Sometimes people are put off by the winter weather in Prince George but I enjoy the snow covered landscape and bright sunny skies. There are many things to do in the winter around the region that makes winter time in Prince George awesome!
Barkerville
One of my favourite day trips from Prince George is going to Barkerville! The historic gold rush town near Wells, BC is an excellent place for all ages. In the summer there are many camping spots available and you can even stay at a little guest house right in the village of Barkerville. Due to the altitude of Barkerville, it tends to be cooler than PG. Tourists typically visit Barkerville in the summer months but they do open for one long weekend in December before Christmas.
I have been to Barkerville in the months of June, July, August and December. It is a fabulous place at any time of year but on a sparkly bright winter’s day it is especially enchanting. Bringing children to Barkerville before Christmas is also very exciting. Some children might be put off by a Victorian styled St. Nicholas but others find him just as enthralling as ever.
During the winter weekend they offer sleigh rides, storytelling, visits with St. Nicholas, Church Service, historical tours, home baking samples, and dramatic reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Many of the shops are open with one of a kind gift ideas for Christmas presents. I was able to find a darling satin dolls dress that was hand-made by a member of the Friends of Barkerville society.
The summer is when the majority of guests visit Barkerville. If you live in Prince George it will take you approximately 2.5 hours by car to get there. It makes for a bit of a long day so many people do choose to camp out in one of the 3 campgrounds that are very close to Barkerville. These include: Lowhee (2 KM away), Forest Rose (3 KM away) and Government Hill which is walking distance. For those folks who would prefer a warm bed over a sleeping bag, there are two guest houses and one hotel in Barkerville.
Wells
The town of Wells, BC is 7 KMs away from Barkerville and has an awesome music festival every year called ArtsWells. If you are thinking of visiting Barkerville and love all sorts of styles of music I would recommend you combine your trip with the ArtsWells. The performers literally take over Wells and also play in Barkerville. Both Wells and Barkerville are packed that weekend making for an incredible vibe. The scenic mountain views around the area make it a magical place to relax and listen to live music.
I would highly recommend visiting Barkerville. There is something for everyone there and no other place like it!
