Ainsworth
Hot Springs to Osoyoos
Ainsworth Hot
Springs is just down the road from Kaslo, one of the prettiest and
most laid-back towns in B.C. The hottest pool features genuine caves.
There are three pools in all, including the cold plunge, but they're
a bit small, except for the caves which are difficult to judge in terms of
total capacity.
The facility has no lockers, something I didn't
like since you have to fold up your clothes and put them in a bag. Mine
got wrinkled. Also, there are no lawn or deck chairs around the middle
pool and its jets are mostly low and weak, except for two or three. The
hottest pool has no jets at all, but has two waterfalls. Unfortunately,
these tend to get taken over by one person at a time, staying there
for ten minutes while others wait their turn.
Ainsworth at least has a restaurant and hotel on site. The restaurant
has healthy choices, such as a very good grilled veggie sandwich with
avocado and boccocino slices with a side salad. All around the area are
motels and camping sites. However, for shopping, the best bet is
Nelson, which is 47 km away along highways 3A and 31. Though the
city only has a population of 10,000, it services the area, so it has
all the amenities of a bigger municipality. There are several very
attractive streets in the downtown area and visitors can find
everything there from yoga classes to theatre and art galleries. One
caveat: business hours are not as extended as in a metropolitain area.
Nearby Salmo, around 40 minutes away, is known for its stone murals.
These are a project dating from 1990, started by local
quarry owner Iris Lamb. Salmo was a mining town that sprang up
during the 1896-97 Gold Rush. The local museum features things with names
like the Sheep Creek Laundry Exhibit, the Bathhouse Exhibit, and the
World's Oldest Telephone Booth. Down the road, at the city limits, is the
World's Biggest (Canadian) Penny. It looks like it's made of papier
mâché. Maybe it's really plaster.
Highway 3 to Vancouver, via Castlegar and Osoyoos, is a very
winding road with spectacular scenery. Just before Osoyoos, the
valley, the lake and the town offer a postcard panorama from on
high.
Osoyoos is Canada's only "pocket desert". The name of
the town, and lake, means a narrow point where two lakes come
together. The area features two desert-centred facilities: the
Osoyoos Desert
Centre; and the
Nk'Mip Desert Cultural
Centre. Osoyoos is in the Okanagan, so fruit stands abound on the
side of the road. The town boasts several restaurants, such as the
Campo Marina Café and
Restaurant, which features local wines such as Blue Mountain
Winery Pinot Noir and dishes like Angus sirloin with mushrooms in
a demi-glace. There are several campgrounds in and around
town.
Island View RV Resort has tiny lots with a gravel pad,
but it's fairly central. Osoyoos has a miniature fairground with
rides and a windmill that lights up at night.
Many businesses in
Osoyoos use the desert theme, with Southwestern-style facades and
architecture. The ambiance spells "resort town", with the attendant
relaxed vibe.
Orchards dot the highway out of town. It's possible
in summer to get apricots and nectarines at prices as low as 50 cents a
pound, so it's worth stopping by. There are also many vineyards
with wine shops, such as the
Seven
Stones Winery, offering their unique blends in a sun-drenched
setting.
photos of Salmo