Lillooet

Understand

Lillooet is very hot in summer, often sunny when areas toward the Coast are rainy or areas farther east into the Interior are overcast.

Getting there

Lillooet is on Highway 99 and is 225 km (140 miles) from Vancouver, 130 km (80 miles) from Whistler, and 270 km (168 miles) from Williams Lake. If driving from Vancouver, the route via Whistler is more scenic though slightly slower, though for any of the many routes approaching Lillooet from other directions, you will not be disappointed. Lillooet is the perfect weekend getaway or day trip from major centres. With several hotels and motels, B&Bs, restaurants and a well-informed staff at the Visitors Center, Lillooet is well equipped to accommodate a romantic weekend getaway, a quick day trip out of the city and summer family adventures.

By public transit BC Transit, toll-free: +1-855-359-3935. Operates Health Connections trips two days per week from Kamloops via Cache Creek. Health Connections trips are open to everyone to ride, but must be reserved 2 business days in advance and trips to medical appointments receive priority. Travel time between to Lillooet from Kamloops is hours 2.5 hours. (updated Jul 2023)

Getting around

1 Tsal'alh Seton Train, Lillooet railway station, ☏ +1 250-259-8300. This short-haul rail-bus service is operated by the local First Nations band connecting Lillooet to Shalalth and Seton Portage at the far end of Seton Lake. Reservations, made by telephone, are strongly recommended; however, according to the tourist office, local residents may still get priority for seats over visitors, even those with a reservation. Total round trip is just over 2 hours. (updated Jul 2025)

By taxi Mile-0-Taxi, ☏ +1- 250-256-7706. (updated Jul 2022)

See

1 Lillooet Museum, 8th Ave & Main St, ☏ +1 250-256-4308. 9AM-4PM daily in summer. This museum takes a look at Lillooet's history with pioneer and Gold Rush era equipment and tools, native artifacts, historic photos and Ma Murray's news office (a prominent local historical figure), including her old printing presses. (updated Jun 2022) 2 Mile 0 Cairn, 8th Ave & Main St. Stone cairn commemorating Lillooet's place as mile zero on the Old Cariboo Wagon Road from Lillooet to Alexandria (the old Gold Rush trail). (updated Mar 2023)

3 The Miyazaki Heritage House, 643 Russell Lane, ☏ +1 250-256-6808. Jun-Sep: M Th-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 11AM-4PM. A heritage house preserving the memory and history of the Phair and Miyazaki families who lived in it. It is used for community events and local artwork displays. 4 Bridge River Fishing Grounds. Known as Sat' in the local Indigenous language ("Shatl"), also known as the Six Mile Rapids or Six Mile. Rock ledges flanking a narrow but fierce falls on the Fraser, at the confluence with the Bridge River. Created in legend by the trickster-spirit Coyote jumping back and forth from bank to bank to create the ledges for people to use for fishing. Thousands of years old as a gathering site for Indigenous peoples from around the Interior, active fishing site with fish drying racks (wind-dried salmon is a local delicacy). (updated Mar 2023) 5 Bridge River Canyon and Terzahgi Dam. 32 km (20 miles) up the scenic Moha Road along the lower Bridge River, a 16-km double-horseshoe gorge over 5,000 ft (1,500 m) deep, rivalling Yosemite, its upper end is Terzaghi Dam, which diverts the Bridge River through Mission Mountain to penstocks to powerhouses on Seton Lake. The drive over Mission Mountain involves a 3,500 ft (1,100 m) switchbacked descent to Shalalth and Seton Portage; accommodations and food available, also another rougher route out via the 'High Line', a former powerline road now a provincial highway, to D'Arcy, Mt Currie-Pemberton and Whistler.

Do

1 Blackcomb Aviation, 711 Highway 99 N, ☏ +1 250-256-6000. Helicopter tours. (updated Apr 2023) 2 Upper St̓át̓imc Language Culture and Education Society (USLCES), 650 Industrial Pl, ☏ +1 250-256-0673. Spawing channel tours & salmon educational tours. (updated Apr 2023) 3 Xwísten Experience Tours, 5202 Lillooet Pioneer Road, ☏ +1 250-256-7844. Experience the past and present of the St'at'imc People. (updated Apr 2023) Sturgeon fishing and river rafting are available through various companies. Mountain biking and hiking. Bike rentals available.

Events 4 Lillooet Farmers Market, Main Street (Main St and 11th Ave, next to recreation centre's lawn), ☏ +1 403-614-3808. May - Oct: Fridays 8:30 AM - 1 PM. (updated Apr 2023) Apricot Tsaqwem Festival, Main Street, ☏ +1 250-256-4289. July (updated Apr 2023)

Buy

Some local stores feature jade products and local gold. Also handicrafts and specialty crops. Lillooet is famous for its cherries, apricots, local honey, and ginseng.

Eat

1 Lillooet's Cookhouse Restaurant, 690 Main Street, ☏ +1 250-256-7789. W-Su 7AM-8PM. Greek-Canadian cuisine, pizza. (updated Jun 2022) 2 May Wong Restaurant, 895 Main Street, ☏ +1 250-256-7833. Su-F 11:30AM-8PM. Chinese cuisine. (updated Jun 2022) 3 Lillooet Inn Restaurant, 3 - 687 Main Street, ☏ +1 250-256-0028. Western & Japanese cuisine, sushi. (updated Jun 2022) 4 Reynolds Restaurant and Pub, 1237 Main Street (in Reynolds Hotel), ☏ +1 250-256-335. Restaurant daily 9AM-8PM; pub Su-Th noon-8PM, F Sa noon-10PM. Burgers, pizza, fish and chips. Patio. (updated Jun 2022) 5 Subway, 123 Moha Rd, ☏ +1 250-256-7807. (updated Apr 2023) 6 A&W Restaurant, 165 Main St, ☏ +1 250-256-7789. (updated Jun 2022) 7 Totem Chinese Restaurant, 1289 Main St., ☏ +1 250-256-7771. W-M 11AM-8:30PM. Chinese buffet or à-la-carte. (updated Jun 2022)

Drink & nightlife

5 Fort Berens Winery, 1881 Highway 99 North, ☏ +1 250-256-7788, toll-free: +1-877-956-7768. Wine tasting during business hours. Wine tours by appointment (updated Apr 2023) The Reynolds Hotel and the Hotel DeOro have pubs and liquor stores (see "Sleep" section).

Sleep

Hotels and motels 1 Reynolds Hotel, 1237 Main Street, ☏ +1 250-256-4202. Pub, restaurant, liquor store on site. (updated Jun 2022) 2 Hotel DeOro, 639 Main St, ☏ +1 250-256-2355, toll-free: +1-888-256-2354. Simple, clean rooms. From $105. (updated Jun 2022) 3 4 Pines Motel, 108-8th Ave, ☏ +1 250-256-4247. From $95. (updated Jun 2022) 4 Canadas Best Value Inn Mile 0, 616 Main Street, ☏ +1 250-256-7511. From $109. (updated Jun 2022) 5 Retasket Lodge & RV Park, 1264 Bouette Rd., ☏ +1 250-256-2090. (updated Apr 2023)

B&Bs and camping 6 Cayoosh Creek Campground, 100 Cayoosh Park Road, ☏ +1 250-256-7527. (updated Apr 2023) 7 Fraser Cove Campground, 1234 Davis Rd, ☏ +1 250-256-8757. (updated Apr 2023)

Go next

Bridge River Valley - remote community to the west