Salmon Arm
Salmon Arm Wharf, Thompson Okanagan Tourism photo
Salmon Arm (population 16,305) is the economic hub of the Shuswap Lakes region and a four-season tourist destination. Driving into town from the east on the Trans-Canada Highway, the panoramic view of Shuswap Lake, rolling farmland, forested highlands and mountains offers many clues to what attracts people. They come for bird watching, water activities, golf, hiking, cycling, winter activities, agri-tourism, history and the arts.
Salmon Arm has always maintained the spirit of a small agricultural town with community-minded residents – both life-long and newly arrived – who get involved in the things that make visitors feel welcome.
Locals say it's dangerous to retire here, because there's so much to do – pouring their time and expertise into projects like preserving and enhancing the wetlands of Salmon Arm Bay, organizing the Reino Keski-Salmi Loppet at Larch Hills Cross-Country Ski Area, welcoming visitors to the RJ Haney Heritage Village & Museum; mounting amateur theatrical productions and helping to stage the Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival.
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Downtown Salmon Arm
Salmon Arm has a compact, walkable downtown and quiet residential streets in older areas that aren't really that old. The ivy-covered, brick former post office that houses the SAGA Public Art Gallery only dates to 1937. While just a five minute walk away, across the CPR (Canadian Pacific Railway) mainline tracks (great for train spotters), a new development on the waterfront unites condos, commercial space, a gallery and offices in an attractive low-rise complex that's typical of modern Salmon Arm where people live work and play in the same area.
Year-Round Recreation
Today tourism plays a major role in the economy although the farming and fruit growing that gave Salmon Arm its start continue to be important and have adapted to appeal to visitors. And grape growing and winemaking are taking their place alongside more traditional agriculture.
But nature is still the biggest draw. Salmon Arm Bay is a major bird watching area while the whole of Shuswap Lake provides opportunities for swimming, fishing, camping, canoeing, kayaking, water skiing and houseboating.
A multitude of hiking and cycling trails let visitors explore the town, visit waterfalls and tackle the steep ascents and lookouts of Mount Ida. They also provide access to the uplands of the Larch Hills and the Fly Hills, which convert to ideal cross-country skiing and snowmobiling terrain in winter.
Where to Get Started
Staff at the Salmon Arm Visitor Centre at 20 Hudson Ave NE will help with questions about accommodations and attractions and provide maps and brochures. Then head for the waterfront. Stroll the boardwalk for a close look at the birds in the wetlands and walk far out into the bay on the Salmon Arm pier. Downtown, with its diverse selection of galleries and restaurants, is a short walk in the other direction.
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