Nelson Travel Guide

  Nelson
by balhannah
 
  • Nelson
      Nelson
    by balhannah
  • Nelson Court House
      Nelson Court House
    by balhannah
  • Blaylock Resort & Health Spa
      Blaylock Resort & Health Spa
    by balhannah
  • Hume Hotel in the background
      Hume Hotel in the background
    by Camping_Girl
  •   Things to Do
    by balhannah
 

Explore Nelson

Things to Do  

NELSON COURT HOUSE

NELSON COURT HOUSE, Nelson

 balhannah Says:  Nelson Court House, built in 1909, is another impressive building on the walk. Way back in 1909, this building cost $109,145.88.It is a good example of Beaux Arts Chateau style architecture with its high pitched roof, towers and conical caps, gables and paired windows. 

K.W.C. BLOCK

K.W.C. BLOCK, Nelson

 balhannah Says:  K.W.C. Block, Built in 1901, is located in Baker Street, a wonderful street for a walk, with plenty of interesting shops, restaurants, and heritage buildings.Three merchants paid $10,500 for the building lots, then planned and built in one year, the largest mercantile... 

LAKESIDE PARK @ NELSON

LAKESIDE PARK @ NELSON, Nelson

 balhannah Says:  A nice park we found at Nelson to enjoy our lunch, was Lakeside Park.As the name says, it is located right on the Lakeside, and has good views of the orange coloured bridge that we crossed over later when continuing our journey. Near the "Orange Bridge" is a public wharf, a... 

NELSON CITY HALL

NELSON CITY HALL, Nelson

 balhannah Says:  Built in 1902, this is made of Spokane pink brick and Kaslo Marble.Originally a Post Office and Customs House, this is an impressive looking building on the Heritage walking tour. 

BLAYLOCK RESORT & HEALTH SPA

BLAYLOCK RESORT & HEALTH SPA, Nelson

 balhannah Says:  NO, I haven't been inside, but I did stop and enjoy the beautiful, Tudor Mansion and its beautiful gardens. Mr. Blaylock had a summer home for many years, on Roberts Bay, just outside of Nelson for entertaining his friends and business mates. In 1934 he decided to upgrade... 

Have a cold drink on one of the outdoor patios

Have a cold drink on one of the outdoor patios, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  There are restaurants all over town with outdoor patios. This is a great way to enjoy the hot summer weather in this area. We really enjoyed visiting with the owner of one of the local taverns, The Royal. Kiki was super friendly and even gave us samples of all the local... 

S.S. Moyie Museum

S.S. Moyie Museum, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  The S.S. Moyie is an old sternwheeler that used to travel up and down Kootenay Lake delivering people and freight to the various towns along the shoreline. It is now the oldest sternwheeler in the world. It was in use from 1898 till 1957.After being retired in 1957, the city... 

Hotels  

Hume Hotel

 2 Reviews and 184 Opinions  This beautiful historic hotel has been completely restored in recent years. The rooms are nicely... 

Restaurants  

Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza: Fresh, fresh, fresh!

Canadian 2-for-1 Pizza: Fresh, fresh, fresh!, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  This is strictly a pick up or deliver place, but their pizzas are just so good I had to mention it! This is a chain restaurant and I believe it's unique to BC. We have eaten at the one in Cranbrook, BC before and enjoyed the food there every bit as much.The pizzas from... 

The Royal on Baker: Surprisingly Good!

The Royal on Baker: Surprisingly Good!, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  The Royal is a really rockin hotspot in Nelson during the evenings, especially on the weekends. But if you go there during the day, it's nice and quiet. And the food here is really good! This is typical bar food, but it is well-made and freshly prepared.They also carry all... 

Finley's Irish Bar & Grill: Great Pub Food

Finley's Irish Bar & Grill: Great Pub Food, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  Finley's is a large pub, with plenty of cold beer on tap, as well as any other type of liquid refreshment you might desire. They have pool tables in a private room, and they have a huge patio at the back of the building that overlooks the lake. This is one of my favorite... 

DJ's Family Restaurant: Best Breakfast!!

DJ's Family Restaurant: Best Breakfast!!, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  I have only ever been to DJ's for breakfast, but I have been there several times. The food and service are always amazing. And the portions are huge! Everything is home-made and so tasty.They also serve lunch and dinner. There is an outdoor patio, where you can enjoy the sun... 

Delicious mediterranean food: Main Street Diner

Delicious mediterranean food: Main Street Diner, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  The Main Street Diner serves up delicious freshly prepared food, many of their menu selections are Greek cuisine, but they also have outstanding diner choices - fish and chips, burgers and sandwiches and wraps.I have eaten here several times and the food never fails to... 

Nightlife  

The Royal: Rocking Downtown Bar
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Camping_Girl 349 reviews

The Royal is a friendly little joint and they often have live bands playing. The food is very good here - I'd highly recommend the chicken burger, it's the best I've ever had.

They have the full selection of beers from the Nelson Brewing Co on tap. Just ask, and they'll let you sample them.

Dress Code: I think pretty much anything goes at this place!

Written Sep 5, 2007

Address: 330 Baker Street

Related to:
 Beer Tasting
 Road Trip
 Motorcycle

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Transportation  

Kootenay Bay Ferry (40 min. North of Nelson)

Kootenay Bay Ferry (40 min. North of Nelson), Nelson

 Brittny Says:  The Kootenay Lake Ferry is wonderful experiance and it is the longest free ferry ride in B.C.Kootenay Lake Ferry takes 45 minutes. It is good to arrive at least a half hour early in the summer during peek times. On long weekends I would go at least an hour prior to your... 

Balfour/Crawford Bay Ferry

Balfour/Crawford Bay Ferry, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  This ferry takes you across Kootenay Lake, east of Nelson. It is free and runs every 30 minutes or so. This ferry is part of the #3A highway which runs from Nelson to Crawford Bay and then south to Creston.It doesn't look like much of a distance across the lake, but the... 

Local Customs  

Think globally, drink locally...
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glicko 73 reviews

The above is actually a trademark from Shaftebury, a small brewery in Vancouver. But it applies everywhere. When travelling, please don't just pound back the same Anheuser-Busch, Molson, Heineken... products. Since the 1970s, the brewing industry in North America has openned up. You needn't settle for mega-market swill brewed in Edmonton, Toronto, Milwaukee or St. Louis and shipped thousands of miles. And a hint to Americans, a draft pint (573 mL) of a locally-brewed beer will generally cost you less than a bottle (355 mL) of Bud Lite.

In Nelson, the Nelson Brewing Company brews a truly excellent Wild Honey Ale. Most bars and restaurants in the West Kootenays have it on tap.

Written Jun 11, 2003

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Warnings and Dangers  

Deer, elk and other large mammals
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glicko 73 reviews
Hwy 93/95 N of Wasa, BC. But applies all over BC.

The lush forests that line BC's highways harbour a lot of game. Unfortunately, animals need to cross those highways. Around dusk driving can become downright treacherous. As anyone who has hit a deer and lived to tell the tale (and many do not) will tell you, it's a truly sad scene. A once-majestic animal dead or dying at the side of the road, your vehicle mangled and your passengers injured -- or much worse. Be careful. Hit an elk at 100 km/h and , suffice to say, your trip is ruined.
This is a problem all across Canada, but Highways 3A and 6 into Nelson are particularly bad. One trip, I counted ten deer eating grass in the ditch beside Highway 6. One dog, cougar, wolf or coyote decides to try for a meal, and you are in big trouble.

Updated Jul 24, 2003

Related to:
 Road Trip

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Off The Beaten Path  

Chillers Pub

Chillers Pub, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  Chillers is about 10 miles from Nelson, take the 3A highway along the north shore. It is in the tiny community of Duhammel. Turn at the Duhammel General Store and it is a short drive up the hill. The official address is 2723 Greenwood RoadThis little pub has live music on... 

Kaslo

Kaslo, Nelson

 Camping_Girl Says:  The town of Kaslo lies about 50 miles north of Nelson, north of Ainsworth Hot Springs. It is an interesting little town, with many historic buildings and the S.S. Moyie museum.Kaslo is at the north end of Kootenay Lake, and has many businesses to meet a traveller's needs.... 

Favorites  

Kokanee Creek Provincial Park
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2.5 out of 5 starsHelpfulness

Hermanater 204 reviews
Going to the beach
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Favorite thing: We camped here for a couple nights. It was GREAT. It is close to Nelson and has a nice beach.
We have never been here before but thought we would try it out. We will be back for longer next time. There is the beach, ferry ride, fishing, hiking, boating, gold panning,hot springs all with in the vacinity.

Fondest memory: Nice and relaxed time.....

Updated Aug 7, 2007

Related to:
 Beaches
 Camping
 Family Travel

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Map of Nelson