Retirestyle means living your best retirement lifestyle.
This blog is for retirees or those planning their retirement who want to travel the world, escape the snow, challenge their minds, and enjoy an active lifestyle after retiring in style.
Here is our 5-day itinerary from a family trip we took in the summer of 2019:
Day 1
Order all-you-can-eat waffles at the Jammery restaurant in Lake Country.
Take a wine tour in Lake Country, just North-East of Kelowna. We managed to squeeze in lots of tastings that were in close proximity to each other, including:
Blind Tiger,
Arrowleaf (this was our favourite one from this day),
Ex Nihilo,
Gray Monk, and
O’Rourke’s Peak.
Buy local crafts, food, jams, and farm fresh organic fruits and vegetables at Lake Country Farmer’s Market, which is only open on certain days of the week.
Eat Dinner at the Greek House Restaurant in Lake Country, which looks like a big house from the outside, but which is filled with a large amount of authentic Greek decor.
Day 2
Explore and buy local crafts and foods at the huge Kelowna farmer’s market and then cool off and shop some more at the Orchard Park Shopping Centre next door.
Go downtown to explore the stores, shoppes and restaurants near the waterfront & Marina.
Rent a kayak or take a boat tour.
Take a picture with the staue of Ogopogo, they mythical sea creature that lives in Lake Okanagan (like the Loch Ness Monster).
Enjoy a tasting at Okanagan Spirits, which sells award winning liquors, whiskey, gin, aquavit (an Icelandic gin with a slight taste of black licorice).
Have some samples at Sandhill & Wayne Gretzky Estates. All of the wines here were excellent and the tastings were free, which did not occur anywhere else.
Have dinner at a slightly upscale B.C. version of Manitoba's Salisbury House called White Spot. They are famous for having good hamburgers and unlimited french fries.
For those with kids, enjoy a super-fun and engrossing hyper-reality VR experience shooting zombies at VRcadia.
Day 3
Take a tour of the West Kelowna wineries on the other side of the lake. We enjoyed it so much that we almost bought too much wine to bring back home. We did tastings at the following Wineries:
Grizzli,
Mt. Boucherie,
Volcanic Hills,
Quail’s Gate, and
Mission Hill (which looks and feels like a grand castle)
In this region, it cost $15+ pp for tastings. Most of the tastings were both overpriced and overcrowded, but the locations were undeniably beautiful with great views.
Go on a scenic drive to Peachland and Summerland. One the ways, stop at Hainle Vinyards (North America’s 1st organic vineyard, definitely resulting in more earthy & vinegary taste that we did not enjoy) and Sumac Ridge. Peachland was a cute beach town. Be careful not to go to Summerland on Sunday, because everything is closed on Sunday.
If you have time, ride the historic train at Kettle Valley railway.
Day 4
Go back to walk around the Kelowna marina, harbour, and City Park (with a public beach right downtown). Here, you will find lots of good photo ops and selfie spots.
Enjoy the relaxing beauty at Kasugai Gardens behind city hall. They have unique plant species, a rock garden, and Koi fish in the pond.
I strongly recommend that you have dinner at Memphis Blues BBQ House in downtown Kelowna. They have delicious meats (tender & juicy beef brisket, beef and pork ribs, pulled pork, barbecue chicken, smoked sausage with several kinds of BBQ sauce) and for side dishes you get beans, coleslaw, and corn bread. We got lucky because they had unlimited pulled pork the night we went They also have great decor/ambiance & blues music. If you are a fan of whiskey & bourbon, you won't believe their selection, which is the largest I have ever seen at a restaurant.
If you don't have kids, spend the rest of the night and test your luck at the Playtime Casino (Lake City Casino), which is located right on the waterfront.
Day 5
Go cherry picking (u-pick). There are lots of options, but I recommend that you try Hoffman Orchards on Longhill Road.
Drive up (or walk up if you have LOTS of energy) to Knox Mountain Park for great views of Kelowna and Okanagan Lake from various vantage points and elevations. There is a beautiful, short 1-kilometre hike to the apex (summit).
Order a flight of cider at Upside Cidery Try the late harvest semi sweet apple, tangled rose plum, raspberry pear & blackberry bourbon flavours. The ciders here were very unique and amazing.
Buying fruit at a fruit market to bring home. You have to try fresh Rainier cherries when you go.
If you prefer the video medium, here is a short video from our YouTube channel about our wine tours in Kelowna:
If you have been to Kelowna, feel free to suggest some can't-miss things in the comments.
Kevin used to travel to Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada a few times a year for business. He fell in love with the place. Kevin took the family to Kelowna in summer of 2019 and it was a vacation unlike any before. It is so beautiful because it has Okanagan Lake in the middle of town and it is surrounded by provincial parks, pine forest, vineyards, orchards and mountains. It has the feeling of a beach vacation town, but has most of the conveniences of a big city, including an international airport. The population is around 200,000 people, but they get almost 2 million tourists per year. Its downtown area incorporates waterfront
City Park and a lakeside cultural and entertainment district.
There are over 20 wineries within a 20-minute drive of downtown Kelowna plus a number of breweries, distilleries and cideries that each offer tours and tastings. These places will normally charge for the tasting (3 or 4 one-ounce servings), but will deduct that amount from any alcohol purchase you make. Be careful not to drink and drive, so we recommend that you either take a wine tour by bus or make sure you have a designated driver.
Skiing at Big White Ski Resort is less than 1 hour away in the Winter. This ski hill has so much to do that we could write another post about our trips there.
The Okanagan
Valley is becoming one of Canada’s most sought-after retirement hotspots partly
because of its numerous wineries, restaurants, golf courses, and municipal activities such as pickleball, tennis, and swimming. The biggest reason people want to retire there is the weather. Compared to the rest of Canada, Kelowna has
mild winters and hot, sunny summers that are typically around 30 degrees Celsius.
Things to do in Kelowna, BC:
Sightseeing & Family Fun: -Waterfront Park – In historic downtown, near
shops and restaurants. Boardwalk along Lake Okanagan. Look for Ogopogo (statue
and in the water). Take a boat tour or go swimming at the public beach. Go to a
bird sanctuary. City
Park has a Water Park & spray pad, an inflatable obstacle course and slide in the lake, and a Skateboarding Park. -Kasugai Japanese Garden – Behind City Hall. This park has Koi
fish in the pond and the plants are beautiful and well-maintained. -Scandia Golf & Games. 2898 Hwy 97 N, Kelowna, BC V1X 5C1. Has go-carts and an arcade plus pizza for the kids. -Energyplex Family Recreation Centre. 948 McCurdy Rd, Kelowna, BC V1X 2P7. -Planet Lazer. 1960 Springfield Rd, Kelowna, BC V1Y 5V7. -H2O Fitness + Adventure Centre. 4075 Gordon Dr, Kelowna, BC V1W 5J2. Indoor water park with large slides, a wave pool & a full-service gym. -Splash BC Water Parks (Kelowna Wibit). Inflated activities. 1600 Abbott St, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N2.
-Gellatly Bay Aquatic Park. 8 Heritage Park/Cenotaph Park Beach Ave, West Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada. A beach for swimming and other activities (there used to be a zip-line). Near Gellatly Nut Farm. - If you are there in the Fall or Winter, check out a Kelowna Rockets Western Hockey League game. It feels like you are at an NHL game and you will see some future stars. Shopping: -Orchard Park Shopping Centre. 2271 Harvey Ave,
Kelowna, British Columbia V1Y 6H2. This is Kelowna's biggest shopping mall. -Kelowna Farmers' and Crafters' Market - 1992
Dilworth Dr | Parkinson Rec Centre, Kelowna. Wednesday & Saturday from 8-1. Satellite Market on St. Paul Sunday from 9-2. Museums, Art & Culture: -Okanagan Heritage Museum - 470 Queensway,
Kelowna, BC V1Y 6S7. Discover the natural and human
history of Kelowna. -Okanagan Wine & Orchard Museum. 1304 Ellis
St | Laurel Packinghouse, Kelowna, BC V1Y 1Z8. Unearth
the agricultural treasures that make our region unique at the Okanagan Wine and
Orchard Museum. Vibrantly painted fruit crates, live bee hives and cherry
pitting equipment. Nightlife and Adult Fun: -Playtime Casino. 1300 Water St, Kelowna, BC V1Y 9P4. This casino is inside the Delta Grand Okanagan Hotel, which is right on the waterfront downtown and also has a nice restaurant. -Chances Kelowna Casino. 1585 Springfield Rd,
Kelowna, BC V1Y 5V5 (near Orchard Park Mall). - Downtown Kelowna has many cafes, restaurants, lounges, and nightclubs. Outdoor Activities: -Kempf Orchards - 1409 Teasdale Rd, Kelowna, BC V1P 1C8. You-pick cherries.
-Okanagan Lavender & Herb Farm. 4380 Takla Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 3C4. -Myra Canyon Park. Walk or rent a bike on old rail track and see
old wooden truss bridges. Start at Myra Station. -Knox Mountain Park. Hike or bike to the top and then take either 1 or 2 km walking trail for
great views of Lake Okanagan. If you are really adventurous, people cliff dive or swim at an area called Paul’s Tomb. -Christie Falls - 1 hour drive. Bumpy roads. You
can walk under the falls. -Crawford Falls - Canyon Falls Court, Kelowna,
BC V1W 4P1. While Canyon Falls Park is open, the Crawford
Falls Trail down to the falls may be closed (check first).
Some of the many Wineries, Breweries & Distilleries include:
- The Vibrant Vine. 3240 Pooley Road, Kelowna,
British Columbia V1W 4G7. Sometimes, you can get tokens for a free tasting here at Frequency Wine
& Sound. - Kitsch
Wines. 3330 Neid Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4H5. - Ancient
Hill Estate Winery. 4918 Anderson Rd, Kelowna, BC V1X 7V7. - Tantalus
Vineyards. 1670 Dehart Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4N6. - House
of Rose Winery. 2270 Garner Rd, Kelowna, BC V1P 1E2.
Thursday night summer music series. If you are lucky, experience grape stomping here. - Frequency
Wine & Sound. 3210 Gulley Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4E5.
Sound recording studio & wine tastings. They believe that the music makes the aging wine taste better. - Okanagan
Spirits Craft Distillery. 267 Bernard Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 6N2. Okanagan Spirits is Western Canada's oldest craft distillery. - Urban
Distilleries + Winery. 402-1979 Old Okanagan Hwy., Kelowna, BC V4T 3A4. Near Tender Hope Winery, Indigenous World Winery, Rollingdale
Winery, Grizzli Winery, Beaumont Family Winery, Mt. Boucherie Windery, Little
Straw Vineyards, Terabella Wineries, Mission Hill, Quails’ Gate, and Frind Estate
Winery in West Kelowna. It is convenient to visit all of these places in the same day. - Mission
Hill Family Estate Winery. 1730 Mission Hill Rd, West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E4. - Quails'
Gate. 3303 Boucherie Rd, Kelowna, BC V1Z 2H3. - The
View Winery and Vineyard and Wards Cider. 1-2287 Ward Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4R5. Set in a vintage 1922 apple packing house, The View
Winery & Wards Cider offers an authentic Okanagan experience. Featuring
aromatic fresh, crisp whites, fruit-forward, spicy reds and handcrafted apple
ciders. - Tantalus
Vineyards. 1670 DeHart Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4N6. - Sandhill
Winery & Calona Vineyards. 1125 Richter St, Kelowna, BC V1Y
2K6. Near Rustic Reel Brewing Company, Andrew Peller, Red Bird Brewing,
Kettle River Brewing. - Tree
Brewing Company. 1083 Richter St, Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K6.
Memorable beers. - Volcanic
Hills Estate Winery. 2845 Boucherie Rd, West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2G6. - Camelot
Vineyards. 3489 East Kelowna Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4H1. A charming
Medieval themed boutique winery with picnic area outside. - BC
Tree Fruits Cider Company. 880 Vaughan Ave, Kelowna, BC V1Y 7E4. - Scenic
Road Cider Co. 770 Packinghouse Rd, Kelowna, BC V1V 2E1. - SOMA
Craft Cidery. 4485 Sallows Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W 4C2. Near
Forbidden Spirits Distilling, Nagging Doubt Winery & Okanagan Lavender
Farm. - Summerhill
Pyramid Winery (4870 Chute Lake Rd, Summerhill, BC). - St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery Ltd. 5205 Lakeshore Rd, Kelowna, BC V1W
4J1. A lakefront winery featuring a complimentary tasting room
& a gourmet shop. - CedarCreek Estate Winery. 5445 Lakeshore Rd,
Kelowna, BC V1W 4S5.
Side trips:
-Drive south to Peachland: 30-minute drive each way. -Drive south to Summerland: 45 minutes each way. You will pass a cute beach town called Peachland on the way. Summerland has an Olde English tudor style vibe, you are sure to feel the nostalgia when
strolling downtown. Take a step back in time with a journey on the Kettle
Valley Railway, or spend the day perusing the finest antique shops. Rich in
history and heritage, the town of Summerland is like a whole museum. -Drive south to Penticton: 1 hour each way -Drive north to Vernon: 1 hour each way. Use Westside
Road route that follows the shores of Okanagan Lake (don’t forget to bring your
camera along to snap some incredible scenic photos). -Drive north to Kamloops: The drive takes 3 hours each way. Salmon Arm and Shuswap Lake & River are on the way.
