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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Weekend getaway: Halcyon Hot Springs

Dan Webster

Several years ago, I would on occasion write a Getaway piece for The Spokesman-Review. The story would usually involve some place local that SR readers could visit for a quick … well, getaway.

 Which is exactly what my wife and I did Sunday and Monday. We drove six hours north, past Castlegar and Nakusp, British Columbia, to a resort called Halcyon Hot Springs. We rented a cabin, ate two nights at the resort restaurant, spent a lot of time soaking in the pools (there are four of them) and, in general, just relaxed.

 The resort, which fronts Upper Arrow Lake, has a number of rental choices, from chalets to cabins (ours was perfectly adequate for two of us, and it boasted a TV, a refrigerator and coffee fixings, though no kitchenette) to camping areas.

 The four pools includes a regular swimming pool (86 degrees), a hot pool (99 degrees), a hotter pool (104 degrees), and a cold-plunge pool (58 degrees). Guests get free access, including robes and towels, but outside access is available for a fee.

 The on-site eatery, the King Fisher Restaurant, offers a decent range of dishes, all appealing to our non-foodie palates. The above photo captures our Monday night meal, beef bavette in the foreground, roast lamb in the rear (served with an interesting veggie medley). And the wine made everything taste even better.

 (Our only complaint: Despite having called ahead to make a reservation, we were sat on Sunday next to the kitchen. We fixed that the next night by eating earlier.)

 On Monday afternoon, we drove 30 kilometers to the atmospheric little town of Nakusp. We checked out the Nakusp Hot Springs, ate lunch at the historic Leland Hotel, walked along the town’s boardwalk and enjoyed a post-lunch coffee at What’s Brewing on Broadway.

 I’m always amazed at the scenery in British Columbia. It rivals anyplace I’ve seen in the world, including New Zealand. And to think, it sits just a few hours drive north.

I’ll definitely be back.