Good as Gold Vacations in Golden

Golden which is located in the heart of British Columbia’s national park terrain is a favored vacation hotspot. This small mountain town is located within the Kootney region of south eastern British Columbia. Golden is also located close to the stunning landscape which lies within the boundaries of Canada’s six world famous National Parks, namely Banff, Glacier, Jasper, Kootenay, Mount Revelstoke and Yoho. The town of Golden whose history is intertwined with that of the Canadian Pacific Railway and the logging industry actually lies between the Purcell Mountains and the Rocky Mountains, at the junction of two rivers, the Columbia River and the Kicking Horse River. In fact the area that surrounds Golden is known as Kicking Horse Country and it is home to some spectacular scenery and approximately 300 species of birds and mammals.

Golden enjoys four distinct seasons and is a year round destination which offers a wide array of activities like hiking, mountain biking, rafting, kayaking, paragliding in the summer months and skiing, snowmobiling, snowboarding and heli skiing in the winter months when the town and its surrounding areas are covered in soft, fluffy snow which is popularly referred to as ‘champagne powder’.

Golden Vacation Rentals

If you enjoy outdoor activities and being one with nature, then a vacation in the visually stunning town of Golden is just what the doctor ordered. A vacation in Golden is however best enjoyed with a group of friends or with your family and if indeed you are planning to visit Golden in a large group then you might want to consider booking a charming vacation rental for the duration of your stay. A vacation rental offers several advantages when compared to a standard hotel room like lower costs, more privacy and greater living space all of which can contribute greatly to enhance your vacation experience in Golden. Vacation rentals in Golden take the form of chalets, cabins, lodges, luxury town homes and ski-in and ski-out mountain homes which come equipped with various different ‘extras’ like gardens, balconies, Jacuzzis, free internet access, satellite TV and more which are all normally included in the price of your rental at no extra cost to you.

Activities in and around Golden

Golden and its surrounding region of Kicking Horse Country offer a plethora of recreational activities which are bound to please all adventure and winter sports lovers. The area has the largest concentration of ski resorts including the world famous Kicking Horse Mountain Resort which has the highest elevation of any ski resort in British Columbia, backcountry touring huts, helicopter and cat-skiing operations, and snowmobile outfitters. The sport of Heli skiing was actually invented in the mountains of Golden in 1965 when Hans Gmoser launched the sport commercially in the Bugaboo Range of the Purcell Mountains.

Golden also offers a wide array of summer time activities like white water rafting on the fast flowing picturesque Kicking Horse River, horseback riding, swimming in Cedar Lake, hiking, mountain biking, jet boating on the Columbia River and golfing at the Golden Golf Club.

Sightseeing in Golden

The unspoiled mountain setting of Golden also offers some sights for those vacationers who like to kick back and relax after days of hectic adventure sports activities. The town’s main attractions include the Swiss–like Edelweiss Village which is located on a hillside at the west entrance to the town. This village was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway to house the Swiss guides that the company had employed in the early 1900s. These guides were used to chalk out mountain trails as tourism to Golden and its surrounding regions began to grow rapidly during this time. Today the Edelweiss Village is a perfectly preserved village which is made up of six Swiss–style chalets that overlook Golden and the Columbia Valley. The other main attraction in Golden is the Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge which is located in the heart of downtown Golden. This bridge which spans the Kicking Horse River is the longest freestanding timber frame bridge in Canada which measures 46 meters (151 feet) across. The Kicking Horse Pedestrian Bridge was built by the Timber Framers Guild, which used the services of international volunteers in addition to local volunteers.

Some additional interesting local sights in Golden include the Northern Lights Wildlife Wolf Centre which promotes the conservation of wo