We just squeezed in a quick little getaway—tent, car camping, and all. Yes, tent camping. Who needs five-star hotels when you can sleep on an air mattress?

Since moving to British Columbia, we’ve made it our mission to explore more corners of this gorgeous province. This trip took us from Kelowna up past Vernon to the Needles ferry, through Nakusp, and onto Highway 31. We paused for a picnic to learn about the Western Toads (not so cute), soaked at Ainsworth Hot Springs (highly recommend), and finally landed at Kokanee Creek Provincial Park. Gorgeous beach, tall shady trees, and that perfect mix of “ahh, nature.” Oh—and apparently a bear has been hanging around the campground. Thankfully, he ghosted us.

Our days were filled with walking, swimming, and trying to do our best at relaxing. Well, relaxing once we borrowed a lighter, since the “matches” we brought were basically useless. The highlights? That beach (stunning) and watching salmon spawn right in the channel beside the campground. Nature showing off again, and all for free. Evenings ended with our classic pairing: a bag of Cheezies and a glass of wine by the crackling campfire.

We also carved out a half-day in Nelson—a funky little town full of heritage buildings, quirky shops, and plenty of restaurants. We bought a lighter… and Ellen somehow convinced herself that three pairs of shoes and a couple of sweaters were essential camping supplies. Finished the evening with an excellent dinner at Sage Cafe which had a fantastic BC wine list at reasonable prices. Next day, on the drive home, we switched things up with Highway 6, which treated us to jaw-dropping views of Slocan Lake. We stopped for a picnic at the Silverton Lookout before looping back through Nakusp, across the ferry, and eventually home.

A quick trip, lots of Cheezies, a few smoky campfire clothes to wash, and yet another reminder that we live in a pretty special country.