Harrison Mills and Harrison Hot Springs are communities in the BC Fraser Valley, about 90 minutes outside the city of Vancouver! Known for the beautiful forests, wildlife, Harrison River, and Harrison Lake, it’s a great wilderness destination! Visits to these communities make for an amazing summertime day trip or weekend getaway from Vancouver. We can’t recommend them enough! Keep reading for our full summer guide to Harrison Mills and Harrison Hot Springs, BC.
When to Visit
Harrison Mills and Harrison Hot Springs are amazing to visit anytime of year, but the summertime is especially wonderful to appreciate everything they have to offer. Plan your visit during the summer months for the best weather, and you’ll be able to enjoy all the fun seasonal activities. We visited in early August and it was perfect for exploring the area!
What to Do
Harrison Mills and Harrison Hot Springs are primarily tourism communities offering plenty to do! Located only 20 minutes apart, both areas have tons of great activities and attractions to enjoy. Below is our list of must-dos for a summertime visit:
Check out the Sandpiper Resort
The most notable attraction in the community of Harrison Mills is the incredible Sandpiper Resort! Home to the Sandpiper Golfcourse and Rowena’s Inn on the River, the resort is worth a visit purely to enjoy the beautiful grounds and the stunning views of the Harrison River. You can stop by for a meal at the Clubhouse Restaurant, or if you are planning an overnight stay, Rowena’s Inn is a perfect choice. The main inn was converted from an old English-style manor, and they’ve added both rustic and luxury cabin accommodations to the grounds. The resort is family-friendly and some rooms/cabins are also pet-friendly. The 160 acre property is absolutely worth a visit, don’t miss it!
Go to the Kilby Historic Site
Just 5 minutes away from the Sandpiper Resort is the Kilby Historic Site, a living museum exploring BC’s history and rural life in the community of Harrison Mills. You can tour the whole site, which includes beautiful gardens, a 1906 general store museum, a heritage post office, gallery, and the Manchester house hotel. It’s the perfect educational attraction where you can learn the history of the area!
Experience the Circle Farm Tour
The Fraser Valley’s Circle Farm Tour offers an opportunity for a self-guided journey of unique attractions in the area. In Harrison you can visit family-owned farms, artisan shops, and so much more! Be sure to stop by the Canadian Pacific Railroad Station, Cabin Fever Junction, Farmhouse Natural Cheeses, Sparkes Corn Barn, Agassiz Farm, and the Lost Marble Cafe & Creamery to name a few! It’s a great way to support the local businesses in Harrison.
Check out The Back Porch Coffee Roastery
Part of the Fraser Valley’s ‘Circle Farm Tour’, The Back Porch Coffee Roastery is a must-do stop. This family-owned establishment includes a coffee roastery, pottery and basketry studio, vegetable gardens, and a shop. Stop by to check out beautiful antiques, pottery, collectibles, hand crafted baskets, as well as housewares and garden decor.
Stop by the Harrison Lavender Farm
Next door to The Back Porch is Harrison Lavender! This was our favourite stop, a beautiful family-owned micro-farm that just opened up in 2020. With 5 different varieties of lavender, a small shop with handmade lavender products, and a stunning opportunity for photos, this spot can’t be missed! Take some time to stroll through the field and admire the plants.
Explore the Village of Harrison Hot Springs
Harrison Hot Springs village sits on the edge of beautiful Harrison Lake. Full of small shops, cafes, and restaurants, the village is the heart of Harrison Hot Springs. Explore the town, look for local crafts and souvenirs to take home, and grab a meal at one of the great establishments on the esplanade. Our favourite stop is Muddy Waters Cafe, a casual bistro with great lunch options! You can also grab a treat at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, or have a drink at the beautiful Harrison Hot Springs Resort. Be sure to read about what local events are happening during your visit as there is always something going on, like the annual Harrison Festival of the Arts.
Walk the Sasquatch Trail
Harrison Hot Springs is Sasquatch country and there’s a fun trail that starts at the town welcome sign, and takes you up to the Sasquatch Museum. Learn about Harrison’s history with the Sasquatch and the local Sts’ailes First Nations that believe in the Sasquatch as an elusive spiritual being. The museum is always a fun place to visit and it’s also located at the Harrison Visitor Centre! If you’re looking for another trail you can also do the 1km Spirit Trail, which is accessible from the edge of the village. For a longer hike, try the trail to Sandy Cove. You’ll get a beautiful view of the lake!
Enjoy Harrison Lake
There are plenty of activities to enjoy on the lake in the summertime like kayaking, canoeing, and boating! You can also swim in the lake and in the lagoon, but keep in mind the glacier fed lake is very cold even in the summertime. There are some local companies offering guided kayak or boat tours, or you can rent paddle boards or boats to take out on your own.
Lesbian Friendly
We feel incredibly fortunate to be able to say that our home province of BC is very accepting of the LGBTQ+ community. The Greater Vancouver Area and the Fraser Valley is a safe and inclusive place for LGBTQ+ travellers, and you will feel very welcome in Harrison Mills and Harrison Hot Springs! We always feel comfortable being out and open during our local adventures. Everywhere we’ve visited in Harrison felt very welcoming and we’ve never had any issues as a same-sex couple. It can definitely go on your list of lesbian friendly travel destinations!
Have any of you visited Harrison Mills or Harrison Hot Springs, BC? Let us know in the comments!
Disclosure: This post is in collaboration with Tourism Harrison Mills and Tourism Harrison! We are so excited to work with them to share their beautiful destinations with our audience. Tourism Harrison Mills generously hosted us for an overnight stay, and Tourism Harrison hosted us for an afternoon of summer activities. We had a great experience and recommend both destinations as amazing summertime day trips from Vancouver!
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