It’s a personal goal of mine to start exploring more travel gems within BC. I feel like I’ve lived here for over 7 years and barely even scraped the surface of all these incredible locations that are so close to home. Not too long ago, we went on a mini getaway to Rowena’s Inn on The River. Rowena’s Inn is located in Harrisons, British Columbia and is part of the stunning Sandpiper Resort.
I’m so excited to share all the beautiful photos of the location. I had some inkling of how the property would look like based on photos, but once we drove in, my mouth gaped open at how stunning it is!
Disclaimer: This is a gifted experience thanks to Sandpiper Resort and Rowena’s Inn on the River. That said, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Here’s my weekend getaway to Rowena’s Inn on the River :
Let me first help give you an idea of what the differences are between the Sandpiper Resort and Rowena’s Inn.
Sandpiper Resort is home to Rowena’s Inn on the River, Sandpiper Golf Course (which is INCREDIBLE, especially if you love to golf), and the Clubhouse Restaurant. Sandpiper Resort has rustic classic, luxury cabins and colonial inn rooms to choose from.
Once we drove through the gates of the Sandpiper Resort, we immediately could see the magnificent views of the Harrison River and mountains. It’s something out of a Bob Ross painting- all those happy little mountains and trees. I did take a bunch of videos, so you can head to my Instagram highlights under ‘Vancouver’ to watch them!
Rowena’s Inn on the River is the colonial 1920s themed inn, infused with a European flair. The inn honours the original owners’, the Prettys history and is a popular destination for weddings and special events. We unfortunately couldn’t enter the inn at the time we were there but if you go online, the photos are pretty spectacular.
How to Get to Rowena’s Inn on The River from Vancouver :
It’s a really straightforward drive if you are coming in from Vancouver or the suburbs. We started the drive at 10 am on a Saturday morning from Lougheed and it took less than 2 hours to get there!
On a nice day, it’s a really smooth drive and we had some delicious food right before the turn into the resort at the Sasquatch Inn. If you pop by, get the cabbage rolls. It’s divine.
The Stunning New Luxury Nature Cabins :
I mean, how stunning is this resort.
We took a walk around the area before checking in and I can’t get over how beautiful the view is. It’s no wonder Rowena’s Inn is a popular spot for weddings!
The whole area is pretty large and you can grab a map of the resort if you need to. The golf course is huge and you can take a nice relaxing walk along the water while taking in the mountains. There’s a pool right across from Rowena’s Inn, though I’d suggest that for the Summer.
You can walk across and view the incredible eagles too! There’s a special viewing spot for eagle watching but I’ll share more on this in a sec.
A little bit past the inn itself, we saw all the cabins lined up. You can drive your car all the way up and park behind the cabins in case you’re packing a ton of stuff.
The cabins come in a variety depending on how many people you are staying with. It’s fantastic for families, couples and friends. We were lucky to have been invited to experience the new luxury cabins at Sandpiper Resort and the one photographed here is the Twin Eagle Luxury Cabin.
This cabin has two bedrooms, one shared washroom, a fantastically sized living room space and kitchen, as well as outdoor deck. I find that it’s great for two couples or if you’re bringing a family of 5 like mine!
The new luxury nature cabins have 1, 2, and 3-bedroom layouts and have everything you need or expect to find in a hotel. Stuff like soap, towels, tv (yes cable), it’s like home away from home. So comfortable!
To add to this, the luxury nature cabins honour the wildlife and salmon that are indigenous and sacred to the area. They have the same rustic elements as the classic cabins, but with luxurious and contemporary touches, like the larger living areas, and gas or wood-burning fireplaces.
I didn’t want to leave. The beds were so comfy and if you’re like me, you enjoy the outdoors and being surrounded by nature BUT at the same time, you also want a nice bed and washroom at the end of the day. So I think this is a win-win-win. Plus with the kitchen, there’s the option of cooking your meals as well.
PS: I tend to overpack (for my tips on packing for trips, check my post HERE) haha, it’s the blogger in me. Here’s the cutest luggage I received from MONOS Travel! How cute is the colour and I love that it comes with so many compartments too!
What activities to do at Rowena’s Inn :
We visited in the Fall, to be specific, late October. The weather was so lovely, so we were really lucky! I don’t know if we would’ve left the cabin very much if it was pouring rain.
I do think that it’s a great location for a weekend staycation because it helps to reconnect with nature and yourself. The whole environment is very soothing and relaxing, and we really just walked around and took in that fresh air.
Shops close pretty early in Harrisons and so, there really isn’t too much to do if you’re thinking about later in the evening. But it’s a great time to stay cosy in your cabin with a glass of wine- how great is that?
Our friends from England joined us for dinner at The Clubhouse within the property. It’s a very short walk from the cabins. I was SO surprised because they have this thing called Saturday Roasts! So, the only reason I know this is because my friends who are from England have in the past and present raved about how great English Roasts are. It’s delicious and a lot of food, but I do suggest it as it’s pretty neat that they have it at Rowena’s Inn.
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Depending on the season, you can also watch the salmon run and watch bald eagles! The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival this year is held on November 16 and 17. The festival celebrates the beauty and biodiversity of the Fraser Valley by honouring the majestic Bald Eagle and the Cycle of the Salmon. In case you didn’t know, Harrison Mills is home to the world’s largest concentrated eagle gathering.
Sandpiper Resort is located on the banks of the River, so it’s the perfect place to watch. On the property, we went to the eagle viewing platforms and gazebo right before dinner! Eagle viewing takes place from October to early January.
You can visit all year round as I hear there are a variety of activities you can partake in. In the Summer, you can also go boating and go on a hike or two as there are many in the area. There’s also a ton of wineries in Abbotsford if you’d like to go wine tasting. I share my experience doing that HERE!
How about the Harrison’s Hot Springs?
You can’t go to Harrisons without hitting up the hot springs- especially if it’s cold out.
It’s a little bit further away, say 20 minutes from Rowena’s Inn to get to Harrison’s Hot Springs. I’ve been to both the public pools and the one located in the Harrisons Hot Spring Resort Hotel. You can purchase passes to get into the public pool. For the Harrisons Hot Springs Hotel, you can also purchase a day pass to use the one there as well.
The last time we went, we stayed at the resort. That said, I can totally see spending the first half of the day soaking in the hot springs and wandering the town. Then, retreating back to your cabin for some rest and relaxation at night.
Anyhoo, it was an incredible stay and it was so lovely being around such peace and serenity. I hope you enjoyed this post and keep an eye out on my Instagram as I’ll be running a very special giveaway for a stay at Rowena’s Inn soon!
If you’d like to check out more lovely local getaways close to Vancouver in BC :
Staying at the Painted Boat Resort in Sunshine Coast
Hiking Joffre Lakes in the Summer
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Till next time loves,
xoxo Samantha
