What do to on a honeymoon in the Okanagan?
January 5, 2012 12:48 PM Subscribe
We are going to honeymoon in British Columbia wine country; what should we do aside from the obvious?
My wife-to-be and I are planning our honeymoon for this summer (trying to get things booked well in advance, since we'll be travelling at the height of tourist season). We're going to go to BC. We'll spend some time in Vancouver, but plan to spend much of the trip in the Okanagan region.
This is wine country, so there will be a wine tour or two, I'm sure. We will, of course, search for the Ogopogo. And this is a honeymoon so there will be lots of sexy sex. But what else is there to do in BC wine country?
Information that might be relevant:
My wife-to-be and I are planning our honeymoon for this summer (trying to get things booked well in advance, since we'll be travelling at the height of tourist season). We're going to go to BC. We'll spend some time in Vancouver, but plan to spend much of the trip in the Okanagan region.
This is wine country, so there will be a wine tour or two, I'm sure. We will, of course, search for the Ogopogo. And this is a honeymoon so there will be lots of sexy sex. But what else is there to do in BC wine country?
Information that might be relevant:
- We'll be there in early July;
- We like to do outdoorsy things, but don't want to exert ourselves too much on this trip;
- Wife-to-be has been interested in the Ogopogo since she first heard about it as a kid, so if there is some sort of Ogopogo Museum or some similar tourist trap, I'd love to include it;
- We'll be spending at least two nights in Kelowna (hopefully here); and
- We'll be driving, so we will have access to a car.
Take a side trip to Yoho and Banff. So pretty, it hurts to look at it.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:25 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 1:25 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Channel tubing is a great idea, it'll likely be approx one million degrees Celsius, so it'll be a great activity. Please refrain from sex while tubing, we're kinda prudish up here. The Kettle Valley Railway would make a nice afternoon bike rental jaunt, (a rental company, google search for more
Mission Hill in Kelowna has the most spectacular winery in the Okanagan. The best wines themselves come from the south, towards Oliver and from east of Penticton in the Naramatra area.
Plenty of great golf courses too, if that's your thing.
posted by Keith Talent at 1:45 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Mission Hill in Kelowna has the most spectacular winery in the Okanagan. The best wines themselves come from the south, towards Oliver and from east of Penticton in the Naramatra area.
Plenty of great golf courses too, if that's your thing.
posted by Keith Talent at 1:45 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
Most resort type places rent out jet skis and house boats and stuff like that. It's nice to enjoy the lake.
posted by dobie at 2:04 PM on January 5, 2012
posted by dobie at 2:04 PM on January 5, 2012
Best answer: Depending on your budget, I would highly recommend some restaurants in Vancouver. I work as a concierge at a hotel so I know all the good stuff ;)
If you like Indian, there's a restaurant called Vij's that's to die for, try to make reservations, normally they don't allow it on busy days and only let you line up. The budget will be around 20-30$ a person
If you like Japanese, I highly recommend Miku, they sear the top of their sushi and make something really unique. Their dessert chef is Danish and make the most scrumptious things. (20-40$ a person)
If you like Italian, I recommend Cioppino's, they have an award winning soup and all their food tastes fresh and made perfect, even the pasta. (30-50 a person)
If you really like Chinese, I really suggest you come down to Richmond, it's the REAL chinatown in the lower mainland. Kirin would be a good start, a little pricey though.
In terms of other places like the outdoors, I recommend Banff and the Golden ear park. Maybe Grouse mountain if you are in Vancouver for a while. All the views are ridiculously beautiful and you should definitely try some of the hikes, the sceneries are worth it.
posted by Trinergy at 2:21 PM on January 5, 2012
If you like Indian, there's a restaurant called Vij's that's to die for, try to make reservations, normally they don't allow it on busy days and only let you line up. The budget will be around 20-30$ a person
If you like Japanese, I highly recommend Miku, they sear the top of their sushi and make something really unique. Their dessert chef is Danish and make the most scrumptious things. (20-40$ a person)
If you like Italian, I recommend Cioppino's, they have an award winning soup and all their food tastes fresh and made perfect, even the pasta. (30-50 a person)
If you really like Chinese, I really suggest you come down to Richmond, it's the REAL chinatown in the lower mainland. Kirin would be a good start, a little pricey though.
In terms of other places like the outdoors, I recommend Banff and the Golden ear park. Maybe Grouse mountain if you are in Vancouver for a while. All the views are ridiculously beautiful and you should definitely try some of the hikes, the sceneries are worth it.
posted by Trinergy at 2:21 PM on January 5, 2012
For the record, Vij's doesn't take resos from anyone at anytime, you want to eat there, you wait in line.
And Ciopinnos is pretty generic "fancy Italian" available in most North American cities, and they have no award winning soup. There's also no way in hell that a meal there is 60-100 for two. Unless they split and entree and two waters. I do like the idea of soiap awards being handed out however.
The Richmond idea is excellent.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:40 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
And Ciopinnos is pretty generic "fancy Italian" available in most North American cities, and they have no award winning soup. There's also no way in hell that a meal there is 60-100 for two. Unless they split and entree and two waters. I do like the idea of soiap awards being handed out however.
The Richmond idea is excellent.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:40 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]
soiap awards = soup awards if you are clumsy fingered and not prone to proof reading.
posted by Keith Talent at 2:49 PM on January 5, 2012
posted by Keith Talent at 2:49 PM on January 5, 2012
For this suggesting Vancouver and Banff- that's a LONG ASS DRIVE. Like 14 hours. Banff and Vancouver are in opposite directions from Kelowna, like 6-7 hours in either direction. You don't want to waste days of your honeymoon in a car, or so I'd think.
I spent a lot of time splashing in the lake on our last summer trip to Kelowna- it's a really nice place to swim.
Osoyoos is very much wine country as well as fruit orchard nirvana and is desert and hot as hell- a really interesting place to see, in Canada.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 5:00 PM on January 5, 2012
I spent a lot of time splashing in the lake on our last summer trip to Kelowna- it's a really nice place to swim.
Osoyoos is very much wine country as well as fruit orchard nirvana and is desert and hot as hell- a really interesting place to see, in Canada.
posted by ethnomethodologist at 5:00 PM on January 5, 2012
Yeah, seconding ethnomethodologist that going to the Rockies would be a little crazy on a short trip. The area is stunning but totally out of the way.
The ski hills in the area may have wildflowers that time of the year. For sure Sun Peaks does (a couple hours away). You can ride the lift and do lots of hiking among wildflowers (or downhill biking if that's your style).
posted by Pomo at 5:34 PM on January 5, 2012
The ski hills in the area may have wildflowers that time of the year. For sure Sun Peaks does (a couple hours away). You can ride the lift and do lots of hiking among wildflowers (or downhill biking if that's your style).
posted by Pomo at 5:34 PM on January 5, 2012
Best answer: Great choice for a honeymoon! I've been going to the Okanagan every summer since my childhood, it's one of my favourite places on Earth.
Agreed with the above recommendations - tubing through Penticton is a mainstay, and the Kettle Valley Railway is gorgeous for a bike ride.
If you do make it to Penticton, Tickleberry's (actually in OK Falls on the other side of Lake Skaha) has great ice cream and souvenirs, and is essentially mandatory for tourists and campers in the area.
Nearby, See Ya Later Ranch is a decent winery with lovely surroundings and a good restaurant. Blasted Church has an even more incredible view of Lake Skaha but no restaurant.
Just north of Penticton in Summerland, Sumac Ridge has excellent wine and I've only heard great things about their restaurant.
posted by ripley_ at 6:20 PM on January 5, 2012
Agreed with the above recommendations - tubing through Penticton is a mainstay, and the Kettle Valley Railway is gorgeous for a bike ride.
If you do make it to Penticton, Tickleberry's (actually in OK Falls on the other side of Lake Skaha) has great ice cream and souvenirs, and is essentially mandatory for tourists and campers in the area.
Nearby, See Ya Later Ranch is a decent winery with lovely surroundings and a good restaurant. Blasted Church has an even more incredible view of Lake Skaha but no restaurant.
Just north of Penticton in Summerland, Sumac Ridge has excellent wine and I've only heard great things about their restaurant.
posted by ripley_ at 6:20 PM on January 5, 2012
Depends on your taste, but I really like browsing in this used bookstore (also Penticton). They have a great selection and a good vibe. Maybe a side trip to Coalmont and Tulameen via the fruit stands in Keremeos? It's about a 2 hr drive from Penticton to Tulameen. Coalmont (as the name would suggest) is an old coal mining area. Ask the locals for directions to the old mine and stop for a drink at the old hotel. Tulameen is a tiny town with a nice lake and one store that is everything: food, liquor, cafe, fishing licences, rentals, clothing, souvenirs, gas. There's good swimming in the river too (cold though!) The KVR trail goes through both places. Both "towns" are rough around the edges but this is part of the, ahem, charm. The scenery is spectacular and the drive from Coalmont to Tulameen is an experience in itself.
posted by Cuke at 7:51 PM on January 5, 2012
posted by Cuke at 7:51 PM on January 5, 2012
If you want to take one of the more beautiful drives in the province, then I suggest Kelowna-Vernon-Lumby-Cherryville-over the hump to Arrow Lake, across the cable ferry (free), up to Nakusp (1) then over to New Denver (4) and down the Slocan Valley/Valhallas and then back via Castlegar and Crows Nest Hwy (2) to the Okanagan Valley, then up the Valley to Kelowna
(1) Option to go up to Galena Bay, take the ferry across the lake (free) and run up towards Revelstoke (mountains) (3) and then back down via Enderby to the Okanagan
(2) Option to take Rte 33 north off the Crowsnest and go the back route back into Kelowna
(3) Option to stop and tour the Mica Dam
(4) Option carry on to Kaslo (cool, paddlewheeler, like Nelson used to be) and down Kootenay Lake then back to Okanagan Valley
All would be good day drives of ca 10 hours (haven't calculated mileage) on good roads through great scenery, although (4) might be an overnighter, say at the Hot Springs.
To be honest, Kelowna is kind of an ugly town, in a beautiful location. If you want an out of the way place to hang out, look into Naramata, on the "wrong"side of the lake. If you want a short drive to a sweet spot from Kelowna, check out Kalamalka Lake Park - Kalamalka Lake basically makes Okanagan lake look like a swamp. It'd be about an hour drive each way from Kelowna. Good coffee in Vernon.
For wineries, the Nk'mip Winery is sort of unique in being one of the most successful ventures of a BC First Nation, down Osoyoos way. The wine is excellent.
posted by Rumple at 8:33 PM on January 5, 2012
(1) Option to go up to Galena Bay, take the ferry across the lake (free) and run up towards Revelstoke (mountains) (3) and then back down via Enderby to the Okanagan
(2) Option to take Rte 33 north off the Crowsnest and go the back route back into Kelowna
(3) Option to stop and tour the Mica Dam
(4) Option carry on to Kaslo (cool, paddlewheeler, like Nelson used to be) and down Kootenay Lake then back to Okanagan Valley
All would be good day drives of ca 10 hours (haven't calculated mileage) on good roads through great scenery, although (4) might be an overnighter, say at the Hot Springs.
To be honest, Kelowna is kind of an ugly town, in a beautiful location. If you want an out of the way place to hang out, look into Naramata, on the "wrong"side of the lake. If you want a short drive to a sweet spot from Kelowna, check out Kalamalka Lake Park - Kalamalka Lake basically makes Okanagan lake look like a swamp. It'd be about an hour drive each way from Kelowna. Good coffee in Vernon.
For wineries, the Nk'mip Winery is sort of unique in being one of the most successful ventures of a BC First Nation, down Osoyoos way. The wine is excellent.
posted by Rumple at 8:33 PM on January 5, 2012
Response by poster: We'll be driving from Edmonton, so we might actually pass through Banff, since that seems to be the quickest way to Kelowna. But, we've both been several times so we probably won't do much than get gas and stop for lunch. That said: yes, the Rockies are gorgeous and definitely a good place to visit. (We tend to prefer Jasper, though, as it's a bit more rustic than Banff.)
Anyway, thanks for all of the suggestions so far! Please keep them coming.
posted by asnider at 8:39 PM on January 5, 2012
Anyway, thanks for all of the suggestions so far! Please keep them coming.
posted by asnider at 8:39 PM on January 5, 2012
I'd be via surprised if the Yellowhead via Jasper, turn left at Valemont (great coffee) to Kamloops, then up and over via Falkland to the Okanagan wasn't a little quicker, to be honest, and Hwy 5 down the North Thompson is a much easier drive than the Trans Canada.
(Also, as you probably know, the Okanagan in early July will already be as hot as %^^%$)
(also, also, congratulations)
posted by Rumple at 8:49 PM on January 5, 2012
(Also, as you probably know, the Okanagan in early July will already be as hot as %^^%$)
(also, also, congratulations)
posted by Rumple at 8:49 PM on January 5, 2012
OK, I take that back, Hwy 5 would be a bit more of a double-back than I envisioned. Probably a more pleasant drive though, in my books.
posted by Rumple at 8:58 PM on January 5, 2012
posted by Rumple at 8:58 PM on January 5, 2012
I've always wanted to stay at the Observatory B&B: http://www.jacknewton.com/Calendar.htm
I think that the best wine is in the south, around Oliver. I love Gehringer Brothers' sweeter german-style wines — best ehrenfelser in the valley.
There are cycling tours of the wineries, as well as minibus and limo tours. Well worth it, frankly, since you can both drink, that way, and a DUI is a whole lot more expensive than a bus tour. My experience is that the wineries pour generously and they're so close together that you'll get a buzz in no time.
Try some wine-fed beef! http://www.wineaccess.ca/blog/winefed-beef-from-the-okanagan
and http://sezmumeats.com/
If you have any local friends, go houseboating in the Shuswap. Ideally done in a group of 4-6, with no major breakups in the group. We think we saw the Northern Lights one year when we did this. That, or it was an alien spaceship, because it was north and there are no major cities in that direction.
posted by wenat at 11:27 PM on January 5, 2012
I think that the best wine is in the south, around Oliver. I love Gehringer Brothers' sweeter german-style wines — best ehrenfelser in the valley.
There are cycling tours of the wineries, as well as minibus and limo tours. Well worth it, frankly, since you can both drink, that way, and a DUI is a whole lot more expensive than a bus tour. My experience is that the wineries pour generously and they're so close together that you'll get a buzz in no time.
Try some wine-fed beef! http://www.wineaccess.ca/blog/winefed-beef-from-the-okanagan
and http://sezmumeats.com/
If you have any local friends, go houseboating in the Shuswap. Ideally done in a group of 4-6, with no major breakups in the group. We think we saw the Northern Lights one year when we did this. That, or it was an alien spaceship, because it was north and there are no major cities in that direction.
posted by wenat at 11:27 PM on January 5, 2012
Best answer: I highly recommend heading up Carmi mountain to the Lost Moose for lunch or dinner. The view from up there is fantastic.
The Many Hats Theatre Company in Penticton is putting on a play by Londos D'arrigo in July.
My husband and I like to wine tour in the Okanagan. Some of our favorite wineries to visit in the south Okanagan are Thornhaven, Silver Sage (try the sage Gewurtzraminer!), Black Widow, and Heaven's Gate (in Summerland...best Pinot Gris I've ever had).
And if you're in Summerland, stop by the Vinegar Works at Valentine Farm. You can do tastings of their various wine vinegars.
posted by burntflowers at 1:26 PM on January 8, 2012
The Many Hats Theatre Company in Penticton is putting on a play by Londos D'arrigo in July.
My husband and I like to wine tour in the Okanagan. Some of our favorite wineries to visit in the south Okanagan are Thornhaven, Silver Sage (try the sage Gewurtzraminer!), Black Widow, and Heaven's Gate (in Summerland...best Pinot Gris I've ever had).
And if you're in Summerland, stop by the Vinegar Works at Valentine Farm. You can do tastings of their various wine vinegars.
posted by burntflowers at 1:26 PM on January 8, 2012
Response by poster: And if you're in Summerland, stop by the Vinegar Works at Valentine Farm. You can do tastings of their various wine vinegars.
Interesting. I'm not sure how long I could stand tasting various vinegars, but it would certainly be a unique experience.
posted by asnider at 12:19 PM on January 10, 2012
Interesting. I'm not sure how long I could stand tasting various vinegars, but it would certainly be a unique experience.
posted by asnider at 12:19 PM on January 10, 2012
Not the Okanagan but seriously consider Nelson - it is truly the greatest place on earth. It has similar attractions to Okanagan but without the gaggles of tourists. Knowing you (remotely anyway) I think the more boho artsy vibe of Nelson and area will really suit you - let me know if you want me to send you a bunch of info - maybe you'll still make it to the Yukon another time.
posted by YukonQuirm at 9:19 AM on February 12, 2012
posted by YukonQuirm at 9:19 AM on February 12, 2012
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, my parents and brother and sister-in-law went to this spa last summer and really enjoyed it.
posted by jacquilynne at 1:14 PM on January 5, 2012 [1 favorite]