14 Things To Do In Kelowna (2026 Guide)

If a city has a waterfront trail, it is almost always the first thing I do when I arrive. It's a great introduction to any city. This is where the locals gather, and it is an insight into the city's true nature. You'll see the kinds of people, the activities they're doing, which shops have long lines, what cafes have packed patios; all are a little peek into the day-to-day life of the city you're about to explore.

This was the case in Kelowna as well. The first thing I did when I arrived was walk the waterfront from Waterfront Park to Kelowna City Park, and it was a perfect taste of what the rest of the trip was going to be.

There is a flat and paved boardwalk trail that connects the two parks. There are several swimming spots, docks, yacht clubs, cafes, bars, and restaurants dotted along the path. 

Ending at Kelowna City Park gives you a few options before you turn back. Hot Sands Beach is a large sandy beach right in the park just off the trail.

Or if you don't feel like getting all wet and sandy, the park is also right next to Bernard Street, where you will find the largest collection of bars, cafes, and restaurants in the city. You can get anything from street food to coffee, ice cream, a cold pint, or a proper dinner. 

We went for an ice cream cone from Parlour Ice Cream and took it with us for the walk back to Waterfront Park, and would 10/10 recommend it.

You will probably end up on Bernard Street at some point in your trip, even if you're being strictly spontaneous. This is where most of the cafes and restaurants are clustered. 

The few blocks where most of the busiest restaurants are closed to vehicles and the pedestrian-only feel add to the atmosphere. It also lets businesses let their patios spill out onto the sidewalk and the street, making it the go-to spot for happy hour.

There is a great happy hour culture in Kelowna since there is such a thriving food and drink scene that there is significantly more competition than in a lot of other smaller towns around the Okanagan Valley.

There are an overwhelming number of options, but the street isn't very long, so it's easy enough to do a quick lap before returning to wherever caught your eye the most. Some of the most popular spots are:

• Bagel Boys for artisan bagels.
• Craft Beer Market for happy hour drinks on the rooftop patio.
• Parlour Ice Cream for a sweet treat.
• Naked Cafe for unbeatable vegan options.

Thursday nights in Kelowna belong to the Night Market. It runs from May to September, 4:30 to 9:30 pm, spread across Kerry Park and the 200 and 300 blocks of Bernard Avenue, and it's worth building your evening around if your visit lines up with a Thursday.

It's a mix of downtown businesses, local artisans, food producers, and whatever community entertainment happens to be booked that week. Nothing about it feels overproduced, which is part of the appeal. The city puts this on for itself, and tourists just happen to be welcome.

The smart move is to time it with happy hour, since half of Bernard Street is already set up for exactly this. We got a table at Craft's rooftop patio around 4:30, ordered a couple of five-dollar pints, and watched the market get built out below us, tents going up, tables getting hauled into place, that whole slow shuffle of a street turning into something else for the night. By the time we'd finished our beers, the market was in full swing, so we headed down to wander through it properly. It ended up being one of the better nights of the whole trip.

Biking Myra Canyon is considered one of Kelowna's must-dos constantly, and the trail deserves the title, but in our opinion, the bike is not necessary. 

The trail runs 12 km one way between Myra and Ruth Stations, 24 km if you're doing the whole thing out and back, following the old Kettle Valley Railway bed. The grade is gentle enough that it works for almost anyone. Eighteen wooden trestles, two tunnels blasted through rock, and canyon views the entire way. Cyclists usually knock out the full round trip in two to three hours. On foot, it's more like five or six.

If you want to see all of it, biking is the way to go. Walking 24 km round trip is a lot to ask, especially in the Okanagan heat. 

You can rent a bike right at Myra Canyon from Myra Canyon Bike Rentals. Reservations can be made up until midnight the night before, and day-of rentals are handled on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Having a bike makes exploring the entire canyon way easier, and an E-bike makes it even lower effort. The one restriction is you're stuck exploring within rental windows.

Regular bikes can be rented for half days from 9 am-1 pm or 1:30 pm-5:30 pm, and E-bikes can be rented for half days from 9 am-12 pm or 1-4 pm. We wanted the trail in evening light, so we skipped the rental entirely and just walked in around 7.

Past the bike rental hours, the trail clears out significantly, and without the cyclists we nearly had the whole place to ourselves. We hiked for about an hour before turning back, which got us across roughly half the trestles and through the first tunnel. 

There's more trail after that, and by most accounts some of the better trestles are further along, but we didn't feel like we'd missed much. Golden light, nobody else around, and none of the midday Okanagan heat that turns this valley into a furnace by July was worth the trade.

If you want to see the whole thing, rent a bike and go early. If you'd rather have it quiet and lit up properly, walk it in the evening and don't worry about how far you get.

One of the fun things about Kelowna is that if someone were to say, "Shall we go to the beach?", you can respond with, "Which one?"

There are many beaches around Kelowna, and they all have pros and cons.

Some are better for kayak/sup/jettski rentals, some are secluded quiet spots that are harder to get to, and some are right next to rows of cafes and ice cream shops. So the 'Best Beach in Kelowna' is a subjective concept.

To help pick the best beach for what you're looking for, check out our Comprehensive Kelowna Beaches Guide.

If you've spent any time at the beaches or walked the Kelowna Waterfront already, you will have probably already seen half a dozen different watercraft out on the lake.

Okanagan Lake is unique since it is so massive you can rip around and explore huge distances, but you also get consistent and calm waters. There are no tides and no waves unless a wakeboarding boat is causing a raucous, making it a much better beginner-friendly spot for a kayak ride or your first time trying to stand up on a paddle board.

But the lake is still massive enough that you have plenty of room to play with on a jet ski or a speedboat. 

• Sunwave Boat Rentals rents out Ski-Doos, speed boats, and pontoon boats.
• Okanagan Parasail is the go-to tour operator for parasailing on the lake.
• Wakebenders has you covered for wakeboarding boats.
• Kelowna Paddle Centre is the best place to rent a Kayak of SUP.
• OKGN Boat Rentals is also a great option for a variety of different boat types.

And if you don't want to be the one driving, the easiest way to get out on the lake is by booking onto an Okanagan Lake Afternoon Cruise.

There is no wrong way to get out on the water. For larger groups, a pontoon boat can be a great time, and the Paddle Centre offers single or double kayaks if you're getting out as a couple.

This one's a grind, but the sunset from the top makes it worth the climb.

The tricky part is timing. In peak summer, the sun doesn't set until quite late, and the gate at the upper parking lot only stays open from 12 to 8 pm. So if you want to catch the sunset, you need to start from the lower lot and hike the whole thing.

The trail is 4.3 km round trip with about 270 metres of elevation gain. We pushed hard to beat the light and made it up in around 30 minutes, but that's not a pace to plan your day around. At a normal pace with a few water breaks, give yourself 45 minutes to an hour each way.

Leave yourself some time at the top too, especially if sunset is the whole point of the hike. A big wooden staircase gets you up the final stretch, and once you're there it opens onto a large flat area with a few benches looking out toward where the sun goes down. There's also a gazebo nearby with shaded benches inside if you want to cool off before heading back.

If you'd rather skip the elevation, Paul's Tomb trail is the easier option. It starts from the upper parking lot and stays mostly flat, with benches along the way that all face the mountains the sun sets behind. Not quite the same payoff, but a lot less work to get there.

Peeling yourself off the beach and away from a good book is never easy, but a rooftop happy hour makes it a little more bearable.

There's a cluster of good rooftops near Kelowna City Park, most of them stacked right along or just off Bernard Street, and they all look out over the lake in one direction and down onto the pedestrian crowds below in the other. That second part matters more than it sounds like it would. Half the fun is watching the street do its evening shuffle from above while you're working through a happy hour menu.

CRAFT Beer Market Kelowna is one of the most popular happy hour destinations. The rooftop holds up to 200 guests and comes with great service, tiled murals, and over 100 beers on tap. 

Right next door is Earls Kitchen + Bar, known locally as Earls On Top. The patio looks straight out over City Park and the lakeshore, and it gets the same golden light in the evening that makes everything on this stretch of Bernard worth timing for sunset if you can.

Kelly O'Bryan's Neighbourhood Restaurant is the other regular on this block, an all-weather rooftop that stays lively through most of the year rather than just the peak summer months. It's a more casual, pub-food kind of patio than Craft or Earls, and the happy hour here runs both early and late in the day, so it's a good option if your timing doesn't line up with everyone else's.

If you want something with a bit more elevation and polish, Perch Sky Lounge sits above the Innovation Centre and claims the largest rooftop patio in the city. It leans a little more upscale than the Bernard Street cluster, with a menu built around local ingredients rather than pub standards, but the views stretch out over the whole downtown core and the lake beyond it.

I'll be honest with you here. The Farmers Market in Kelowna left us a little underwhelmed.

That's not to say it's not worth a visit, because it is, but we'd just come from working our way through the towns south of Kelowna, and the Penticton, Peachland, and Summerland markets all edged this one out. So if you're doing anything like the same route we did, keep your expectations in check.

Part of it is location. Kelowna's market sits in an urban stretch of the city rather than down by the water, so it runs hotter and stuffier than the others, less of a breeze, more concrete around you. We also recognized a fair number of the same stalls from Peachland earlier in the week, which took some of the novelty out of it.

Still, the vendors themselves carry the day. There are some incredibly talented artists selling work here, plenty of snacks that are hard to walk past, and tables piled high with produce from the farms just outside the city. Worth stopping in if you're already downtown. Just don't go in expecting it to be the best market of your trip.

There are some great hiking options in and around Kelowna. The mountains here are small compared to Whistler, the Rockies, or Vancouver Island, so most of what's on offer is a quick half-day commitment rather than a full alpine mission.

The real challenge hiking in the Okanagan is the heat. Summers run hotter here than most of the rest of BC, and nearly every trail is fully exposed, so you're getting baked on the way up and baked again on the way down. That doesn't need to stop you, just plan around it a little.

A few things that help:

• Wear a sunhat. A wide brim makes a bigger difference than you'd expect.
• Skip the midday heat. Go first thing or head out in the evening instead.
• Pack more water than you think you'll need.
• Wear grippy shoes. The heat dries the trail out, and the steep, dusty sections get slippery fast.

My favourite hiking area is Knox Mountain. During the day, from 12 to 8 pm, you can drive straight up to the higher parking lot. The view from up there is worth the drive on its own, and from that lot you've got access to both Paul's Tomb and the Apex Trail.

Paul's Tomb is the easier of the two. It's mostly flat, with a steady descent down toward the lake that you won't feel until you're climbing back up it on the return. The best part of this trail is that it ends at a small secluded rocky beach. A quick dip here is perfect before working back uphill the whole way back to the parking lot.

Apex Trail is the tougher option and the one I'd point you toward for sunset, which I've gone into in more detail earlier in this guide.

West Kelowna has some good hiking of its own too. My two favourites on that side of the lake are:

Mount Boucherie, starting from Eain Lamont Community Park, is 4.3 km round trip with 226 metres of elevation gain and takes about an hour and a half to two hours. There's a decent amount of incline mixed with some rocky sections and flatter stretches, and the view from the top over Kelowna and the lake is a proper payoff. The trail isn't especially well marked, and there are a few different routes up, so keep an eye on your map at any junction, and you'll be fine.

Kalamoir Regional Park Loop is the more relaxed option, a 2.4 km loop with about 100 metres of elevation gain that takes an hour to an hour and a half. It strings together the Sunnyside Trail and the Upper Rim Trail, with the lakeside Waterfront Trail as a nice cool-down finish, and you get some great Okanagan Lake views the whole way. It's also right next to a swimming beach, so bring a suit if you want to cool off the second you're done.

One thing worth flagging before you plan around this last one: as of a few weeks ago, Kalamoir Regional Park was closed due to wildfire activity in the area. It's the kind of closure that could well be lifted by the time you're reading this, but check the Regional District of Central Okanagan's parks page before you make the drive out.

In typical BC city fashion, all the breweries in Kelowna are clustered together in the same corner of town. And following the same unwritten BC code, that corner isn't the nicest one. They're tucked into the industrial North End on the edge of downtown, and if it weren't for the breweries themselves, I'm not sure there'd be much reason to come out this way at all.

The breweries bring this area to life, and there are enough of them within a few minutes' walk of each other that you can build a proper afternoon out of it without ever needing to drive between stops.

Red Bird Brewing is easy to spot from the street thanks to the red and white mural out front. It's also one of the livelier spots for music if you time your visit right. They have a bigger patio area than most of the other breweries, and they have some fake turf laid down with some lawn games, which makes more of a backyard feel.

Kettle River Brewing is generally where the district started, and it still feels like the anchor of the whole area. Small batch, whatever-they-feel-like brewing, with a dog-friendly patio and an open mic most Thursdays. 

Right nearby is Jackknife Brewing, run by one of Kettle River's former brewers, going for something weirder and more Nordic-leaning with names like Wizard Sticks and Hammer of Doom, plus genuinely good pizza to go with it.

A short walk from there is Vice & Virtue, a little more polished and upscale than the rest of the district, with a food menu that has been more thought out than the surrounding, more beer-focused places.

If you want something bigger and louder, BNA Brewing sits just south of the main cluster in a converted 1910 tobacco warehouse, complete with bowling lanes and arcade games alongside the beer. This is a rowdy one with fun activities and a shareable menu that makes it the perfect spot for a boys' night out.

Unlike the breweries, the wineries here don't cluster into one convenient walkable pocket. They're spread out across a few distinct areas, and which one you pick shapes the whole day.

West Kelowna is the easiest to reach and has the biggest names attached to it. Mission Hill Family Estate is the one most people have actually heard of before they arrive, all dramatic architecture and vineyard views stacked above the lake, and it's picked up enough Winery of the Year titles that the reputation is not up for debate. 

Right nearby is Quails' Gate, family-run since 1956, sitting on the fertile ground below what used to be Mount Boucherie's volcano. Between the two you could easily fill an afternoon without needing to move the car more than once.

East Kelowna is the quieter option, less polished, less of a production, and better if you want the tasting itself to be the focus rather than the whole experience around it. Tantalus Vineyards and SpearHead Winery both do well here, and this side of the lake tends to produce Riesling, Pinot Noir, and sparkling wines.

If you want something a bit more unusual, Summerhill Pyramid Winery is worth the detour just for the novelty. Its tasting room is built inside an actual pyramid, and depending on the day, you might catch live music in the courtyard while you work through the flight.

For groups, or if nobody wants to be the designated driver, a guided wine tour is generally the better call here rather than trying to plan your own route. Most run out of Kelowna, include pickup, drop-off, and all your tasting fees, and let you sit back while somebody else handles the driving between stops.

Here are the best options for the most reputable tours. Each tour focuses on one region instead of wasting all afternoon zigzagging between regions.

• Lake Country Wine Tour
• East Kelowna
• West Kelowna

One thing worth knowing before you build a day around this. Most tasting rooms run an appointment system in peak season, so it's worth reserving ahead rather than showing up and hoping for a table.

If you only take one suggestion from this guide, please let it be this one. 

This is one of the most gorgeous bike rides I've done anywhere in the world, and it's also one of the easiest. 

The ride itself is incredible, and there are dozens of amazing spots along the way to stop for a dip in the lake. Arriving at the south end of Vernon, there are a few fun ways to spend a few hours before making the ride back.

It's an easy trail and a relaxing day, but there are quite a few details to note if you want to make the most of your day. To make sure you know everything going into it, check out our comprehensive guide on the ride. 

Here is a brief summary with just the key details

• Rent an E-bike from Pedego in Oyama
• Ride 18km along the KVR north up to Vernon
• In Vernon, choose between the cafe, beach, or pub at the end of the trail
• Ride 18km back and stop at one of the trail-side beaches for a dip
• Grab a pizza for dinner when you arrive back in Oyama

Kelowna also works well as a base for exploring the rest of the Okanagan. A lot of the smaller towns scattered through the valley are worth a visit, but most of them don't have quite enough going on to justify staying the night. Basing yourself in Kelowna instead gives you better accommodation options and a solid dinner waiting for you when you get back.

Three of the best day trips within easy reach of the city are:

Peachland is the closest, about 25 minutes down the lake, and it's a slower, smaller version of Kelowna. The Beach Avenue walkway runs right along the water past cafes, a bakery or two, and Swim Bay, the only lifeguarded beach in the whole Okanagan. If you want a bit more adrenaline, ZipZone runs ziplines out over Deep Creek Gorge, and Hardy Falls is an easy, flat walk that's especially good in the fall when the salmon are running. 

Summerland is the quintessential charming little Okanagan community, the kind of town where a stop at the thrift store actually earns a spot on the itinerary. Most day trips here revolve around a ride on the old steam train, and that alone is worth the drive down.

Vernon is personally my favourite area in the entire valley. It's a bit more lush than the rest of the Okanagan, the lakes somehow manage to look even better here, and there are some great easy hikes with a payoff that outweighs the effort by a wide margin.

Fourteen things is a lot to fit into one trip, and honestly, you shouldn't try. I recommend saving this list of all the best things to do and then letting each day be a bit spontaneous and lean into whatever on the list appeals to you most in the moment.

Just a few things on the list are time-sensitive. 

• Try and line up your rooftop patio visit on Bernard Street with the Thursday Night Market
• Book your wine tour in advance since they sell out  
• Reserve a bike or commit to just walking at the Myra Canyon

If you're only in town for a couple of days, don't fight the heat and don't fight the crowds just to check every box and feel like you saw everything.

 Walk the waterfront in the morning, save the water and the beaches for the middle of the day, and push anything with elevation or a view toward evening. That's when this whole valley looks its best anyway.

And if you've got more time than that, get out of the city. Peachland, Summerland, and Vernon are all close enough to do as day trips, and the Rail Trail ride up to Vernon might be the single best thing on this entire list. Kelowna is a great home base, but the rest of the Okanagan has a lot to offer as well.

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