In the middle of the broad Rocky Mountain Trench, Cranbrook (population 19,161) boasts more sunshine than anywhere else in British Columbia, and it has a feeling of openness that is reminiscent of the Canadian prairies.
Cranbrook is a railway town, a mill town, a commercial centre, and an island in a sea of golf courses. It has a modern theatre and a lively arts community, a professional hockey team, and a remarkable museum that captures the experience of the golden age of rail travel in Canada.
For people who live in the small towns of the Kootenay Rockies, however, Cranbrook is the closest thing to a big city. There's a strip that runs through town – an avenue of distractions packed with fast food outlets, hotels, automotive businesses and big-box stores. Too bad that someone passing through would likely see nothing else.
Cranbrook feels like a working town with few upscale bistros or pricey boutiques. People raise families here, they work at the mill, at the college, in mining and in the service industry; people retire here.
In their leisure time, people actively participate in, come to watch, or volunteer in support of the wide range of cultural, recreational and sports activities that define life in Cranbrook – and this community supports everything from hockey to high school musicals.
Things to do in Cranbrook
Explore the history of the city with the help of the self-guided Cranbrook Heritage Walking Tour. Pick up a copy at the Visitor Centre. Climb aboard the luxurious vintage railcars of the Trans-Canada Limited at the Museum of Rail Travel on Van Horne Street South.
Enter the wild and woolly world of the restored Fort Steele ghost town. This living museum is just 16km/10mi northeast of Cranbrook.
Catch a Kootenay Ice home game or, if the hockey season is over, play a round at one of the area's six golf courses.
Festivals
Cranbrook's festival calendar starts off with a Children's Festival in May, but the city's big bash is Sam Steele Days, which takes place on the third weekend in June. The four-day event features parades, pageants and pancake breakfasts, a slow pitch tournament, a soccer tournament and much more.
Nearby Wycliffe hosts its annual Pro Rodeo in early August, while later in the month Cranbrook's Idlewild Park is the venue for the Idlewild Music Festival.
Fort Steele puts on a Fall Fair in September and a very popular Halloween celebration. Finishing up the year in style, Cranbrook celebrates the season with Christmas in the Rockies.
Where to Start
Pop in at the Cranbrook Visitor Centre on Cranbrook Street North. Get information, maps, recommendations and other advice about what to see, where to stay and eat in town.
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