Princeton, British Columbia – The Ultimate Filming Destination in the Similkameen
Tucked in the beautiful Similkameen Valley of British Columbia, Princeton is a cinematic treasure waiting to be discovered. This film-friendly town offers filmmakers a stunning range of backdrops—from rugged mountain vistas and pine forests to wild rivers, historic buildings, and authentic small-town streetscapes. Whether you're shooting a feature film, a television series, or a commercial, Princeton delivers natural beauty, versatility, and accessibility in one spectacular package.
Situated at the junction of Highways 3 and 5A, Princeton is just over three hours from Vancouver, offering easy highway access and logistical convenience for crews and gear transport. Its unique geography makes it an ideal stand-in for a variety of North American settings—from the American frontier to remote mountain towns, Old West communities, or Pacific Northwest villages.
Princeton's natural surroundings are among its greatest assets. With scenic mountain ranges, rolling grasslands, rocky bluffs, winding rivers, and lakeside views, this region is a dream come true for outdoor filmmakers. Four distinct seasons offer year-round filming opportunities, featuring crisp winters with snow-covered landscapes, vibrant fall foliage, lush green summers, and colorful spring blooms.
Downtown Princeton offers a compelling historic aesthetic, featuring heritage buildings, rustic storefronts, and early 20th-century architecture that can be dressed up to suit multiple periods and genres. The town’s surroundings, which include mining ruins, old bridges, abandoned cabins, and railway tracks, make it ideal for period pieces, westerns, adventure films, and thrillers. The Tulameen River and nearby Otter Lake add dynamic water features for cinematic landscapes, while nearby ranches, trails, and forests provide secluded locations with dramatic visual impact.
Princeton is a cost-effective filming location, offering significant savings compared to larger cities, without compromising on scenery or support. Accommodations, services, and locations are affordable and readily available in the local area. The community is welcoming, and local officials are supportive of the film industry, with streamlined permit processes and a cooperative local government.
For productions requiring additional infrastructure, nearby towns such as Penticton, Kelowna, and Merritt offer expanded resources, while Princeton remains the primary location for shooting. There’s growing interest in rural B.C. locations, and Princeton offers something many towns can’t—undiscovered cinematic potential with full production value and visual variety.
Whether you’re producing a gritty indie, a sweeping period drama, or an atmospheric thriller, Princeton, BC provides the space, charm, and authenticity to bring your vision to life.
We can be anywhere
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For more information, contact
Gary Schatz
Director of Economic Development and Tourism
250-295-3135 ext 113