How to Spend a Delightful Day in Salmon Arm, British Columbia
Published August 11th, 2025
Photos and video by Jay Kana
No, salmon don’t have arms. I checked. I asked. I texted them. Then I checked again.
So why did I visit and write about a place that by definition, contradicts itself?
Well let me happily tell you!
The Shuswap Lake has four “arms,” being, Seymour Arm (north,) Anstey Arm (northeast,) Shuswap Arm (west) and Salmon Arm in the south.
So there’s your history lesson…you’re welcome.
Located in the Thompson Okanagan Region, Salmon Arm is in the southeast part of British Columbia, five hours northeast of Vancouver, six hours west of Calgary, 90 minutes east of Kamloops, and almost two hours north of Kelowna.
In 2018, Maclean’s voted Salmon Arm as the best community in British Columbia and sixth overall in Canada; pretty impressive!
Armed with that knowledge, here’s how I spent a day in Salmon Arm. Follow my steps or use this as a guide to create your own adventure as you embrace this quaint town with arms wide open.
Anvil Coffee Collective
Start your day with a fresh cup of coffee from this family-owned business. Launched in 2001 by the Rutschmann family, their goal is to serve those who take coffee seriously, those who are new to the coffee world and everyone between.
Their second location launched in 2024 in nearby Sicamous, both locations feature delicious sweet treats.
Shushawp Nature Trail
On the shores of the Shuswap Lake and steps from the Prestige Hotel takes you from urban to nature a matter of minutes. Leisurely stroll the Salmon Arm Bay Nature Enhancement Society’s Forshore Nature Trail, admire the birds, the water and the simplicity of being outdoors. Explore the Christmas Trail and for more, keep going to the Dream Keeper Bridge.
Alternatively, turn left from the hotel’s rear doors and discover the Shuswap Naturalist Club’s Nature Trail for excellent birding opportunities.
This is an excellent example of “look beyond the big things” with your reward being outdoor bliss.
Northyards Cider Company
With ciders quickly growing in popularity, Northyards Cider Company not only serves up some superb cider; they’ve also got an on-site orchard with 6,200 trees growing 32 different varietals. Being hyper-local, all their apples and other fruits are from BC and they use traditional cider making methods.
With a selection of of eight flavours, I picked up a flight of four to get a taste of what they offer and all were exceptional. Do things taste better on a patio? Of course they do so when you go and if there’s space, grab an outdoor spot to sip on your cider.
Plus, you can also vehicle-camp in self-contained RVs, motorhomes, trailers and camper-vans across one of five cool campsites.
2025 is their seventh year and they’re just getting started!
Salmon Arm Arts Centre
Salmon Arm has an excellent arts scene that’s well supported and here through the Salmon Arm Arts Centre. Their motto is one of the better one’s I’ve seen in my decades of travel; “A place to enjoy, experience and exhibit the arts.”
This modern space has a mix of interactive and stationary exhibits, with rotating installations.
There’s live music via their “Wednesday on the Wharf” series in July and August, they support various kinds of artists across numerous mediums and take your time here.
Stroll & Steer Exploration
Whether it’s walking through town on Hudson Avenue, Lakeshore Drive or the Peter Jannik Nature Park or simply driving in and around town, seeing a new place from various perspectives offers interesting perspectives.
A stroke of good timing had me admire a freight train for a few minutes, something I don’t see often in Mississauga.
Ricochet Brewing & Taphouse
All about inclusivity is a theme here at Ricochet. They welcome people from anywhere into their tap house and on a busy Saturday night, I was one of those people. Various ages of people who were looking for a welcoming atmosphere paired with great beer and oh-so delicious food, complete with an option for patio seating, were highly rewarded with what they offer.
And yes, they, very responsibly, of course, are welcoming to children. No, no, not for beer but to be included when their families go out. I saw a triple-generational family (grandparents, parents, grandkids) at a table, there were date nights happening, friends spending time together, me on my own and plenty of other demographics.
The food, the food, the food! Soft and salty pretzels with beer cheese, local sausage rolls, and my favourite, pulled pork Mac n’ Cheese.
It’s not just me that’s fawning over Ricochet; owners Marc and Meaghan earned the 2024 Salmon Arm Business of the Year.
There’s selection aplenty here with 36 taps in total (so cool that they’re supporting other local businesses) and 10 of their own brews on tap.
Their wines and spirts are also from BC and I’ll certainly be returning at least thrice.
Prestige Harbourfront Resort
On the shores of the Shuswap Lake sits a place to relax and recharge. The Prestige Harbourfront Resort is quite an upscale spot with an elegant lobby, splendid rooms with ultra-comfortable beds and its central location certainly promotes walkability.
My room faced the water, had a balcony and at night, I’d stand on the balcony and simply listen to nature’s night sounds, and admire the silhouette of the Bastion Mountains to unwind.
There are e-bike, kayak and standup paddle board rentals, along with games, beach toys and more plenty of parking and all the modern amenities you’ll need.