The Incredible Appeal of the British Columbia Mountain Lifestyle

British Columbia is one of the most beautiful parts of Canada, and Canada is one of the most beautiful nations in the world. The natural appeal to B.C is hard to beat, with everything from beaches and redwood forests to high mountaintops. It is a big reason this province’s real estate market has become so incredibly pricy; everyone wants to live in a place this scenic.

The mountains of B.C are one of the province’s big appeals, with top-notch hiking, skiing, and high views that stretch hundreds of kilometers. Let’s look at some of British Columbia’s best cities and towns with an appealing mountain lifestyle.

Vancouver

Vancouver is British Columbia’s biggest and best-known city, a West Coast gem set on the Strait of Georgia. It is one of Canada’s most populous and economically significant cities, a regional hub with an incredible local culture. While many come to Vancouver for the delicious food, top-notch entertainment, and incredible museums, it is also a town with mountain views and easy access to stunning mountains.

North Shore Range provides a backdrop for the city, and it is a significant range that reaches nearly 1,800 meters of elevation. They offer an excellent location for skiing and hiking and give the city the unique combination of being a mountain town and a city on the water.

Kelowna

Kelowna is a significant city to the northeast of Vancouver, known for the incredible wilderness nearby. It also happens to be one of Canada’s top areas for wine enthusiasts, with great wineries and vineyards, so there’s a lot to love here. Kelowna is a big city home to over 130,000 residents, and it offers easy access to great mountains, forests, and lakes.

It is a city famed for its natural beauty, and it more than lives up to that reputation. There are several different mountains near or within Kelowna, including Kelowna Mountain, Knox Mountain, and Mount Boucherie. These are excellent hiking destinations with picturesque city views, and there are also nearby skiing hotspots like the Big White Ski Resort and SilverStar Mountain resort.

Fernie

If you are looking for a quieter mountain town that still has some of the best views of anywhere in the country, Fernie may be the place for you. Fernie is situated near the Alberta border to the east and is only a short drive from the Montana border to the south. Home to just over 5,250 residents, it is quiet but has all the amenities the average person would look for.

Fernie receives a great deal of snow every year, making it a global destination for skiers. It has several different mountain resorts, including the Fernie Alpine Resort, and there are numerous well-known mountain ranges here, like Mount Fernie, the Lizard Range, and the Three Sisters. It is a gorgeous place to live with unparalleled mountain views.

Rossland

Rossland is a beautiful little town in south-central British Columbia, located just above the Washington border. Rossland is a quiet place throughout most of the year, with a permanent population of under 4,000, but its location in the Kootenay Rockies region makes it a popular destination for tourists, particularly come winter time.

When winter begins, the tourists head en masse to Rossland due to the top-notch skiing. Red Mountain Resort is one of the best ski resorts in British Columbia, as is Big Red Cats, a resort with over 20,000 acres of incredible ski terrain. Even if skiing isn’t for you, Rossland offers some of the province’s best hiking and vantage points.

Whistler

Whistler is a town to the north of Vancouver that is one of the most popular destinations for travelers heading to British Columbia. Its location right at the foot of the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains has made it one of the best ski destinations on the planet, and the town itself is quaint and fun, with a thriving nightlife. Whistler is home to a permanent population of under 15,000, but it feels a lot busier every year as visitors are omnipresent throughout all seasons.

Whistler has played host to the Winter Olympics, and you can ski and snowboard where the Olympians did at Olympic Park. It is also a great spot for mountain biking and hiking in the summer and has a top-notch food scene and great luxury real estate.