As a prairie kid, I have always been in awe of the Rocky Mountains. We travelled through British Columbia (BC) a number of times in my childhood to visit my grandparents and aunts and uncles on Vancouver Island. The pure majesty of the mountains never cease to amaze me.
The Okanagan Valley in BC is very beautiful. Kelowna is the most well-known city in the Valley and it has grown as people have made their retirement homes in the region.
The farther south you go in the Valley the population declines and the small town feel comes alive. Nestled almost on the United States border, 123 km’s south of Kelowna, is Osoyoos – the warmest place in Canada. There is a year around population of about 6,000 people who increases considerably in the hot summer months. Typical summer temperatures are 35 C to 40 C or 95 F to 104 F.
We absolutely love Osoyoos. The warm weather and sunshine drew us and we are hooked. We owned a condo there for 10 years before selling it so we can upgrade to one that will be more suitable for us as we get older.
The Osoyoos area boasts world-class wineries that have replaced the fruit orchards in the last 15 years. Golfers can play in a climate that allows them to golf with an extended season. In the summer, you best get out early to avoid the heat. The Town has two courses and there is a course at Nk’Mip (Inkameep). Nk’Mip is on the Osoyoos Indian Band land and their leader, Chief Clarence Louie, is very progressive and has created significant economic development in the Osoyoos area.
Osoyoos Lake is not huge, yet is great for swimming and for kids because it is shallow on the edges. There are lots of opportunities for boaters as well.
We find Osoyoos very relaxing with enough amenities to cover all our needs.
- Accommodation
In the summer months you will have to book ahead and reserve accommodation and this includes RV parks.
There are a number of great RV parks for trailers / campers and some of the parks offer lake access and they are full service. We have noticed that people use their RV in the winter months to stay in Osoyoos. Osoyoos draws “snowbirds” from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta who come for the winter. Osoyoos is a less expensive option then going to Arizona given the exchange on US money and the extra insurance costs for older people travelling in US.
There are ample condos for rent as well as motels / hotels. Some of the motels / hotels are older so be careful when booking. Check the websites and reviews.
Walnut Beach and Watermark Beach are the newer offerings and carry a higher pricing.
The Coast and Best Western hotels are on the water and appear nice, although, we have not needed to stay there.
- Wineries
There are an increasing number of good wineries in close proximity to Osoyoos. The vast majority of the wineries currently do not have wine tasting fees. Our favourites are………………..
Desert Hills – excellent reds – Mirage, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Cabernet Franc. We were in the area and got invited to a “release” party for their Mirage and they put on a nice event with food and wine tasting.
Silver Sage – a great story of how the winery developed and the tastings are entertaining. There white wine is better than the reds. They also do fruit wines and we like “the Flame” and Sunset.
Nk’Mip Cellars – beautiful view of the Valley and a wonderful place for lunch. Their wine prices seem to have come down a bit in the last couple of years and we enjoy both whites and reds.
Tinhorn Creek – another great place for lunch with a view down the Valley that is not to be missed. The wines are good as well.
Kismet – a relatively new winery that is worth a stop. The reds are up there with Desert Hills.
Other good tastings – Burrowing Owl, Wild Goose (lunch), Cassini Cellars, Church & State and Oliver Twist.
- Restaurants
Jojo’s Cafe – breakfast and coffee. Not to be missed.
Campo Marina – good Italian. Consider a small salad each and share an entrée.
Convivia – small and worth the stop.
Sage Pub – local Pub n Cottonwood Drive. Try the pizza and the ribs are good. We always go here.
The Owl Pub – downtown with a deck view of the lake. We never miss having a beer and lunch on the deck.
Smitty’s Restaurant – main Street and good for breakfast. Friendly and they appear to be good people in the community.
Dolci – good food options and back deck.
Watermark – tapas options which we enjoyed.
Golden Chopsticks – decent buffet with Chinese food.
- Other Attractions
Home Hardware – Probably the biggest and best hardware store anywhere. This is a must visit and expect to come out with a purchase! They have everything a resort town needs.
Osoyoos Desert Model Railway – worth a stop if you have extra time in Osoyoos. Well put together and an impressive display.
Wine Festival – held in October in the Okanagan Valley. Lots of activities up the Valley. Oliver (20 km’s north of Osoyoos) has a good weekend of events, including grape stomping, wine tasting and a craft fair.
July 1 Parade – The Canada Day parade on Main Street is done right. I think the whole town is out and the water flows in good fun!
My second cup is now empty………………
