Overview
Introduction
Kelowna, British Columbia, 245/395 km east of Vancouver, maintains a reputation for wild summer fun that centers on its bars and beaches on Okanagan Lake. The surrounding Okanagan-Similkameen area is a popular holiday destination with an abundance of fast-food restaurants and hotels. And, because the area is one of the major fruit baskets in North America, you'll find lots of roadside produce stands June-October.
Wine is another product of the region, and in recent decades it has grown from a cottage industry to a high-volume business that draws many travelers for winery tours. A wine train, serving upscale lunches and dinners, makes daily runs in the summer.
Other area destinations include Kalamalka Lake Park and the Kettle Valley Railway (hiking). At Vernon, the O'Keefe Historic Ranch re-creates ranch life in the 1800s. The main house is a Victorian mansion furnished with collector's items, and other buildings on the grounds include a cook's house, a reconstructed general store and a bunkhouse.