, past the Chahko Mika Mall to the Prestige Inn, and back. A great way to visit the past, and a real treat for young and old alike.

Touchstone Museum & Art Gallery
Changing exhibitions of Touchstones Nelson offers a diversity of topics and themes that reflect the broad interests and capabilities of people living in the region. It connects the area creative energy and rich history. Also hosting The Shawn Lamb archives collects, perserves and protects on-site access to textual, cartographic, visual and audio records of the Nelson and District.

Ainsworth Hot Springs
Ainsworth Hot Springs is a truly unique destination. This world-class facility offers soothing mineral waters, with an average temperature of 42 C/114 F in sauna-like caves. The mineral waters fall from the caves roof and forms into a pool about waste deep, providing a natural steam bath. The main lounging pool temperatures average 35 C/96 F, and a streamfed cold plunge which temperature varies with the seasons.

S.S. Moyie
The S.S. Moyie is the world’s oldest intact passenger sternwheeler. Located against the stunning scenery of the town of Kaslo.It began it’s service in 1898, carrying passengers and freight on the Lake for 59 years. The Moyie awaits all who want to step back in time and experience life at the turn of the last century. The sights, sounds and smells have all been recreated aboard this grand vessel.

Kokanee Creek Provincial Park
Another great place for a picnic and day on the lake. With over a kilometre of sandy beaches, camping, and a childrens park, it is a great choice for tourists coming to the West Kootenays. If you’re visiting in the middle to end of August, you can witness thousands of Kokanee as they head up the spawning channels. The park also offers 9.5 km of hiking from easy to difficult, as well as winter activities.

The Doukhobor Village Museum
The year 1908 marks the arrival of the first members of the Doukhobor community immigrating to Canada. It displays over 1,000 artifacts representing the pioneering, arts, crafts, customs and religion of the Doukhobor settlers and brilliantly illustration Castlegar’s cultural history.

Creston Valley Wildlife Area
A uniquely preserved area of 17,000 acre wetland habitat. There are over 32 kilometers of dyke trails to explore. Enjoy hiking,biking, wildlife viewing, photography, fishing and a little peace and quite. In the winter enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ice fishing.

Cody Caves Provincial Park
Discover a wondrous and fragile underground world. A Natural limestone cave system sculpted by a glacier-fed stream, featuring soda straws, stalactite and other calcite features unique to the underground. Located 2 km north of Ainsworth Hot Springs. A variety of tours from introductory caving to adventurous for the more curious caver.