The Secret to "Tourist-free" Travel (November in Radium Hot Springs, BC)

Travel enough and you'll find that November is a GREAT time to travel! This "shoulder season" month is generally quiet across Canada as we see a transition from summer sports to winter ones, and most people take a break leading up to the Christmas holiday season.

Discover "tourist-free" travel this November 

Radium Hot Springs in November

We spent a weekend this November in Radium Hot Springs, across the border in British Columbia. So far this year, we've been out to the Columbia Valley 12 times, in pretty much every season - and we've found something fun and unique to do as a family on each one of these trips.

And while we generally spend a lot of time around the Radium Hot Springs area, this was our first time visiting in November. - and I admit I had no idea what one would do this time of year between seasons.

As it turned out for us, we escaped a major cold front blowing through Calgary, we avoided a big snow storm, and we enjoyed warm autumn weather (while Alberta was seeing some of the coldest temperatures on the planet for November!)

While Albertans were shivering in front of their fireplaces all weekend and shoveling out their driveways, we were soaking in natural hot spring pools and taking walks around the Village of Radium Hot Springs on dry trails.

Travel to the Columbia Valley in November if you want the Lussier Hot Springs to yourself!

Our "Home" for the Weekend in Radium Hot Springs 

We were offered the opportunity to spend the weekend at Bighorn Meadows Resort in Radium Hot Springs, located on the Springs Golf Course right in town. We've spent many weekends in Radium, but this was our first time staying at this resort, and it was definitely a property we'd choose to stay at in the future.

Highlights of a stay at Bighorn Meadows Resort: 

Individual 1, 2 and 3-Bedroom condo-style suites or townhomes with options to fit every budget. We had a two bedroom suite and it was more than comfortable enough for our small family (allowing my son to have his own room.)

We appreciated the separate bedrooms and living area so that we could go to bed at different times (rather than everybody going to bed at 8pm when my son wants the lights turned out.)

Bighorn Meadows Resort, Radium Hot Springs

Well equipped kitchens in all suites and townhomes. We like having our own kitchen when we travel so we can save money on eating out. We often go out for one dinner as a treat, but we always eat breakfast in our suite, sometimes pack lunches to go, and often pick up frozen pizzas or something simple for our first dinner after arriving.


Luxurious bathrooms. My son walked into the bathroom outside his room and loudly exclaimed: "This is MY bathroom?? Look at my giant shower!!!"

A look inside our 2-bedroom suite at Bighorn Meadows Resort

A swimming pool (in summer) and two hot tubs (year round) for guest use. While the hot springs in town are great, we typically only pay to use them once/stay, so it's always nice when we have a pool or hot tubs at our condo that we can use. Having two hot tubs was also fabulous because they tend to get busy at night, but we were still able to find plenty of space.


Beautiful grounds for walking around. Because we stayed in November, the golf course was closed and we could walk around the fairways looking for sheep and checking out the views over the Columbia River.

We've visited Radium Hot Springs so many times over the years, and this was our first time seeing the Columbia River from this vantage point. It just might have been the prettiest walk we've done in the Radium area in fact!

Enjoying an afternoon walk around the Springs Golf Course from the Bighorn Meadows Resort

Walk everywhere around Radium from the resort. I like walking around Radium Hot Springs in the evenings when it's super quiet. Come November you don't even have to wait till evening. We walked the streets of town in mid-afternoon, walking right down the middle of the quiet streets, marveling at all the wildlife around us. There were groups of deer and sheep grazing on lawns everywhere, and it was like walking around our own private little village shared with the animals.

From the resort you can easily walk to the main playground in town, walk over to main street for coffee, go out for dinner without driving, or walk over to Sinclair Creek for a nice stroll. The Bighorn Meadows Resort is at the heart of the village.

Stay for New Years and you'll get to see the fireworks that are launched right from the Springs Golf Course!

We look forward to staying here in "biking season" as well because we'd be able to bike right from our condo over to Sinclair Creek where the town bike park is located. We could also bike the Old Coach Trail from Dry Gulch back to Radium and just head straight to our resort at the end of our ride.

Stay at Bighorn Meadows Resort and walk all around the Village of Radium Hot Springs 

Only 3 hours from Calgary. Radium Hot Springs is only a 3-hour drive from Calgary. Stay at the Bighorn Meadows Resort and then enjoy day trips around the Columbia Valley without adding the extra distance Friday night after work.

You can stay in Radium, but day trip to Invermere, Panorama, Fairmont Hot Springs, or even Golden. Possibilities are endless for a ski weekend this winter!!

We spent the day visiting different hot springs across the Columbia Valley 

Recommended Reading for Planning your Trip 

The Best of the Columbia Valley (from Radium Hot Springs to Invermere - and beyond)

Active Family Guide to Radium Hot Springs, BC 

The Best Family Bike Trails in the Columbia Valley

Winter Guide to the Columbia Valley (Golden, Radium Hot Springs, Invermere - and beyond!) 

Active Family Guide to Winter in Radium Hot Springs



Big Thanks to Bighorn Meadows Resort for hosting our stay this month. We'll definitely return.

And as always, all opinions are my own.