Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The list of wineries is long and inter-
esting. Over a short distance of 200km,
there are more than 50 establishments,
with new ones opening constantly.
Some are active throughout the year,
but a few are open to visitors only dur-
ing the tourist season.
Penticton
Located between Okanagan Lake, to
the north, and Skaha Lake, to the south
Penticton boasts a dry, temperate cli-
mate. The area's First Nations named
the site
Pen-tak-tin
, meaning “the place
where you stay forever.” People come
to Penticton for the outdoor activities,
fi ne dining and local
joie de vivre
. A
beach lined with trees and a pedestrian
walkway run along the north end of
town, and the dry landscape, outlined
by the curves of the sandy shoreline,
contrasts with the surrounding vine-
yards and orchards.
5
A white-tailed deer.
© Pierre Longnus
Kelowna is the heart of the Okanagan
Valley. It was here that a French Oblate
by the name of Father Charles Pandosy
set up the fi rst Catholic mission in the
hinterland of British Columbia in 1859.
He introduced apple and grape grow-
ing into the Okanagan Valley and was
thus largely responsible for its becom-
ing a major fruit-producing region.
An outing in the mountains along the
former route of the Kettle Valley Steam
Railway
offers another perspective
of the Okanagan Valley. Laid at the turn
of the 20th century, these tracks con-
nected Nelson in the east to Hope in
the west, thus providing a link between
the coast and the hinterland, where
tonnes of ore were being extracted.
The beautiful sandy beaches that border
Okanagan Lake draw more and more
visitors every year. They come here to
lounge under a beautiful summer sky,
organize a family picnic, or simply ad-
mire the scenery.
Kelowna
Kelowna, the largest city in inland
British Columbia, has a population
of more than 111,000. Its economy is
driven by forestry, fruit farming, wine-
making, manufacturing and, recently, a
number of high-tech industries as well.
Tourism is also important to Kelowna,
and the town has a lot to offer its many
visitors.
KOOTENAY
ROCKIES
Visit the Kootenay Rockies region and
discover the spectacular landscapes
of the Monashee, Selkirk and Purcell
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