Vernon sits in a beautiful spot at the northern end of the Okanagan Valley. Highlights of the surrounding landscape include freshwater lakes; rich farmland; rolling, forested hills; and the Monashee Mountain Range.
There are many hiking trails, cycling paths, beaches and golf courses within easy reach of the city. One local course, Predator Ridge, has been ranked among the top three courses in the country. Other nearby courses include Spallumcheen, York, Hillview and the Vernon Golf & Country Club. Other popular outdoor pursuits include rock climbing at Cougar Canyon, sky diving at the Vernon Airport as well as parasailing and diving at Okanagan Lake.
Vernon is the oldest city in the Okanagan, so it's got plenty of handsome heritage buildings to admire. The Court House was constructed in 1914 using granite from a quarry near Okanagan Lake. Camp Vernon will celebrate its Centennial as an army training camp in 2008, while a few of the many heritage homes in the East Hill neighbourhood were constructed in as early as 1891.
Don't pass up a chance to explore Vernon's fascinating heritage. The Greater Vernon Museum and Archives is a good place to start, as it contains a wealth of information about the area's natural and human history, from prehistoric times to the present day.
At the north end of the city you'll find the O'Keefe Ranch, which was one of the largest cattle ranches in BC in its heyday. Its buildings have been carefully restored and are among the oldest in the Vernon area. The city also has several art galleries that showcase the work of local artists. The largest of these is the Vernon Art Gallery.
Vernon has many terrific attractions that will appeal to every member of your family. Davison Orchards is a wonderful place to tour, pick fruit and flowers, have lunch or attend events that include Art in the Orchard, Apple Fest, Canada Day Gospel Music and the Family Pumpkin Festival. You can tour Planet Bee, the largest honeybee observatory in Western Canada, take a day trip to dig for Okanagan wildfire opal, mix fun and learning at the Science Centre or spend an afternoon sluicing through waterslides.
There are many ways to be entertained in Vernon. If you're a sports fan, you can attend celebrity golf, soccer, ultimate Frisbee and slo-pitch tournaments in summer and Vernon Vipers (Junior "A") hockey games in winter. If you love to shop there are more than 150 stores in the city's downtown core and 65 stores in the Village Green Mall. There is also a selection of big box stores at the north end of the city. Evenings in Vernon are never dull, with live theatre (Performing Arts Centre), live jazz (Vernon Jazz Club) and art films.
Vernon has a well-deserved reputation as a city of serene, natural beauty. Polson Park, located in the heart of the city, has large shade trees, a rose garden, water park, playing fields and a fountain. The rookery, also in the city, is home to a large group of nesting great blue herons. There are three provincial parks near Vernon: Ellison, Kalamalka and Kekuli. The area's only underwater dive park is located in Ellison Provincial Park, which, along with Kekuli Provincial Park, allows overnight camping. All three parks have well-marked hiking trails, while Ellison and Kalamalka Lakes lay claim to beautiful beaches.
Visit the Allan Brooks Nature Centre for information, displays and programs that will improve your knowledge and awareness of the Northern Okanagan's natural environment. Situated on a grassland knoll at the confluence of the Okanagan and Coldstream Valleys, 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! A walking trail around the centre provides a first-hand look at indigenous plants and wildlife. It's also a perfect picnic setting.
Vernon overlooks three lakes. All of them have pristine, sandy beaches, so there is no shortage of exquisite settings for a little escape from it all. Kalamalka Lake is particularly beautiful because of its unusual turquoise hue. Its three main beaches are Cosens Bay, Jade and Juniper Bay. While there are many wonderful beaches around Okanagan Lake, Paddlewheel and Kin Beaches are closest to the city. For those looking to indulge in a spa experience, a number of businesses in the city offer spa services. There is also a full-service luxury resort and spa in a neighbouring village.
Water-oriented recreation is very popular with both locals and visitors in Vernon. The main beach at Kalamalka Lake, in the southwest, is well equipped with a swimming pier, beach volleyball courts as well as kayak and boat rentals. Okanagan Lake, to the west, boasts the only underwater dive park in the area and is also a popular spot for scanning the water for signs of the legendary lake monster, Ogopogo. Kin Beach and Paddlewheel Park, also on Okanagan Lake, feature grassy, shaded picnic areas and playgrounds. Cruise Okanagan offers licensed cruises of Okanagan Lake. Houseboating is popular in Vernon, where you can rent everything you need for a floating vacation on Kalamalka, Okanagan or Mabel Lakes. Finally, if you like to fish, there are many smaller lakes in the area to choose among.
Winter is something to look forward to in Vernon. The annual winter carnival, one of the largest in Canada, includes a parade, an ice sculpture competition as well as many other fun, family-oriented activities. Sovereign Lakes Nordic Centre, which hosted the World Cup in 2005, features 50 km (31 mi) of groomed ski trails.
Silver Star Mountain has a charming, Victorian-styled, pedestrian-only village with ski-in, ski-out access from every doorstep. It also offers guided snowmobile tours, helicopter shuttle service to the Big White ski hill, horse-drawn sleigh rides, skating, dogsledding and snowshoeing. The ski season runs from mid-November to mid-April.