Nelson is a small and charming city is B.C.’s Kootenay region, located between Vancouver and Calgary.
Sitting on the West Arm of Kootenay Lake, within the Selkirk Mountains of southeastern B.C., Nelson has a unique blend of outdoor adventure for the winter and summer – everything from world-class skiing to scenic golf courses, mountain biking and more! In fact, Nelson has a network of more than 150 biking trails.
Visit Kootenay Lake for a close-up look at Nelson’s big orange bridge and uncrowded boating adventures.
For cultural pursuits, explore historic Baker Street, while and downtown Nelson boasts speciality shops, boutiques and fine restaurants.
Nelson’s social scene is bold with weekly live performances, galleries, arts and music. This city is known as a vibrant mountain playground.
Facts
- Nelson hosts a mural festival which includes international artists from all across the world.
- Nelson residents are proud that they have more restaurants per capita than San Francisco and Manhattan
- It has nearly 350 heritage buildings
- It’s known for its beautiful historic theatres, boasting traditional red velvet seats.
Climate
Nelson’s summers are usually hot and dry and with snowy winters. It gets an average of 172cm of snow just on the city streets.
Destination BC is developing a new campaign to promote hyper-local travel where residents are “tourists-in-their own hometown,” while practising the COVID-19 safety protocols as recommended by the B.C. Provincial Health Officer. Many B.C. parks are now open, and national parks were to open as of June 1.
(Check this website for current details on travel.)
Getting here
Airports: Castlegar’s airport is 30 minutes away, Kelowna is three hours away.
Airport shuttles also run to Spokane, WA via Queen City Shuttles.
Trail Regional Airport is also an hour away and has daily flights to Vancouver.
