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Thompson Okanagan Things To Do

 
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Vancouver 2010 - British Columbia - Host Province
Photos
> top left: Okanagan Cultural Corridor photo
> top right: Fossil dig near Savona, Tom Ryan photo

Science & Nature

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Witness the wonders of nature.

Fossil dig near Savona
Fossil dig near Savona, Tom Ryan photo
When it comes to natural wonders, the Thompson Okanagan has more than its fair share: rich mineral deposits, wildly varied landscapes and abundant wildlife. The whole family can prospect for quartz, fluorite and barite on Rock Candy Mountain, then head north to Vernon to learn about the natural world in the Allan Brooks Nature Centre and the Okanagan Science Centre. BC Wildlife Park is the place to view wildlife in large numbers. It's home to 65 species, including many endangered ones from BC.

 



Rock Candy Mountain

Rock Candy Mountain in Grand Forks offers family-friendly mineral prospecting outings at the site of an abandoned, early 20th-century mine. In the company of an experienced guide, you can collect and keep sparkly quartz geodes, green and purple fluorite crystals and yellow barite crystals.

A variety of tours are offered, including one that focuses on finding glow-in-the-dark minerals after sunset.



Allan Brooks Nature Centre

A visit to the Allan Brooks Nature Centre will improve your knowledge and awareness of the Northern Okanagan’s natural environment. Situated on a grassland knoll at the convergence of the Okanagan and Coldstream Valleys in Vernon, the centre is a wonderful vantage point for appreciating the exceptional ecological diversity of the area: the countryside within view supports no less than five ecosystems!



Okanagan Science Centre

Located in Vernon, the Okanagan Science Centre makes science exciting and fun for the whole family.  Permanent exhibits include: a window-mounted solar display that converts sunshine to electricity all day long; the Discovery Room, a hands-on laboratory where you can conduct various experiments under expert supervision; the Air Quality Monitoring Station; and the NORAC Radio Room.



BC Wildlife Park

At BC Wildlife Park, you can view 65 local and endangered wildlife species, from grizzlies to cougars and rare burrowing owls. The indoor facilities include the Discovery Centre and Eco-Discovery Gallery. Some offerings are seasonal but at all times of the year, you’ll find naturalists and other knowledgeable staff on hand to answer your questions.

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