Golden
Squeezed between train yards and plywood mills, much of the railroad-town and truck-stop of Golden is fairly unattractive, but the skiing, rafting & mountain biking around town is simply world-class.
That, and the town's role as a staging post along the TransCanada highway, mean it has all the basic hotel and restaurant amenities.
The small downtown, beside the milky Columbia River – a couple of blocks from the ribbon of dreary Hwy-1 motels and garages – also has its quaint touches. Plus, of course, the mountain backdrop is glorious.