Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
CAMPING
If you're traveling the TransCanada Highway, the closest provincial park campground is
at
Cultus Lake,
100 kilometers (62 miles) east of downtown and 7 kilometers (4.3 miles)
south of downtown Chilliwack (Exit 119). This park has four campgrounds, each with
showers and access to a long, sandy beach. All sites are $30, which includes the use of hot
showers.
Kilby Historic Site
Offthebeatentrackandoftenmissedbythoseunfamiliarwiththearea,the
Kilby Historic
Site
(604/796-9576, 11am-5pm Thurs.-Sun. Apr. to mid-May and early Sept. to mid-Oct.,
11am-5pm daily mid-May to early Sept., adult $9, senior $8, youth $7) lies on the north
side ofthe Fraser River,near the turnofftoHarrison Hot Springs, 40kilometers (25miles)
east of Mission and 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) west of Agassiz (look for the inconspicuous
sign close to Harrison Mills). The fascinating museum/country store, which operated until
the early 1970s, is fully stocked with all of the old brands and types of goods that were
commonplaceinthe1920sand1930s.Onthetwo-hectare(five-acre)riversidegroundsare
farm equipment, farm animals, a gift shop, and a café serving delicious homestyle cook-
ing. Around the corner, you can picnic, swim, and fish at
Harrison Bay.
Harrison Hot Springs
Of British Columbia's 60 natural hot springs, the closest to Vancouver is Harrison Hot
Springs, on the north side of the Fraser Valley, 125 kilometers (78 miles) east of down-
town. Known as the Spa of Canada, the springs lie on the sandy southern shores of
the Lower Mainland's largest body of water,
Harrison Lake.
Since the opening of the
province's first resort in 1886, the springs have spurred much surrounding development.
Coast Salish were the first to take advantage of the soothing water. Then in the late 1850s,
gold miners stumbled upon the springs. Because of a historical agreement, only the Har-
rison Hot Springs Resort has water rights, but the hotel operates
Harrison Hot Springs
Public Pool
(corner of Harrison Hot Springs Rd. and Esplanade Ave., 604/796-2244,
10am-8pmMon.-Fri.9am-8pmSat.-Sun.,adult$9,seniorandchild$6.75).Scalding74°C
(165°F) mineral water is pumped from its source, cooled to a soothing 38°C (100°F), and
then pumped into the pool. The lake provides many recreation opportunities, with good
swimming, sailing, canoeing, and fishing for rainbow trout.
Lakeside
Harrison Hot Springs Resort
(100 Esplanade, 604/796-2244 or 800/
663-2266,
www.harrisonresort.com
,
$180-325 s or d) is the town's most elegant accom-
modation, and it offers guests use of a large indoor and outdoor complex of mineral pools,
