Hotels in Kamloops

In addition to downtown lodgings, you'll find a phalanx of easy-in, easy-out motels at Hwy. 1, exit 368, south and west of the city center.

Houseboating on the Shuswap Lakes

From Kamloops, the South Thompson River valley extends east to the Shuswap Lakes, a series of waterways that is an extremely popular summer destination for family houseboating parties. With more than 1,000km (621 miles) of shoreline, these long, interconnected lakes provide good fishing, water-skiing, and other boating fun.

The best way to see the lakes is to rent a houseboat; after all, Shuswap is the "Houseboating Capital of Canada." Houseboats come equipped with staterooms, bathrooms, and kitchens. All you need to bring is your bedding and food. Reserve well in advance; by late spring, all boats are usually rented for the high season, from mid-June to Labour Day. Low-season rates are up to half off the prices below. Of the numerous rental operations along the Shuswap Lakes, the following are two of the largest.

Admiral House Boats, Sicamous Creek Marina (R.R. 1, Site 6, Comp 30), Sicamous (tel. 250/836-4611; www.admiralhouseboats.com), rents houseboats from April to October. Super Admiral boats, which sleep up to 10, have three private staterooms and one and a half bathrooms. Rentals are available in 3-, 4-, and 7-day increments. In high season, a week on a Super Admiral houseboat goes for C$3,395.

Twin Anchors Houseboat Vacations (www.twinanchors.com) has two locations, one in Salmon Arm at 750 Marine Park Dr. (tel. 800/665-7782 or 250/832-2745), and the other in Sicamous at 101 Martin St. (tel. 800/663-4026 or 250/836-2450). It offers four types of boats, ranging from two- to four-stateroom models. A week on a two-stateroom CruiseCraft II that sleeps 15 and comes with hot tub costs C$5,940 per week. Rentals are available in 3-, 4-, and 7-day increments.

The main commercial center for the Shuswap Lakes is Salmon Arm (pop. 15,000), 108km (67 miles) east of Kamloops on Hwy. 1. Right on the downtown lakefront is the Prestige Harbourfront Resort & Convention Centre. A towering castellated structure, the Harbourfront Resort has very stylish and comfortable guest rooms, and public areas are suitably grand. In high season, rates begin at C$200.