On the shores of the giant Kootenay Lake, Nelson is one of the prettiest towns in British Columbia, in one of the most beautiful settings. Life in Nelson is unhurried, and people still smile and greet visitors.

Over 350 lovingly restored turn-of-the-century heritage buildings and facades, breathtaking views and personable citizens make this city a little oasis of genuine civility. Incorporated in 1897 as a mining town, Nelson has bloomed into a unique community with a thriving tourist trade.

Cafes and galleries are everywhere, and many residents seem to be artists or crafts people. Most who pass through Nelson want to come back, many of them permanently. You may, too!

Downtown Nelson

• Armed with the self-guided Heritage Motoring Tour booklet, head out and see more of the well laid out and solidly built Uphill district of the town, the principal buildings of which are solidly constructed of brick and stone, many of which are still in a remarkable state of preservation.

• Stroll back in time on a self guided Heritage Walking Tour of Nelson, a city with ornate and grandiose High Victoria style architecture introduced to Nelson by a transient population, but modified by the conservative English settler. Be guided by the excellent tour brochure available at the Visitor Info Centre.

• Here you'll find a world-class recreational playground with all the comforts of today's amenities, and lots of exciting things to do and see for all ages.

• Entering the City of Nelson from the East, you will discover Lakeside Park at the edge of the West Arm of Kootenay Lake, at the foot of the famous "Orange Bridge". Lakeside Park is the pride of Nelson's Waterfront, encompassing almost every outdoor activity that you imagine would be in a fine Park. A long, beautiful beach, wide promenade and large open green spaces highlight the area. Tennis courts, bocce ball, public wharf, boat launch, rowing club, greenhouse and a covered picnic shelter make up the main core of the Park. Visit the greenhouse to see where all the bedding plants and flowers come from for Gyro Park, the downtown heritage area and other locales. Lakeside Park also offers a full service concession during the summer months, and adjacent to the concession is the great Rotary children's adventure playground. Bring the children down and enjoy a leisurely meal in this lovely park

• Ride Streetcar 23 - born at the turn of the century out of the promise of rich mineral discoveries, one of the smallest railways in the British Empire operated in Nelson. Originally built in 1906, its streetcars carried passengers up and down some of the steepest grades of any conventional street railway, not without some spectacular accidents. Completely restored and returned to operation with the help of Selkirk College in 1992, visitors can now enjoy a waterfront ride on the electric Streetcar 23, one of the three cars which operated in Nelson from 1899 until 1949.

• Special events in Nelson are endless. Come for the Sno Fest in February, with every excitement from a polar dip to outhouse races, or watch 150 teams compete for the Mid-summer Bonspiel title, when Nelson hosts the world's largest summertime Curling Bonspiel. Then there's Artwalk, a summer-long multimedia, fine art extravaganza by a hundred or so artists in 10 intimate gallery locations.

• Quiet on the Set! - Nelson was the location of two feature films: the popular Steve Martin comedy Roxanne, and Bill Forsythe's witty Housekeeping. Roxanne fans won't want to miss the walking tour of the film's sets and locations.

• View the gallery exhibitions, archives and historical displays at the Nelson Museum, or visit the interpretive displays and mineral and ore collections at the Chamber of Mines Museum.

In winter, blast out of some of Nelson's legendary 'bottomless powder' at Whitewater Ski Resort, a popular spot for snowboarders and cross-country skiers a short drive from Nelson. Nearby Rossland's community Ski Hill, Red Mountain, also offers deeply powderific skiing. Skiing and Winter Recreation in the Kootenays ... the "Last Great Place".

• The West Arm Provincial Park in the Kootenays encompasses a diverse range of habitats, from lakeshore to subalpine, high-elevation forests and alpine areas. The park protects important First Nations archaeological sites situated along the shore of Kootenay Lake, and there is an historic trail (not maintained) up Lasca Creek.

• Kokanee Creek Provincial Park is the largest campground in this part of the West Kootenays. This 235-hectare park is situated on the north shore of the west arm of Kootenay Lake on the site of an old homestead. Its huge sandy beach and delta area is backed by a gently rising upland, giving way to the forested slopes of the Slocan Range of the Selkirk Mountains.

• The rugged mountain wilderness of the 30,000-hectare Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park offers excellent recreation in summer and winter, with some fine angling for trout in the more than 30 glacier lakes. Just a short drive away, you can embark on one of the many spectacular trails and discover breathtaking views of mountain lakes, meadows, and Kokanee Glacier. Aerial Tours of Kokanee Glacier Park and the surrounding area are also available out of Nelson.

• Take in a world-class performance at the newly restored Capitol Theatre, one of the finest theatres on the continent in 1927. It could be a local play or a touring international show. The Capitol also boasts an extensive costume museum.

A picturesque lakeshore community

• Golf: With splendid views of Kokanee Glacier, Kootenay Lake, and the mountain city of Nelson, the Granite Pointe Golf Club is a gem in the Kootenay Rockies, traversing hilly terrain and featuring a number of risk-reward holes requiring precise shot-making (18 holes, 5,180 yards). Golf courses in nearby Balfour include the Balfour Golf Course and Eagle View Golf Course.

• Although famed for its scenery, Kootenay Lake also boasts the world's largest rainbow trout, the Gerrard, which grows up to 30 pounds, and the kokanee, a landlocked salmon. Kootenay Lake rarely freezes, allowing great fishing year-round. Fishing in British Columbia.

• Dive Site: Off Lakeside Park, under the Nelson Bridge, is the sunken 77 foot steamtug from 1899, the SS YMIR. The varied terrain of the B.C. Rockies region of British Columbia accommodates every outdoor recreation known to man.

• Take the longest free Ferry Ride in the world, a 40-minute scenic crossing of Kootenay Lake, from nearby Balfour to Kootenay Bay. Click for Inland Ferry Schedules.

• For an experience under this world, visit Cody Caves Provincial Park on the eastern slopes of the Selkirk Mountains, near Ainsworth Hot Springs. The cave system features an underground stream flowing through ancient limestone formations, discovered by prospector Henry Cody in the 1890s.

• See the best of the area on The Okanagan and BC Rockies Circle Tour. Travel the sunny interior of British Columbia, north through the Okanagan to Sicamous, following Highway 1 into the mountains of the BC Rockies. From Golden, head south through the Columbia Valley to Creston, and west through Boundary Country and the Southern Okanagan to complete the loop.