Ask anyone who’s been there: Kaslo punches way above its weight class. For a town of 1,000 people, Kaslo has a lot to offer visitors and locals with its rich history as a mining hub and charming downtown core. If you’re looking for a memorable day trip, Kaslo has it all: one-of-a-kind historical experiences, outdoor adventures, and phenomenal food.

Whether you’re visiting alone or with family or friends, here’s are some essential stops we’d recommend if you’re visiting Kaslo for the day:

Morning

The drive to Kaslo is part of the fun, winding along the North Shore of Kootenay Lake. If you’re looking to start your day close to Kaslo, we’d recommend a stay at Ainsworth Hot Springs, just fifteen minutes down the road.

Kaslo Breakfast Spots

You’ll find out quickly that Kaslo doesn’t have a ton of restaurants, but there are certainly some real gems that will blow you away here! For breakfast, we’d recommend these two.

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Bluebelle Bistro

More of a casual cafe-style with counter service, Bluebelle Bistro is a favourite amongst both locals and visitors. Enjoy a variety of dishes made with locally sourced ingredients, including soups, salads, sandwiches, and more. This is also one of Kaslo’s best places to grab a coffee, snack, muffin, or lunch. Really an essential stop.

Don’t miss: their famous Bao Bun. Stuffed with black vinegar bbq beef brisket, greens, sweet pickles, cilantro, roasted peanuts, crispy garlic, chili oil and black sesame aioli. It’s crazy fluffy, and packed with amazing wholesome flavours.

Morning Activities

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Kaslo River Trail

We love to go for a leisurely stroll along the Kaslo River Trail, one of the Kootenay’s most serene pathways. It’s a charming, easy walk with tons of natural and manmade attractions along the way, and parts of it are so close to the river you can feel the cool mist.

Take the North Trail for a gentle 1.3km walk, the South Trail for a 1.9km walk (some steps with hand rails here), or combine the two for a 3.2 km loop that will keep you busy for a few hours (metaphorically) lost in the beauty of the forest.

See if you can pick out all the hide-and-seek “Koots” figures along the path for an extra experience that will keep both kids and adults engaged.

You can also download the Kootenay Road Trip App (Apple or Android) for an audio guide from local musicians and figures to accompany your time here!

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Visit the SS Moyie Museum

Kaslo is home to the oldest intact sternwheeler in the world! Stop by the SS Moyie Museum, and take a walk through this beautifully restored sternwheeler ship to get some insight into Kaslo’s maritime history. You won’t find another one like it!

The SS Moyie Museum offers guided tours led by knowledgeable staff, providing in-depth information on the ship’s construction, operation, and significance in the development of the Kootenay region. Visitors can admire the meticulously restored artifacts and period furnishings on display throughout the vessel, highlighting the craftsmanship and elegance of the Kootenay’s early days.

Noon

Eat, play, and shop in Kaslo’s downtown and surrounding areas.

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Where to Get Lunch in Kaslo

While The Bluebelle mentioned earlier, as well as our picks for dinner, also serve lunch, our recommendations for a casual lunch are…

Chez Serge

A Kaslo institution that continues to live up to its fantastic reputation, Chez Serge is one of those hidden gems the locals have been raving about for years – us included!

Authentic Quebecois poutine, served every way you can think of, including with Montreal smoked meat, Italian sausage, or pulled pork, has us pulling up every time we see their walk-up window welcoming us into town.

They also have fabulous fish and chips, burgers, ice cream and more, but make no mistake – this is a poutine spot, and if you’ve never been sold on poutine, this will change your mind. Trust me.

There’s a reason Chez Serge is the reigning champion of Nelson’s Poutine Week after all these years!

It’s great for the whole family – casual, picnic table-style take out with low wait times, perfect for lunch or an afternoon snack.

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Taqueria Tiburon

This is as authentic as it gets: authentic, full-flavour tacos served right downtown Kaslo at Taqueria Tiburon! They take tacos seriously – you’ll see what we mean.

Take the tortillas, for example. Made with a fancy tortilla press, they craft and cook their own tortillas right on site. We’ve never had fresher: soft and chewy, a perfect base for their incredible toppings.

The meats are all slow-cooked and expertly seasoned, with all our favourites including beef, chicken, pork, and seafood, though their flavourful fish tacos have become one of our favourites. We’ve had a lot of fish tacos across the years, but these ones stopped us in our tracks – melt in your mouth tender and so satisfying.

Each taco is a delightful explosion of flavours, with a fabulous mix of well-balanced toppings and, for those who like a kick, their own house-made hot sauce.

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Eric’s Meat Market & Deli

Serving up a wide selection of fresh cuts and shelf stable sausages, cheeses, spreads, and preserves, Eric’s is a great place to pick up a picnic lunch to-go!

They have butcher style steaks, roasts, and sausages prepared in-house that look amazing, but for our needs they’re also a great place for lunch. We highly recommend their sandwiches, made with your choice of deli meats, sauces, and all the fixings. Served on fresh fluffy bread, you can’t go wrong with a classic deli sandwich. Ours came out to $6.00 – how can you beat that?

Afternoon Activities in Kaslo

If you’re wondering what to do in Kaslo in the afternoon, there’s plenty to choose from! For those into popular Kootenay outdoor activities, Kaslo has an abundance of hiking and biking trails, as well as waterfront activities such as paddle boarding and kayaking.

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Cruise & BBQ On the Lake

We’d also like to highlight a really unique way to spend an afternoon. Jones Boys Boats in Woodbury (just outside of Kaslo) offers boat rentals. While we love waterskiing and tubing behind a speedboat, the real draw for us is their pontoon boat rentals!

Pontoon boats are slower but far more stable, making them a great fit for families looking for a relaxed day on the water. They’re covered for sun protection, easy to get on and off of for kids who love to swim, and come with a BBQ! Rent one of these for the day as you explore Kootenay Lake and finish the day up with an evening barbecue right on the boat! What a fun and unique experience. We’d recommend picking up some house-special sausages or steaks from Eric’s Meat Market for an authentic Kaslo experience.

This might take a whole day unto itself, so consider this one a bonus day trip, or a great option for day two if you’re staying overnight in Kaslo!

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Shop on Front Street

Kaslo’s downtown shopping district is small but packed with some eclectic boutiques, galleries, and specialty stores, perfect for a couple hours of shopping in the afternoon.

Front Street is lined with charming shops like Willow Home Gallery, a popular home decor and gift store, while Artisan Food Market is a snacky spot for locally sourced gourmet treats. Art lovers will appreciate stops like Kootenay Forge and Treehouse Gallery, showcasing handcrafted jewelry, pottery, and other artisanal creations, making downtown Kaslo a treasure trove for shoppers of all ages.

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Picnic at Fletcher Falls

Just 500m off the road, Kaslo River joins Kootenay Lake at Fletcher Falls. The trail leads through a mossy old-growth forest through a well maintained and accessible pathway along the river. Sit and enjoy the sound of the water rushing over the rocks for a while before continuing a few more minutes down to the beach.

This is a great place for a picnic, either right on the sandy beach or at one of the picnic tables at the recreation site here. Forgot to pack a picnic? Swing by Eric’s Meat Market on Front Street for choice grab-and-go items, smoked sausage, and a fantastic selection of imported cheeses. Their sandwiches (pictured above) are super affordable, as fresh as they come, and scrumptious!

All in, you can get to the falls and back in half an hour. Rock enthusiasts will find plenty to marvel at here too, with interesting square rock formations along the hike and plenty of pyrite (fool’s gold) in the rocks that litter the beach area. A perfect mid afternoon hike, and one of the most easily accessible waterfalls in the Kootenays!

Evening

As the sun sets and stores close, grab dinner at one of BC’s oldest hotels, catch an evening show, and take a quiet walk through this scenic little town.

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Dinner & Drinks in Kaslo

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The Waypoint Restaurant – Kaslo Hotel

The Kaslo Hotel was built in 1896, and is our pick for the best dinner spot in Kaslo. Their menu is generally amazing, but see our menu recommendations below. A really great establishment, and the restaurant lives up to its storied pedigree.

The elegant dining room and scenic outdoor patio are both charming settings to enjoy an evening in this cute Kootenay community. The hotel reflects Kaslo’s value for sustainability, supporting local farmers and artisans while ensuring an exceptional dining experience to cap off the night.

Not to be outdone by the food, this is also our pick for a drink spot in the evening. A great selection of local beers, huge wine list, whiskey menu, coffee drinks and a tasteful selection of cocktails and mocktails make the Kaslo Hotel one of the best things going in Kaslo.

Don’t miss:

• The Korean BBQ Wings: somehow perfectly crunchy even with their sweet and sticky Korean BBQ sauce. 10/10 wings right here!
• The Slow Roasted Beef Dip: swiss cheese, rosemary focaccia, fried onions, horseradish aioli, au jus. Incredible.
• The Kaslo Burger: grilled beef patty or grilled chicken, garlic aioli, mixed greens, tomato, onion, pickle, brioche bun. Burger heaven.
• Mango Chicken Panini: thick cut french bread, gouda cheese, roasted chicken breast, cilantro chili butter, mango chutney

Evening Activities

Catch a Show at the Langham Theatre

The Langham Theatre offers a variety of shows in the afternoons and evenings, although not consistently (check their calendar for upcoming shows). From live music and theatrical productions to film screenings and comedy nights, the Langham Theatre’s diverse lineup promises something for everyone to enjoy under the starlit skies of Kaslo.

They also house the Japanese Canadian Museum – a self guided museum dedicated to the area’s troubled history as a Japanese internment city – a history also shared by several other ghost towns in the area. It’s open year round, so take a look at that during the daytime hours anytime the door is open.

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Take a Moonlit Walk From Downtown to the Shore

Kaslo is generally a pretty sleepy town in the evenings, so get another round at the Kaslo Hotel (open until “Late”), and when you’re done get a coffee to go and take a stroll by the lake to cap off the night before heading home.

We hope you’ll be back to Kaslo soon (Jazz Fest happens every summer!). In the meantime, here’s some more things to do while you’re on the North Shore of Kootenay Lake!