Top Things To Do in Nelson, British Columbia

Top things to do in or near the city of Nelson, BC, Canada. Including the nearby communities of Slocan Valley, Crawford Bay and Balfour. Located in the Kootenay Region of British Columbia, Canada.

Things to do in Nelson, British Columbia.

Go Fishing:

The world famous Gerrard Rainbow trout plus some Kokanee salmon and dolly varden bite fishing lures on the local lakes. Bring your boat and your gear. Or book some time with a local fishing guide.

Visit a Spa:

When the boys of the family are out doing the "guy" thing playing golf, fishing, etc. it may be a good time for the ladies of the group to treat themselves to a day of pampering with a local spa.

Kayak Tours:

Being near Kootenay Lake and the whitewater rapids of the Slocan River provides an opportunity to discover the joys of kayaking. Slow and steady on lakes or fast and wet on the river. Day and overnight paddles connect to sandy beaches, waterfalls, wildlife, rugged cliffs and hidden coves. Tours available or bring your own kayak. (tours contact list)

Wildlife Tours:

Self guided hiking tours or while on a guided kayak, plane, raft or boat tour one will often visit popular wildlife viewing areas in the backcountry around Nelson and the Slocan Valley. One may even see black bears and grizzly. (parks & trails)

Ferry Camping:

Proctor - only accessed via Kootenay Lake Ferry. Explore Proctor Falls, a pictograph site and the Irvine Creek, Narrows Creek, Mill Lake and Lasca Creek Trails. Most have wilderness campsites for overnight camping.

River Rafting:

Feeling a need for a white water rafting experience? The Slocan River awaits for your arrival. Go for a day of white water fun or book an overnight adventure. Tours with guides and lessons available. (tours contact list)

History Lesson:

Walking history in Nelson is easy on foot while doing your chores or shopping in heritage buildings like the Bank of Commerce (1907), Capitol Theatre (1924), Bank of Montreal (1899), Post office (1902) and the Nelson Daily News (1899).

Mountain Biking:

Nelson and the Slocan Valley has everything for a mountain biker. Bring your own bike or sign up for a tour or contact a local club. You cannot help but have fun with trail names like Cemetery, Slabalanche, Shitaker, Hitman, Doz Slabs, Honey, Buddha, Kut Korners and 49er. (parks & trails)

Walking Tour:

When in Nelson you must make time to walk the waterfront path in Lakeside Park. It is a paved wheelchair and baby stroller friendly path with sightseeing benches, picnic tables, flower gardens and viewing areas providing great views of Kootenay Lake and Nelson. (parks & trails)

Explore Trails:

The protected parks, as well as, the wilderness backcountry areas near Nelson and in the Slocan Valley provide a smorgasbord of fantastic wilderness trails for hiking and backpacking. For example there are over 100+ kilometres of wilderness trails in the Kokanee Glacier Park alone. (parks & trails)

Putt, Chip & Drive:

Bring your golf clubs when visiting the region. There are plenty of putting greens and driving fairways to go around. No clubs. Golf courses provide rentals and golf carts.
(attractions contact list)

Road Trip:

The beauty about the Kootenays is that everything is nearby and communities are close. There are too many day trips to list. While in Nelson drive out to the Hot Springs (Ainsworth and Nakusp) or hop the ferry in Balfour and visit the Pilot Bay Lighthouse (Crawford Bay) or visit the tourism villages in the Slocan Valley.

Pack a Picnic:

When the weather is nice we all love a good picnic. Why stay inside when you can dine in the outdoors. Pack up your family for a picnic in the park at one of the many in the region. (parks & trails)

Ski Mountains:

The Kootenay region of British Columbia enjoys many downhill skiing & snowboarding mountain resorts and cat skiing and heli skiing operators. (winter contact list)

Ski XC:

Bring your cross country skis and explore the trails in some of the parks or nordic areas like Apex Busk or the Clearwater Creek XC Ski Trails.

Go Sledding:

There are snowmobile operators in the Kootenays who provide snowmobile tours or can set you up with a rental. In the backcountry near Nelson there are designated areas for snowmobiling called the Kokanee Snowmobile Trails.
(winter contact list)