A Lesbian Friendly Getaway to Harrison Hot Springs, Canada

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Harrison Hot Springs is a small village located about 90 minutes outside of Vancouver, BC. It sits on the edge of Harrison Lake, surrounded by mountains in the beautiful Fraser Valley. Best known for it’s incredible natural hot springs, waterfront views, and nature activities, it’s the perfect little escape from the city! We visited Harrison for an early anniversary celebration during the holiday season, and were so happy with how warm and inviting the community was. We can’t wait to return, and we definitely recommend Harrison Hot Springs as the perfect lesbian friendly getaway!

When To Visit

We chose to visit Harrison in late November because we wanted to enjoy Lights by the Lake, their holiday festival! They have beautiful light displays along the waterfront as well as an outdoor skating rink, and the festival runs all season from November 23rd to January 12th. Of course all times of year are lovely to visit, and there are different events happening each season. No matter the weather there is always something to do, and the hot springs are incredible even (and maybe especially) in the cold! If you plan a visit to Harrison during the warmer months you can do boat tours, hiking, watersports, and so much more. We’re hoping to go back in the summertime!

Where to Stay

While there are a variety of accommodations in Harrison including small hotels, motels, b&bs, and cottages, the main property is the Harrison Hot Springs Resort. The beautiful lakefront resort offers four on-site restaurants, a full-service spa, and five hot spring mineral pools. We stayed in the West Tower with a Lakeview room and it was absolutely perfect. Waking up to sights of the lake and mountains each morning made our visit so special. We had an incredible time cozying up by the fireplace downstairs, and relaxing in the hot spring pools. If you’re planning a visit to Harrison and are looking for a luxury experience, be sure to check out all of the different packages at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort. This month they have some great holiday specials!

Depending on your budget and what type of experience you’re looking for, there are plenty of other great options for accommodations in Harrison. We cannot speak to any of them personally, but have heard great things about the Harrison Beach Hotel and the Harrison Lake Hotel. There are also plenty of vacation rentals available, as well as local campgrounds! Whatever your style is, you’ll surely find something that suits you.

Where to Eat & Drink

The village of Harrison is very quaint and adorable! There are lots of cafes and restaurants along the main street, and plenty of places to eat. If you’re looking for more upscale dining, be sure to check out the restaurants at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort. The Lakeside Cafe offers beautiful views and a family friendly atmosphere, while the Islands Bar is a perfect spot for drinks and lounge style dining. Miss Margaret’s Cafe is great for a grab-and-go breakfast, and for dinner and dancing be sure to check out the Copper Room! In the village our favourite lunch spot was Muddy Waters Cafe. They do great sandwiches and burgers and can accommodate vegetarian and vegan diets. We also had a really nice meal at Milos Greek Taverna, and they had no problem putting together something vegan for us. While you’re exploring the town, be sure to stop by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for a treat (they have dairy-free and vegan friendly chocolate), and there are several spots to grab ice cream if it’s warm enough!

Lesbian Friendly

Canada is known as one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly countries in the world, and Vancouver and the Fraser Valley are most definitely welcoming to lesbian travellers. (Click here to read our full article all about how lesbian friendly Canada is!) One of the reasons we love travelling in our home country is because we feel so free to be ourselves. It’s a very safe place to travel as two women in a same-sex relationship, and we’ve had such positive experiences. Our trip to Harrison reminded us that even the small communities in Canada can be so warm and welcoming. We spent our visit being openly affectionate, cuddling in the resort pools, and exploring the village hand in hand without a second thought. The resort was incredibly accommodating and went out of their way to help us celebrate our anniversary! We also spent some time talking to the local shop owners, and all of them were very kind to us. They confirmed that Harrison is a welcoming community to all travellers, and someone even commented that the resort had recently hosted a same-sex wedding. All in all, we can definitely recommend Harrison Hot Springs as a lesbian friendly destination!

Has anyone else visited Harrison Hot Springs? Let us know in the comments!

Disclosure: This post is in no way sponsored by Tourism Harrison or the Harrison Hot Springs Resort. We travelled to Harrison at our own cost and had a wonderful stay! We did reach out to Tourism Harrison to let them know we would be writing about the destination, and they welcomed us warmly and offered us some small gifts. We also reached out to the Harrison Hot Springs Resort to let them know we would be sharing our travel experience with our audience, and they generously upgraded our room and offered us complimentary breakfast during our stay. We highly recommend this destination as well as the resort, as the community is so incredibly kind and welcoming. We truly enjoyed our time there and will most definitely be returning.