Penticton is ideally located as a base for touring the South Thompson Okanagan. Drive from the city centre between Okanagan and Skaha Lakes to the northeast for the Naramata Bench wineries. Head northwest to Summerland for farms and orchards, the KVR Steam Train and the wineries of Bottleneck Drive. Southward, explore the roadside fruit stands and wineries of Okanagan Falls, Oliver and Osoyoos, browse for collectibles and fine art, visit historic sites, have lunch in a garden or eavesdrop on the universe at the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory.
Skaha Lake Circle
This tour circles Skaha Lake via Okanagan Falls, 18.5km/11.5mi from Penticton at the southern tip of the lake, and Kaleden, midway up the west side. Follow Eastside Road hugging the shoreline between the lake and the mountainsides with bold rock outcroppings, cliffs, dry ponderosa pine forest and grassland. Watch for cyclists, this is a popular route. Blasted Church Winery is located about two-thirds of the way down the lake. To see the actual blasted church, continue to Okanagan Falls. The church is one of the town's historic sites, moved from the mining town of Fairview in 1929. Dynamite charges were used to loosen the nails so the building could be disassembled for transport – hence the name.
Okanagan Falls, once home of stockyards where cattle were collected for shipment, first by steamer up the lake and later on the Kettle Valley Railway, is unusual for the number of buildings that were moved there. Fourteen of the homes in town were trucked from the Copper Mountain mine site in the 1950s while Bassett House, now part of the town's museum complex, was a 1906 catalogue mail order. Manufactured in Winnipeg, the pieces were transported by rail, sternwheeler and horse cart before being assembled in OK Falls.
Antique and collectibles buffs head for the shops on Highway 97 or visit on weekends when the Okanagan Falls Flea Market is in full swing. Wine lovers detour to any of the nine wineries on the Corkscrew Drive circuit. And everybody can do what locals do and stop for ice cream or Okanagan confections like chocolate covered cherries at Tickleberry's.
Pick up Highway 97 for the drive back to Penticton along the west shore of Okanagan Lake. Pull into the hamlet of Kaleden and tour the floral splendor of Linden Gardens. Buy lunch, snacks or organic coffee and make a picnic on the lawn or dine in the shade on the patio of the Frog City Café.
On the final leg of the trip, stop for produce at a roadside fruit stand.
This tour works well in either direction. Consider winery tasting hours and dining options to determine whether to start on the east or west side of Skaha Lake.
Green Lake Road/White Lake Road
This circle route can stand alone or add it to the Skaha Lake circle. From Okanagan Falls, drive 18.5km/11.5mi from Penticton at the foot of Skaha Lake, take Green Lake Road south. Wine lovers stop into Stags Hollow Winery and Vineyard and See Ya Later Ranch Winery. See Ya Later Ranch has the highest elevation vineyards in the Okanagan Valley, an unusual pet cemetery and a lot of controversy surrounding the origin of its name. Continue to the hamlet of Willowbrook for a look at the nature-themed art of John Salsnek in his Paw Prints Studio & Gallery, then turn north onto White Lake Road and head for an experience that is out of this world.
The Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory hosts an ultra-high-tech array of radio telescopes tuned to capture the sounds of the universe. The largest such observatory in Canada, this site is on the cutting edge of scientific research. Take the self-guided tour at the visitors centre weekdays year round. Guided tours are available on weekends during the summer. Completely boggled, follow White Lake Road to Kaleden and continue north to Penticton.
Ask at the Penticton Visitor Centre, corner of Eckhardt Road and Highway 97, for brochures on attractions, wineries and maps.