Revelstoke, British Columbia Activities At a Glance

Grizzly Plaza

Enjoy a brew at the lively Grizzly Park.

Downtown Revelstoke is known for its numerous summertime events, including free live concerts, street performances, theatre productions, and events for children. With festivals and special events, including Railway Days in August and the yearly Mountain Arts Festival, Revelstoke, British Columbia has a plethora of activities to keep everyone stimulated.
Lined with numerous shops, boutiques, art galleries, floral shops, bars, and restaurants, often housed within buildings that date back to Victorian times, Grizzly Plaza makes for a wonderful afternoon of sightseeing and shopping. On Sunday mornings during the summer months, be sure to visit the farmer’s market and bazaar.

Revelstoke Hydo Dam

Located just north of downtown Revelstoke is the Revelstoke Hydro Dam, one of the largest hydro-electric projects in Canada. The dam regulates the Columbia River, providing power to several areas in the interior of British Columbia. Here you will see a 574 foot concrete gravity dam, a 400 foot high earth-fill dam, and a powerhouse that contains four generators. The visitor center houses a gift shop, theatre, and exhibit area that explains the history and creation of the dam. Take your own guided audio tour around the dam to learn more about British Columbia’s exciting past.

Museums

With its variety of interesting museums, Revelstoke offers visitors a wonderful education in the history of its several industries. Perfect for the family, one can visit museums such as Revelstoke Museum and Archives, erected in 1926, to learn about the history of Revelstoke. Here you will see a wide collection of artifacts from the region such as gold scales used during the gold rush of the 1860’s, a fur press from the early 1900s, and a 33 pound buffalo coat!

The Revelstoke Railway Museum allows visitors to enjoy British Columbia’s railway history. Here you can the large steam train, CPR #5468, which was built in 1948. With many other locomotives on display as well as railway equipment and tools, one can get a full picture of life on the rails. Take a look at CPR china and silverware as well as the uniforms worn by the workers in those days. Don’t neglect The Last Spike Historic Site, operated by the Revelstoke Railway Museum and located just 28 miles west of Revelstoke.

Other museums in Revelstoke include the Forestry Museum, which offers a view at the forestry industry in the region, the Firefighter’s Museum, home to Revelstoke’s first fire truck, and the Revelstoke Nickelodeon Museum, which pays tribute to the history of mechanical music.

Mount Revelstoke National Park

As the only temperate inland rainforest in the world, Mount Revelstoke National Park is something to behold. Here you can experience ancient rainforest growth, tundra, and summer meadows filled with vast expanses of wild mountain flowers.

Founded in 1914 as a national park, this destination is famous for its distinct geology. With 100 square miles of trails filled with 1,000 year old cedar trees and an enormous range of flora and fauna, Mount Revelstoke National Park offers the visitor the chance to experience the land and its inhabitants in a habitat that has remained virtually untouched.

Visit the Meadows in the Sky Parkway from spring to mid-August to enjoy the vibrant scenery. This paved parkway that begins just off the Trans Canada Highway rises to 4,921 feet, affording views that boggle the mind. The drive is completed at Balsam Lake where you can hike the mountain or enjoy a picnic. Fishing, camping, and bicycling are other popular activities to be enjoyed in the area.

Skiing

As initiated by its original Scandinavian immigrants, Revelstoke is known for the excellent skiing conditions in Mount Revelstoke National Park. Here you will find the Nels Nelson Ski Jump, which has been home to some of skiing’s best jumpers, setting records throughout the world. If you enjoy cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or simply touring the Nels Nelson Historic Area situated at the base of the mountain, you will be more than satisfied by the stupendous conditions and vista that Mount Revelstoke National Park offers.