August arrives with that familiar ache of summer slipping by. For some Kamloops residents, it’s the month to get away. For others, it’s a time to stay rooted. So, I asked our readers: What are your travel plans this August?
What came back was a window into how we’re choosing to spend the final stretch of the season. From cross-country reunions to longtime traditions and even last-minute pivots, the stories reflect something more profound: a shared desire for meaning, connection, and, in many cases, a newfound appreciation for Canada.
A Season of Traditions
For my own family, August means two very different kinds of travel. We’ll be heading to Tofino for our annual trip with seven other families, a tradition we’ve maintained for the past 13 years. It’s a salty, sandy week filled with bonfires, surfboards, and hours spent chasing kids down Cox Bay Beach.
Thirteen years of returning to the same stretch of sand has created a kind of shorthand between families — kids who once shared bunk beds now swap playlists and surfboards. It’s not about seeing something new, it’s about returning to something known, and watching how it shifts with time.
Later in the month, we’ll set sail on a multigenerational cruise to the Bahamas. It’s my first experience with a large ship in over two decades. I typically prefer small-ship cruising, but this was a compromise: my kids wanted the water parks, the shows, the buzz of a big ship, so we chose MSC’s The Yacht Club, which offers a quieter, more exclusive enclave on board. I’ll report back in a later column, hopefully with my sanity intact.
Coast to Coast Connections
For Terri Klassen, August means heading east. She and her husband are flying to Halifax to meet family from Kamloops before ferrying over to Prince Edward Island. “We’ve rented cabins on the Cavendish Shore,” she said. “We’ve made a conscious choice to support our businesses and travel in our own super amazing country.”
Matt Dickinson is marking his mother’s 65th birthday with a road trip through Northwestern B.C. “While we’ve both travelled extensively across Canada and internationally, we’ve realized we haven’t explored our own backyard nearly enough,” he said. Their route includes the Nisga’a lava beds, Prince Rupert, and a ferry cruise to Port Hardy.
Brenda Spooner is heading to Whitehorse for a family reunion, her third trip to the Yukon.
Staying Local, With Purpose
Some residents are intentionally forgoing big trips in favour of the familiar comforts of home.
“We tend to do our big holiday travel in September when it’s quieter,” said Lorelei Gibson, who’s heading to Vancouver Island with her dog (and maybe a cat or two). Others, like Camilla Dahl, changed their plans entirely. “I usually go back east to visit family, but with my fear of flying and the news lately, I’ve decided to stay closer to home,” she said. Instead, she’ll spend the summer hiking, kayaking, and catching live music around Kamloops.
Then there are those who’ve made staying local their practice. Ann Stoughton and her family return to Dutch Lake Resort every August, a 16-year tradition filled with quiet swims, loon calls, and drives into Wells Gray to chase waterfalls.
Kamloops Chronicle Board Member Teresa Betts is also staying close, enjoying a summer staycation at Sun Peaks before heading to New Brunswick in late August. “We’ll hang out there for 12 to 15 days — kayaking, campfires, road trips, and family time,” she said. “Lots of fresh-from-the-boat seafood and traditional Acadian dishes.”
Shifting Habits and Travel Values
Some are staying close to home, not just for comfort, but on principle. “The USA won’t see me for a long time,” wrote Thomas Kellermeier, who’s heading to Nelson and Jasper instead. Ian Allarie had considered a trip south but shifted gears after recent political tensions. He’s bound for Toronto for a few baseball games and a reset. “I’ll probably appreciate being in Kamloops more when I get back.”
Mike Brown and his extended family had booked an Alaskan cruise long before global events took a turn, but the timing still worked out. “It’s almost impossible to get our adult children, their partners, my sibling, and mom together in one place,” he said. After the cruise, they’ll spend a restorative week at the Shuswap with friends, as they do every year.
And then there are the retirees, like Ginny Ratsoy, who are avoiding the rush altogether. “Why face crowds when you can enjoy local plays and restaurants?” she asked. Her August includes a day trip to Armstrong and a September getaway to Scandinavia.
Several readers mentioned an intentional shift away from U.S. travel, not out of fear, but as a matter of values. Supporting Canadian businesses, avoiding political tension, and rediscovering overlooked corners of their home country emerged as common threads. How we travel now reflects what matters most.
Looking Ahead
Brian Hayashi reminded us that not all travel needs to be fast or far. He’s an advocate for VIA Rail’s cross-country journey, a slow, scenic passage through Kamloops Lake, Jasper, and Sudbury, retracing the original “steel road from sea to sea.”
“Traveling on VIA is a nostalgic land cruise,” he wrote. “Perhaps a new vision for Canada can start in a local newspaper.”
Even if some readers are staying local this August, they’re still dreaming. Barb H hopes to attend the International Handbell Symposium in Aberdeen, Scotland, next summer. “Did you know we have two handbell choirs in town?” she wrote. “Yup, I’m a ding-a-ling.”
Wendy Rasmussen summed it up perfectly: “We travel south in the winter and enjoy being home for the summer. No plans yet. We plan things day by day, so things can change. Have to work around doctor appointments — getting old sucks.”
From a handbell symposium in Scotland to a girls’ getaway in Salmon Arm, readers are embracing the joy of what’s next. Sometimes, the anticipation is half the pleasure.
So, whether you’re chasing waterfalls in Wells Gray, tipping back oysters on the east coast, or simply sinking into a Kamloops summer evening, this much is clear: August travel isn’t always about how far you go. Sometimes, it’s about knowing where you need to be.