‘Loops was built for families – no wonder the holidays are better here!

Amid the busy holiday season, a getaway may be just what the family ordered – time to make memories together over favourite winter pastimes, or to craft new traditions you’ll cherish for years to come.

Kamloops – a perfectly positioned destination with easy access for visitors – takes all these possibilities quite seriously. Both indoors or out, on the mountain or in the audience, families soon discover why the holidays are better here!

Sun, snow and seasonal delights

One of the best things about visiting Kamloops during the cooler season is the opportunity to enjoy crisp days under often sunny skies.

Take a piece of the ‘Loops home with you with a visit to Woodward Christmas Tree Farm where you can select your own fresh-cut Christmas tree and sip mulled wine or hot apple cider by the bonfire. And because Christmas tree hunting is hungry work, Biggz BBQ Food Truck food truck is also on-site serving hot dogs and hot chocolate.

Wildlights sets the BC Wildlife Park a-twinkle with more than one million lights strung in endless displays, a 250-foot tunnel of lights and a 20-foot-tall outdoor light tree! From 4 to 9 p.m. nightly, Dec. 9 to Jan. 2, you can tour the park on the Wildlife Express, enjoy a visit with Santa (Dec. 10 to 23) then gather ‘round a fire pit to savour hot chocolate and tempting treats.

Hit the slopes at the family-run Harper Mountain, both a hidden gem and for those local to the ‘Loops, a family favourite. Open from mid-December through March and just 20 minutes from Kamloops, this small, laidback ski resort is big on experience, with a terrain park and lift-operated tube park. Beginners and expert winter sports enthusiasts alike find a lot to love at Harpers, where you can hit the hills by day for skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing or tubing, then settle down with hot cocoa by night.

Holiday traditions are born here

Is watching It’s a Wonderful Life a holiday tradition for your family? Give tradition a twist this season with Western Canadian Theatre’s version of the holiday classic, on stage at Kamloops’ Sagebrush Theatre through Dec. 10. It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play shares the familiar story as a live 1940s radio broadcast, complete with live sound effects, festive jingles, carols and lots of holiday joy.

Of course, music is as much a part of the holidays as, well, snow and Santa! No wonder that Kamloops Symphony Orchestra’s Christmas with the KSO is a must-do holiday event for area residents and guests. Live like a local Dec. 17 and 18 and enjoy a lively programme for the whole family, featuring the KSO Chorus, harp soloist Naomi Cloutier and a selection of seasonal hits.

Start planning your Kamloops adventures today at tourismkamloops.com and follow them on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube for more ideas.