Header photo courtesy of tourismkelowna.com - Hiking Addiction
Okanagan Lake is one of best ways to enjoy the warm Okanagan summers. With its warm waters in the summer, the lake has never been much of a secret, drawing plenty of visitors every year. Wouldn’t it be fantastic to be able to enjoy this vast lake year round but without all the unnecessary commotion?
Fortunately, a better kept secret in the Okanagan is the district of Peachland. With Okanagan Lake running along the entire length of Peachland and with just over 5,000 residents, access to the lake is easy and shared only with the community. Edging the mountains of the Okanagan, you can enjoy the best of this valley from the lakes up to the peaks! Here are 5 of the top experiences in Peachland when living here.
1. Pentowna Marina
As a lake borders it, Peachland naturally has plenty of beaches. With such an impressive stretch of water before you, why not go onto the lake to explore its vast expanses? Take a boat or watercraft out from Pentowna Marina. As the only full service marina in the Central Okanagan south of Kelowna, Pentowna Marina has boat and equipment rentals as well as gas available. If you have a boat, a boat slip is available to rent on a weekly basis up to a seasonal basis for those who will be in town for an extended period.
Even if you don’t have a boat, you need to pay The Blind Angler Grill at Pentowna Marina a visit. The restaurant is one of the very few in the region that is located right on Lake Okanagan. With neighbourhood favorites ranging from burgers to seafood, it’s more than the view that draws locals back. It doesn’t get any more local with local craft beers on tap, ciders and a wine list of Okanagan wines exclusively!
2. Hainle Vineyards Estate Winery
Speaking of wines, Peachland is home to one of the Canadian winery pioneers. In addition to being one of the first wineries in BC, Hainle Vineyards Estate Winery uses winemaking recipes dating back to the mid-1800s. Hainle’s European-style wine is still handcrafted the traditional way without using chemicals or additives.
Supported by tradition but without letting it hold the winery back, Hainle became the first icewine maker in North America and the first certified organic winery in BC. The results of the winery’s strict self-imposed standards are evident with it being named by Vivino as the “Best Rated Winery in Canada” for three years straight. It’s icewine has become so much of a legend that a bottle of Hainle Icewine from 1978 has an estimated value of 1.5 million pounds as determined at a London wine auction.
3. Pincushion Mountain Park
Wading in Okanagan Lake may be incredible, but the lake is just as incredible from a different vantage point. With Peachland resting near the bottom of a slope of this gorgeous valley, you can hike up the mountain practically right out of your backyard! Just up from Peachland, Pincushion Mountain Park has some of the most magnificent views of the Okanagan Valley. Not only can you see the entire district of Peachland, but you can see Okanagan Lake all the way from Kelowna to the peaks around Penticton!
Even though a hike to such a view sounds tough, it only takes about an hour to scale the peak. Be sure to bring a hiking stick with you as the trail has several steep sections though. Only after you complete this hike can you consider yourself a true Peachlander!
4. Zipzone Adventure Park
The slopes of Peachland provide much more than great views. If you’re looking for adventure, they can provide fun and excitement as well. Zipzone Adventure Park has some of the best zip lines in Canada with 2.1 km (6,750 ft) of zip lines. Zipzone boasts one of the highest ziplines in the world at 381 ft. It also has the longest and fastest zipline in the Okanagan at 1800 ft, which allows you to zoom through the canyons of Deep Creek Gorge! Don’t have a Go-Pro to catch all the action? Zipzone offers helmet-mounted Go-Pro available for rent.
Need a break from the ziplines? As an adventure park, Zipzone has a variety of other activities, including a ninja course and a collection of games. For a new experience, try Zipzone’s dynamic climbing wall in which you climb a moving wall, creating a challenge as you continually need to shift to rebalance.
5. Peachland World of Wheels Car Show
The Peachland World of Wheels Car Show in May is without a doubt Peachland’s largest event, attracting 10,000 visitors each year. You can see more than just cars at the event. Over 550 antique cars, trucks, motorcycles and boats are on display, spanning over 2 km long! Recent additions of music and vendors make the event even more festive. Best of all, the event is free for you to enjoy!
It’s hard for a district that combines the easy access to mountains and Okanagan Lake without all the clamour to be kept a secret, but somehow Peachland has managed to remain relatively out of the public eye so far. The secret’s starting to come out now though, with December 2019 residential sales from Peachland to Revelstoke rising a surprising 24% over December 2018.
It’s no surprise that people are flocking to the BC Interior with its phenomenal weather and lifestyle. With Peachland in the heart of the Okanagan, it’s only 40 km from Penticton and 25 km from Kelowna. To join a community where the shores of Okanagan Lake is publicly shared among residents, consult a local REALTOR® for expert advice. With assistance from a knowledgeable professional, you can rest assured that you’ll find a property that you truly love - and what’s not to love about living a quaint lifestyle overlooking Okanagan Lake?
