3 Day Okanagan Fall Wine & Culture

Summary
Itinerary
What's Included
Accommodations

3 Day Okanagan Fall Wine & Culture

Living life to its fullest on this discovery of food, wine, and cultural beginnings. Top it off with a visit to the premiere wine tasting event of the year - the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival in Penticton!

Day 1 – Vancouver to Summerland (4.5 hours)

  • An early morning start in Vancouver has you following the Trans Canada Highway (#1) to the town of Hope. It is here where you make your turn onto the Coquihalla Highway (#5). This road was originally constructed as a legacy for Expo ‘86, the World’s Fair held in Vancouver in 1986. Your descent into the Okanagan begins from over 5,000 ft, the second highest pass in BC, and it provides a magnificent view of the mountains circling Okanagan Lake. Your first glimpse of the lake provides you with a sense of enormity as it is an endless in sight from both directions.
  • Your first turn off will be onto Highway 97 south to Summerland, only a short drive down the lake. You will pass by the lakeside and farming community of Peachland and encounter convenient pull-offs beside the road to stop and gaze at several vistas overlooking the lake. 
  • As you enter Summerland, keep a lookout for your lunch stop at Sumac Ridge Estate Winery (www.sumacridge.com) and the Cellar Door Bistro. Since its inception, Sumac Ridge has pioneered innovative winemaking practices in the Okanagan Valley. Sumac Ridge was the first British Columbia winery to plant extensive vineyards of premium red vinifera grapes, the first to produce traditional sparkling wines, and the first Canadian winery licensed to make Meritage wine. 
  • Here on a sunny patio next to the marina, you can plot your next move and enjoy your first glass of BC wine! Your next destinations are only 10 minutes into the heart of Summerland and through the winding valley roads above it. Thornhaven and Dirty Laundry Wineries (www.dirtylaundry.ca) are located on “Bottleneck Drive”, in close proximity to each other and are equally impressive in their settings with stunning views. Proceeding back to the highway on a country road laced with orchards and vineyards, your next stop is the Summerland Ornamental Gardens. Located immediately across cavernous Trout Creek Canyon from Dirty Laundry Winery, the gardens provide an oasis of peacefulness and beauty that are truly representative of the Okanagan Valley. This is a perfect place to think about the day’s events and what’s to come. Your final destination of the day is within sight and only 10 minutes down the road. Tonight is the big night to dress up and prepare to sample the best Okanagan wines and sample some divine cuisine at the annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival held at the Pentiction Trade & Convention Centre.
  • Overnight in Penticton or Summerland.  Suggested Accommodations:

Day 2 – Penticton

  • You can start your day off by spending part of the morning discovering Penticton and its quaint downtown core or strolling along the lakeside boardwalk.  Before you depart for the day, you may want to stop by the Okanagan VQA Wine Store located at the Visitor Information Centre. It features a full selection of wines from one end of the valley to the other.
  • Your first visit this morning takes you to the Art Gallery of the South Okanagan. Here you’ll discover a wide variety of exhibitions of fine and decorative art from regional, provincial and national sources. There is a gift gallery featuring original works of art and crafts from British Columbia and a tea room that overlooks the lake. 
  • With lunch in mind, there are two entirely different options worth considering. The first option involves a beautiful drive to the upper reaches of Penticton to Lost Moose Resort (www.lostmooseresort.com).  The resort features bed and breakfast cabins as well as an unusual log restaurant crafted with timber salvaged from a wild fire that swept through the area several years ago. The Moose Restaurant offers huge views of the valley and barbeque is their specialty! For a finer dining experience, consider the Hooded Merganzer Restaurant located at the Penticton Lakeside Resort. The Merganzer is located dock side and provides excellent wine paired meals.
  • After lunch, you can drive five minutes or stroll down the shaded beach walk to step into the world of transportation in the early 1900’s. The SS Sicamous is the largest remaining sternwheeler in Canada, resting on the shores of Okanagan Lake, which has been restored to its original epitome of luxury. It’s a fascinating look back at the most prominent and practical way to travel the Okanagan before major roads were built. 
  • For those wine enthusiasts who are looking for many wineries within close proximity to each other, than the Naramata Bench is where you want to head for. Located in north Penticton, Naramata Bench Wineries (www.naramatabench.com) consist of twenty two boutique wineries who have staked their claims to this prime agricultural land. Some are situated on the picturesque rolling hillsides of the Bench while others are perched at the edge of cliffs that fall perilously towards Okanagan Lake. The area is in a remarkable setting, perhaps the most scenic wine region in all of Canada.

Day 3 – Penticton to Osoyoos to Vancouver (1.5 hours)

  • Continue south on Highway 97 along Skaha Lake to Okanagan Falls.  Your first stop today is at See Ya Later Ranch Winery (www.sylranch.com).   Watch for the signs at the bottom of the big hill!  Once you’ve arrived you will see that See Ya Later (SYL) is situated in an atmosphere of old world timelessness. The winery’s tasting room and wine shop are housed in the estate’s well-restored, heritage stone home, which dates back to the early 1900s. A patio and seasonal bistro offer visitors a place to relax while taking in the spectacular view. SYL wines were created in honour of the vineyard’s site first owner and passionate dog lover, British Major Hugh Fraser who was born in 1885.
  • Continue south on Highway 97 along Skaha Lake to the farming community of Oliver. This is home to the famous “Golden Mile” area of wineries, known for producing fine red wines!  Like a lot of the winegrowing areas of the Okanagan, Oliver got its start growing fruit with an enormous irrigation project (completed in 1923) that turned the Sonora Desert into lush orchards.  The Golden Mile, named for the agricultural richness of the land located just south of Oliver, is an area that holds 10% of the country’s wineries and roughly 60% of British Columbia’s grape-growing acreage.
  • Proceed south to Osoyoos, an oasis of agriculture lands and holiday beaches not far from the USA Border.  It’s also an important junction for roads leading in all directions.  It’s also a favourite for recently retired Canadians because of its warm winters, hot summers and the country’s warmest lake! As well, Osoyoos boasts Canada’s only desert and your final stops for the day are located right next to it. Your lunch stop is Nk’Mip Cellars (www.nkmipcellars.com), North America’s first aboriginal owned and operated winery. Overlooking vineyards and Osoyoos Lake, Nk’Mip Cellars is a perfect place for lunch on their outdoor patio. The final destination of the day takes you subterranean. The Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre (www.nkmipdesert.com) is built into the hillside and has stunning views of the southern Okanagan Valley. Here you will be immersed in the Okanagan First Nation’s habitation with on site tours of a traditional village, performing arts theatre, water gardens and interactive displays. 
  • Return to Vancouver (4.5 hours) or optional overnight in Osoyoos.  Suggested accommodation includes:

For a complete list of Thompson Okanagan Travel Trade accommodation partners, go to: www.totabc.com/travel_trade

For Bed & Breakfast accommodation listings, go to: www.bcsbestbnbs.com

For additional city information, go to:  
Penticton: www.tourismpenticton.com 
Osoyoos: www.destinationosoyoos.com