A Sustainable Guide to Visiting Revelstoke, BC

Over the past few years, we’ve noticed that sustainable travel has become a bigger focus in the tourism sector – and Revelstoke is no exception.

The local destination marketing organization (DMO), REVELSTOKE. has done a great job so far with their ‘Sustain the Stoke‘ initiative – promoting their beautiful mountain town and national park while incorporating and promoting sustainable practices.

This makes it easy for travellers like you and us to enjoy Revy without leaving a negative impact and taking away from the locals but instead adding to the value of the destination and supporting the local businesses and economy.

After a few months of visiting and living in Revy, we’ve put together this post to help make it easier for you to make sustainable and responsible choices for your next visit to this epic adventure town.

Revelstoke is an incredibly unique destination and one that is very dear to our hearts. We hope you’ll enjoy it and take as good care of it as the locals do!

Disclosure: This post has been created in collaboration with SeeRevelstoke. Everything in this post is based on our personal opinions and experiences. This post also contains affiliate links which means if you decide to use the links and make a valid purchase, we will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Sustainable Tourism in Revelstoke

In this post, we have outlined how you as a visitor can explore Revelstoke in a more sustainable way.

We’ve highlighted some of the locally owned businesses & eco-friendly experiences, shared some of the best practices, as well as hotels and accommodations in Revelstoke that have made an effort to limit their negative impact.

Since Revelstoke is a popular destination for both Canadians and internationals – and since it’s a small mountain town in BC, small changes to how you explore go a long way so that the town can keep up with the impact of the tourism they get.

Of course, it’s on the local people, businesses, and DMO to do their part as well – and they’re already doing lots – but they can’t do it on their own and it’s important that we, as visitors of their home, do our part as well.

Sustainable Hotels in Revelstoke, BC

One of the easiest things you can do when it comes to travelling sustainably around Canada (and the rest of the world) is to book accommodation that does its part. 

Thankfully, Revelstoke is very aware and proactive when it comes to being sustainable and so are a lot of the hotels in town. They understand the beauty they’re surrounded by and how we as humans have to do our part to keep it this way.

From small family-run hotels to some of the bigger hotel brands, a lot of them have taken action steps to minimize their carbon footprint and reduce, reuse, and recycle where they can.

Below you will find 3 hotels that we recommend if you’re looking for sustainable hotels in Revelstoke.

There are a few more than just these hotels that have taken some sort of sustainability initiatives and are giving back to the local community but these are our best suggestions.

Depending on what type of adventure you’re looking for in Revelstoke you’ll be able to find the perfect hotel to stay at.

The Regent is a popular hotel in Revelstoke and probably our personal favourite! It’s one of the best hotels to stay at if you’re looking to be right in the heart of the town.

The Regent is located on 1 Street East right next to MacKenzie Avenue close to all the shops and cafes & restaurants in Revy.

You can head out the front door and be close to everything including the weekend market (we highly recommend you check this out)! 

On the main floor of the hotel, you’ll find the 112 Restaurant, which sometimes has live music and the most delicious food. This is by far one of the best restaurants in Revelstoke and definitely worth a try if you’re looking for a nicer meal.

If you’re looking for a slightly cheaper option, you can go to the River City Pub & Patio instead which is also located on the ground floor of the Regent Hotel (where you can get complimentary drip coffee as a guest 😉).

The rooms are spacious with comfy beds and awesome views of the mountains surrounding the town of Revy.

There’s also a delicious continental breakfast every morning where you can fill yourself up with food and coffee before heading out on your daily adventures and explorations!

Check out the Regent Hotel here.

Basecamp Resorts in Revelstoke is a newer accommodation in Revelstoke and, for any outdoor lover, it might be one of the best hotels to stay near town.

It’s located just outside of town and close to a lot of great hikes in Revy.

Basecamp Revy rooms are more like apartments where you’ll have your own kitchen and even living room depending on which room you choose. It’s great if you want to cook at “home” a bit.

It really feels like a home away from home but instead, you’re in a quiet mountain town surrounded by forest and stunning mountains and away from all the noise of people and tourists.

From the outside, The Courthouse Inn looks like a historical, old-school small mountain town hotel with all its quirkiness – and we absolutely love it!

Inside this stunning hotel in Revy, you will find well-decorated rooms with nice, big beds, and plenty of comfort. Who doesn’t love comfort?

The location itself is also perfect since it’s in the quiet part of Revelstoke, also very close to the river. It is within walking distance from downtown Revy as well as some of the local walking trails like the Greenbelt Path.

Sustainable experiences in Revelstoke

There are a ton of different types of tours or outdoor activities you can do in Revelstoke!

From hiking trips to biking to Williamson Lake to going on a guided tour with a locally-owned business, there’s no time to be bored here.

As you might know, sustainability goes beyond just greenhouse emissions and saying no to single-use plastic – it also means being responsible, putting your money where your mouth is, and supporting local and family-run businesses.

Since Revelstoke is quite a small town, this is rather easy to do as most tour operators and companies are family-run or owned which is great.

Rent bikes from a local shop

There are some awesome biking trails in Revelstoke and whether you’re looking to just cruise around town and along the Greenbelt Path or grab a mountain bike and do some laps up on the mountain you can do that!

We love to bike around wherever we go and it’s one of the best ways to get around Revelstoke.

Stop by Dose Coffee for a quick coffee then continue along the Greenbelt Path and make your way to Williamson Lake.

There are quite a few great local bike companies in town. Wandering Wheels, Skookum Revelstoke, and Tantrum Ride Co. are all great places in town where you can rent bikes.

They have everything from regular street bikes to mountain bikes so you can pick from a wide range depending on what you’re after.

This is an example of supporting the local businesses that help Revy be Revy!

We rented from Wandering Wheels and their bikes were great!! We went for a long cruise along the Greenbelt Trail all the way to Williamson Lake where we went for a little swim and then up past our old neighbourhood in McKenzie Village.

Go rafting with Wild Blue Yonder Rafting

One of the best summer sports activities you can do in Revelstoke is heading out on the river. Wild Blue Yonder Rafting offers different types of trips from rapids to floating down the river. 

Their Revelstoke Rapids is one of their best-rated tours on Viator with 5 stars from +50 reviews!

It can get busy at times out there but it isn’t too commercialized compared to other more touristy towns. 

The surroundings are stunning with all the mountains and forest on either side of you.

Whether you’re seeking an adrenaline rush or a relaxing float down the river you can find it. 

It’s an experience worth doing if you plan to spend a few days during the summer here in Revy!

For a perfect finish, head to one of the local breweries for a little post-rafting beer. Rumpus or Mt Begbie Brewing are your best options

Scenic flight over Revelstoke

You might be thinking, “What does a scenic flight have to do in a post about sustainability?”. And you’re right… Flying definitely isn’t the best way to reduce your carbon footprint.

The reason why we’ve included this experience in this post is because sustainability goes beyond greenhouse emissions.

It is also about community, supporting small businesses, and cultural preservation – and we felt like Curt’s businesses (which you can read more about just below) ticked all of those boxes.

So in case you know taking a scenic flight is something you want to do, this is the company we suggest going with.

Taking a scenic flight in Revelstoke is probably one of the most unique experiences you can do.

We went on a 30-minute scenic flight over Revelstoke with Curt and it was incredible! 

It’s one of those things you’ll do that will probably stick with you for the rest of your life.

The experience is incredible but the history of the business is also really interesting.

Silvertip Aviation (which is the name of the company we went with) is run by Curt who took over the business from his father and now runs it himself.

He’s a local who was born and raised here in Revy and he’s been flying since he was in his early teenage years.

He knows pretty much everything about the area, the glaciers, the wildlife, and the local conservation.

Being up in the sky over the Columbia River and Mount Revelstoke National Park with Curt was extra unique because he has so much cool information and stories to share about the place.

You can read more about Silvertip Aviation here (Curt’s company) and message him if you’re interested in booking a flight.

Enjoying Revy for what it is

Honestly just walking around Revelstoke going from cafe to brewery to little shop to movie theater is an experience of its own.

One thing that makes Revelstoke special is that no matter the season the town is beautiful!

Every season brings something new to Revy. Even though the shops are the same it has a different feel to it. In the summer you can spend all afternoon on the patios drinking locally brewed beer or sodas.

During the fall you might wander off to the local Garlic Festival and buy some delicious goodies. 

In winter it might be nice to snuggle up at one of the cafes with a cup of hot chocolate after a day full of skiing.

Once Spring comes around, you can go chase some of the many waterfalls in Revelstoke!

Honestly, Revelstoke is special year-round and it’s just one of many reasons why we love it here.

Other things we can do to travel more sustainably

You’ve probably heard the phrase “a little goes a long way” many times before but it is actually true. It doesn’t take a lot of effort to travel more responsibly and sustainably.

Below we’ve outlined a few things you can do to be a more responsible traveller when you visit Revelstoke (or any destination for that matter).

Some of these initiatives are simple practices that most of us already do but in the long run, they go a long way in preserving and helping stunning mountain towns like Revelstoke handle the many tourists that stop by every single day. 

Revelstoke is awesome because it has quite a few initiatives in place to make it a sustainable destination. You can learn more about it on Revelstoke’s website but you will also notice it as you explore the town.

It really is something they’re trying to do and not just “be sustainable” as a marketing tactic. Again, it’s just one of the many reasons why Revelstoke rocks!

Keep the wildlife wild 

Since Revelstoke is a mountain town there’s a good chance you’re going to get up close to some wildlife.

Even if you don’t get too close to any wildlife (you shouldn’t attempt to do this) it’s still good to know what to do, how to act, and how to keep the wildlife wild. 

Keeping distance is one of the most important things. The best thing you can do is keep at least 100 meters distance from bears, cougars, wolves, and other wildlife.

Don’t attempt to get up close to a wild animal – for your safety and theirs.

Yes, they look beautiful out in nature and luckily nowadays most of our cameras have crazy zoom features.

Use that zoom feature and you’ll be able to snag some cool pictures from afar.

Some of the other simple things are quite straightforward like if you go camping make sure to pack out everything you brought in.

Also don’t ever feed wildlife. There is an abundance of food out there for them so they don’t need our human food. 

Lastly, if you’re planning on going hiking in Revelstoke it’s always good to go prepared.

Look at the trail information beforehand, check out the trail status, and once you get to the trail, check that the conditions of the trail are good.

You can easily go to the Revelstoke Tourist Information Center before going on a hike and they can help you figure out which hike to go on for your skill level and where the trails are open.

All these things add up and really help keep the wild animals wild.

Support local businesses

There are tons of local and family-owned businesses in town. The best thing about buying local and supporting local is putting money into the pockets of the people who live here in Revy.

That money then comes back around and gets spent in Revy again and again. Shopping locally also is what helps ‘little Johnny’ play soccer or hockey since mom and dad can afford it because of all the people who support their local business.

Going to the local farmers market is another great example of how to support the local farmers from the area – and the quality of the food is so much better than what you find at Save On!

Complete the Sustain the Stoke quiz 

Learn a little bit about Revelstoke and receive a free hat! You can take the Sustain the Stoke Quiz where you’ll learn more about Revy and their sustainability incentives.

It’s a fun quiz that takes about 15-30 minute quiz. If you pass with 80% or more, you can go to their tourist office and collect a free Revy hat!

Leave your car in the parking lot

As we said, Revy doesn’t just pretend to care – they actually do!! They have a few initiatives in place like having a local shuttle that goes from town to the mountain resort all year round.

The shuttle is free in the summer and costs $2 per ride in the winter.

This is awesome because you don’t need to take your car to the resort and can take the shuttle whenever it fits into your schedule.

You can see the free Revelstoke Mountain Shuttle here where you can see the different stops and the timetable. During the winter, it runs pretty much from 7 am until midnight.

And as we mentioned earlier, Revelstoke is very bike-friendly in the summer season! So there’s really no need for your car during your visit!

Respect the environment and leave no trace

When you go hiking around Revelstoke (or when you hike anywhere out in nature for that matter), always be respectful of the environment and don’t leave anything behind.

When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), it’s best to always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.

This means:

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimize campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of others

We also want to note here that it is important to respect the land on which Revelstoke is located which is the territories of the Sinixt, the Secwepemc, the Syilx and the Ktunaxa Peoples. 

Other questions related to Sustainable travel in Revelstoke

Is Revelstoke overcrowded?

From our personal experience, we wouldn’t say Revelstoke is overcrowded.

Sure it has its problems like any other small mountain town. Accommodation can be hard to find if you’re a seasonal worker. Hotels can be a bit expensive during peak season. Nothing out of the ordinary though!

Compared to other small towns such as Banff or Whistler, Revelstoke still feels quite local and small without the masses coming in!

In a way that’s a part of what makes Revelstoke unique and why it’s still such a gem. At times it does get busy but by no means is it overcrowded in our opinion.

Can I get around Revelstoke without a car?

Yes, you can definitely get around Revelstoke without a car!

If you’re staying in town and plan on exploring Revy then you can easily walk or bike everywhere in the summer season.

Wandering Wheels is a great place to rent a bike if you’re looking for a day or two rental. They have everything from mountain bikes to city cruisers. 

Also, if you’re wondering if you can get to Revelstoke Mountain Resort without a car you can. There is a FREE shuttle service that runs multiple times a day between town and the ski resort.

You can find more information on the resort shuttle here. It included the stops and timetable and any other information you may need.

As we mentioned, the shuttle is free during the summer season and in the winter season, it costs $2 per ride.

So, Revy really tries to do its best to minimize the need for a car which is great! It’s nice being able to walk around town without a lot of traffic.

You may also like…

• 6 Best Hotels in Revelstoke, BC for Your Next Trip
• Fun Activities to Do at Revelstoke Mountain Resort in Summer
• 13 Delicious Cafes & Restaurants in Revelstoke BC
• Experiencing the Famous Halcyon Hot Springs near Revelstoke
• 8 of The Best Hikes to Do in Revelstoke

Recap of exploring Revelstoke in a sustainable way

We hope this post has given you some valuable insights into how you can visit Revelstoke in a more sustainable way along with some inspiration on what you can do in this beautiful town. 

As you can see, it doesn’t take a lot to be a more conscious traveller and it can actually be quite easy to make sustainable choices while you travel.

Thankfully, a lot of the big sites and platforms we use to book stays and tours are slowly starting to show what initiatives the different businesses have taken to be more green-friendly.

Yes, we know it doesn’t show everything and we do know about green-washing but it’s a great starting point!

We hope you have an amazing time exploring one of BC’s best small towns! Revy is an incredible place and we’re so happy you’re planning to explore this beautiful part of Canada.

If you have any questions about travelling to Revelstoke or around BC and Alberta feel free to leave a comment below or DM us on Instagram.

And, if you wish to learn more about what Revelstoke is doing in terms of sustainability, you can check out Revelstoke’s Sustain the Stoke initiatives here.

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