Invermere, British Columbia and Panorama Mountain Village are located in the heart of the Columbia Valley, on the edge of the Canadian Rockies in the Kootenay Rockies region. Surrounded by the Purcell and Rocky Mountains, this stunning area is easily accessed from Calgary via Banff National Park and Kootenay National Park, or from the south through the Canadian Rockies International Airport in nearby Cranbrook, with service from Air Canada, WestJet, and Pacific Coastal Airlines.
Invermere is the vibrant hub of the Columbia Valley, framed by Radium Hot Springs, Panorama Mountain Resort, Fairmont Hot Springs and Columbia Lake, known for its relaxed lifestyle and four-season adventure. Visitors enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, and skating in winter, along with golf, hiking, paddling and time on Lake Windermere in summer.
The name Invermere comes from Gaelic, meaning “at the mouth of the lake.” The area’s rich history is documented at the Windermere Valley Museum, with stories of early explorers and influential figures including David Thompson, Conrad Kain, and Sir Randolph Bruce.
Downtown Invermere offers a welcoming mix of boutiques, galleries, cafes, pubs, bakeries, grocery stores, and specialty shops. The Mountain Village at Panorama complements this with additional dining and shopping options. The two communities are connected by the free Mountain & Valley Shuttle, making it easy to explore both.
Local creativity is on display throughout the area. Stop into Village Arts, the artists’ co-op in Invermere, or visit nearby galleries such as Artym, Effusion, and Bavin Glass Studio. Pynelogs Cultural Centre at Kinsmen Beach is home to the Columbia Valley Arts Council, a gallery space, café, and artisan gift shop.
Invermere hosts an impressive calendar of events throughout the year. Winter highlights include Canada’s only Bonspiel on the Lake and the Snowflake Festival, while summer brings Canada Day celebrations, Bullriding in the Rockies, Valley Appreciation Day, weekly farmers markets, live music, art shows, and community celebrations. Find the online events calendar here.
Panorama Mountain Resort, one of the feature stops on the famous Powder Highway, features one of the largest alpine skiing vertical rise resorts in North American with over 4000 vertical of continuous groomed slopes, alpine glades and bowls complimented by a ‘ski in, ski out’ family focused village base area complete with shops, restaurants, free village gondola and the Panorama Springs giant outdoor hot pools! Panorama is also home to RK Heli Skiing on the edge of the famous Bugaboos, one of the largest heli-ski regions in the World as well as spectacular snowmobiling adventures direct from Panorama too!
The area offers a wide range of accommodations including resorts, hotels, vacation rentals, lodges, and campgrounds. Whether you prefer to stay slopeside, downtown, or close to the lake, there is an option to match every travel style.
From warm summer days on Lake Windermere to frozen lake skating in winter, Invermere and Panorama deliver unforgettable experiences year round. Start planning your visit to this special corner of the Columbia Valley by exploring our Things to Do and Getting Here pages.
InvermerePanorama.com is the official travel and tourism site for Invermere on the Lake in partnership with Panorama Mountain Resort, Radium Hot Springs, and TravelColumbiaValley.com. Learn more about us.