After a six-hour drive southwest of Calgary, through B.C’s mountain ranges, you’ll find yourself along the East Shore of Kootenay Lake. This is a great starting spot to discover all that Nelson and Kootenay Lake has to offer this summer. No matter which quaint small town you choose to explore, you’ll be treated to stunning lake views, mountain scenery and plenty of opportunities to stop at artisan shops and local makers’ storefronts.
All around Kootenay Lake
One of the region’s standout artisan hubs is Crawford Bay on the East Shore. Stroll along the main street and you’ll discover a collection of locally owned studios, galleries and craft shops filled with unique, handcrafted goods. A particularly memorable stop is North Woven Broom Co., where traditional corn brooms are still made by hand. To get even more out of your visit, download the Kootenay Lake Road Trip App and experience the Crawford Bay Artisan Tour, which shares the stories behind the makers, their craft and the businesses that make this community so special.
From Crawford Bay, hop aboard the world’s longest free scenic ferry, which crosses Kootenay Lake between Kootenay Bay and Balfour. Once on the other side, you’ll find even more locally made treasures, including those at Balfour’s Kootenay Crafted Artisan Shop.
This side of the lake also provides easy access to the Ainsworth Hot Springs mineral pools and the charming village of Kaslo. While exploring Kaslo’s historic downtown, be sure to visit Willow Home Gallery, a thoughtfully curated shop featuring home decor and artisan goods.
Artists of Nelson
Driving through the Kootenays, you’ll see blue highway markers with the letter “A” for artisan, signalling there’s an artisan shop within a few kilometres. And once you get to Nelson, you’ll find it’s another regional artistic hub, home to many talented craftspeople and an abundance of goods unique to the small town.
“The shops and shopping opportunities in Nelson are reflective of the people who inhabit the region. It’s quirky, it’s quaint. We have everything from high-end fashion stores and vintage thrift shops to a flower store that doubles as a coffee shop,” says Peter Moynes, executive director of Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism.
Inside Craft Connection, an artist co-op with work by more than 100 artists, you can find pottery, jewellery, glasswork, wooden works, paintings and more. On Baker Street, find locally owned shops and boutiques such as Cartolina for a one-of-a-kind retail experience and browse the works of local and national authors at Otter Books. And Zinnia Textiles answers the call for thoughtfully made clothing, even carrying its own in-house line of 100 per cent up-cycled cashmere accessories, made in Nelson.
Market culture and more
From spring to fall, the Nelson Lake region is abuzz with markets. Expect everything from fresh produce at farmer’s markets and harvest markets, night markets with live music and goodies, and artisan markets for locally crafted products. The market culture runs deep here: the Kootenay Artisan Fair has run its markets for more than 50 years. Explore all of the Kootenay towns to get a sense of the area’s market culture, including the Nelson Farmer’s Market, Kaslo Saturday Market (on Wednesdays and Saturdays), Kaslo Saturday Market, Crawford Bay Sunday Market, Sunshine Bay Summer Market and more.
When all that shopping’s got you hungry, there are enough restaurants in the region for something for all to enjoy. In fact, there are more restaurants and cafés per capita in the Kootenays than in New York or Los Angeles. And while the shopping is great, you’d be remiss to skip the many adventures you can have in the area. Make sure to take in all of the natural beauty, easily done with a quick walk to the lake, a game of golf among the peaks, a bike ride down one of the many trails or by just sitting and resting on the beach.
For more information about what’s on in the Nelson and Kootenay Lake region, visit nelsonkootenaylake.com
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