Mobile Menu

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon
  • Menu
  • Skip to left header navigation
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to secondary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon
  • Flickr Icon

West Coast Traveller

  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • British Columbia
        • Vancouver Island, B.C.
        • Okanagan
        • Lower Mainland, B.C.
        • Northern B.C.
        • Interior B.C.
        • Kootenays/Rockies
      • Alberta
      • Yukon
      • Northwest Territories
    • U.S.A.
      • Alaska
      • Washington
      • Oregon
      • California
    • West Coast Galleries
  • Experiences
    • Things To Do
    • Staycation Secrets
      • Canada
      • U.S.A.
    • Adventure
      • Adrenaline
      • Beaches
      • Biking
      • Camping
      • Fishing
      • Hiking
      • Hunting and Fishing
      • Rafting
      • Skiing
    • Sip & Savour
    • Family Activities
    • Indigenous Tourism
    • Accessible Travel
    • Travel Tips & Advisories
  • West Coast Galleries
    • Nature Photography
    • Wildlife Photography
    • Cityscapes
  • Contests
    • It’s A Shore Thing Summer Getaway
    • Camel’s Hump Guest Ranch Getaway
    • Raft. Relax. Recharge
  • About
    • The Armchair Traveller Newsletter
    • Explore our travel guides
    • Impressive West Coast
    • West Coast Partners
    • West Coast Traveller Directory
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Us
    • Explore West Coast Traveller on TikTok
  • Search
You are here: Home / Travel / Find your fun: Penticton has it all

Penticton recreation businesses offer a plethora of outdoor activity options. Photo courtesy Visit Penticton.

Find your fun: Penticton has it all

June 8, 2021 //  by Black Press Media Staff

Share this:

Penticton, located in British Columbia’s South Okanagan, is ripe for rediscovery this summer. Boasting a scenic locale, nestled between Okanagan and Skaha lakes, this beautiful town welcomes visitors (when the time is right) with an array of thrilling outdoor adventures, delicious culinary offerings and family-friendly activities.

Even better, Penticton was added to Pacific Coastal Airlines’ many BC destinations earlier this year, and now travellers can fly direct from Vancouver to this Okanagan hot spot.

Where to stay

Penticton offers a variety of accommodation options, from the Penticton Lakeside Resort (situated on the shores of Okanagan Lake) to charming motels, which line both Okanagan Lake, Skaha Lake and Main Street, and quaint B&Bs. Or, visit nearby Naramata and stay at the historic Naramata Inn which reopened under new ownership in 2020.

Eat & Drink

Whether you’re looking for a sumptuous wine-paired meal or more casual fare, Penticton brings a lot to the table.

Notable local spots include: Elma Restaurant, offering traditional Turkish cuisine in an upscale lakeside setting; the Hooded Merganser at Penticton Lakeside Resort, which grows some of its own food in its garden and incorporates that produce into the menu; The Restaurant at Poplar Grove Winery with its farm-fresh menu and incredible views overlooking the city; and, for amazing coffee and breakfast, The Bench Market and Wayne & Freda are both popular choices. In addition, branching out from its farmers’-market start, local favourite Joy Road Catering has opened a pop-up bake shop downtown.

Wine aficionados can explore more than 80 wineries within a 20-minute drive of Penticton. Many are accepting reservations for tastings this year, so make sure you plan ahead. Local companies offering tours include: Grape Escapes Wine Tours, with six unique tour options all over the South Okanagan; Sagebrush Tours (wine and nature excursions); and Grape Friends Lounge and Tours.

Beer fans can enjoy seven local craft breweries (soon to be eight!), including Bad Tattoo, Barley Mill Brew Pub, Cannery Brewing, Highway 97, Neighbourhood Brewing, Slackwater Brewing and Tin Whistle Brewing.

Check out the Penticton Ale Trail for full details.

Plus, don’t miss out on great cideries, featuring cider made with delicious Okanagan fruit, such as La Petite Abeille and Creek & Gully.

Bonus: In Penticton, it’s legal to have open alcohol at designated local beaches (from mid-May to mid-October), so grab a meal-to-go from your favourite restaurant, pick up a bottle of wine or craft beer and raise a glass with your bubble at Skaha or Okanagan Lake.

On Saturdays, the weekly downtown farmers’ market is a must-do. Here you’ll find fresh local fruits and vegetables, baked goods and more. This year, to adhere to social distancing protocols, entry to the market is restricted to 50 customers at a time, with pedestrian traffic flowing one-way.

Whether you’re looking for a sumptuous wine-paired meal or more casual fare, Penticton brings a lot to the Photo courtesy Visit Penticton.

Outdoor Adventuring

Epic “fuel-free” adventures await, including hiking and biking on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, or exploring an additional 350+ kilometres of trail networks (for challenging yourself or simply soaking up stunning views), floating a river channel, or partaking in water sports on the two lakes with kayak and paddleboard rentals.

To help facilitate a day of floating the channel (during summer months), local business Coyote Cruises offers inner-tube rentals and shuttle transport back to the starting point, so you can enjoy a leisurely ride down the seven-kilometre-long channel connecting Okanagan Lake to Skaha Lake. Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Recreation businesses offer a plethora of outdoor activity options, including Hoodoo Adventures, which recently launched a new outpost, Hoodoo By The Lake, for watercraft rentals. It also started offering ebike rentals, in addition to paddle boarding, kayaking and mountain biking experiences. Freedom Bike Shop also offers ebike rentals, or check out Epic Cycling for a tailored experience involving custom-guided rides and hikes, along with ebiking rentals and tours.

For rock climbing enthusiasts, Skaha Rock Adventures offers local climbing tours to all levels of skill. The climbing season typically runs from mid-March to mid-October.

If you’re looking for a more relaxed experience, rent a paddleboard or book a lesson with Sun N’ Sup in Naramata.

Epic ‘fuel-free’ adventures await, including hiking and biking on the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, or exploring an additional 350+ kilometres of trail networks. Photo courtesy Visit Penticton.

Family Fun

LocoLanding Adventure Park (open May to September) offers the ultimate in family fun and entertainment, with activities for all ages (as young as 18 months). Make a day of it on the go-karts, mini-golf, high-level ropes course, water-spraying bumper boats, monkey motion, spider mountain, rock climbing and more.

Enjoy a splashy afternoon at the Penticton Wibit (operated by Splash BC), a floating water park geared to kids, located on the west end of Okanagan Beach, near downtown.

And people of all ages can beat the heat with the best ice cream in town: check out The Peach (on the beach, with 28 different milkshake flavours!), Lickity Splitz or Tickleberry’s (with several locations, including two at Skaha Lake Park Beach, as well as a brand-new shop downtown).

For more trip planning inspiration, check out visitpenticton.com and follow on Instagram and Facebook.

Editor’s note: This story first appeared in the May / June issue of SOAR Magazine, a publication of Pacific Coastal Airlines.

Read the full magazine here.

Plan your future adventures throughout the West Coast at westcoasttraveller.com and follow us on Facebook and Instagram @thewestcoasttraveller. And for the top West Coast Travel stories of the week delivered right to your inbox, sign up for our weekly Armchair Traveller newsletter!

Share this:

Category: TravelTag: Adrenaline, British Columbia Destinations, Canada, Family activities, Food, Okanagan Getaways, Outdoors and Recreation, Penticton, Things to do, WCT Intro

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trails

What is an ‘easy’ hike? For a mountaineer, an easy hike might be one that…

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trailsRead More

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

A Kelowna photographer captured images of a pack of wolves while on a weekend hike…

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in KelownaRead More

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

He might be a better skier and influencer than any Gen Z could imagine, possibly…

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in GoldenRead More

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

What’s going on around the West Coast? Here’s your inside guide to what’s happening where,…

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!Read More

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf Islands

Many travellers believe spring and summer are the best times to explore. That means the…

Nothing is the New Something in B.C.’s Southern Gulf IslandsRead More

Vancouver Island photographer’s bald eagle image is Canada’s choice for international contest

A dramatic image by professional Vancouver Island photographer Anthony Bucci will represent Canada in a…

Vancouver Island photographer’s bald eagle image is Canada’s choice for international contestRead More

Fuel up for outdoor adventures in The ‘Loops: Serving up seconds on magical meals and memories!

The best compliment you can give a chef? Returning for seconds! Oh, and to tell…

Fuel up for outdoor adventures in The ‘Loops: Serving up seconds on magical meals and memories!Read More

The writer who’s been everywhere shares his 2023 California travel wish list

By Christopher Reynolds, Los Angeles Times I’ve been meandering around California for decades, which is…

The writer who’s been everywhere shares his 2023 California travel wish listRead More

Tourism hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but recovery may take months

Zhengwen Hao says the phone for his Richmond, B.C., restaurant hasn’t stopped buzzing in recent…

Tourism hopes high in B.C. as China lifts border rules, but recovery may take monthsRead More

Previous Post: « Medicine Hat breweries honour local history in delicious ways
Next Post: Nanaimo Museum opens vault to reveal some of city’s lesser-known history »

Primary Sidebar

Things To Do

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trails

January 30, 2023

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

January 25, 2023

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

January 25, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

January 24, 2023

Recent Posts

Knowledge is power: New guidebooks map accessible PNW trails

January 30, 2023

‘It was a super cool experience’: Wolfpack spotted hanging out in Kelowna

January 25, 2023

Gary the cat shreds the gnar in Golden

January 25, 2023

Travel on the Fly: Dine Out Vancouver; Waddling with penguins in Calgary; Fernie’s powder perfection + more!

January 24, 2023

Footer

The West Coast Traveller has an immense social media footprint, with eight social media sites and and 125,000+ social followers.

Join us on social media and Join Our Community by sharing your stuff!

Get Inspired

News Media Groups

Black Press Media
Sound Publishing
Oahu Media Group
Alaska
Boulevard Magazines
Used.ca

Let’s Get Social

West Coast Traveller
I Love British Columbia
I Love Alberta
I Love Yukon
I Love Northwest Territories
I Love Washington
I Love California
I Love Oregon
I Love Alaska

Visit Our Companion Sites

I Love Saskatchewan
I Love Manitoba
I Love Nunavut
I Love Ontario
I Love Quebec
I Love Newfoundland and Labrador
I Love Nova Scotia
I Love New Brunswick
I Love Prince Edward Island

Site Footer

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • TikTok Icon

Copyright © 2023 West Coast Traveller and · All Rights Reserved