Salmon Arm

It is on the shores of Shuswap Lake, where the Salmon River empties into the Salmon Arm reach of the Lake. It is a tourist town in the summer, with many beaches, camping facilities and house boat rentals. Salmon Arm is home to the longest wooden wharf in North America.
The largest employer in the Salmon Arm area is the forest industry and related businesses; however, due to economic conditions, the former Federated Co-Op sawmill has been out of operation since 2008, although the co-located plywood production facility has generally remained operational. The city benefits from access to the mainline of the Canadian Pacific Railway, which passes through the city.
Many tourists come to Salmon Arm from Vancouver, Calgary and Asia. Most tourists arrive during the summer season, either stopping en route to other holiday destinations, or to visit Shuswap Lake, often via rental houseboats and which has recreation residential communities and campgrounds all around its shores.

History

Little is known about the history of Salmon Arm preceding the laying of the Canadian Pacific Railway in September 1885. While miners and settlers looked for gold in the surrounding areas, the beaches of Salmon Arm lay virtually untouched. By the end of the 1890s, the town had grown to include many new buildings such as two general stores, a school, and a hotel. The population had grown to over 200 people.
By 1904, Salmon Arm had acquired a reputation for having an excellent fruit harvest. The local businessmen grew fruit as a main export, sending it to the larger, more populated towns that surrounded it. The displays for their crops could be found in stores in Kamloops and New Westminster, and the Hudson's Bay Company in Vancouver often featured an entire local Salmon Arm display.

By car

Salmon Arm is on Trans-Canada Highway 1, roughly halfway between Vancouver and Calgary. The nearest major cities are Kamloops, a little over an hour's drive west on Highway 1, and Kelowna, which is a little over an hour's drive southeast on Highway 97.

By bus

• Rider ExpressBus service along the Trans-Canada Highway from Winnipeg to Vancouver, twice daily. Service from: Revelstoke, Kamloops, Hope, Abbotsford, and Vancouver (British Columbia); Calgary, Strathmore, Canmore, Lake Louise, and Banff (Alberta); Medicine Hat, Swift Current, Moose Jaw, Regina, Whitewood, and Moosomin (Saskatchewan); and Brandon, and Winnipeg (Manitoba).

• BC Transit offers service on Wednesdays to or from Vernon, Kelowna, and Peachland. Although the trip is considerably longer than Greyhound, the total cost is only $4.25 from Kelowna or $4.75 back, for adults. The route is the following: from downtown Kelowna take an early morning #97 Express to UBCO, get a transfer ticket. Catch the noon (latest) #90 North Okanagan; in Vernon switch to the #60 Enderby, then in Enderby take the #11 Salmon Arm. The total trip takes approximately 3 hours, and is only available on Wednesdays.

Salmon Arm has a basic public transit system that operates shuttle buses on half-hour or hour-long frequencies, during daytime hours. All lines converge downtown in front of Askew's supermarket, and the #3 Canoe bus will bring users to the main public beach. On Wednesdays the #11 Enderby leaves at 8 am and connects with a bus to Vernon, which is a cheap way to start moving further down the Okanagan valley.

• RJ Haney Heritage Village & Museum

  phone: +1 250 832-5243
  address: 751 Highway 97B NE
  40-acre park with a museum on local history, heritage village, trails, a tea room and dinner theater in July and August.

• Wednesdays on the Wharf

  address: Salmon Arm Wharf
  Free concert featuring local artists playing a range of styles, on Wednesday evenings during the summer in a grassy area near the Salmon Arm Wharf.

• Salmon Arm Arts Centre

  phone: +1 250 832-1170
  address: 70 Hudson Avenue NE
  New exhibition every month.

• With all the water around, there are a number of beach, boating and fishing options in the area. The most popular near the city at Canoe and Sandy Point, which are accessible by city bus, with the provincially-operated Heralds Park offering campsites too.
• There are houseboats from Waterway Vacations and other companies docked at the Salmon Arm Wharf, which require advance bookings, but are a good (if expensive) way of exploring the expanse of Shuswap Lake.

• Cross country skiingAt Larch Hills, 15 km east of town.

• Salmon Arm Roots & Blues Festival

  address: Salmon Arm Fairgrounds
  Annual festival on the third weekend of August with folk, roots and blues music, that attracts up to 30,000 festival-goers every year.

• Salmon Arm Water Slides

  phone: +1 250-832-4386
  address: 1155 Lakeshore Drive W
  Located on Shuswap Lake, this waterpark features 7 waterslides, 2 hot tubs, and a toddler pool with fountain. Also has a picnic area, mini golf, and volleyball.

There are a number of gift and clothing stores in the downtown area, centred on Alexander and Lakeshore.

• Centenoka Park Mall

  phone: +1 250-832-9731
  address: 360 Trans Canada Hwy SW

• The Mall at Piccadilly

  phone: +1 250-832-0441
  address: 1151 10th Ave SW

Thanks to its location on the Trans-Canada Highway, Salmon Arm boasts a large number of fast-food and chain restaurants, with names including Boston Pizza, East Side Mario's, Home Restaurant, White Spot Triple O's, and others.

• An Diamo

  phone: +1 250-832-9949
  address: 260 Ross St NE
  Authentic Italian Pastas, crepes, home-made Tiramisu, ribs, steak and fish.

• Famous Yan's Restaurant

  phone: +1 250 832-3007
  address: 880 21 St NE
  A popular buffet-style Chinese restaurant in the Hillcrest area.

• Home Restaurant

  phone: +1 250-832-9991
  address: 2801 10th Avenue NE
  Diner

• La Cantina De Vallarta

  phone: +1 250-804-2862
  address: 331 Hudson Ave
  Mexican cuisine

• Shuswap Pie Company

  phone: +1 250-832-7992
  address: 331A Alexander St NE

• Table 24

  phone: +1 250 832-5024
  address: 1460 Trans-Canada Hwy NE
  Salmon Arm's high class dining. Rated one of the best restaurants in the interior.

• Barley Station Brew Pub

  phone: +1 250-832-0999
  address: 20 Shuswap Street SE

• Setter's Neighbourhood Pub

  phone: +1 250-832-0266
  address: 2950 11 Avenue NE

• Best Western Salmon Arm Inn

  phone: +1 250-832-9793
  address: 61 10th Street SW
  Standard motel rooms with complimentary continental breakfast and indoor pool.

• Comfort Inn & Suites

  phone: +1 250-832-7711
  address: 1090 22nd Street NE
  Newer hotel with pool, hot tub, gym and complimentary continental breakfast.

• Hilltop Inn

  phone: +1 250-832-6025
  address: 1460 Trans-Canada Highway NE

• Prestige Harbourfront Resort and Convention Centre

  phone: +1 250 833-5800
  address: 251 Harbourfront Drive NE
  Luxury hotel on the lakefront with a number of themed suites.

• Super 8

  address: 2901 10th Ave NE

• Travelodge

  phone: +1 250-832-9721
  address: 2401 Trans-Canada Highway SW

• Visitor infocenter

  phone: +1 250 832-2230
  address: 751 Marine Park Dr

Going further up the Shuswap, to secluded beaches or popular tourist resorts, is possible with a private car or a boat. Check at the Visitor info centre for ideas of fun or relaxing stops on the Shuswap.