Overview

Inland British Columbia, a land with miles of deep, forested wilderness, tall glacier-carved peaks, scenic blue lakes, and frothy white rivers, houses a summer playground far less crowded than its neighboring national parks. Sun Peaks sees a milder, drier climate that also gives rise to world-renowned wine country and reliable sunshine. In fact, the area garners over 2,000 hours of sunshine per year. 

Sun Peaks Resort, tucked between Mt. Tod and Mt. Morrissey just 45 minutes north of Kamloops, is a four-season resort that caters to families. Winter skiing features lots of groomer cruisers buffed to the hilt for beginner and intermediate skiers while summer brings on the outdoor adventure.

Families enjoy hiking some of the 15 trails at Sun Peaks, but bring the binoculars. Bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red fox, wolves, Canadian lynx, and black bears all frequent the slopes. Pick up a trail map to strike off on your own, or hire a guide. A lift ride will chop off part of the distance.

Lift-served mountain biking attracts both downhill single-track, obstacle-loving speedsters, and cross-country riders who prefer more mellow double-track. The resort tallies up 39 bike trails stretching out to 70 kilometers. Rent bikes, hire a guide, or just throw yourself on to some of the 255 features that pepper the trails.

Sightseers, hikers, and mountain bikers all make use of the Sunburst Express quad in summer. The lift, which usually runs from late June through early September, extends its hours on Friday nights during July and August to take advantage of the long daylight.

Golfers enjoy the Graham Cooke designed 18-hole course at Sun Peaks. Add on five more courses that sprawl around Kamloops, and you can fill a week on the greens.

Parents get some kid-free time by enrolling their children in Sun Peak's Kids Adventure Camps for single-day or five-day packages. Kids 7 to 14 years old get to try out mountain biking, swimming, horseback riding, tennis, golf, and hiking with their peers.

Beyond Sun Peaks Resort, you'll find fly-fishing at over 300 lakes and hoards of hiking trails in the national forest. Take the kids to the BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops to see bears, bison, raptors, and wolves up close or join in the August Kamloopa Pow Wow - one of Canada's largest - -to celebrate First Nation's culture of storytelling, song, and dance.
 
Airlines servicing the Kamloops Airport have recently doubled to include Air Canada Jazz, Central Mountain Air, Pacific Coastal Airlines, and WestJet.  Both bus and train tours between the Canadian Rockies and Vancouver stop in Kamloops.

Kamloops and Sun Peaks serve as a regional hub for the Thompson-Okanagan tourist region. Highways radiate out like spokes connecting some of western Canada's biggest cities. Trans-Canada (Highway 1) and the Coquihalla (Highway 5) come from B.C.'s west coast and the Vancouver area, and Highway 97 connects to the Okanagan and the states south of the border via Washington. The Yellowhead (Highway 5) links with the area from Prince George, Jasper, and Edmonton. Hop on one to hit the land of sun.