Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business Kamloops sits in the dry heart of British Columbia, where two big rivers meet below sunburnt hills. The name is an anglicised version of a Secwepemc word meaning "meeting of the waters".
Kamloops is a practical and friendly city with a wild edge. Within minutes of downtown you can swim at a river beach, hike a ridge with views over the valley or look for bighorn sheep in open grassland.
The city is also a natural stop between the coast and the Rockies, because the Trans-Canada Highway and the main rail routes from Calgary and Edmonton meet here.
This is where the North and South Thompson rivers meet, and it makes a good first stop. Walk along the beach, let children loose on the playground and water park, and take in the river.
Riverside Park lies beside the Thompson River close to downtown Kamloops. Photo: Kiyoteru Awaji, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
On Seymour Street, this museum is the place to learn about the fur trade post, the gold rush years and the arrival of the railway in 1883. It suits a rainy hour or a hot afternoon when you want to be indoors.
The Kamloops Museum and Archives is on Seymour Street in the city centre. Photo: Silver Dovelet, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
The gallery at Fifth Avenue and Victoria Street is among the main cultural venues in town and pairs well with a stroll through downtown.
Steam locomotive number 2141, known as the Spirit of Kamloops, hauls excursions on this heritage line. Operations have been paused in recent years with plans to resume, so confirm the schedule before you build a day around it.
Canadian National steam locomotive 2141 is known as the Spirit of Kamloops. Photo: Silver Dovelet, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Trails start close to downtown near Sixth Avenue and pass under the Trans-Canada Highway on the way up to Bridal Veil Falls.
Trails in Peterson Creek Nature Park climb from downtown toward Bridal Veil Falls. Photo: Sashathedoge, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Hiking and mountain biking trails climb Mount Dufferin and reward you with wide views over the city and rivers. Access points are near Aberdeen Mall.
Kenna Cartwright Nature Park covers the slopes of Mount Dufferin above the city. Photo: cogdogblog, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Northwest of town, this park protects a large area of natural grassland with small lakes, red lava cliffs and spring wildflowers. Bighorn sheep, deer and moose live here, and rattlesnakes do too, so watch your step.
Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area protects a large stretch of natural grassland northwest of Kamloops. Photo: tuchodi, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
A paved path circles this large river island, with views of the water and the city. It also has sports fields, a skatepark and a short golf course, which makes it an easy stop with children or for an evening walk.
Close to Kamloops, this park houses animals from around the province, including black and grizzly bears, wolves, cougars, bighorn sheep and rattlesnakes. There is a miniature train and a birds of prey demonstration, so it works well for families.
The BC Wildlife Park shows animals from across British Columbia. Photo: Kiyoteru Awaji, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
West of the city, the Thompson River widens into a lake about 29 kilometres long, framed by steep dry hillsides and ranch land. Mule deer and Rocky Mountain sheep graze the slopes in spring, and railway lines run along both shores.
Kamloops Lake is a widening of the Thompson River just west of the city. Photo: Hedwig Storch, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Roughly a 45-minute drive north of Kamloops, Sun Peaks is a major ski resort with some of the largest skiable terrain in Canada.
Sun Peaks Resort is a ski area northeast of Kamloops. Photo: Murray Foubister, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Kamloops food leans on the land around it. Kamloops trout, a local variety of rainbow trout named for the area, is the fish to look for on menus and in fishing talk.
Downtown has the widest choice of restaurants, and the city is also known for its brewery scene, which suits an evening after a hot hike. Ask at the visitor centre for current recommendations, as restaurants change often.
Popular dishes to try in Kamloops
Downtown Kamloops is the best base if you want to walk to Riverside Park, the museum, the gallery and restaurants. It suits first-time visitors and anyone arriving without a car.
Aberdeen, on the west side along the Trans-Canada Highway, is convenient for drivers.
Sun Peaks is a different kind of stay. Choose it if you are visiting in ski season or want mountain air and hiking in summer, and keep the drive to Kamloops in mind for city sights.
Where to stay in Kamloops
Summer is hot and dry, with average highs near 29 degrees Celsius and some days far hotter. It suits swimming, river time and early-morning hikes, but dry lightning and wildfire smoke can occur, so keep plans flexible.
Winters are among the mildest of any inland Canadian city, though cold snaps happen, and Sun Peaks draws skiers. If hockey interests you, the Kamloops Blazers play in the Western Hockey League during the winter season.
Kamloops Airport has flights from Vancouver, Calgary and Prince George. By road, the Trans-Canada Highway reaches the city from the Fraser Canyon and from Salmon Arm and the Rockies, while the Coquihalla Highway is the faster route from Vancouver.
VIA Rail stops at Kamloops North station, about 8 kilometres north of downtown, and Rocky Mountaineer trains make overnight stops. Ebus and Rider Express run coaches along the main corridors.
Start at Riverside Park, walk downtown to the museum and gallery, and spend the late afternoon on the trails of Peterson Creek Nature Park.
Visit the BC Wildlife Park in the morning, then drive to Kenna Cartwright Nature Park for sunset views over the rivers. If energy remains, add a short loop on the paved path around MacArthur Island Park.
Head out to Lac du Bois Grasslands or along Kamloops Lake, or drive up to Sun Peaks for skiing or a mountain walk, depending on the season.
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