The Best of Penticton and Surrounding Area (Okanagan Valley)                      Penticton, B.C., Canada I.   INFORMATION Penticton is 250 miles east of Vancouver, B.C. in the Okanagan Valley. This area has long been a tourist destination because of its large beautiful lakes, and warm summer temperatures.  The area is becoming famous for wine production. In 1993, Mission Hills Chardonnay won the prize for the best chardonnay in the world! There are many excellent skiing hills in the winter, also. The main city is Kelowna, with a population of around 100,000. Penticton is 30 miles south of Kelowna, and has a population of about 35,000. II.  ACCOMODATION The Lakeside Resort: nicest hotel in the Okanagan. Be sure to ask for a room facing the lake. The restaurant is up & down in quality. Excellent for breakfast Best Western Telstar: Reasonable motel. Close to Skaha beach and waterslides. Restaurant is the pits. Pilgrim House: soon to be part of the Ramada chain. The Queen of England stayed here in 1972. Ponderosa Point Cottages: deluxe waterfront resort with private beach in Kaleden. You must reserve months in advance but it is worth it. Sandy Beach Lodge: aging beach front resort in Naramata. Very nice location. III. RESTAURANTS    A.   Penticton The Country Squire: best restaurant in the Valley. In an old house in Naramata. Effusive host, huge wine list, and superb food. Fixed price menu ($32.00/person - 1990) includes 5 courses. On our last visit, we had shrimp mouselline, mulligatawny soup, entree (beef wellington, tiger prawns, lamb, veal, arctic char), cheese & fruit, dessert (Bosc pear). Granny Bogner's: a favourite of ours for years. My wife's brother Spike starting cooking here but has since moved on. Quality is consistent. Try the Oma's salad. Tumbleweed Grill has excellent Southwester cuisine. Salty's has great atmosphere. Good fish. White Spot - for White Spot food. Front Street Pasta is excellent. Earl's on Main St. is good. 1912 Restaurant - in Kaleden. Great location near the beach. Good food. Rainbow Delights - has great sandwiches Theo's: excellent Greek restaurant, great atmosphere. Spiro's Cubby Hole: excellent Greek food Three Mile House: excellent continental cuisine with lots of nice touches like complimentary crudite including an apple carved into a turkey. Lakeside Hotel: we like going there for breakfast. They have a huge buffet on the weekends. Pizza: Mykonos is best in town; they do great take-out (when we don't feel like cooking, their Chicken Souvlaki is great, and comes with salad and garlic bread) Over the Top Pizza Stop has good pizza. Chinese Laundry has fairly good Chinese food Peggy Sues - great place for kids; they seem to love the 50's _style_ attempt at atmosphere, especially the car right in the dining room. Food is just barely edible - frozen vegetables, frozen chicken cordon bleu. Street vendors: on the corner of Main & Nanaimo. Great french fries. Outlooks: on Lakeshore Drive, with great view of lake. Food is not startling, but worth it for location. They serve breakfast all day. Restaurants we avoid: Capuccino's, Edwards.    B.   Summerland The Stone House: very good continental food, with good selection of interesting veal and chicken dishes, as well as superb Chateaubriand, and an Okanagan shish kebab special that could be a meal for 4. Tudor Towne Tea Room & Bistro (13222 Kelly) - English _style_ tea house opened in 1993. Good for lunch.    C.   Peachland Gasthaus has superb, consisten German food. Beautiful lakefront location. Chinese Laundry - the original location. Eddie Haymour's Castle: Lebanese Feast for $35.00/person. is very good. Haymour is famous for trying to develop an Arabian Resort on Rattlesnake Island but the government did not give him the go ahead. Haymour made bomb threats at the Canadian embassy in Lebanon, and eventually wound up in the Forensic Psychiatric Institute for a while. He seems to be doing better now! When we were there, he was very intrusive as a host - not a laid back evening! Has recently changed management (1994), and haven't heard any reports.    D.   Kelowna Williams Inn La Bussola Guisachan House for lunch. El Dorado - right on the lake. The Keg. Safari place - interesting cuisine, live entertainment. IV.  PUBS The Lounge at the Lakeside: Great place to sit out on the patio in the summer, after a walk along the beach. Terrible lounge acts, and Karaoke will be inflicted on you from time to time. Shaughnessy's Cove: in Lower Summerland. Great view, good food. This is the best spot to go in the summer time. They have a wharf out front if you come by boat. Barley Mill: good atmosphere for a neighborhood pub. Camp Creek Station: Naramata. Nothing too startling but better than most of the dives in town. The tourists don't know about this one. Ye Olde Welcome Inn: at Gallagher Lake near Oliver. English _style_ pub (needless to say). The Tin Whistle Brewing Company, on Eckhardt Ave., near the Penticton Golf and Country Club will be opening in July 1995. See information under wineries/breweries. V.   SHOPPING Rainbow Bakery, at the Plaza on Main St. is the best in town. Their Chipmunk bread is great. The Fish store in the Apple Plaza on Main St. has excellent fish, and their sushi is pretty good, for basic type sushi. Thyme etc. - gourmet food in a deli. They do once monthly gourmet and wine feasts. Superb food. Front Street - quaint shopping area. Start at Hog's Breath Capuccino on the corner, and check out Dragon's Den, Tumbleweed Gallery, etc. Bike Barn - on of the best bike shops in the world (run by our friends, Chris, John, Jack, and Jenny Prowse) Ray's Sports Den - serious gear, especially for mountain climbers, hikers, skiers Groceries - we usually use Safeway in Peach Tree Mall, Overwaitea at Cherry Lane, or IGA on Government. Penticton Whole Food Emporium, 1515 Main St. - natural food store with a fairly good selection. Books and Things - 200 block Main St.. Great selection of used books. Musick on Main - sheet music store Check out Summerland's main street - done in Tudor _style_ ; have a look at the Glenfire School which is on Main St. as well. The Pie Lady , Jude Fenwick-Wilson, 609 Vedette, off of West Bench Drive. Head out of town towards Kelowna, and turn left just after the bridge at the north entrance to Penticton. Look for her sign on the bank just at the turn. Wonderful fruit pies. Her husband delivers left over pies to the campgrounds after 4 pm each day in the summer. Phone 492-5391. VI.  FRUIT    A.   Fruit Stands Packing House: they always have cold storage apples, and other fruit when in season. Good prices. Bear's: in Keremeos. Robertson's stand in Summerland, at the top of Summerland hill, on Hwy 97 to Kelowna. They consistently have the best fruit. Apple Annies or Fruits & Roots on Hwy 97 south of Penticton near the Game Farm. Check out the Pie Lady (Jude Fenwick-Wilson) on the West Bench.    B.   Approximate Ripening Times: Cherries - July 1 to 25 Apricots - July 20 to Aug 6 Peaches - Aug 5 to Sep 4 Apples - Sep 5 on VII. DRIVES    A.   Naramata Rd Continue through the Naramata Rd. north to the Chute Lake road to Glenfir (no sign, just a few houses). On your right, the old Kettle Valley Railroad right of way almost meets the Chute Lake Road. You can drive up the railbed to the Rock Ovens Regional Park. There are also some tunnels. Further up the Chute Lake road is the Okanagan Mountain Park.    B.   Green Lake Rd Head south on Hwy 97 towards Okanagan Falls. Just before you cross the bridge into OK Falls at the bottom of the hill, turn right. There is a sign directing you to a provincial campsite. Continue past the campsite and the road goes by the Lecomte winery. This road eventually comes out in Oliver where you can continue driving south to the Gehringer winery.    C.   Summerland Drive north on Hwy 97 to Trout Creek and turn left up to the Summerland Agricultural Research station. Nice grounds. They also have tours. Sun-Oka beach in Trout Creek is very nice.    D.   Backroads See book on Okanagan Backroads by Norman Shewchuk. Consider the back road to Princeton, etc.    E.   Similkameen Check out Castle Park in Princeton - a deserted stone factory. VIII.     WINERIES AND BREWERIES Lang Farm Winery: on Naramata Road, 4-5 miles north of Penticton. Hillside Cellars on the Naramata Road, just before 3-Mile House. One of the best of the Estate Wineries. Gehringer Brothers: in Oliver. Our favourite for German wines. Try the Pinot Auxerois, or Ehrenfelser. Divino: just across from Gehringer. Sumac Ridge: in Summerland. Tin Whistle Brewing Company - on Echkardt Ave, near the Penticton Golf and Country Club. Opened by Lynda and Lawrie Lock, who also operate the Castle Rock B&B. They offer tours and tasting 7 days/week. They will focus on english type ales, and they will be 100% natural. IX.  ACTIVITIES    A.   Beaches Three Mile Beach off of the Naramata Road is where the locals go to get away from the crowds. Manito beach in Naramata is also less crowded and cleaner than the Penticton beaches.    B.   Horseback Riding Wild Rose Stables, 5 miles north of Penticton on Naramata Road. Breakfast rides at 8:30 with an hour ride followed by a country breakfast. Also, one and two hour rides through the old Kettle Valley Railway Line. They have a B&B    C.   Windsurfing, Sailing Roli's Windsurfing rentals on Okanagan Lake and Skaha Marina    D.   Okanagan Game Farm Great for kids. Bring your own picnic - food concession is lousy.    E.   Bike Rental Ride down the Channel Parkway Bike path. Other great rides are down the Kettle Valley RR right of way from Chute Lake, and the railway right of way to Summerland International Bicycling and Hiking Trail - see under South of Penticton    F.   Channel Float Coyote Cruises on Riverside Drive on Okanagan River    G.   Galleries & Museums Art Gallery of the South Okanagan Penticton Museum SS Sicamous    H.   Tennis Secret spot (almost always free). Mariposa Park, Westbench. Leave Penticton on Hwy 97 north to Kelowna. Cross the bridge over the river channel and take the first left. Cross over the bridge and go right. Then take the first  left (Vedette Dr.).    I.   Hiking Wiltse Flat Nature Park Munson's Mountain viewpoint Carmi Road: very hilly trails put in by Outdoors Club Okanagan Mountain Park: take Naramata Road to Chute Lake Rd. Channel Parkway Kiwanas Walk along Okanagan Lake Beach Esplanade - on Vancouver Hill Rock Ovens Regional Park Vaseux Lake Giant's Head Park, Summerland Cathedral Lakes Ashnola River Brent Mountain, Summerland Rails to Trails - Oliver to Osoyoos, West side of Vaseaux Lake    J.   Golf Pine Hills, Sage Mesa: very hilly course Twin Lakes, on Hwy 3 towards Keremeos, very scenic course Fairview - Oliver. Best course in the Okanagan. St. Andrew's, on White Lake Rd., shorter course    K.   Community Centre Pool public swim times, usually 2:00-4:00pm on weekends, 6:30- 8:00pm on Tuesday, Thursday, & Friday.. Check schedule for other times. Public skating at McLaren Park from 2:00-4:00pm and 7:30-9:00pm on weekends (no ice time for kids during weekdays). Register for other programs: arts & crafts, soccer, kindernastics/tumble bumble, theatre, basketball, imagination station, gymnastics, tennis, skating lessons, etc. Penticton youth soccer: register through community centre.    L.   Skiing Downhill ski lessons at Apex Alpine. Kindercats program is not as good - private lessons, plus daycare is a better option. All ages. Cross country lessons with the Nickel Plate Cross Country Ski Club's Jackrabbit Ski League . Lessons from Jan 10 to Feb 28 from 10:00am to 12:00 noon at Nickel Plate. For children age 8- 13.    M.   Leir House Cultural activities, and music lessons available.    N.   Summerland Agricultural Research Station Tours - 494-7711. 8am-4pm, Mon-Fri. Also has a museum. Gardens - our secret spot for picnics.    O.   Summerland Sweets Open 10am-3:30 pm Mon-Fri, in July & August    P.   White Lake Observatory Tours available. Radio-astronomy telescope. Just south of Penticton, on highway to Osoyoos.    Q.   Playgrounds There is an adventure playground at Skaha Lake park, at the east end. Take South Main St., and you will see it across from a small pond at the south end of the city. We also use the playground at Wiltse school, just below our house. Summerland city park has a good adventure type of playground.    R.   Rainy Day Activities Fancy That - Doll House Specialty Store.The only store of its kind - located in Okanagan Falls. Summerland museum is very good Butterfly world, Parrot Island - all at Westbank (Closed October to April) OK Amusement - indoor mini-golf Tour of the fruit leather factory in OK Falls (Okanaga Dried Fruits Summer hours 10am-5pm daily, 497-8051). Falls Hotel, OK Falls. Art gallery in lobby and restaurant. Leir House - check out activities Too Much Fun - indoor play centre in Kelowna, next door to Toys'R Us; great setup with tubes to expore, toddler's area, etc. Burger King - the only fast food place with an indoor play area in Penticton X.   PICNICS Pick up Kentucky Fried Chicken and drive north on Hwy 97 towards Summerland to Pyramids Picnic ground, Sunoka beach, or for a quiet spot go up to the top of the Summerland Research Station (picnic area, gardens, view of old railway bridge & scenic canyon) Peachland: Peachland Pizza (767-3255) or take out from Chinese Laundry (supposed to be best Chinese in the Valley) and eat on picnic tables across the street in a very nice beach front park (beautiful view of Squally point and up & down whole lake) XI.  PEACHLAND Pentowna - original lake ferry Museum - in the 8 sided church 1907 Log Cabin - Trepanier Beach Road, Peachland Hardy Falls - Antler's Beach Park. 1hour walking trail to falls, with 7 footbridges. 1km trail. Headwaters Lake - fishing camp and cabins XII. KELOWNA Old MacDonald's farm - in Westbank (Season's pass $24.95 before May 30, $29.95 after that (1990)) Flintstone's Bedrock City Malibu Grand Prix - 3/4 size of racing cars with 38hp engines Water Slides, tacky amusement park - Westbank Eldorado Arms: very nice waterfront hotel ($125/night) Guisachan Heritage Site - restored former house of Lieutenant Governor, beautiful grounds Sun-Rype Tours - Mon-Fri 9:30am-3pm (tours on the half hour), 1165 Ethel St., Kelowna. Wear closed shoes. Cafe Safari - Mission Park Shopping Centre, Lakeshore Rd.African and Mediterranean cuisine. Live entertainment. Children welcome . McCulloch Forest Tour - self guided vehicle tour. Father Pandosy Mission - Benvoulin Road Kasugai Gardens - behind City Hall Geert Maas Sculpture Gardens - Reynolds Road, by appointment (860- 7012) Knox Mountain Nature Park Laurel Building Fruit Industry Museum - Tue-Sat 10am-5pm (Summer), 10am-3pm (winter) Ellis St. Kettle Valley Railway, Myrna Canyon - hiking Fintry Queen: Paddlewheeler boat cruises - lunch cruises, dinner cruises. Sunday afternoon cruise 2-4pm. Evening cruise includes smorgasbord 5:30-8 pm $25. Evening dinner cruises Mon-Sat. Lunch cruise in summer 12-2 pm, 4 days per week. 763-2780. Lions Nature Park - in Rutland, along Mission creek. Scenic Canyon Regional Park (Gallaghers Canyon) Woodhaven Nature Conservancy Park - end of Raymer road in Okanagan Mission. Hiking trails, birdwatching. Appleberry Farm - 3192 Dunster Road. Old fashioned preserves, chocolate, tea. XIII.     VERNON AND THE NORTH OKANAGAN Train Ride- north of Armstrong on Hwy 97 Okanagan Bobslide - just north of Vernon. For children over age 5. The cars have brakes! Also, they have a concession specializing in European food. O'Keefe Ranch - well worth a visit if you are in the area. Restoration of one of the early settlements in the Okanagan. Open daily 9am-5pm May to Thanksgiving. 542-7868. Silver Star Ski Area - done in turn of century _style_. Indoor swimming pool, mountain bike riding, chairlift ride. Mile high descent tour from Silver Star summit to Vernon. Accomodation includes 1-2 bedroom kitchen suites (Kickwillie Inn 542-4548, or Lord Aberdeen Apartment Hotel 542-1992, Pinnacles (deluxe 2-4 bedroom suites plus roof top hot tubs) 542-4548) Pinaus Lake resort - Peruvian Paso Horse trail rides ($20 first hour, $15 additional hour; family of 4 $60 first hour, $50 additional hour); Pinaus Lake is just out of Falkland. Pinaus Lake cabins 1-2 bedrooms with full bathrooms in some. Propane heat for winter use. Armstrong Cheese Factory tours (546-3087) Mon, Thurs, & Sat are days they make cheese. Rogers Mill Armstrong - old historic buildings. Canoga Carriage Company - Armstrong (546-3824). Building and restoring horsedrawn carriages. The Olde Schoolhouse - Pleasant Valley Road, Armstrong. Teahouse. Caravan Farm Theatre - near Armstrong (546-8533) Winter Activities - Vernon Winter Carnival in February. Outdoor skating rinks at the Recreation Complex, and at Swan Lake. Sleigh rides at Howard House Industries on the Commonage. Hiking near Vernon - BX Falls off of Tillicum Road (on way to Silver Star). Easy trail with stairs. Enderby Cliffs. Ellison Provincial Park. Windmill House - Lavington. Tour of authentic windmill, afternoon teas. Call ahead (549-2804). Topaham Brown public art gallery, Vernon. Swan Lake Fruit stand - also has a rock shop. Cherryville - Old Cherryville, 37 miles east of Vernon has some of the best examples of Chinese workings and water canals. Tours of this historic ghost town are available at the Gold Panner Campground between April and October. Enderby - historic main street, Enderby cliffs XIV. SOUTH OF PENTICTON Oroville - Mexican Dinner: Don Ernesto's or Cricko's Keremeos - The Old Grist Mill, Red Bridge, Ashnola, Keremeos Columns. Vaseux Lake - Bird Sanctuary, Mountain Sheep Oliver - Jacques' Restaurant Oliver Heritage Museum - 106 West 6th St. International Bicycling and Hiking Trail: McAlpine Bridge to Fairview Rd (5km paved), Fairview Rd to Thorp Rd (2.9km paved), Thorp Rd to Road 9 (1.9km paved), Road 9 (Gehringer's road) to Osoyoos Lake (8.6km unpaved). Take Black Sage Road back to Oliver via the Burrowing Owl site and Haynes Historical site. Gallagher Lake Resort Ye Olde Welcome Inn (Gallagher Lake) Osoyoos - Pocket Desert on east side of Osoyoos Lake, and Osoyoos Lake Ecological Reserve. 7.5 km North of Osoyoos, turn east on Road 22. Travel about 1.5km until you pass some abandoned farm buildings. It is one of the most unusual geographical regions in the country - the northern tip of the American great Basin Desert. Take along Peterson's field guide. Windmill - Osoyoos. Guided tours, Dutch imports. Molson, WA - restored mining town, old buildings, schoolhouse museum (summer months only). East of Tonasket on way to Republic (I think). Featured on Seattle Northwest show. Wannacut Lake Resort - featured in Northwest Best Places. Make sure they are not having a bad year for wasps like they did in 1993! XV.  PRINCETON AREA Princeton Museum: Welby Stage coach, Granby mining car, lace collection (by appointment only). 10am-7pm (June 30-Aug 31) Old cement plant (Princeton Castle): B.C. Portland Cement Factory (1910) Drive to Tulameen, Coalmont, Granby (mining power plant). Caribou Brewing Company. XVI. ANNUAL EVENTS    A.   Victoria Day Long Weekend (May 24):      Falkland Rodeo      Knox Mountain Hill Climb, Kelowna (Car race)      May Day in Naramata (on Monday)    B.   Peach Festival In August, in Penticton.    C.   Interior Provincial Exhibition - Fall    D.   Naramata Fairs May Day fair, May 1 August 1 Summer fair    E.   Okanagan Summer School of the Arts July; many events and courses.    F.   Summerland Taste of Summerland - Labour Day Family Fair Christmas light up    G.   Kelowna Knox Mountain Hill Climb - May Geert Maas Open House - June Fat Cat Children's Festival - July Antique Boat Show, Eldorado Hotel - August Children's Tri-fest, City Park - August Home & Leisure Show - September Okanagan Fall & Home Show, Boardwalk - October First Night - New Year's Eve XVII.     WEEKEND GETAWAYS    A.   El Dorado Inn Kelowna. Very luxurious lakefront hotel, with excellent restaurant. Rates about $125.00 in the summer.    B.   Lake Okanagan Resort West Side Road Kelowna. They often have theme weekends, eg.wine tasting. Highly rated dining room, lots of activities (often looks crowded to me)    C.   Idabel Lake Resort, Kelowna    D.   Silver Star Resort, Vernon    E.   Gallagher Lake Resort Don't know anything about this one but location is appealing)    F.   Lake Chelan, Washington Washington's version of Penticton, about 3 hours south of here Worth a visit to do the boat trip to the end of the lake to part of the Cascades National Forest    G.   Coeur D'Alene Visitor's Bureau 208-664-0587 (800-CDA-4YOU) Silverwood Theme Park, May 23 (weekends only); June 13 (7 days/week) Lake cruises, floating boardwalk, gondola rides (Silver Mountain), Silver Mine tours, Railroad museum (Wallace), Factory outlet mall, Antique mall    H.   Grand Coulee Dam Chamber of Commers 509-633-3074 Laser show Memorial Day-July 31 10pm; August 9:30 pm; Sept 8:30 pm Tours of dam year round Indian cultural museum May - second weekend: Colorama rodeo, parade, carnival July 4th Festival: food fair, fireworks, arts & crafts, Indian Pow Wow    I.   Leavenworth, Washington Bavarian _style_ town, about 4-5 hours south of here, on the way to Seattle. Excellent spot for X-country skiing Michael Cooper This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it May 6, 1995