There are people out there who says Castlegar is the Arizona of the Kootenays because the winter months offer some of the warmest temperatures in the region and the only other community that rivals it for full days of sunshine is the small town of Creston in the East Kootenay. In fact, winter temperatures average -3°C, which means there are plenty of days where you can walk around town in the sun without even a toque on and yet the scenery is still beautiful with all the snow

Castlegar is located in the Columbia valley and is equidistant between Red Mountain Resort in Rossland and Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson.

Both resorts were voted North America’s best by Powder magazine and so by basing yourself in Castlegar, you can easily access the two of them. In addition, there’s world-class ski touring 30 minutes from downtown. And there’s a fun community hill that offers night skiing in the town of Salmo, a 30-minute drive from the city. To learn more about alpine skiing opportunities near Castlegar, read our article: Castlegar is at the Centre of the West Kootenay Ski Scene.

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There’s no question Castlegar is a hockey town. With two indoor rinks (Pioneer Arena and the Recreation Centre) and multiple outdoor ones, there are lots of spaces to play Canada’s favourite sport. Plus there’s plenty of opportunities to cheer on your favourite players given that there’s a local Junior league team, the Castlegar Rebels, and a varsity team, the Selkirk Saints. Hockey games can be viewed virtually this year and you can find out more information about the history of hockey in the city by reading our article “Successful Castlegar Hockey Players.”

Not only can you watch excellent hockey in Castlegar, you can also play it casually. There are leagues that play in the city’s two indoor skating rinks as well as opportunities for family skates. (Note: the arenas are currently closed for the 2020-21 season.) There are also many places in and just outside of Castlegar where you can skate. Kinnaird Park is one such rink that is maintained by the city for those who want to play an informal game of shinny or practice their salchow. Plus there are lots of lakes in the nearby alpine that freeze over in the winter and where you can go skating.

There are many fun things to do in Castlegar with the family during winter. As mentioned above, cross-country skiing, skating and snowmobiling are popular past-time for people of all ages. Plus, for those families that downhill ski, there’s excellent beginner to expert terrain at the world-class Red Mountain Resort in nearby Rossland as well as the fun community ski hill in Salmo, which offers night skiing. (Salmo is a 30-minute drive from Castlegar.) There’s also tobogganing at places such as Cone Hill, Verigin Tomb Memorial Park and Dove Hill as well as snowshoeing around Millennium Park and, well, anywhere really. For more ideas, read our article “Things to do With Your Family in Castlegar in the Winter.”

After some time outside during the winter months, there’s nothing better than to come in and enjoy a warm environment, a hot drink, and a delicious meal. And Castlegar offers up all of those things in spades. Whether you’re looking for a hot artisan coffee, a quick bite, or a fine-dining meal, there are dozens of restaurants, cafés, and eateries located in the city. For more details about some of our favourite establishments, read the articles below.