Oliver (population 4,370) is a small agricultural community known as the "Wine Capital of Canada."
This unique town is actually the result of a government plan following the First World War to irrigate the semi-arid South Okanagan and turn it into a viable fruit-growing region.
The plan worked and the orchards remain, but today, vineyards climb the dry hillsides and people throng to the area to visit its wineries. Restaurants and accommodations are catching up to the tastes of the new wine tourists, who are also interested in Oliver's arts scene.
The area's natural attractions continue to draw people for bird watching, water activities, hiking, mountain biking, golf and winter activities.
Wine & Food
Fruit production has always been a driving force in Oliver's economy. Roadside stands, u-pick orchards and the Oliver Country Market continue to be favourite stops for locals and visitors. But the main attractions are now the award-winning reds, whites, fruit wines and Icewines of the burgeoning Okanagan wine industry.
More than two dozen wineries are located within a 20-minute drive of Oliver, on the Golden Mile, Black Sage Bench, in Osoyoos and the Corkscrew Drive of Okanagan Falls. Oliver is ideally situated for country drives through Okanagan wine country.
Outdoor Activities
In Oliver there's no denying the lure of the outdoors. With Vaseux Lake to the north and Tuc-el-Nuit Lake right in town, beaches attract sun-soakers and the no-powerboat lakes are ideal for canoeing, kayaking and fishing. Beyond the fertile agricultural lands of the valley floor and benches that border the town centre, the terrain rises steeply in dry grasslands and pine studded ridges with spectacular rock outcroppings and granite bluffs. In the highlands small lakes are filled with trout and campers can pitch a tent at forestry recreation sites.
Oliver's Backcountry
Backcountry roads and trails such as the Golden Mile Trail, hold endless possibilities for hiking and cycling. Oliver also makes an ideal base for country drives, including a run to Vaseux Lake Provincial Park for outstanding bird watching and sightings of California bighorn sheep. Winter brings on the champagne powder for downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snowshoeing on Mount Baldy.
Historic Walking Tour
The town of Oliver has a relatively short history, beginning with the sale of the first agricultural lot under the Southern Okanagan Lands Project in 1921. A walking tour of its historic buildings includes the street where project administrators and engineers built their homes while numerous whimsical bungalows sport turrets and crenellated roofs.
Oliver boasts several beautifully preserved Streamline Moderne buildings including the Oliver Theatre and the high school, while the Oliver Museum occupies the well-preserved British Columbia Provincial Police detachment and the Visitor Centre is located in the Prairie School CPR railway station.
Where to Start
Stop by the Oliver Visitor Centre (6431 Station Street) where the friendly staff offers information on things to do in Oliver, accommodation and dining recommendations, maps and brochures.
Read Less