With a seemingly endless amount of things to do in Revelstoke, high price adventures can be tempting, but experiencing Revy doesn’t have to break the bank. The Mountaineer chatted with a few local resources to learn more about fun on a budget this summer.
“We want to be supporting all of our members and our community, and part of that is keeping barriers to us as few as possible,” said Katie Munro, assistant community librarian for Okanagan Regional Library Revelstoke.
The library isn’t the only resource in town providing free events, activities and opportunities for Revelstoke and those visiting. Here’s a few to take advantage of this summer.
Catch a free concert
Arts Revelstoke’s REVY.Live Outside offers a summer of free concerts with something for everyone, from latin to country and everything in between.Running every night from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. until Saturday, Aug. 30 concerts are held at Grizzly Plaza and Queen Elizabeth Park, depending on the evening.
Enjoy the Revelstoke library
With a host of weekly clubs and events going on throughout the year, including crafting, Spanish club and more, time at the library doesn’t have to be focused solely on books and studying.
Keep an eye on Revelstoke library’s social media and the ORL website, or swing by the library to chat with staff, to get the scoop on all upcoming events and classes. The team is always creating fun activities to help guests explore the town and the region.
“We have lots of free events always coming up. You don’t even need to have a library card, you can just register online,” Munro said.
Acting not only as a hub of resources, activities and events, the Revelstoke Library also serves as an accessible cooling space to keep residents and visitors safe during high temperature events.
“We’re cool in both ways. Cool to check out and a good place to cool down in the summer,” Munro said.
The library is also working with other organizations in town to create even more free events and activities. A recent partnership with the Revelstoke Railway Museum has provided limited free passes for families and Munro said the museum is always eager to explore other opportunities.
Explore the Greenbelt trail
Winding alongside the Columbia River and offering various biking and walking trails, the Greenbelt trail is a constant hub of folks looking to enjoy the outdoors close to town. With signage along the main trail sharing the history of the region, all thanks to work from the Revelstoke Museum and Archives, visitors can learn more about some of the forces that have shaped the region and Revelstoke.
Maintained throughout the seasons by the Illecillewaet Greenbelt Society, the Greenbelt trail provides a vital resource to residents and visitors alike. Walk, bike, roll along during the summer and bring your leashed pets to enjoy the adventure with you.
Go biking, go climbing
Thanks to the work of Revelstoke Cycling Association and Revelstoke Climbers Access Society, there are a host of free biking trails and climbing spots in and around Revelstoke.
The organizations rely on memberships, grants and donations to keep resources maintained and free for everyone to use.
You can find up-to-date information about all the biking trails around Revelstoke through the Trailforks website and app. For information on the local rock climbing areas and current conditions, check out The Crag website.
Swim at Martha Creek Park
Nothing will cool you down faster on a summer day than a dip into the Revelstoke reservoir at Martha Creek Park, located 20 kilometres north of Revelstoke along Highway 23. A popular boat launch area, kayak, paddle board, canoe or dive in and enjoy the views.
There are no official trails around the area and BC Parks encourages visitors to keep it that way. Instead, follow the rocky beach line around the outer perimeter of the park and enjoy one of the few places that isn’t a hiking spot. Stop, sit, read a book, not everything needs to be a hike!
There is a playground that looks out onto the beach and the lake for littler visitors to enjoy. Pets are welcome to visit as well and must be leashed at all times when outside of a vehicle.
Tour Revelstoke Dam Visitor Centre
For a short time, the Revelstoke Dam Visitor Centre is offering free admission for all visitors to explore the interpretive exhibits about the building and operation of the dam. Due to maintenance reasons, the dam crest viewing area is closed indefinitely. Admission will remain free until the access lift is fixed.
Take a self-guided tour through the centre or join one of the various scheduled tours with an interpreter who can answer all your damming questions.
Visit National Parks
The federal government announced all national parks across Canada will be free entry until Tuesday, Sept. 2, providing the perfect time to go explore the national park right outside town. From biking trails to hiking opportunities, scenic picnic spots and access to the Meadows in the Sky parkway, you’d be hard-pressed to run out of things to do at Mount Revelstoke.
Travel 30 kilometres east out of town and you’ll get to explore the Giant Cedars Boardwalk, an in and out trail through some of the region’s old growth forest and giant cedar stands. Recently rebuilt after a major storm brought some of the massive trees down, the trail is one of the main attractions within Revelstoke National Park.
Don’t limit yourself just to Revelstoke National Park this summer, there’s another national park just outside of town waiting for you. Glacier National Park might not have mountain biking trails but there is still a host of hiking trails and picnic areas to enjoy.
There are always free events and activities taking place in Revelstoke throughout the year. Sign up for the Revelstoke Mountaineer newsletter to get a weekly selection of events with a focus on free and accessible fun and peruse our latest print issue for a calendar of events throughout the month.
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