Shopping

Shopping is always a pleasant experience in the South Kootenays. It's friendly and you can always find a parking space. The mountains and rivers surround you and the heritage architecture makes for a picturesque outing regardless of what you're shopping for.

Poke around for curios and antiques, arts and crafts and locally made souvenirs or get the best advice from the pros in the know for technical gear for all sports. In the warm summer months many of the retailers will place chairs outside their stores for shoppers to sit, relax and enjoy the surroundings.

If your a power shopper you will love the Waneta Plaza shopping area, otherwise known as "the Mall". Waneta Plaza itself houses 30 retail and specialty stores including a Zellers department store, Extra Foods, a Sears outlet store, and even a free "ball room" play area to amuse the kids while you relax in the foodcourt. Just down the block from Waneta Plaza is where Walmart opened their newly built store in late 2004 complete with a McDonalds, a Pharmacy and a Tire & Lube Express. A new Canadian Tire store and Mark's Work Warehouse was built right across the street from Walmart and opened its' doors in mid 2005. There are also two hardware stores, and various other furniture, and specialty stores in the area. Garden lovers will love the Columbia Valley Greenhouses, again this is in the vicinity of "the mall".

If you are in need of a larger city based shopping experience, Spokane, Washington is only 2.5 hrs away and Kelowna 3.5hrs drive. Nelson which is only 1 hour away makes for a very pleasant days outing if you want something special or just to wander in and out of interesting shops, galleries , cafes and sporting stores..