Getting There

From Calgary: A 3-hour drive. Head south on Hwy 22 and then west on Hwy 3. Check the forecast because there can be high winds and ice on this route.

From Vancouver/Western BC: Head East on Highway 3 until you hit Fernie! It is about an 11-hour drive from Vancouver.

From Montana/Idaho/Washington: Fernie is only a 2-hour drive north from Whitefish, MT (head North on Hwy 93) and a 4-hour drive Northeast of Spokane, WA (head north on Hwy 95).

Flying: You can fly into Calgary (3-hour drive) or Cranbrook (1-hour drive) airports. There is a shuttle service offered by Tunnel49 for both airports, but it is expensive, so it may be worthwhile to rent a car.

Where to Stay

In/Near Town:

There are several basic hotels in the town of Fernie, within walking distance of most activities, such as the Red Tree Lodge, Park Place Lodge, Best Western, and even a hostel (Raging Elk Adventure Lodge)

Outside of Town:

• The Stanford: on the river and had a large indoor waterslide.
• Lizard Creek Lodge: located at Fernie Alpine Resort (ski-in, ski-out), which has direct access to the chairlifts and other resort activities. Condo style and one of the more upscale hotels in town
• Slopeside Lodge: located at Fernie Alpine Resort (ski-in), it is a more basic accommodation, but it is located right at the slopes.
• Island Lake Lodge: The full luxury remote resort. In the winter, this lodge is fully exclusive and is known for taking its guests cat-skiing. Book here if you want the full luxury experience. $$$$

Getting Around

While it is convenient to have a car in Fernie, it is possible to get around without one.

• Walking: If you stay in town, you can walk to downtown, grocery stores, & the river. You will not be able to walk to Fernie Alpine Resort. You can stay directly on the resort, but then have the opposite problem (though there are some dining and shopping options on the ski hill).
• Winter Shuttle: There is a winter shuttle that goes from town to Fernie Alpine Resort. As of 2025, it is $5 per person per one-way trip. For more information, consult the Tourism Fernie website.

Where to Eat and Drink

Coffee: Rooftop Coffee Roasters is always my go-to.

Breakfast: For a full sit down, eggs benedict and all, check out The Bridge Bistro. For a quicker bite, check out Big Bang Bagels.

Lunch: Big Bang Bagels is a good choice for lunch as well. Lunchbox does healthy wraps and smoothies.

Dinner: Nevados (Latin) is hands down my favorite restaurant in town (get Tacos and margaritas). Yamagoya (Japanese) is also very popular. The Brickhouse does more elevated pub food. If you want a very nice upscale meal, check out Cirque at Fernie Alpine Resort (they also have a great view of ski hill).

Drinks: The Fernie Taphouse is my favorite pub in town for drinks or dinner. The Fernie Brewing Company is worth the visit. Bramasole is a cozy wine bar. If you want something super tasty, check out the Fernie Distillery; they have excellent cocktails. The Griz Bar at Fernie Alpine Resort is the place to go for après.

Things to Do

1. Go Skiing/Snowboarding

Okay, let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Hit the slopes at Fernie Alpine Resort. Fernie is known for big powder days and its 5 epic bowls. They have everything you need right at the ski hill from lift tickets to lessons to rentals. Enjoy the snow, then head up to the Griz Bar for après.

Find lift tickets, terrain status, opening hours, etc at skifernie.com

2. Go Cross Country Skiing/Snowshoeing/Walking

If you want to take a slower approach to the snow, Fernie has several groomed cross-country trails that you can also snowshoe/walk. Check out the Nordic Centre in Fernie Provincial Park, the Fernie Golf Course, and the base multi-use trails at Fernie Alpine Resort. Even the Fernie Valley Pathway that goes around Maiden Lake, and through Annex Park along the river, is groomed for cross-country skiing (as well as regular walking).

The Nordic Center and The Golf Course ask that you purchase a $15 pass (as of 2025), which can be purchased here. You can find more trail information on the Nordic Centre website, including lessons.

For more of a walking trail, try Fairy Creek Falls or Montane Hut. If there has been fresh snow, you will need snowshoes, but if there hasn’t been any snow recently, you should be okay with microspikes, or even just shoes with really good tread.

To rent any gear, check out GearHub.

3. Go Fat Biking

Similar to above, there are a variety of fatbiking trails around Fernie. Check out Fernie Trails Alliance for more info. Rent a bike at GearHub.

4. Go Iceskating

The Fernie Arena is open for ice skating for the public during certain days/times. Find the schedule here. They do not rent skates, but you can pick some up at GearHub. The cost to use the rink is minimal, $3 to $6 per person.

If you want to try some outdoor skating, several of the local ponds do freeze over, including the pond in Annex Park. I would suggest popping by Tourism Fernie to find out if the ponds are good for skating, or just walk by and see if anyone is skating on them. Occasionally, people also skate on Silverspring Lake, about a 25-minute drive south of Fernie, and involves a short but steep hike in.

5. Catch a Local Hockey Match

The Fernie Ghostriders is the beloved local hockey team. Tickets are $10 to $15 per person, and it is open to the whole family. Take cash, even though they have started accepting cards very recently. If it is a big playoff game, there may be a line out the door. Ticket sales usually start around 5:45 PM, and they cannot be bought in advance. Games always start at 7 PM at the Fernie Memorial Arena. Look for the games on the Fernie Calendar of Events.

The arena sells basic concessions like popcorn, candy, and hot chocolate, but they also sell beer inside the arena (hot tip: when you enter the arena, all of the seats to your right are the non-drinking section, and all the seats to the left are the drinking-allowed section, this is also where you will find the bar).

6. Go to Griz Days (or catch another cute small-town event)

If you happen to be here at the beginning of March, you might be able to catch a personal favorite of mine, Griz Days. It is a very kitchy, cute small town event with a weekend full of silly activities like musical chairs, ice carving, a parade, the dummy downhill race, and tug-of-war. Check out their website here.

There are a number of other fun events through the winter as well, such as the Holiday Kickoff, Skiing with Santa, Fernival, and the Slope Soaker. Check out the Fernie Calendar of Events for all local activities.

7. Go to the Spa (and enjoy an outdoor hot tub)

Check out Spa901 or Neve for the full deluxe spa experience. Both have an outdoor hot tub that you can use (though you need to book it in advance for spa 901).

8. Give Curling a Whirl

There is a curling rink in town, though it has very limited hours. They also boast the cheapest beer in town!

Typically, drop-in is on Fridays in January, February, and March at 7 pm, but it can be even less frequent than that. They also have weekly league matches which you can go in to watch if you like (they have a viewing room which is warm and has drinks. If you intend to get on the ice, be sure to bring clean tennis shoes. Find more information on their website here.

The curling rink can be kind of hard to find. It is between the Fernie Memorial Arena and the community center. Head up an outside set of stairs, and keep a keen eye out for the curling sign.