Cusheon Lake Resort on Salt Spring Island

For us, the perfect vacation spot is a little less Napa and a little more Mayberry.

TRAVEL ADVISORY | The province of British Columbia is peppered with posh resorts, and developers keep adding new ones all the time thinking that designer surroundings, celebrity-chef restaurants, spa treatments and 600-thread-count sheets are what make a vacation unique. That is one approach for sure, but it’s not our preference. We like a little less Napa and a little more Mayberry when it comes to summer retreats, which is why we love Cusheon Lake Resort on Salt Spring Island, a perfect example of the latter.

The Return Of Summer Camp

Cusheon Lake Resort, located at the south end of Salt Spring, occupies the end point on a jut of land that projects into Cusheon Lake, the watery home of two trout species and smallmouth bass. The look of the place is a blast from the past with 14 attractive-in-a-retro-kind-of-way log cabins and cedar chalets situated throughout grounds that contain sweeps of grass with picnic tables, swings and badminton as well as a group barbecue pit.

As for things to do at Cusheon Lake, you can swim, canoe, fish and play lawn games or board games, read or chillax. If you really are desperate to include Napa-like moments, you can amble into Ganges for a perfect espresso at the Blue Can and sophisticated clothing and accessories at Pod Contemporary.

Surprisingly affordable, Cusheon Lake Resort is perfect for a single family or a gathering of family and friends (we learned about it from a friend who was organizing a group getaway to celebrate her 50th). —eds

For More on Cusheon Lake Resort, visit cusheonlake.com