 Cycling Kettle Valley Rail Trail, Laurie Carter photo
Four-Season Recreation While city life in Penticton is moving uptown, there's no denying the lure of the great outdoors. With Okanagan Lake to the north and Skaha Lake to the south, beaches beckon sun-soakers and action seekers swim, boat and take advantage of excellent conditions for wind surfing and kite surfing. Beyond the fertile agricultural lands and clay bank benches that border the urban centre, the terrain rises steeply in pine studded ridges with spectacular rock outcroppings and granite bluffs to the Okanagan Highlands where high country lakes are filled with trout and campers can pitch a tent at forestry recreation sites. Backcountry roads and trails, including the KVR (Kettle Valley Railway) Trail and Three Blind Mice trails, hold endless possibilities for hikers and cyclists while the Skaha Bluffs attract rock climbers from around the world. Winter brings on the champagne powder for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing. Penticton is ideally situated as a base for country drives including a run to Vaseux Lake Provincial Park for outstanding bird watching and sightings of California bighorn sheep. Food and Wine  Fruit production, particularly soft fruits like peaches, has always been a driving force in Penticton's economy. Roadside stands, U-pick orchards and the Penticton Farmers' Market continue to be favourite stops for locals and visitors. Restaurants make a point of buying local produce, including the award-winning reds, whites, fruit wines and Icewines of the burgeoning Okanagan wine industry. Over 40 wineries are located within a 20-minute drive of Penticton, on the Naramata Bench, in Summerland and south of Skaha Lake around Okanagan Falls.
Comfortable Urban Design Penticton is graced by the leafy streets of a well-established city. Downtown and facing Okanagan Beach on Lakeshore Drive, large historic homes reflect the prosperity of Kettle Valley Railway executives, early doctors and even a bootlegger. Smaller original arts and crafts bungalows have been carefully maintained or recently restored. Since many people come to Penticton to retire in a city with a mild climate, walkability and a vibrant downtown, there are lots of tidy low-rise condo complexes. The whole profile is people friendly with full public access to both lakes. Even resort condos now joining the skyline are low profile and set across the street from the beach.
Where to Start Stop by the Penticton Visitor Centre, corner of Eckhardt Avenue and Highway 97, where friendly staff can offer information on things to do in Penticton, accommodation and dining recommendations, maps and brochures. For a great overview of Penticton, head to the top of Munson Mountain. The lookout in this accessible park provides the best view of the city, lakes, orchards, vineyards, highlands and mountain peaks beyond.
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