Kelowna

Kelowna is a stunningly beautiful Canadian holiday region, located in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, not far from Vancouver. With a backdrop of snowy mountains, gorgeous beaches, lush orchards and sprawling vineyards, the landscape alone makes Kelowna an absolute must-see.

Attractions/Activities

If you’re the kind of person who can’t sit still for long, Kelowna’s the place for you. Although the town is large, it is very tourist friendly and boasts a vast array of activities, far too may to fit into one visit. You may find yourself having to come back for more…

To truly experience the wildness of the forests, take the family dirt-bike riding, hiking or horse-riding around Bear Lake. Alternatively, scale one of Kelowna’s rocky peaks in a mountain-climbing expedition, up snowy Mount Boucherie. If you prefer going down than up, take a scuba-diving course in the fresh-water Lake Okanagan. Courses cater for all levels of divers and combine shore and boat dives.

Lake Okanagan also runs wakeboarding sessions- especially popular around July, when the Pro-Wakeboard Tour brings some of the World’s best wakeboarders to town for the biggest beach party of the summer. Lake Okanagan is great for the kids – children’s water parks, water slides mini-golf and petting zoos surround the area, which will keep them busy while you enjoy the boat-renting, wind-surfing, canoeing, kayaking and paragliding.

After all the activity, relax over afternoon tea and scones and jam at Kelowna’s local jammery. If you prefer something a bit stronger, four times a year wine enthusiasts flock for miles to Kelowna’s Spring, Summer, Fall and Ice Wine Festivals. This great opportunity to sample the best local wines, try the gourmet cuisine, tour the vineyards, take seminars and generally indulge the senses cannot be missed.

The annual Kelowna Regatta takes place in July and is probably the most celebrated event in British Columbia. It’s not just for the sailing enthusiasts though – there’s an organised “Across-the-lake-swim” competition, the JayCee parade and the Lady of the Lake Beauty Pageant, among loads of live music, food stalls and wall-to-wall entertainment.

If you’re an earth spirit at heart, there’s no better place to get back to nature than Kelowna. Go bird-watching in one of the many sanctuaries and nature reserves around the region; Chinchester Sanctuary is the nearest, and Munson’s pond and Robert Lake are great for rare shore and water birds.

Or why not take advantage of the 200 freshwater lakes in the area and spend a peaceful afternoon fishing? Rainbow trout, salmon, carp and whitefish are all very plentiful and the lake views are breathtaking.

For many, Kelowna is synonymous with skiing and is nicknamed “British Columbia’s Ski Country”. The region offers stunning mountain vistas, thick snowfall and fantastic cross-country trails to be explored. The four major ski destinations are Sun Peaks, Silver Star, Big White and Apex Mountains.

Shopping

Kelowna is the biggest business centre in the Okanagan Valley and has an overwhelming variety of shops – to satiate the appetite of even the most hardened shop-aholic! Harvey Avenue off Highway 97 is one of the best shopping districts, with several palatial shopping malls, including Orchard Park Shopping Centre, the largest mall in BC with over 150 shops, and Capri Centre Mall, with 40 shops.

You’ll also find everything you need in the centre of town. Central Park is great for big department stores, while Downtown Kelowna offers smaller boutiques and unique shopping outlets selling an array of gifts, trendy clothes and artwork. South Pandosy is a casual, kitsch area selling a smorgasbord of alternative goods and funky accessories.

Nightlife/Eating Out

Kelowna has a buzzing nightlife and no lack of restaurants, theatres, clubs, casinos, pubs and trendy bars full of beautiful people.

Flashbacks is the biggest club in Kelowna town, on Ellis Street, and Gotcha’s on Leon Avenue is one of the local favourites, with big queues on Saturday night, so get there early. Why not have a meal before at one of Kelowna’s hundreds of restaurants, with something to suit every palette and pocket.

Kelowna is also home to several popular strip joints, Champagne Charlie’s and Cheetah’s among others. And if you’re feeling lucky, Kelowna has a few impressive casinos, including the award-winning Lake City casino.

If you’re looking for somewhere a bit more peaceful why not play a round of golf at McCullochs Orchard Greens Golf Club in Thompson Okanagan, then saunter down to the rustic McCulloch Station pub for a quiet drink and a bite to eat. Or why not catch a film at one of Kelowna’s four multiplex cinemas.

For a unique, arty night out get yourselves to Downtown, Kelowna’s cultural hub. Here you’ll find several alternative theatres, the most famous being the Mary Irwin. Go to the Rotary Centre for the Arts for galleries, as well as the Gert Maas exhibition, Canada’s largest bronze sculpture collection.

Tourism Office

Kelowna Visitor Centre544 Harvey AvenueTEL: (250) 861-1515EMAIL: info@tourismkelowna.com

Airport

Fly to Kelowna International (YLW), a very well-designed airport with lots of shuttle buses, taxis and even limousines waiting to take you the nine mile journey (approx) into town.

Currency

Canadian Dollar

Weather

During July and August, Kelowna temperatures average 31°C. During the winter months, the average high is about 1°C. Kelowna gets over 2000 hours of sunshine and hardly any rain.