For an end-of summer getaway, we enjoyed several days basking in the sunshine and relaxing by the water at Christina Lake.
The lake, east of Grand Forks and west of Castlegar, is billed as the warmest tree-lined lake in British Columbia, and as a result, it has long been a draw for vacationers who want a lakefront getaway.
We spent several days at the lake in late August and early September, enjoying time with friends for a well-deserved vacation.
We stayed at a great vacation rental property a few kilometres from the village and near the lake. The rental had a spacious kitchen and dining area, a hot tub, big comfy couches by the fireplace, and amazing views. The large patio also had an outdoor dining table and an outdoor seating area with a fire table. We enjoyed eating dinners outside, and we spent as much time outdoors as we could. We enjoyed soaking in the hot tub every evening after our active days.
“We loved hanging out on the patio by the fire table, chatting with our friends, listening to music, and enjoying some wine and appies.”
Kim
While Christina Lake is a great place to get away and relax at any time of the year, summer is when it is at its peak.
With 45 kilometres of shoreline, the lake is the most prominent attraction in the community. The summer water temperature averages 22 C and it is a comfortable place to soak and relax on a hot, sunny summer day.
There is a large public beach in town, and there are also a couple of ice cream stands to enjoy a cool treat on a hot day.
Other activities on the water include stand-up paddleboarding, waterskiing and boating, as well as fishing for rainbow trout, Kokanee salmon, bass, whitefish and burbot.
The resort village has a population of around 1,100 and has a motel, campgrounds and numerous vacation rental properties, all at or near the water. Nearby, there are also some smaller, more secluded beaches.
“While the hike ended up steeper and longer than planned, the stunning views overlooking the lake were worth every step of the hike.”
John
From our vacation rental, we were able to walk to a private beach area and to some trails in Gladstone Provincial Park in the Monashee Mountains. While we took time to enjoy the lake, we also spent time each day walking the trails. There are some magnificent mountain trails in the area, which are well maintained. The hikes range from easy to challenging. One day we planned a longer hike, which ended up being even longer than planned as we missed an indicator on the trail. As a result, our hike took us on a longer loop and ended up being several kilometres. There were some good climbs and steeper sections on this longer loop, and we ended up quite high up the mountain.
Our Christina Lake retreat was relaxing and refreshing, but there is more to discover in this area. We expect we will be back for another lakefront getaway in the near future.
