Three-Day Getaway: Hope to Osoyoos

Day 2: E.C. Manning Provincial Park to Keremeos

Hit the highway and take a trip down memory lane to the historic town of Princeton in the Similkameen Valley. Before the arrival of gold miners, loggers, and fur traders the area was occupied by the Smelqmix (Similkameen) Indigenous people. Pick up a gold-panning map from the Visitor Information Centre and try your luck in along the sandy shore of Two Rivers Park, or hike through the valley of the Tulameen River on a portion of the historic Kettle Valley Rail Trail.

Reward yourself with a flaky butter tart or a hearty bowl of homemade soup at Thomasina’s, a bijou bakery and cafe housed in what was Princeton’s silent movie theatre in the 1920s.

Make your way to Hedley to visit the Hedley Museum or spend a summertime afternoon floating down the Similkameen River—grab a rubber tube from Hedley Country Market if needed.

Join the line-up at Doug’s Homestead to buy smoked meats, jerky, and pepperoni for your picnic. Pick up piles of fresh fruit in Keremeos where markets line the highway selling cherries, apples, and apricots in season. Look out for the red-roofed Parsons Farm Market, which has been family-run since 1908 and sells delicious tree fruits, squash, and heirloom veggies from the family farm.

Pitch a tent or park your RV at The Grist Mill & Gardens near Keremeos—explore the 1870s working flour mill and take some time to relax in the tea room and enjoy buttery scones and jam with a view of the Victorian-era gardens.