No matter how authentic, these self-proclaimed "Bavarian Villages" usually annoy me. They're everywhere. We've got eight in Texas alone, and you'd be hard pressed to find anything in Texas that resembles Bavaria. So I wasn't expecting much when I deviated off the highway on my trip to Fernie, just to eat at Chef Bernard's, a highly lauded and quirky eatery in Kimberley. I planned on staying 2 hours. I stayed 2 days!
The place, despite its kitsch, is charming, and about as authentic as such a postmodern tourist culture trap can be. Perched on the outer rim of the Purcell Mountains, with a view across the Columbia River valley to the Rockies, Kimberley is Canada's second highest incorporated town.
Catch the hourly chime of the "World's Largest Cuckoo Clock." Truly tacky, but fun. Indulge in authentic and fusion schnitzel at the Mozart House, or roast suckling pig and strudel at Chef Barnard's. Escape the continent in your own Bavarian apartment, complete with hot tub (not too Bavarian, but who cares?), while the piped-sounds of yodeling drift up from beneath the floorboards. Stroll the Platzl and listen to an according competition. Bask in naturally hot water at one of the nearby wilderness hot springs. Oh, and you can hike/bike/paraglide/ski/snowboard...and all the usual mountain stuff.${QuickSuggestions} Kimberley is still a winter destination. While the guidebooks rail about how expensive it is, I found the town to be remarkably cheap by North American standards, but I went in summer. The town is trying hard to gain a summer following, like its neighbor across the range, Banff. But summer is still the cheapest time to visit Kimberley. And the least crowded. And, probably, the most pleasant!${BestWay} You just can't get to Kimberley without a car. Perhaps some random bus line has an extension here once a week. Or perhaps the hostel transportation network makes an infrequent stop here. But don't count on it. You'll fly into Calgary, probably, which is the closest HUGE airport, and a decent 3-4 hour drive. Cranbrook, a smaller airport, is just under an hour's drive south. Kalispell, MT is a good 3-4 hour drive south. Parking in town is plentiful and free, but might get tricky during the Accordion Festival, or during peak winter holidays.
From journal Postmodern Paradise