Utter the phrase “cowboys and Indians” within sneering-distance of urbane Vancouver, and you’ll get at least a raised eyebrow. For those who lived through the Bonanza era, those words carry the whiff of spaghetti westerns, ’50s-era racism, and guns. Lots of guns.

But don’t throw out the gold nuggets with the sluice water. Northeast of the slick city, the real West lives on in the Thompson Okanagan. Pack your Prius full of little cowpokes and head out on the trail.

Just four hours north of Vancouver, spend the night under the stars—remember those?—in a teepee at the Historic Hat Creek Ranch. For $45, the family can gather ’round a campfire, yodel “Oh! Susanna”, and slip into sleeping bags in a conical canvas tent. Or, for $100, spend the night in an earth-covered kekuli, a traditional winter Shuswap pit house. Hat Creek offers tours of a restored 1860s roadhouse; stagecoach rides, gold-panning, archery, and a reconstructed Native village for $20 per family. Horseback rides are $15 for the under-eight set; $60 an hour otherwise.

Near Osoyoos, baby buckeroos can slither up close to live western rattlesnakes at the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre. The at-risk species is part of a research project by the Osoyoos Indian Band and the Canadian Wildlife Service. The snakes are captured, measured, and some have microchips embedded in them for tracking. Then they’re kept for a short time in a “rattlesnake hotel”, where they can be viewed.

Little hands can also try out an archaeology dig each day at Nk’Mip, plus crafts. The walking trails—well-marked by rattlesnake-warning signs—are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. A family is $36, and kids under five are free.

For the miniature nature nerd, gear up for a visit to the TD Friends of the Environment Nature Exchange at the B.C. Wildlife Park in Kamloops. The centre functions like a bank; kids can bring in rocks, leaves, and other ethically gathered material (photographs and journalled sketches are encouraged) and exchange them for other materials in the “store”. Naturalists are on-hand to help kids ask smart questions about their artifacts and develop knowledge in the research library.

The B.C. Wildlife Park itself is a sprawling zoo featuring animals indigenous to B.C., such as bears and owls, plus some exotics, and a small-scale steam train for riding. Entry ranges up to $10 for adults; kids two and under are free.

Perched on a cliff overlooking the Similkameen Valley and the town of Hedley is the Mascot Gold Mine. Visitors can descend 589 stairs to the shaft, now restored as a heritage site and part of the Snaza’ist Discovery Centre.

The centre is operated by the Upper Similkameen band. Along with the mine, there’s also a hands-on museum that features basket-making classes, traditional-food preparation, and storytelling. Tours happen daily at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Adults are $37; youth, seniors, and students are $29.

After all that hot ’n’ heavy edumacation, send the cowpokes out for a cool dip in the canal between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. It’s not rushing rapids; instead, Coyote Cruises will rent you an inner tube, send you onto the gently gliding river for a one-to-four-hour float, plus bus you back from the other end. All for $10.

Or to fancy it up, hit Shuswap Lake, the world-famous houseboating destination. A handful of companies rent the boats; the rates get much higher the closer to the middle of summer you get. For example, at Waterway Houseboats, a hot-tub-equipped, 12-metre boat that sleeps 10 rents for a four-day midweek package for $1,290 until June 11; then $2,050 until July 2; then $2,700 until August 20. The prices drop again after that.

It’s not exactly cowboys and Indians, but chillaxing on the water after a car trip through B.C.’s real West probably wouldn’t be rejected by even the most stalwart lone ranger.