Kamloops – Day 2 of a 12 Day BC Road Trip
Day 2 was another cold day in Kamloops, about -5°C. It was cloudy out, but no rain or snow. We made sure to layer up before heading out for the day.
Day 2
Kamloops
First item on the schedule – breakfast. We headed to Hello Toast for breakfast, but the wait was too long and we had started our day late. Instead, we walked to Caffe Motivo, about two blocks away, for breakfast. We both ordered a breakfast sandwich (english muffin with egg, bacon, spinach, cheese, and a delicious chipotle mayo). We also ordered a coffee which came with a heart shaped marshmallow.
Next stop – McArthur Island Park. The original plan for the first half of the day was to walk the Tower Trail at Kenna Cartwright Park and the Benchlands Trail at Dallas Barnhartvale Nature Park. Unfortunately, the trails were too icy and we were not equipped with ice cleats. Make sure to pack ice cleats if you are planning on heading to these trails in February! The McArthur Island Park has a flat walking loop along the water with views of the Thompson River. Across the Thompson River is the pulp mill, Domtar.
After our walk, we headed to Red Beard Cafe for lunch. For drinks, we ordered the London fog and a latte. For food, we ordered the Delhi Chaat (samosas mixed with yogurt, chutney, and vegetables) and the roast chicken club. Lunch was filling and tasty.
After lunch, we headed to Monte Creek Ranch Winery, one of the few wineries open during the winter. We had wanted to go to the BC Wildlife Park before the winery, but it closes at 4pm. Due to the changes in our morning itinerary, it was already late afternoon. Since we would not have a lot of time to visit the BC Wildlife Park, so we opted to save it for our next Kamloops trip. Monte Creek Ranch Winery is an award-winning winery, with over 75 acres of vines spread out over 2 vineyards – Monte Creek and across the South Thompson River at Lion’s Head. The winery is also in the process of expanding, so there is some construction at the winery, but it did not take away from the surrounding views. The tasting is complimentary with a purchase of a bottle of wine, else it is $5/person. The tasting consisted of 5 wines – riesling, rosé, sparkling rosé, foch, and cabernet sauvignon. The rosé was my favourite.
After our tasting, we headed back to the hotel to get ready for dinner at Mittz Kitchen. We ordered the Mittz Caesar and the Burnt Sugar Old Fashioned for drinks. For food, we shared the mussels + fries, risotto, and meat loaf. We selected the lemon tiramisu for dessert. Everything was so delicious! We ordered too much and had to pack half of the meat loaf and some of the fries home. With a full stomach, we headed back to the hotel for the evening.
Complete Day 2 Itinerary
*Travel times may vary. Check Google Maps for most accurate travel details.
9:00am: Breakfast at Caffé Motivo (4 minute walk if staying at Sandman Signature Kamloops Hotel).
10:00am: Visit McArthur Island Park (9 minute drive from Caffé Motivo). Consider visting the Tower Trail or Benchlands Trail, but make sure to pack ice cleats if visting during winter.
12:00pm: Lunch at Red Beard Cafe (5 minute drive from McArthur Island Park).
1:30pm: Visit the BC Wildlife Park (22 minute drive from Red Beard Cafe).
3:30pm: Go wine-tasting at Monte Creek Ranch Winery (11 minute drive from BC Wildlife Park).
5:00pm: Take an evening walk along the South Thompson River at Riverside Park (27 minute drive from Monte Creek Ranch Winery).
7:00pm: Have dinner at Mittz Kitchen (4 minute walk from Riverside Park).
12-Day BC Road Trip Itinerary
Click “Download” below for an excel version of my 12-Day BC Road Trip Itinerary. Feel free to use the excel file as a planning template for your own trip in BC!
Travels with Carolyne 