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| Fernie
from the Air |
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For decades, Fernie
languished contentedly in the shadow of more glamorous mountain towns. Resort
destinations such as Banff
and Lake Louise drew
the tourists in from around the globe while Fernie's brick-lined streets catered
to the few who had discovered this small gem in the BC
Rockies. Those quiet days are now gone.
Fernie is coming into its
own, and vaulting into the ranks with other world-class destinations. Skiers
have discovered the thrill of vast amounts of powder with temperatures that
stay considerably warmer than rival resorts, and they're not about to turn back.
In summer, golfers
are returning again and again to Fernie's temperate climate, green fairways
and clear skies, while rafters
and kayakers
explore the area's fast rivers.
Much of the newfound recognition
stems from a surge in regional accommodation. In recent years, townsite B&Bs
and roadside motels have been supplemented with luxury resorts and mountainside
chalets catering to skiers.
In terms of choice there's
very little a traveller won't find in Fernie. One noticeable theme throughout
most of Fernie's accommodation is an emphasis on a woodsy-style architecture
and decoration. Pine and stone are the accents which distinguish nearly all
accommodation here from larger lodgements in Calgary and Vancouver.
CHOOSING THE RIGHT ACCOMMODATION
Fernie is a year-round resort
town so rates stay fairly constant. The exceptions are spring and autumn when
there may be a chance to grab a deal. Within those bounds the average traveller
has a broad range of choices to suit their needs. To help pick just the right
place, the WorldWeb.com Travel Guide has all the information needed confined
on a pair of pages.
1) Accommodation Directory
— This is a complete accommodation directory containing detailed listings for
hotels, bed & breakfasts, luxury resorts, campgrounds and more. With links to
accommodation websites and interactive maps, these directories are designed
to help find the right place based on budget, personal preferences and desired
activities.
2) Online Room Reservations — A convenient online room search and reservation
page, this link checks for room availability and then makes a secure online
room reservation. Although this is a useful feature anytime of year, the online
Secure Room Reservations page is particularly helpful during peak seasons when
finding accommodation in popular properties can be difficult.
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Fernie's
Main Street |
FERNIE TOWNSITE
As the town bulges with
newfound popularity, its charm has stayed relatively intact. The main street
is a quaint route flanked by brick buildings. Walking down these streets is
a stroll into a quieter time, and the recent addition of award-wining restaurants
only adds flavour to the streetscape.
Like the number of luxury
rooms in town, Fernie's cuisine has been on a tear. The culinary breadth of
the town now includes everything from curries to ribs, and the quality is just
getting better. Restaurants such as the Old
Elevator have been winning awards, and serve some of the best wines
available. For guests in Fernie's B&Bs, hostels, motels and hotels, a new taste
for every evening is well within grasp, and reflects the wide range of accommodation
within the town itself.
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| Haute
Cuisine and Fine Wine |
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From a quick roadside stop
in a motel to a quaint homey B&B, Fernie has a room and price to match most
any need. But the townsite's strength is on the more economical end of the spectrum.
In particular, Fernie has several downtown hotels
that are unrivalled for their handy location. Housed in some of the town's oldest
buildings these remodelled hotels are within steps of restaurants,
coffee
houses and pubs.
Relatively inexpensive, comfortable, and offering a terrific location—for a
lively mix of night time fun and day time excursions, these hotels may fit the
bill.
Deeper still into the value
market, Fernie's hostels
are a steal, and they're far from just being a bunk in a packed dorm. Most have
saunas, a choice of rooms and for skiers, there's often a morning bus going
straight to the hill. Located dowtown, hostels offer more Fernie for the dollar
than any other accommodation. Not quite as light on the wallet, but with some
truly unique advantages, B&Bs
are a choice well worth considering.
B&Bs are a good deal cheaper
than a comparable hotel room and have the invaluable bonus of a resident's knowledge.
Chatting over morning coffee with the host can often be a direct link
to the local community's character, special events and favourite sites. And
while a B&B may not have the same privacy as an upscale hotel, it makes up for
it with intimacy and a sense of place. Fortunately, Fernie has a small constellation
of bed and breakfasts. Most are in town, but a few log homes lie deep in the
woods.
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Trout
Swim the Streams and Rivers Near Fernie |
OUTSIDE THE TOWNSITE
The southern BC Rockies
crown Fernie's skyline and feed the fast mountain streams and swift valley rivers
of the region. These thin ribbons of blue cut through immense forests on mountain
slopes then descend into fertile valleys.
For a rafter, it doesn't
get much better than this—an exhilarating rush down a beautiful mountain river.
The cool waters happen to be a trout's delight as well, and the graceful lines
of a fly rod are common along the banks of local rivers.
In winter, the vibrant colours
of summer are overtaken by the constancy of silvery snow, and there's definitely
no shortage. The white stuff is plentiful here, a distinction reflected in the
Golden Ski Award's decision to name Fernie
Alpine Resort 2004 “Resort of the Year.” For a quieter experience, cross
country skiers can explore the labyrinth of trails in and around Fernie.
To fully appreciate this
winter wonderland, many visitors forgo the town of Fernie altogether and stay
right on the ski hill in hotels
that are often quite luxurious. At the very top end, suites are more reminiscent
of a luxury villa than a hotel. From expansive living rooms, guests can sit
in front of the fireplace and settle down to watch the clouds pass above the
valley after skiing straight to the front door. In more traditional hotels,
the opulence is only slightly less grand.
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| Relaxing
After Skiing can be Nearly as Enjoyable |
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Hot tubs have become mandatory
in the upper-echelon hotels beneath the ski slopes. For a skier fresh off the
slopes and suffering from stretched muscles, very little tops a glass of champagne
while deeply submerged in soothing water. And when that sort of pampering doesn't
relieve sore calves many hotels offer massage therapy. By the time dinner rolls
around guests should be relaxed and in the mood for some of the region's best
food.
While the mountainside hotels
may not have the wealth of culinary choices available in Fernie itself, what
they do have is superb. From breakfast buffets to dinner, chefs serve exceptional
cuisine.
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Powder:
Common on Fernie Slopes |
Certainly, these hotels
can be delightful, carefree and downright luxurious, but they can be expensive.
For a longer stay on the slopes renting a vacation
home or condominium is emerging as a popular choice. Just beneath the
ski runs, chalets are cropping up by the dozen, and for many they are an ideal
solution.
When split between half
a dozen guests, vacation
homes can be exceptionally reasonable, and there's no second guessing
the company. Amongst friends and in a self-contained home, they are often just
the right mix of comfort, intimacy and practicality. While it is unlikely many
of these chalets would have seen the light of day without the local ski hill,
it doesn't mean they hibernate through the summer. From the comfort of a chalet
not only are the bugs at bay, but it really is a home-away-from-home. More often,
however, visitors to the region bring their own tents and RVs to enjoy the warm
months.
Once the robins come back,
the region begins to perculate with life. As spring ebbs into the heat and long
days of summer, recreational options multiply quickly: hiking, kayaking, canoeing
and horseback riding under the sun all overtake Fernie and the region. For campers
it's a wide-ranging playground and there are no shortage of campgrounds to chose
from.
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| Camping,
A Popular Summer Activity |
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For one, there are the semi-wilderness
sites deep inside provincial parks, often only accessible with high-clearance
vehicles. With no electricity, and only rudimentary services, visitors should
be aware of what they're getting into before setting off to these remote sites.
However, in exchange for no hot water there are deep nights in the woods when
the Milky Way is as clear as a plasma screen. A little farther down the gravel
road, camping sites are a tad more civilized, and probably a good deal better
for the kids.
Playgrounds are endemic
to the larger RV-accessible sites in the valley, and with power, showers and
sani-stations, there are few amenities missing. An RV can pull-up, plug-in and
tune-out echoes of the city in a matter of minutes, all within a short drive
of Fernie.
WHEN TO GO
Winter used to be a relatively quiet time in Fernie. Now its prime season and
travellers should be careful to book ahead. In particular, the chalets and hotels
near the ski hill can get booked solid quickly.
In summer, the emphasis
switches to the region's campgrounds, but even with a few hundred campsites
on the market don't count on a weekend site without advance warning. No matter
the season, a midweek traveller stands a much better chance of finding what
they want on short notice.
