Okanagan Family Activity Guide
The Okanagan is known as a destination with many activities for adults to enjoy, like wine tasting at one of the many wineries in the area, but it also is an excellent place for families to enjoy with countless activities and attractions suited for families with young children. Find out more about a few favourite activities for you and your family to enjoy in this guide. Each activity mentioned below are available year round, occasionally at different capacities depending on the season.
SilverStar Mountain Resort, Vernon - Destination BC/Blake Jorgenson
Outdoor Adventures
The Okanagan is surrounded by hiking and walking trails suitable for people of all ages and abilities. A few to note are Knox Mountain in Kelowna, which offers stunning views of Kelowna at multiple lookout points. Giant’s Head Loop, located in Summerland, is a hike that you can make as long or as short as you want while enjoying the views up and down the Okanagan Lake. Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park, in Vernon, offers 14 kilometres of trails leading to viewpoints of the emerald coloured lake and its beaches.
Knox Mountain Lookout, Kelowna - Destination BC/Tanya Goehring
If you are hoping to go on a family bike ride, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail (KVR) connects the entire Okanagan by trail built on decommissioned train tracks that were, at one time, used daily. There are multiple rail trails from Cold Stream to Penticton. Because the trails have been built on a decommissioned train track, they have little to no slant, making them easy for the whole family to navigate.
Rental bikes are available at different locations along the trails. If you make your way to the Myra Canyon trail in Kelowna, stop at Myra Canyon Adventure Park to test your balance and agility in their obstacle course (Only open in the spring and summer).
Myra Canyon Trestles on the KVR, Kelowna - Destination BC/Kari Medig
Kettle Valley Rail Trail, Kelowna - @chutelakelodge
Hoodoo Adventures is a tour company based in Penticton that is an excellent resource for families who are not familiar with the area but want to make the most out of their time outdoors. They offer countless outdoor adventure tours like kayaking on the lake, hiking, mountain biking, and even rock climbing. While in Penticton, walk the waterfront boardwalk and end at the SS Sicamous, the largest surviving sternwheeler in BC.
SS Sicamous, Penticton - @allaroundtheworld_al
The ski hills in the area offer family fun year-round from skiing, snowboarding, tubing, skating, and cross country skiing in the winter to mountain biking, hiking, and disc golf in the summer. Local mountains in the area that you don’t want to miss are SilverStar Mountain Resort, Big White Ski Resort, and Apex Mountain Ski Resort.
Big White Ski Resort, Kelowna - @localsince1908
The cities in the Okanagan have worked hard to ensure that along with having a multitude of well maintained trails and paths, there are many parks and playgrounds, perfect for kids to let off steam and have a lovely family picnic. A few to note are City Park in downtown Kelowna, located right along the beach and next to a splash park, Mission Creek Regional Park, in Kelowna that sits at the entrance of the Mission Creek Greenway, and Bertram Creek Regional Park, which is surrounded by the beach and open fields near the parking lot. In Penticton, Lakawanna Playground is a beautiful park and has many picnic tables to enjoy a takeout meal or afternoon snack. Lakeshore Park and Beach is an accessible park in Vernon that allows for people of all abilities to easily enjoy the paths and amenities.
Discovery
A great way to make lasting family memories is by learning together. Visit the multiple Kelowna Museums located throughout Downtown Kelowna and learn about the history of the Okanagan. Once you have learned about how the Okanagan came to be, visit the Kelowna Art Gallery and Rotary Centre for the Arts to find out what artists and community members are keeping it alive and well.
Kelowna Art Gallery, Kelowna - @kelownaartgallery
In Vernon, you can learn about the history of the area at O’Keefe Ranch, one of British Columbia’s first cattle ranches. Now a heritage site, it offers a glimpse into the past and what Vernon once was. If you are less interested in history and more about science, the Vernon Science Centre offers interactive exhibits that make learning fun for the whole family.
O’Keefe Ranch, Vernon - @pksnow
The history of Peachland is housed at the Peachland Museum located in an eight-sided Baptist Church that was built in 1910. Here, you will find artifacts, newspaper articles, and documents that depict the history of the town and surrounding area.
If you are looking to learn about one of the key workers that keep the Okanagan’s ecosystem running, Planet Bee Honey Farm offers an educational and delicious experience while learning about the honey bee. Here you will find an indoor bee observatory and an outdoor garden, all while enjoying locally sourced honey products.
Planet Bee Honey Farm, Vernon - Nic Collar
Indoor Activities
Looking for an afternoon indoors where the whole family can let off some steam? There are multiple public pools throughout the Okanagan consisting of Parkinson Recreation Centre and the H2O Fitness + Adventure Centre in Kelowna, the Vernon Aquatic Centre in Vernon, and the Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre in West Kelowna.
Indoor playgrounds can also be found in the Okanagan. Some favourite ones to note are Energy Plex and Air House, a trampoline park, in Kelowna, and Busy Beans Indoor Cafe, in Penticton, which is suitable for younger children.
Hoodoo Adventures Climbing Wall, Penticton - Hoodoo Adventures
Along with playgrounds, indoor climbing has become extremely popular in the area with excellent gyms to show for it. Gneiss Climbing has two locations in Kelowna, the Rock Garden Climbing Centre is located in Vernon, and the climbing wall at Hoodoo Adventures is in Penticton. Each of these gyms is an excellent place for a family to test their strength and bravery of heights while having fun.
These activities and so many more make the Okanagan an excellent place to spend time with your family.
Written by Jenna Labossiere
Born and raised in Kelowna, Jenna loves being able to be a tourist in her own backyard. She hopes to be able to showcase the Thompson Okanagan’s local businesses and natural attractions in order to encourage others to take the opportunity to enjoy them as much as she does.
