City Snap Guide: The Okanagan

The Okanagan is a beautiful area within the interior of British Columbia. Camping, swimming, wine tours, great food, not to mention incredible golf courses and more are all available in the Okanagan! One of the warmest regions in all of Canada, the Okanagan is an incredible place to vacation all year round. It's comprised of the major centers, Kelowna, Penticton, Vernon and Osoyoos. During the summer months you can enjoy the hot, sandy beaches, wineries, outdoor and water activities, especially in and around Okanagan Lake - which provides the whole area with fantastic swimming and is a beautiful backdrop to all the wineries and golf courses! In the winter, there are popular ski resorts located in the rolling hills of the valley. Welcome to one of the most beautiful places on earth. Have you ever been to the Okanagan? Feel free to share your own tips below at the bottom in the comments section. 


Kelowna & Penticton

The largest city in the interior of British Columbia and on the eastern side of Okanagan Lake, Kelowna is the cultural capital of the Okanagan. With many galleries, museums, gardens, public art displays and eclectic shops, Kelowna is sure to spark your creative spirit. Vacationing in Kelowna is absolutely wonderful - the area offers natural beauty, sunshine, fifteen fabulous golf courses, incredible views, and internationally renowned gardens. Kelowna is also home to the elusive Ogopogo, the questionably mythical lake creature. Waterslides, paintballing fields, and tons of water activities are available on the lake. If you leave Kelowna, you'll drive through the surrounding communities of Westbank, Summerland and Peachland (the jewel of the Okanagan), finally coming upon Penticton. A four-season destination complete with sandy beaches, fish filled lakes (bring your fishing license!), ski hills, orchards, wineries and golf courses. Sandwiched between two warm-water lakes, Penticton is perfect for those who love water sports or relaxing.  

Vernon & Osoyoos

Vernon is surrounded by mountains and has something all year round, from orchards and wineries to ski resorts. Vernon overlooks three lakes and so the summertime is filled with fishing, kayaking and scuba diving. In the winter the city hosts one of the largest winter carnivals this side of Quebec! Vernon is also home to Silver Star Mountain, a fabulous ski resort that offers everything from skiing and snowboarding, to dog sledding and snowmobiling! Osoyoos is Canada's only desert, and is home to fifteen estate British Columbian wineries. Osoyoos is Canada's "lifestyle community" and has something for everyone. It's also an amazing place to camp in the summer time - but bring your sunblock, it gets scorching hot. Osoyoos has two stand-out cultural and historic attractions: the Osoyoos Museum and the Nk'Mip Desert Cultural Centre. The high quality of the museum's exhibits has made it "The Best Small Town Museum in BC," according to the University of British Columbia, while its Nk'Mip Day School Art Collection is particularly good.


Wineries

The Okanagan is known for it's picturesque setting, and is considered the ideal wine valley - especially since many of the wineries overlook Okanagan Lake. The climate and setting of the Okanagan Valley provides the perfect conditions for wine grapes. The quality of grapes grown here produce some of the best wines in Canada and are known throughout the world. For a complete map of the available wineries, click here and see the list.