March 19, 2008 | Tips from Us >
Osoyoos, Museums
View a larger image on flickr.com
My colleague and I had an extra hour before our meetings in Osoyoos began and the road signs pointing us to the Osoyoos Desert Model Railroad were so darn easy to follow, we thought, "what the heck, lets go check it out". Off we went. This attraction is a 5 minute drive from the Osoyoos Visitor Centre, tucked in behind an array of industrial buildings. From the outside, it appears to be a large shed, and truthfully, our expectations were modest. But what a surprise we got once we made our way through the giftshop, up a set of stairs and through a set of double doors! While there most certainly is a model railroad incorporated into this miniature village, it is so much more....3000 feet more including 8000 little painted people (painted by members of the family that operate the attraction), a working Ferris wheel, a ski hill complete with an operational gondola system, Euopean style houses and buildings, lakes, rivers, waterfalls, running cars, even a brothel! In fact, the model railroad, impressive as it is, was a secondary experience to just trying to take in all the detail of the village.
While we were there, a man in his twenties asked the owner if he could take his picture because "visiting this place was in the top 5 highlights of his life". My colleague and I planned to spend about 30 minutes...we could have stayed most of a day. At a modest $6 entrance fee ($4 for children) this is a must-see while in Osoyoos. You can even buy some of the little painted people and start your own village at home! The Gift Shop is well supplied with unique stuff including some great kids toys; the attraction is wheelchair accessible, easy to find, well maintained and well cared for. I will be back.