We love RV'ing but Kamloops, B.C., Canada is home for us.

Kamloops, B.C., Canada is home for us and as much as we love rv’ing in other parts of this wonderful country, we do have much to enjoy in our corner of the world when we are home.

Mt. Paul & Mt. Peter

The name of Kamloops was taken from the First Nations word T’Kumlups meaning ‘meeting place’. Mt. Paul and Mt. Peter stand proudly at the meeting of the North and South Thompson Rivers on the land of the Secwepemc nation, with the Yellowhead Highway passing by.

Not only is Kamloops, B.C. a meeting place for the rivers, but also for four major highways. The Trans Canada Hwy #1 passes east and west thru town, Highway 5 North is the Yellowhead, Hwy 5 South covers the Coquihalla and Hwy 97.

   Mt. Paul & Mt. Peter taken from Peterson Creek Nature Park

Peterson Creek Nature Park covers 423 H. (1045 acres) in the center of Kamloops, B.C. where there are panoramic views from higher elevations, 30 km (18 mi.) of gentle nature trails meander thru the park.

A lot of winter days can be dull and dreary but we have had some beautiful days with sunshine and blue skies this winter. What a perfect time to go out to take some pictures of this beautiful city we live in. Kamloops, B.C., has a population of 84,064 but from many viewpoints of the city, it looks like a rural setting, especially with all the snow covering. We have the best of both worlds, rural and city living with all the great things that come with that.

                                         View from Highway 1 bypass of Kamloops, B.C.

The highway passes over Peterson Creek where this picture was taken as we drove up the hill. Sometimes it is a good idea to ‘play tourist’ at home. We can look at all the things we see every day and take for granted, to see them in a different light. This was a perfect time to do that, and the views with snow covered hills surrounding Kamloops, B.C., was spectacular.

                                Brocklehurst across the Thompson River, Kamloops, B.C., Canada

There are so many activities to enjoy any time of the year in Kamloops, B.C. and we’ve enjoyed most of them. The snow definitely brings some great winter sports and makes a great way to spend your leisure time, whether it is downhill skiing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling or tubing at the local hills. Sun Peaks Resort is a world class ski mountain and Harper Mountain offers some great family skiing, as well. .

You'll find more about what Kamloops offers when you visit this link.

Kamloops, B.C., Canada does offer year round RV’ing with some local RV parks staying open through the winter, although there would be limited space available at this time of year. Winter RV’ing does offer some challenges but it definitely is not impossible and offers you opportunities to come and enjoy our wonderful winter wonderland.

Read more about Kamloops all year round when you visit my other blog where I share the many wonderful places and events. 

South Thompson River island in Summer - Kamloops, B.C., Canada

If you’re RV'ing in the Kamloops, B.C. area this summer, try to visit our local parks on the South Thompson River. Riverside Park and Pioneer Park both have facilities to make a summer day at the beach great fun and are very close to the downtown area.

Nearby RV parks are Kamloops Rv Park next to the BC Wildlife Park, east of town and the Knutsford RV Campground, south of Kamloops, B.C., Canada.

Riverside Park in downtown Kamloops, B.C., Canada

If you have access to a boat, there is even more to enjoy in Kamloops. There is a boat launch at Pioneer Park, which gives you access to the Thompson rivers.

One sunny summer day we joined our son and his family to boat up the South Thompson river. We launched the boat at a private launch in Monte Creek, 15 minutes east of Kamloops, B.C., then headed east. The river has very little boat traffic from this point and is a beautiful trip. We stopped to watch a bald headed eagle peering down at us from his roost on a barren branch then carried on cruising up the river on a Sunday afternoon!!

South Thompson River

We eventually stopped at a beach on Banana Island, the only island between Kamloops and the Shuswap lakes. This very little island rarely has any visitors and those that do come, like to enjoy the private beach. It island is a government park but there are not any camping facilities and access is by boat only. Signs of wildlife can be found at times. The island also marks a great fishing location accessible right beside Highway 1, where many fisherman can be seen trying to catch that big Chinook salmon in the fall.

We were joined by our daughter-in-law’s family in their boat and we all had a picnic and played in the sand for the afternoon. We watched the rain clouds circle around us but we seemed to be in a private little paradise and didn’t have one raindrop find us. The wind would come up at times but it chased the rain in another direction and we were thankful for that. I did get this picture during a very quiet time that shows the calmness that the river can appear to have.

By the time we were ready to boat home, the wind had returned and made for a bumpy ride. It was a fun ride due to the plenty of giggles from our grandson, hiding under the blanket to keep dry from the spray when we hit the waves. But we were thankful to get home safely, the end of a wonderful family day.