Looking to visit Fairmont Hot Springs Resort in British Columbia?
We’ve just spent the weekend exploring all the fun family-friendly activities there is to do in Fairmont Hot Springs BC and have decided on the Best Things to do in Fairmont Hot Springs Resort.
Fairmont Hot Springs resort is located in British Columbia, Canada and nestled in the Rocky Mountains. From every angle at this resort you will have breathtaking Rocky Mountain views.
Disclosure: Fairmont Hot Springs Resort graciously hosted us, but all views and opinions are my own.
From the moment you arrive at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort, you will feel as though you have entered into a Rocky Mountain oasis all on its own. This resort stretches across various buildings and areas but all somehow feel connected.
My first suggestion would be to take a family walk around the resort and get yourself acquainted with what there is all to offer, this will help you not miss out on any of the fun things to do!
What You'll Find in This Post
Best Things to do at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
We visited the Fairmont Hot Springs resort in March, with winter still in the air and spring on the horizon. The best part of the Fairmont Hot Springs resort is that there is ALWAYS something to do in any season you visit.
So I’ve broken up our Top 10 Things to do in Fairmont with the first few being what we have experienced, while the other portion of the list is what we will plan to do on our next visit during other seasons.
Top 10 Things to do in Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
1. Snowboard or Ski at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
Having the ski resort only 3.5 km away from the resort makes this a really family-friendly ski resort. You can easily get ready in your hotel room, hop in the car and in less than 10 minutes you are up at the resort! No long car rides with kids overdressed and if you forgot something it isn’t too far away to grab it.
The Fairmont Hot Springs ski resort is a perfect ski resort for families, the best part that we found is that all of the ski runs will end up down at the main ski chalet. So there is no more worrying about if your kids went down the wrong way or losing your kids.
The ski hill has all different levels of terrain so any family member can find the right ski run for them. They have a pull rope area and magic carpet area for learning and a 3-person chairlift. There are 14 runs and 2 terrain parks for kids to explore and have fun on. If your kids are skilled enough and tall enough we found this was a great chair and ski resort for them to ride by themselves and us not to have to worry about them too much.
We had so much fun skiing on these slopes and Rocky Mountain views going up the chairlift was a bonus too!
Fairmont Hot Springs ski resort would be a great ski spot for multi-generational ski trips too, or if you have many families coming together for ski trips.
They have a great chalet at the bottom with some breathtaking views to have some aprés ski and lunch if you need. The chalet also has an area for you to bring your own lunch and eat as well.
2. Relax and Soak at the Hot Springs Mineral Pools
Relax and soak at the crystal clear hot spring pools that are located just steps away from your room. There are 4 mineral pools that each offer their own temperature of the mineral pools so you’ll be sure to find one that is just right for you.
The Lodge Guest pool is 101°F/38°C and offers a smaller more quaint pool for guests to enjoy. The other three pools are public pools. The Lap pool is 89°F/32°C which is perfect for swimming and the largest of the pools. The Soaking pool is 102°F/39°C and has seating all around the pool which helps you relax and soak while enjoying views of the valley and mountains. The Diving Pool is the coldest at 86°F/30°C if you need to cool off.
We booked mornings to be able to start our day refreshed and rejuvenated. But, there is something to be said about a relaxing soak after skiing all day too!
During our visit, we had to pre-book our timings for the pool and we didn’t have any problems with getting the times we wanted. But, be sure to look into this upon arrival so you don’t miss out on the times you want to go. This may change in the future but for right now this is the process for the pool entrance.
3. Playgrounds, Multi-Sport & More
We couldn’t even get checked into the resort before the kids in the back were begging to go play at the playground. They have a great kid’s playground and multi-sport area for the kids to just play. The multi-sport is a fenced-in area that has a basketball court, a turf area for kicking the ball around, and all kinds of games for the entire family.
The kids spent lots of time here burning energy and just being kids. We also had a few fun family rounds of Twister which made us laugh and giggle all night long! Fairmont Hot Springs resort has definitely thought of everything with this fun area for kids to play.
4. Hiking Trails
We love to hike and there are some great hiking paths that you can take right from the resort. They have maps and guided trails with 3 different Trailheads to start from. Choose the right distance and rating that works for your family to go explore and see a bit more around the area on foot.
We loved the Waterfall Trail which was really easy and offered a great view of Fairmont Creek Canyon and see the hot pools waterfall into the canyon below.
5. Explore with Mystery Towns
We have never done a Mystery Towns adventure so doing the Fairmont: The Hot Springs Heist was really fun and a great way for the family to spend time working together. If you’ve never heard of Mystery Towns before it is part Amazing Race, part scavenger hunt and part escape room and we loved it!
This activity will take you around the Fairmont Hot Springs resort as you read clues and have to answer the riddle that guides you. You’ll go through parts of the building and resort grounds. You’ll have to work together as a team and figure things out.
We had a blast and highly recommend it to any family that has kids a little bit older because it can be a bit of time thinking of the answers and younger kids may get frustrated. I would suggest for kids 8+ is great for a family. If you have teenagers this can even be a fun activity for them to go do on their own too.
You can get access to the Mystery Towns from the Activity centre.
6. Family Fun at Activity & Experience Centre
There is no shortage of fun things that are planned at the Activity and Experience centre. They have a rotating daily schedule with fun stuff for kids. Here are some of the examples of the kid activity they had planned during the weekend we were there.
- Colouring sheets
- Indoor/outdoor scavenger hunt
- DIY craft bags
- Guided nature hikes
- Animal track hikes
- Kids movie nights
- Hot chocolate & S’mores on the lawn
- Claypot fairy houses
You just need to sign up and find out more details in the centre! They can also help if you are looking to do things like snow-shoeing, snowmobiling, kayaking, hiking routes and yoga classes.
The next 4 items on on our list for next time we visit during spring, summer or autumn.
7. Golf at Kid Friendly Course
We missed being able to golf and ski in the same day by 1 week!
They have 3 golf courses on the resort: Riverside, Mountainside and Creekside course.
For younger kids and the one we will check out next time is Creekside which is a nine-hole par 3 with 8″ big holes for kids to easily putt into. This is the first golf course that I have heard of with these larger holes and par 3 is the perfect little chip and putt for kids. Definitely on our list!
Mom and dad will also probably sneak in a round at the other course too! We did a drive-by of the courses and truly spectacular scenery with very well-kept golf courses provide some great courses for teenagers or a parent afternoon off.
8. Zipline
Who wouldn’t love to zipline over the treetops with mountain views? The Mineral Mountain Ziplines office is located just steps away from the resort and is open from Spring-Fall. The zipline tours are approximately 2 hours, so this would make a great morning or afternoon activity for the whole family.
Next time we are going to line up this fun-filled family activity to experience some adrenaline.
9. Mini Golf
Our family loves to mini-golf and Fairmont Hot Springs Resort has a nice course close by the playgrounds that looks perfect for a few hole-in-ones!
We will definitely make this part of the plan on a summer day and maybe even wager who buys ice cream at the poolside snack bar for the winner of the round ;)
10. Natural Springs Spa
Okay, so this may be more for mom but I’m part of the family too! I could definitely go for a hot stone massage or a Mani/Pedi at the Natural Springs Spa. Honestly, soaking in the mineral spas was amazing and really relaxing so I could see how indulging in a spa treatment in this tranquil mountain resort would be just what the doctor ordered.
This is also another reason why the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort is a full family resort because there is something for everyone in the family.
Places to Eat at Fairmont Hot Springs Resort
You won’t run out of options to find some amazing food at one of the restaurants on the resort.
- Antlers at the Lodge – A kid-friendly restaurant with lots of options on the kid menu and a great variety of seasonal entrées.
- Bear Paws – A pub-style bar and grill which offers a great burger, snack and easy eating food.
- Steamers Café – Grab your lattes, coffee, tea, sweet treats, pastries or sandwiches here for your morning or afternoon snack.
- Desperados Lounge – Located with mountain views at the Fairmont Hot Springs resort this is the perfect ski chalet atmosphere for drinks and food on the slopes.
- Poolside Snack Bar – A summertime snack bar with all the kids’ favourites including ice cream!
Fairmont Hot Springs Resort Amenities
During our visit, we stayed at the main resort lodge which offered a room with 2 queen beds, a kitchenette and a dining area. A comfortable room for a weekend getaway which was only steps away from the mineral pools.
Fairmont Hot Springs resort has many different options to suit any of your travel needs. They offer an RV Resort campground (which is open year-round), mountainside villas, cottages, cabins and many rooms at the main resort lodge.
As noted above they have a spa, activity centre, restaurants, pools, and more which makes this a true resort that is a destination on its own and you would never really have to leave if you didn’t want to.
Travel Tips for Visiting Fairmont Hot Springs
- Bring kid’s robes/housecoats if coming during the winter. They offer complimentary robes for the adults but this might be something to consider to bring for fun with the kids.
- Check the timing of activities and things going on at the resort when you check in to figure out your game plan for your visit. Book your activities early!
- Bring some night snacks or early morning snacks for the kids to eat so you can make the most of relaxing in the evening and mornings.
- Don’t forget to pack some cards or games to play on the deck or poolside. If all else fails, you can buy some cards from the vending machine like us – lol.
- If you are travelling during the winter, please check DriveBC for road conditions and winter tire requirements to arrive safely.
How to Get to Fairmont Hot Springs Resort British Columbia?
- From Calgary, it takes approximately 3.5 hours.
- From Vancouver, it takes approximately 9.5 hours.
Looking for more travel ideas in Canada?
- Vancouver with Kids
- Things to do in Calgary with Kids
- Skiing at Sunshine Village with Kids
- Big White Ski Resort with Kids
Leave a Reply