| Official tourism site for West Kelowna & Westbank, BC

01 May 2013

Spring Wine Festival & Wine Trail Events

You can enjoy visiting the wineries of the Westside Wine Trail year round, but there are certain times of the year when the festivities kick into high gear and the Spring Wine Festival is one of those times.

Wineries through the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys will be participating in this ‘can’t miss’ festival from May 2-12, 2013 which is the perfect opportunity to celebrate bud break and try some new wine releases.

Taking place during the Spring Wine Festival, on May 11^th, is the first ever Wine Tourism Day in North America. The wineries of the Westside Wine Trail, along with other wineries from across North America will be offering special events to the public to celebrate the importance (and fun) of wine tourism. Click here to find out what the wineries have planned.

Three times a year the Westside Wine Trail wineries plan special Wine Trail events to make your visit even more memorable. Their ‘Sip Series’ events are self-guided touring events with each winery offering something different. Depending on the event, visitors can expect to enjoy special tastings, demonstrations, festivities and tours.

New to the series this year is the ‘Sip into Summer’ event which will take place June 1^st and 2^nd. Visitors to the Wine Trail’s wineries will have a chance to discover some great summer wines and participate in activities, demonstrations and tours. Wine & Activity Menus will be on display at each winery so visitors are aware of all of the goings-on throughout the weekend. The Sip into Summer Wine Trail event is open to the public and free to attend, although visitors should be aware that tasting and/or activity fees may apply at different wineries. And just in case you were wondering what the other ‘Sip Series’ event are – they are the Sip with your Sweetheart Event which is held in February and the Sips of the Holidays event which is held in December.

For More Information:

http://thewestsidewinetrail.com/

http://www.thewinefestivals.com/

Posted in Wine Touring and tagged BCWine, Kelowna, Okanagan, Sip into Summer, Spring Wine Festival, West Kelowna, Wine Trail

13 Mar 2013

15 Things to Do Over Spring Break in West Kelowna

Spring Break has arrived in the Central Okanagan and it begins for others around British Columbia next week. There is a lot to do in West Kelowna for locals and visitors alike and below is just a short list of some of the activities and sights that children and adults can take in over the next few weeks.

1. Skiing at Crystal Mountain is a favourite among the locals. The ski season ends on March 17^th with a Family Fun Day planned. For more information visit www.crystalresort.com.

2. & 3. West Kelowna has fantastic Cross-country ski trails as well as snowshoeing opportunities. Telemark is open during spring break, but it is best to visit their website for their hours of operation before heading out, as they are not open every day during the break. www.telemarkx-c.com

4. Jim Lind Arena and Royal LePage Place are offering public skating and ice activities and the schedule can be found here.

5. No matter what the season, going to the pool is always fun! During spring break the public swim hours are being extended and there are daily public swim sessions from 1 pm – 5 pm at Johnson Bentley Memorial Aquatic Centre.

6. There are different Spring Break Day Camps available – you can check out the programs and schedules here.

7. The snow has started to disappear and the hikers are starting to come out. This also means wildlife is out and about on the trails too, so please be aware if you are heading out for a hike. The Westside Trail Guide has information on several of the local hiking trails in the area and it is available for download here or in a hard copy format at local accommodator and Visitor Centres.

8. Spring is a perfect time to visit the wineries as the tasting rooms are not as busy which allows visitors to ask away and learn a lot about the wines of the region. For a complete list of wineries in West Kelowna visit www.thewestsidewinetrail.com

A few other ideas:

9. Step back in time at the Westbank Museum

10. Paintball adventures at Safari Ridge

11. Golf at either Shannon Lake or Two Eagles

12. Indoor playplace for the little kids at Ogoplay

13. A matinee at one of our two movie theatres

14. Bring out those wheels and go for a bike ride along Gellatly Bay or a rollerblade around the paved track at Westbank Centre park.

15. Brush off your racket and hit one of the tennis courts

Posted in Family Fun, Hiking & Biking Trails, Winter Activities and tagged Bike Ride, Camps, cross country ski trails, Hike, Kelowna, nature, Okanagan, park, Skate, Ski, Snowshoe, Spring Break, Swim, West Kelowna

28 Jan 2013

Snow Adventures – Cross Country Skiing

Cross country skiing is a great way to spend the afternoon burning off some of that pent up winter energy and it’s an activity that all ages can enjoy. Families with grandparents and grandchildren can often been seen out on the trails on a sunny afternoon.

The Okanagan Valley offers many great places to cross country ski, but none are as convenient as the Telemark Nordic Club. Located a mere 12 km from West Kelowna’s commercial core, it’s an area favourite due to its close proximity to town, the great topography, scenic views and well maintained trails.

Worried about having no skis? No problem – Telemark offers rentals for classic skis, skate skis and snowshoes and affordable rates.

So grab some skis and take in the fresh mountain air as you marvel at the scenery. You may even get lucky enough to see some wildlife along the trails!

Details:

The club is home to over 50 km of groomed trails for classic and skate cross-country skiing, 4.3 km of lit trails, a biathlon range as well as 40 km of snowshoe trails.

Rates and rentals can be found at: http://www.telemarkx-c.com/passes-rental-rates/

How to get to Telemark Nordic Club:

From Hwy 97 go west on Glenrosa Rd at the Glenrosa Rd Interchange (at Gorman’s Mill). Follow Glenrosa Rd for 9 km towards Crystal Mountain. A large Telemark sign will welcome visitors to the entrance to the parking lot. The Chalet is located 200 metres from the black parking lot gate.

Posted in Family Fun, Winter Activities and tagged Cross Country Skiing, Okanagan, Snow Adventures, Telemark, West Kelowna, Winter