"A summer vacation at Shuswap Lake" Shuswap Lake by Carmanah

Lounging around by our cabin in Sorrento

Conveniently located along the Trans-Canada Highway, half way between the Rockies and the Pacific Ocean, Shuswap Lake (pronounced "Shu-shwop") usually marks the half-way point on people's road-trips across BC.

Salmon Arm is the name of the major town on the southern shore of Shuswap Lake. There are also many rivers and Provincial Parks located around the lake, making ideal camping destinations and places for beachside access. Smaller towns, such as Sorrento and Sicamous, are popular for renting lakefront cabins or houseboats.

Although not as arid as the Okanagan to the south, or as mountainous as other nearby places, the Shuswap Lake region is a popular summer vacation destination for local families. The lake itself is rather large and shaped in a very bizarre X-chromosome-like shape, so that you can usually find your own space without feeling like you're surrounded by crowds. In fact, most people would not associate crowds with Shuswap Lake.

Adams River

Probably the most popular activity to do on Shuswap Lake is houseboating. There are many companies that rent houseboats out of Salmon Arm and Sicamous. There's even a floating general store in the middle of the lake so that you can simply float your houseboat up to its docks and stock up on your necessities!

Another interesting thing about the Shuswap Lake region is that the nearby rivers are important salmon spawning beds. Every year in late August until October, thousands of salmon can be seen gathering at the head of the rivers - it's actually a quite spectacular thing to witness, especially if you can time it right.

All in all, I'd describe Shuswap Lake as being the stereotypical image that many people think of when they think of Canada. That is, if you're looking for endless lakes, rivers and forests, this is essentially it.