Learn & Get Inspired

Trip Guide

Class B camper van parked overlooking turquoise waters on Kalamalka Lake on a Vernon to Revelstoke RV road trip

Chasing BC Golden Hour: A Trip Through Mountain Countryside

Duration 5 days

Drive 380 km

Plan 7 stops

Start Kalamalka Lake

End Revelstoke Golf Club

Start Kalamalka Lake

End Revelstoke Golf Club

The best summer travel days are the ones where you never have to look at your watch. When we think about that kind of getaway, it is easy to assume we need to fly across the pond to find it. But taking a Vernon to Revelstoke RV road trip brings together everything we love about summer: nostalgic vibes, turquoise lakes, farm-fresh fruit, boutique coffee, and mountain views.

Highlights

Kalamalka Lake

Kekuli Bay Provincial Park

Vernon Farmers Market

Starlight Drive-In

Downtown Revelstoke

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Revelstoke Golf Club

Kalamalka Lake

Kekuli Bay Provincial Park

Vernon Farmers Market

Starlight Drive-In

Downtown Revelstoke

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Revelstoke Golf Club

Kalamalka Lake

Day 1: Kalamalka Lake Views

Start your morning high above Kalamalka Lake, widely known as the “Lake of a Thousand Colours.” As the summer sun warms the water, dissolved limestone crystals react to the heat, shifting the lake into brilliant shades of cyan, jade, and turquoise that look more like the Mediterranean than the British Columbia interior.

Before descending to the lake itself, pull off Highway 97 at the High Ridge lookout. This wide roadside turnout offers a panorama across the entire basin and is a perfect spot to snap some photos and take in the view.

Kekuli Bay Provincial Park

Day 1: Kekuli Bay

From the ridge, wind your way down to Kekuli Bay Provincial Park, set directly on the western shore of Kalamalka Lake. The bay is sheltered from open-lake chop, making it an ideal launch point for stand-up paddleboards or kayaks.

Where to Camp: Spend your first night right in Kekuli Bay Provincial Park Campground. Perched on the hillside above the water, the campground features 81 vehicle-accessible sites arranged in three terraced loops to give all sites an unobstructed view of the lake. The sites have large gravel pads great for big RVs.

Vernon Farmers Market

Day 2: Morning at the Market & Cherry Picking

Start your second morning at the Vernon Farmers Market. Running Monday and Thursday mornings at Kal Tire Place, this market is as much a community social as it is the perfect place to stock your kitchen.

Sure, you could just grab a bag of cherries at the market, but heading up into the hillside orchards to pick your own is half the fun of an Okanagan summer. Vernon’s hot afternoons and cool mountain nights naturally concentrate the sugars, giving the fruit a sweet, crisp snap. Take an hour or two to wander the rows and fill a basket with fresh Bings or Rainiers. They’re the perfect road trip snack.

Starlight Drive-In

Day 2: Movie Night

Drive 25 minutes north to Enderby for a classic summer night at the Starlight Drive-In. At 6,000 square feet, its screen is the largest in Canada. Back your rig into the designated rear RV lanes, and pair your fresh-picked cherries with buttery popcorn for a double feature under the open sky. It’s the perfect way to cap off the first leg of your Vernon to Revelstoke RV road trip.

Where to Camp: You can spend the night at Wood Lake RV Park & Marina in Lake Country. The park features waterfront sites shaded by mature weeping willows, letting you back your rig right up to the lake.

Downtown Revelstoke

Day 3: Mountain Drive to Revelstoke

Time to trade the valley lakes for big mountain energy. Head north through Sicamous and turn east onto Highway 1 to wind through Eagle Pass. When you pull into Revelstoke, head straight for the historic core around Mackenzie Avenue and Grizzly Plaza.

The late-1800s brick facades are packed with independent shops, bookstores, and cafés to grab a quick lunch. As the midway point of your Vernon to Revelstoke road trip, this stretch delivers a complete shift from valleys to stunning mountain peaks.

Where to Camp: Set up at Lamplighter Campground, located just five minutes from downtown. The park offers quiet, shaded full-hookup sites, bike wash stations, and a private cedar barrel sauna to help you reset after the drive.

Revelstoke Mountain Resort

Day 4: Revelation Gondola & Alpine Trails

Move from the valley to high elevation with a trip up Revelstoke Mountain Resort. Board the Revelation Gondola for an easy ride straight up the mountain. In the summer, the ski runs transform into wildflower meadows with clear views across the Columbia River Valley and the Monashee Range. Wander the upper loop trails to soak up the mountain air and vistas without having to grind through a gruelling trek to get there.

Revelstoke Golf Club

Day 5: Your Final Day

For your final day, choose what fits your travel style best: an afternoon on the greens, or a quiet, unhurried day relaxing by the water.

If you love getting out on the course, spend your day at the historic Revelstoke Golf Club. This 18-hole championship layout sits in a quiet bend of the Columbia River. It is an easy, flat walk that lets you focus on your swing rather than hiking steep fairways.

If golf isn’t your game, take the scenic 15-minute drive north along Highway 23 to Lake Revelstoke instead. This wide reservoir is far quieter than the busy lakes down south. Head into Martha Creek Provincial Park to launch a paddleboard, take a dip off the pebble beach, or simply set out your camp chairs by the water with a book and prepare lunch right from your RV.

Where to Camp: Spend your final night under the trees at Martha Creek Provincial Park Campground directly on the lake, or head back into town to Lamplighter Campground for quick highway access the next morning. It is an unhurried, scenic finale to an unforgettable Vernon to Revelstoke RV road trip.