Ten fun, affordable one-tank trips
ENDERBY:
Take a step back in time with a drive up to Enderby and a visit to the Starlight Drive-in theatre.
Starlight is one of the few drive-in theatres left in Canada, and it is the perfect outing for a couple or a family.
Park your car anywhere on site, and you are guaranteed a good view of the screen, which is touted as the largest in North America.
The concession also has the lowest prices in B.C., but bring cash, as debit and credit are not accepted. Cash can be requested at the box office if paying by debit. The theatre is currently open Friday, Saturday and Sunday, playing a double feature each night..
Starting July 2, it will be open every night through the summer, offering many opportunities to enjoy a movie under the stars. The best word to describe this: timeless.
GREENWOOD:
Located in the heart of Boundary Country, the former mining town was later an internment camp for displaced Japanese people during the 1940s. The streets look very much as they would have in the 1960s.
“Canada’s smallest city” offers self-guided walking tours that are full of history or you may prefer to hike or bike the Great Trial to Eholt, Midway or the Kettle River Recreation Area.
To get there from Kelowna or Penticton, you will pass through Osoyoos. Make sure you pull over at the Anarchist Mountain viewpoint, outside of Osoyoos, for a spectacular glimpse of paradise. On your way to or from Greenwood, Rock Creek is a unique place to stop for a cup of coffee.
KEREMEOS:
It’s right next to the Okanagan, but Keremeos can feel like a world away with its steep mountains and serene landscape, just 40 minutes from Penticton.
Besides being a burgeoning wine area, land around Keremeos is famous for its fruit production — and fruit stands. They’re everywhere and offer a terrific assortment of produce at rock-bottom prices.
Keremeos itself has a quaint downtown with a Western vibe, but also a dynamite Thai restaurant, Benja.
When in Keremeos, you must stop at the historic Grist Mill, and then carry on down Highway 3 to Osoyoos, a route that will take you past Spotted Lake, a sacred place for local Indigenous peoples.
NARAMATA BENCH WINERIES
All of the Okanagan’s wine regions are picturesque. But, the Naramata Bench might just be the the most stunning.
Twenty eight wineries are clustered along the winding and rolling Naramata Road corridor, set on mountainsides, atop clay bluffs and on the edge of cliffs, most with panoramic views of Okanagan Lake.
As such, the concentration of wineries and the jaw-dropping scenery make a road trip to the Naramata Bench a must.
It’s only a 10 minute drive out of Penticton, an hour from Kelowna or an hour and forty-five minutes from Vernon.
Make it up as you go and stop for tastings at the wineries that catch your attention based on their road-side signs or the look of the rustic or architectural-showpiece tasting rooms.
When you get hungry, break for a lunch at one of the various wineries that have restaurants and picnic grounds.
Visit: NaramataBench.com.
O’KEEFE RANCH
Take a step back in time and visit O’Keefe Ranch just north of Vernon to tour the well-preserved Victorian mansion, St. Anne’s Church, Greenhow Museum, Balmoral School, General Store, blacksmith shop and pottery shed along the boardwalk.
Check out the gift shop, farm animals, eat at Cattleman’s Club restaurant and the display of antique farm equipment.
If you want to explore more of the ranch’s lands, mount a horse for a one-hour tour.
You can even get married at O’Keefe Ranch and have your reception and wedding dinner there too.
The most unusual offering at the ranch is the familyfriendly yoga with curious, friendly and agile Nigerian Dwarf goats Wednesdays and Saturdays.
Visit: OKeefeRanch.ca.
OSOYOOS:
For pure educational value, there’s both the Desert Centre, with its interpretive centre, native plant garden and desert boardwalk tour; and the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, where you can learn about the region’s diverse First Nations’ history.
For something totally different, children and seniors will love the Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad, so impressive it was featured on “Amazing Race Canada.”
If you head downtown, pop into the local Home Hardware, it’s a hardware store unlike any other. There’s several great restaurants in the downtown and save room for dessert at Roberto’s Gelato at the Watermark Beach Resort.
On the drive home, there’s dozens of great fruit and vegetable stands to stop at (not to mention wineries.)
PENTICTON FARMER’S MARKET
Most Okanagan communities have a farmer’s market. Arguably, the best one is in Penticton. Held Saturdays in the 100 block of Main Street from April through October, the market has won multiple awards over the years.
You may also wander down Main Street and over to Front Street and Backstreet Blvd. for the Downtown Penticton Association market. It offers everything from health products to a booth manned by local children’s author David Korinetz.
Best of all, you’re allowed to bring your dog. Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome.
While in the downtown you can check out a lot of really cool stores, none any cooler than The Book Shop, a Vancouver-caliber, used book store. Knowledgeable, friendly staff, they also rent DVDs of art films and hard-tofind Canadian movies. And then pop into The Dragon’s Den on Front Street, an art store which specializes in greeting cards. (Father’s Day is next week.)
PEACHLAND:
A warm summer day is the perfect time for a day trip to Peachland.
Walk along the boardwalk down Beach Drive, enjoy the views of Okanagan Lake and wander in the various shops and restaurants along the way.
Inside the Peachland Historic Primary School, visitors can enjoy the latest exhibit at the Peachland Art Gallery, which is currently “Between Heaven and Earth,” featuring paintings and tapestries inspired by Western Canadian landscapes.
In the same building is the Legends of the Lake Interpretive Centre, which features a live viewing of the bats that live in the attic and several interactive stations.
Thrill seekers can take a drive up to Zipzone Peachland and fly through the trees on the six zip lines.
Lunch or dinner at Gasthaus on the Lake is also a must.
SUMMERLAND:
Pack a picnic lunch, load up the kids and head to Summerland.
Rolling into town, stop at Granny’s produce stand for cold drinks and fresh fruit.
Next drive up: Giant’s Head Mountain to the parking lot and hike to the top for a spectacular view of the Valley.
Cool off with a swim at Sunoka Beach Park and after lunch, walk around the park to see where Trout Creek empties into the lake.
In the afternoon, stop at Summerland Sweets for ice cream cones for the kids and on the way back to the highway pick up a bottle of wine at Silk Scarf to enjoy after the kids are in bed.
If you visit downtown, a stop at True Grain Bread is a must. Zia’s Stonehouse is also a great place to eat.
TICKLEBERRY’S:
It’s unlikely to require a full tank of gas, but a trip to Tickleberry’s in Okanagan Falls is always worth it.
The sweets shop at the side of Highway 97, about 20 minutes south of Penticton, is best known for its selection of 72 kinds of ice cream — both specialty flavours made in house and the usual fare from outside suppliers.
Also not to be missed is Tickleberry’s own kettle corn and chocolates, and a unique variety of gifts.
The shop is a destination all on its own, so be prepared to wait in line if you go during the height of the summer.
It’s worth it, though, and once you get your cone, go enjoy it outside in the picnic area.