Located in the Okanagan Valley, on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake, Kelowna is surrounded by provincial parks, pine forests, vineyards, orchards and mountains.
The downtown area is alive and busy with a waterfront City Park and a lakeside cultural district. You can rent a boat and jet skis and take the family for a ride.
Nearby is Knox Mountain Park, a favourite local hiking destination, and numerous nearby towns like Lake Country, just a short drive away.
Of course, Kelowna is also very well known for its wine, with more than 20 local vineyards offering wine tasting and tours.
In winter, enjoy skiing, skating and much more at Big White Ski Resort.
Facts:
- Kelowna is named after the Interior Salish word for “grizzly bear”
- Kelowna’s official floral emblem is the Arrowleaf Balsamroot, often referred to by locals as the Okanagan Sunflower.
- Kelowna is one of Canada’s largest fruit-growing districts
- Kelowna is the birthplace of the BC wine industry
Climate
Kelowna experiences all four seasons with an average daytime high during July and August of 27.4°C and an average daytime high during December and January of -0.3°C. Kelowna receives more than 2,000 hours of sunshine and 28cm of rain each year.
Destination BC is developing a new campaign to promote hyper-local travel where residents are “tourists-in-their own hometown,” while practising the COVID-19 safety protocols as recommended by the B.C. Provincial Health Officer. Many B.C. parks are now open, and national parks were to open as of June 1.
(Check this website for current details on travel.)
Getting Here
Flying: Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is one of BC’s busiest airports with more than 70 commercial flights daily
Drive: Visit Kelowna via BC-5N and BC-97C
Bus: E Bus offers regularly scheduled services throughout BC and Alberta.
Introducing the West Coast Traveller: A voyage of the mind