Salmon Arm is on the bay of one of the four arms of Shuswap Lake.The largest of the 8 areas in the Shuswap, it’s the service and shopping hub and it’s got plenty else to offer.

 

Start your Saturday at Cafe Tasse in the Prestige Inn Harbourfront Resort. In this french cafe, the answer is always “mais oui”! Burn off the sugary goodness enjoying the Salmon Arm Bird Sanctuary and Foreshore Trail.

 

Head over to the Downtown Salmon Arm Farmer’s Market at the Ross Street Plaza. Be sure to check out the beautiful mosaic. Can you find all 20 of the glorious tile creatures?

 

Next, it’s time to visit Alexander Plaza – a pedestrian only zone on Saturdays – and grab a selfie with the world’s largest treble clef in the background. On Hudson Ave, visit the Salmon Arm Arts Centre, a heritage building full of modern ideas. Throughout the downtown core, you’ll delight in the diverse mix of boutiques and cafes.

 

It’s time to cool off at Canoe Beach, a 10 minute drive east of town. Walk, swim, relax in the grass and snack at Top Jimmy’s Canoe Beach Cafe’s home of the Zombie Burger.

 

On your way back to town, visit the Blue Hills Lavender Farm just off the TCH with picture perfect fields and a gorgeous gift shop. At Marionette Winery just a 5 minutes away, enjoy beautiful scenery from the tasting room and outdoor patio.

 

Dinner downtown? The big flavours-in these few square blocks includes Andiamo Ristorante and the Barley Station Brew Pub among many others.

 

Finally, a walk down North America’s longest inland curved wooden wharf at Marine Peace Park is the quintessential way to end a Salmon Arm day.

At the north-western edge of the Shuswap region is Chase right off the Trans Canada Highway between Kamloops and Salmon Arm. The village is the first golf cart friendly community in Canada so enjoy the leisurely pace on local streets.

 

And speaking of leisurely, start your day at Inside Out Coffee House for breakfast. Popular with locals, it’s a great jumping off point for the day ahead. If you’re there on a Friday morning (10 am to 2 pm), head to the Chase Farm and Craft Market in the Safety Mart Foods parking lot where you can decide how best to spend your afternoon whilst browsing local produce and crafts.

 

You can hike the nearby Chase Creek Falls or book a tee-time at to the community owned Sunshore Golf Course for a family friendly 9 hole round or visit the Chase and District Museum and Archives. If you want to head further afield, consider the Monte Creek Ranch Winery 15 minutes west or head to the Turtle Valley Donkey Refuge about 15 km from town on Skimikin Road.

 

Be sure to get back to town to grab and ice cream at Eye Candy and browse their fun fashions and the other funky shops on Shuswap Avenue. Then head to Memorial Park for a swim at the beach, a walk down the iconic red pier, a cool visit to the water park or a workout at the new skate park. It’s an all age place to kick back for a bit.

 

By now you’ll be good and hungry so pop into the Railside Restaurant for a family style dinner with scenic views, great food and friendly service.

 

Chase is a four season place and you’ll soon be back for another visit. Question is, can you put snow tires on golf carts?. You’ll just have to ask the locals.

Sundays in the Shuswap are typically laid back. No more so than in the North Shu, so named because it’s on the north shore of Shuswap Lake accessed off the Trans Canada Highway at the Squilax Anglemont Road turn off.

Start it off with the famous Quaaout Lodge Sunday brunch then head directly to Tsútswecw Provincial Park to walk the trails at the mouth of the Adams River, home of one of the world’s largest sockeye salmon runs. This sacred space holds a place of honour for the Secwepemc people and territory.

Next, head to Canada’s northern most vineyard. Celista Estate Winery is a 160 acre property and features award winning wines, a tasting room, winery tours and epic views . Pop into the Scotch Creek Farm and Craft Market (Sundays 9:30 am to 1:30 pm) across from Shuswap Lake Provincial Park on the way to Celista to meet local farmers and crafters.

Continue on to Anglemont enjoying the lakeshore drive all the way, you’ll see the Anglemont Estates Golf Course, the marina, the Anglemont Inn and Lakeview Community Park which is a popular swimming spot.

Heading back toward the TCH, consider stopping at the Scotch Creek Hub (open daily, 12 pm to 8 pm) for shared appetizers or Sharezies, as they call them. They also offer no hook up camping. It’s conveniently across the road from Shuswap Lake Provincial Park where you can enjoy the playground or the beach (and a campsite if you’re a BC resident lucky enough to have reserved one well ahead of time for the 2020 season).

Head back toward the highway junction and catch the sunset on the Little Shuswap Lake. The western facing exposure makes for spectacular sunsets. And if a day in the North Shu doesn’t relax you, well, it’s time to plan a return visit just as the sockeye salmon do year after year.

 

Start your Saturday with a hearty breakfast at the Home Restaurant in Sorrento. Over the road from 8 am until noon, you’ll find the Sorrento Village Farmers Market in the Shoppers Plaza parking lot. Meet the friendly bunch of local farmers, artisans, brewers and vintners.

From there, head east on the TCH to the Dreamcycle Motorcycle Museum to visit a world-class collection of bikes and the like. If cars and antiques are more your thing, pop into the White Post Auto Museum and Antiques Mall. Just further east still is the Sunnybrae Canoe Point Road turn off. Stop by the Tappen Coop for a legendary giant ice cream cone and make your way to Herald’s Park to hike Margaret Falls.

On your way back towards the TCH, visit Sunnybrae Vineyards and Winery for a tasting (open Wednesdays to Sundays 11 to 5) and consider bringing home some Redneck Red for your next get together.

Head west again towards Blind Bay. Take the Balmoral turn off and be sure to stop in at the Blind Bay Village Grocer, a well-appointed locally owned grocery store known for its great selection and customer service. Then enjoy a wee drive as far as Eagle Bay to really capture the casual beautiful spirit of the area (approximately 20 km each way).

On your return, be sure to keep time for a stop at Finz Resort . Its legendary lakeside patio, and casual family friendly menu is a perfect way to end a Shuswap day. Enjoy the sparkle of the lake and the beautiful view of the bay.

You won’t soon forget the warm welcome from the South Shu.