Salmon Arm

Salmon Arm is a city of almost 18,000 people (2016) in the Shuswap region of British Columbia. It is a popular summer destination with its lakeside setting and beaches.

Understand
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 Highway 1 (Trans-Canada Highway), 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

 * Multiple days per week service along the Trans-Canada Highway from between Calgary and Vancouver with stops in Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Golden, Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Sorrento, Chase, Kamloops, Merritt, Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Surrey. From Calgary, this service provider offers routes that enable passengers to reach Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon. Travel time to Salmon Arm from Calgary is 7 hours, from Banff is 5.5 hours, from Lake Louise is 4.75 hours, from Golden is 3.25 hours, from Revelstoke is 1.5 hours, from Kamloops is 1.5 hours, from Hope is 4.5 hours, from Abbotsford is 5.5 hours, and from Vancouver is 7 hours. Another service connects from Kelowna and Vernon.
 * Multiple days per week between Kelowna and Salmon Arm with stops in Vernon, Armstrong, and Enderby. Travel time to Salmon Arm from Kelowna is 2.25 hours and from Vernon is 1.25 hours.
 * Multiple days per week service along the Trans-Canada Highway from between Calgary and Vancouver with stops in Canmore, Banff, Lake Louise, Golden, Revelstoke, Sicamous, Salmon Arm, Sorrento, Chase, Kamloops, Merritt, Hope, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, and Surrey. From Calgary, this service provider offers routes that enable passengers to reach Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon. Travel time to Salmon Arm from Calgary is 7 hours, from Banff is 5.5 hours, from Lake Louise is 4.75 hours, from Golden is 3.25 hours, from Revelstoke is 1.5 hours, from Kamloops is 1.5 hours, from Hope is 4.5 hours, from Abbotsford is 5.5 hours, and from Vancouver is 7 hours. Another service connects from Kelowna and Vernon.
 * Multiple days per week between Kelowna and Salmon Arm with stops in Vernon, Armstrong, and Enderby. Travel time to Salmon Arm from Kelowna is 2.25 hours and from Vernon is 1.25 hours.

By public transit

 * Bus route 23 Canoe bus will bring users to the main public beach. Route operates Monday to Saturday.
 * Bus route 41 operates on Wednesdays, making two round trips between Salmon Arm and Enderby. Travel time from Enderby to Salmon Arm is 30 minutes. This bus route enables connections with BC Transit (Vernon Regional Transit System) bus route 60, a more frequent route between Enderby and Vernon, that operates from Monday to Saturday. Bus route 90 operates multiple times daily between Vernon and Kelowna. Using those three routes, a traveller can travel between Salmon Arm and Kelowna in about 3 hours.
 * Bus route 43 operates on Thursday, operating one trip each way between Salmon Arm and Eagle Bay via Blind Bay.
 * Bus route 43 operates on Thursdays, operating one trip each way between Salmon Arm and Sorrento via Blind Bay.
 * Bus route 43 operates on Thursdays, operating one trip each way between Salmon Arm and Sorrento via Blind Bay.

Do

 * With all the water around, there are a number of beach, boating and fishing options in the area.

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



Eat
Thanks to its location on the Trans-Canada Highway, Salmon Arm boasts a large number of fast-food and chain restaurants. Below are some local restaurants.

Wineries
The Shuswap grows many varieties of grapes, and its wines reflect the terroir of the region. The wineries, found just north of the 50th parallel, grow cool-hardy and quick-ripening grapes for their varietals. The following wineries are in or near Salmon Arm.



Go next
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.