Mt. Nusatsum

Mt. Nusatsum

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Things to do in Bella Coola

With the tourist season in full swing (minus the weather and road closure problems!), someone asked me about "things to do in Bella Coola".  The best source to start is the Bella Coola Tourism website.  It has a pretty comprehensive list and information about the valley and the area.  Once you get here I would check in at the Bella Coola Valley Tourism information centre which is actually at Tweedsmuir Travel.  These are helpful folks and can give you more ideas and tips on local things to do. 

Another thing I would do is go to the local museum, hang around and walk the docks especially after a commercial fishery (Tuesday or Wednesday evenings) and talk to the locals there about fishing and the history of fishing.  There are some good short hikes to do such as the Salloomt Nature Trail. If you are here in August any of the creeks you cross should have some spawning chum salmon to see from the bridges.   Bear watching and river drifts can be arranged through Bella Coola Mountain Lodge.  Of course there is fishing for salmon and trout on the creeks and rivers or organize a charter boat tour out to the coast.

If you want to really see the geography, then an air tour via plane with Bella Coola Air or West Coast Helicopters would be in order. 

There are a number of interesting gift stores such as Kopas Store to look around in and pick up a local book.  If you just want some quiet time the local library in Bella Coola has a nice place to sit and read and watch the locals come and go.

An always interesting visit is the local cemetery to see the age and history of pioneers that are buried there.

If you are in doubt about where to go, stop any local and ask for advice. Grizzly

1 comment:

  1. Thanks, Grizzly, for the fine suggestions. As long as the weather is all right, it looks as though there will lots to keep us busy.

    Art

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