Happy Summer y'all!
I think the both of us agree, Summer is our favourite time of year. This summer feels extra special as COVID restrictions are lifting across the country and Canada is finally back in action.
We have some fun activities planned together, as well as separately with our own families, and we will try to include you in them all. We have been behind in our blogging and photo diaries so hopefully we can deliver between now and September with some fun outdoor and Kootenay-inspired content. Let's take a look at July so far.
Radius Retreat (Leah)
Back for more! Radius Retreat is a forested mountain-side retreat with hike-in yurts. My husband and I spent a long weekend at Radius Retreat a couple of years ago and loved it so much we couldn't wait to come back. (See that blog post here.) This time we had our two kiddos in tow! We booked ourselves in at the Drey, a cozy dwelling nestled in a lush tree and wildflower riddled grove.
Radius has everything you'll need for a quiet forest getaway. Campfire and camp stove, seating area, firewood chopped and ready to go, super comfy beds, and over 12km of hiking trails throughout the thousand-acre property. It was the perfect place to escape and run wild in nature, and yep, kids think composting toilets are absolutely fascinating, ha. We cooked hotdogs, drew pictures, caught butterflies, played cards, told spooky stories, hiked, bird-watched and listened to the nighthawks at dawn. We even scored with some fantastic storm-watching from the front porch. The only thing we missed out on was roasting s'mores over the fire due to the fire ban. I guess we will just have to come back!
The best part about Radius is the space. The yurts are super comfortable and spacious. The Drey had a massive "yard" with no one else around. If you are looking to camp/glamp but want more isolation to truly feel "off-grid", Radius is a great choice. If you love camping games the larger yurts have ample outdoor space for bocce, frisbee or redneck golf.
Radius has a strict pack-in, pack-out policy and food is only to be eaten outdoors, not inside the yurt. Garbage facilities are not supplied at your campsite or anywhere on the grounds. This keeps the area pristine and the animals out. All of our garbage and food was stored in a bear-proof bin (provided by Radius). We love this concept, especially with kids. It really emphasizes how to be mindful of the waste we create. Teaching our city-born kids about our environmental impact, animal safety, and how composting toilets work was an amazing educational experience.
While Radius Retreat is tucked away, accessing town is quick and easy and Radium Hot Springs is just a short drive away. The perfect place to soak your muscles after playing and hiking all day. We were lucky enough to visit the pools twice. Once when it was 34 degrees out, spending most of our time in the cold pool, and once after the storm rolled in, spending most of our time in the hot pool. We got the best of both worlds!
Our top food & activity picks in Radium and area with kids:
- Radium Hot Springs
- Pedley Pass Hike and the Trails at Radius Retreat
- Screamers Ice Cream
- The Snack Bar on Main Street (try the authentic Quebec poutine)
C O N T E S T A L E R T !
Super Summer Giveaway in the Columbia Valley
Does the idea of camping in the wilds of BC and staying in a cozy and funky yurt sound exciting to you? Would you be interested in winning a free stay at Radius Retreat? We are excited to announce that we are giving away exactly that in our Super Summer Giveaway! Plus more!
Enter on our Instagram page for a chance to win a night's stay at Radius Retreat, $150 gift card from us, Kootz Collective, and a coffee fix from Kicking Horse Coffee. Contest closes July, 21, 2021.
East Shore Kootenay Lake (Kelsey)
While Leah was camping, I was glamping. My family and I enjoyed the start of July at our family home on Kootenay Lake. The temps were sizzling (one day it reached 48 on the front deck), but plenty of dips in the lake was our saving grace. It's not very often you go swimming in Kootenay lake in June or early July without it taking your breath away. It's not the warmest lake in the Kootenays!
Another way to beat the heat is visiting the river. We drove up the Goat River in hopes of catching a few cutthroats and we did just that. We caught a handful of these beauties on dry flies. The views up the Goat River are some of our favourite! After a day of fishing we stopped by the new craft brewery in Creston. Wild North Brewing Company, and picked ourselves up a growler of the Goat River Golden Ale, naturally. This is our second time stopping at the brewery. The first time we got a sampler flight, which we highly recommend trying.
Sunny days are better on the water, so we hopped in the boat for a cruise along the East Shore. We spotted a Bald Eagle and checked out the fish at Sanca Creek. We even got a closer look of the forest fire burning across the lake, which has increasingly grown over the week. A reminder that we need to obey the fire ban and report all forest fires!
Left image - July 3 / Right Image - July 10
If you have been following us for awhile you know we love our local wineries. We had booked a lunch at the Skimmerhorn Bistro where their local dishes are delicious, but unfortunately, due to the heatwave the bistro had to shut down for a few days. If you get the chance to go this Summer you won't be disappointed. Chef Maria is always coming up with amazing creations. We then ventured next door and enjoyed a beautiful day at Baillie Grohman, sippin' rose and nibbling on a tasty charcuterie board.
We stopped by Modern Alchemy, a beautifully design boutique on Main Street, who carries a selection of Kootz Collective apparel. The owners are lovely people and have done a fabulous job of introducing a modern, eco-friendly and Canadian-made store to Creston.
We always enjoy our cabin time, so much we had to put in on a shirt! If you're a cabin goer, check out our latest tee, Cabin Sweet Cabin. We'll have more adventures from home to share with you this Summer.
Coming up
We are really excited to share with you a sister-sister trip we have planned at the end of August. Stay tuned for a new blog post on that upcoming outdoor adventure!
*The content in this blog post is not sponsored. Any businesses or products mentioned were not gifted; simply places we enjoy and want to share with you!