Along Route 97, the North Okanagan is a mecca for outdoor adventurists—any time of year. Whether you choose to paddle on turquoise Kalamalka Lake or shred the slopes on SilverStar Mountain Resort near Vernon, you’ll be spoilt for choice in this outdoor playground.

The Central Okanagan is chock-a-block with beaches, orchards, mountains, and stunning views. Here, Route 97 runs through the entire region, connecting Lake Country all the way to Summerland, with stops in Kelowna and West Kelowna along the way.

In the South Okanagan, you’ll discover mountains, lakes, and Canada’s only semi-arid desert. With hot, sunny summers and delightfully mild winters, wineries and family-friendly spots abound in destinations like Penticton, Oliver, Okanagan Falls, and Osoyoos.

Here, Shuswap Lake provides some of the best houseboating in Canada. And while you’ll be tempted to play, eat, sleep, and repeat on these warm waters, charming destinations surrounded by thick pine forests and grasslands might lure you to the communities of Chase, Salmon Arm, and Sicamous.

This semi-arid region boasts grasslands, lakes, rivers, and hoodoos—thin rock spires formed over time by erosion. Here, hot summers make for fishing and mountain biking while cold blasts of winter prove ideal for skiers and snowboarders at Sun Peaks, near Kamloops.

This under-the-radar gem in the southwest is home to ranches, farmland, mountains, rivers, and loads of fruit stands. This is, after all, both the Fruit Stand Capital and the Organic Farming Capital of Canada, which you’ll discover (delectably) from Princeton all the way down to Cawston.