I hung up my robe and walked gingerly on the cold pathway to the outdoor mineral pool. The moment my feet stepped from the pathway onto the first stair leading into 98-degree Fahrenheit water, I began to relax. Steam from the water obscured other bathers sitting around the edges of the pool as I sank to my neck in the warmth and raised my face to the sky to catch fluffy snowflakes on my tongue. This was a slice of heaven, and I was ready to soak it all in.
Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa has three outdoor and two indoor pools of varying temperatures, all fed from an underground mineral spring in the middle of Harrison Lake. The 145-degree Fahrenheit water is pumped in and cooled so visitors can enjoy its healing properties. People have been coming to the resort for 125 years. I had never been before, but had wanted to visit for quite a while.
Located in the heart of British Columbia, it takes a little over three hours to make the drive from Seattle. Once off the freeway in the Mt. Baker area, the scenery is farmland and mountains – the perfect wide-open view that always makes me relax. Crossing the border to Canada through Whatcom County was quick and easy, and we were on our way east through the Fraser Valley to the small town of Harrison.
The resort sits on the edge of Harrison Lake. The central portion of it was built in 1926, with wings added more recently. This lends an old-world atmosphere to the place, which has many curving hallways that lead to restaurants, pools and the spa, and sometimes just to dead ends. It is not the ultra-fancy place that many U.S. resorts are, but it has a certain charm.
Definitely family-friendly, Jay and I also had no trouble having a romantic weekend with adult-only pools and venues. Locals kept telling us that this wasn’t the best time of year to visit the area because the temperature was in the teens, but we loved the contrast between freezing cold and hot, hot pools. Since switching from cold to hot stimulates your immune system, I added the weather to the list of healing properties the resort promises.
In addition to the relaxing pools and a couple’s massage, Jay and I had a great time eating, dancing and listening to music. We went to the Copper Room at the resort for dinner. Reminiscent of the restaurants in 1920s movies, the Copper Room is reportedly one of the few remaining dinner and dance establishments in North America. Our table for two was on the edge of the lighted dance floor and we were entertained by guests who apparently had taken years of dance lessons and were able to waltz and cha cha for hours.
I seldom hear my husband emote over food, but nearly every bite during our Copper Room meal was followed by a grown of pleasure. From our crab cake appetizer to his wild mushroom Agnelotti, to bites of my wild-caught salmon, he relished it all. I did too. It was fresh and beautifully prepared.
After breakfast at the resort’s Lakeside Café on Saturday, we went on a self-guided farm tour of the area. We wandered around the barns of The Farm House Natural Cheeses and, of course, sampled their cheese; and then drove to Canadian Hazelnuts and tasted their homemade chocolate hazelnut spread and other yummy snacks.
Driving through the countryside, we photographed barns and cows in the snow.
That night we hit a local hotspot for a burger and fries – The Old Settler Pub. It was a couple blocks from the resort, so we walked over and back, then headed down the waterfront another couple blocks to Harrison Memorial Hall where we watched one of Harrison’s favorite bands, The Paperboys. With a combined flavor of Mexican and Irish in their music, this group of seven is delightfully unique. We enjoyed dancing with friendly locals in the crowded hall.
After another visit to the pools on our final morning, we headed to Muddy Waters Café, several blocks from the resort, where we purchased hearty muffins and London Fogs – Earl Grey tea with milk and vanilla – for the road trip home. Heading out with the snow pouring down around us, we had no trouble driving, thanks to Canada’s efficient road crews, and we were home sooner than expected.
People return to Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa year after year, and now I know why. It was relaxing and delightful, comfortable and renewing.