Central Okanagan

Like its title suggests, the Central Okanagan area of British Columbia Wine Country is at the heart of it all. In the middle of the vast Okanagan Valley, along the shores of the impressive 135 km long Okanagan Lake, it is home to the province’s third largest metropolitan area and it’s where the BC wine industry got its humble start. This place should be top of mind if you want your vinous adventures to be accompanied by fine dining, nightlife, theatre, art, sporting events, concerts, marine activities, golf, outdoor adventure and sun-soaked days on the beach. The region has three distinct communities – Kelowna and West Kelowna (separated by William Bennett Bridge at the narrowest point of Okanagan Lake) and Lake Country (located north of Kelowna on the way to Vernon). Each has distinct pockets of wineries offering a wide range of products for all tastes and styles. The settings of many of these venues offer onsite tasting, tours and dining with sweeping, lake, mountain and pastoral views and feature some of the most impressive architecture in the area. Father Charles Pandosy is credited with setting up the first vineyards at the Obelate Mission near Kelowna back in 1859. The purpose was to make sacramental wines for his parish. The first commercial winery opened here in 1932 and nobody expected it would lead the industry to where it is today, with about 40 licensed grape wineries in the Central Okanagan alone, plus a growing collection of craft breweries, cideries and distilleries. The proximity of these venues make them ideally suited for E-bike tours. There are miles of sandy beaches hugging the shores of Okanagan, Kalamaka and Wood lakes that attract families and sun worshipers, as well as hiking and biking trails within minutes of a central core. There are plenty of options for accommodations, shopping, fine dining, entertainment, arts and cultural activities, historical attractions and much more. You’re also just a stone’s throw away from dozens of golf courses, trails and nature preserves Less than an hour’s drive from downtown Kelowna, you’ll find Big White Ski Resort, a winter destination renowned for its champagne powder snow and family-friendly vibe.