Next year I’m going to figure out how to make this an epic multi-field tulip extravaganza because I noticed we passed tulip fields in Skagit Valley, WA and Abbotsford, BC on our way to Harrison Hot Springs from Seattle to see the biggest tulip festival in Canada. Thanks to an invite from Tourism Harrison and the Harrison Tulip Festival my husband and I found out that Harrison Hot Springs is only a 3 hour drive away from Seattle and the area is so gorgeous and perfect for even just a 24 hour getaway. Mid-April to early May is an excellent time to visit this area to see the tulip fields. But also I want to come back in summer because Harrison Lake is a swimmable Pacific Northwest lake destination.

Where to Stay in the Harrison River Valley: the Harrison Beach hotel

The Harrison River Valley is made up an area made up of Harrison Hot Springs, Agassiz, Harrison Mills, and the Hemlock Valley and we were headed to Harrison Hot Springs. Growing up, I knew it for the Harrison Hot Springs hotel and a public hot springs pool that is currently being renovated.

This time we were hosted at the Harrison Beach Hotel in a Lakefront junior suite. (We noticed a sign advertising their newly renovated suites and the suite we were in felt very new) The Lakefront Junior suite also feels large and works well for a couple or a family who wants more room than a traditional hotel room as there is a sofa bed in the room and also a kitchen.

Although the hotel had a gym, pool and hot tub we didn’t use any of these this time but appreciate these amenities especially when traveling with our teenagers. Our most favorite amenity was the fridge in the kitchen because it let us pick up breakfast foods and eat them at our leisure (it even has enough space in the freezer for ice cream which hotels rarely have!)

And the view from the room was perfect! We could experience the feeling of being on the lakefront without having to go outside to the lake itself. My husband even got a video of me on the dock (which seems to be the prime picture spot in the area) from the room.

In the summer, Harrison Lake is swimmable and I’ve seen photos of the Harrison Water Park that opens again in mid June so the Harrison Beach Hotel would be a great summer destination for a Pacific Northwest family wanting a fun beach getaway without a plane ticket.

And though we didn’t bring Scout this time, I noticed that this is a pet-friendly hotel for next time.

Places to eat and visit in the Harrison Hot Springs area

Our hotel was steps away from Muddy Waters Cafe, where we were hosted for lunch. This cafe is farm to table and seems to be very popular-there was a huge line for lunch even in the afternoon. Because we were in town for the Tulip Festival we picked up the Tulip Trail booklet where you collect stamps at different businesses and then you bring your completed passport to theHarrison Visitor Centre and Sasquatch Museum to be entered for prizes. There are special Tulip Festival offers at some businesses so I tried the Tulip Matcha drink at Muddy Waters and it was quite good. Our sandwiches came on delicious homemade bread. I really wish we also tried the blueberry muffins and regretted not picking one up minutes after we walked away.

The Tulip Trail took us to a few other places in the Harrison River Valley. We stopped at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory to pick up Sasquatch feet chocolates (Sasquatch are such a big deal in Harrison Hotsprings and you can find out more about them at the visitor centre). We also went to Farmhouse Natural Cheese because they had cheese truffles advertised in the Tulip Trail booklet and I wanted to see what these were all about. There we picked up a mango, strawberry and pink rose cheese truffle and some crackers to eat it for breakfast. I was tempted to get their 4 scoop Birchroad Dairy ice cream sampler but I also read that Creekside Creamery had house made gelato and we were headed there next on the Tulip Trail.

Creekside Creamery not only had cheese and gelato but you can visit the working milk farm if you are there within certain hours (which we were!) and they had cows, donkeys and chickens. We tried the Nutella and lemon blueberry housemate gelato and wish we could have taken home some of the cheese curds. (Also, later we noticed later that Creekside Creamery was one of the vendors at the Harrison Tulip Festival too)

And the Harrison Tulip Festival?

As I post this, there are only a few days left in the season so please remember the Tulip Festival for another spring season. The fields at the Harrison Tulip Festival are magical with so many vibrant pops of color in front of a mountain backdrop. We visited during an early morning session, we ate dinner there in the evening with gorgeous live music by Ashely Pater and then we also came for one of their night garden events too. (Do you know of any other tulip fields that offer a night garden event?) If you don’t feel like driving from Vancouver there is an option to take a shuttle from Lougheed Mall in Coquitlam (you have to book this in advance) with morning and afternoon return trips.

If I could only pick only one time to go, it would be the sunrise opening which is easier to do if you are staying in the area. (The Harrison Beach Hotel was only 10 minutes away) I really love the photos I took and posted on my instagram. And I don’t think I’ve ever seen a tulip field so empty and with such spectacular light. But also, during the evening hour on a warm, sunny spring night, eating yummy food while listening to familiar tunes and watching thousands of happy people frolic in spring blooms it was so peaceful and heart-filling too. I feel truly grateful for places like this that encourage people to gather and find joy in nature and the outdoors.

Thank you Tourism Harrison for this great adventure. Have you ever been to Harrison Hot Springs?

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)