Blake Walsh

20 Best Things to Do in Penticton

  • Published 2020/06/28

A gem of the Okanagan region, Penticton is a city with breathtaking beauty and sweeping views. Perched in the Southern Interior of British Columbia, Canada is where the quaint and delightful town of Penticton is situated. Nestled between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake, Penticton is one of the only two cities in the world that is situated between two lakes. The city experiences hot and dry summers along with temperate winters. Penticton is best known for its beautiful lakeside beaches, stellar views, rolling hills, orchards, and many recreational activities. Aside from natural beauty and adventure, Penticton has a fantastic downtown area with the local farmers market, petite and charming eateries, amazing retail shops, and much more where you can spend a day like the locals. Penticton’s name is derived from the Okanagan language, and it translates to “a place to stay forever”. Once you visit this delightful town, you will want to stay in its glorious beauty of forever. Here are some of the best things to do in Penticton, Canada.

Make A Splash At Skaha Lake Park

Skaha Lake Park

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Skaha Lake Park is a 21-acre lakefront park that offers several recreational activities to the visitors. It is one of the most famous attractions in Penticton. Chatelaine magazine named the Skaha Lake Park one of the best beaches of Canda. The park has basketball courts, tennis courts, softball diamond, and beach volleyball courts that are available to everyone to use on a first-come, first-serve basis. You can also picnic in the designated picnic area on a beautiful day. There are concession stands nearby as well where you can grab a quick treat. This fantastic clean lake park is incredibly beautiful and offers sweeping views of the lake and scenery around it. Skaha Lake Park is a must if you’re in Penticton to spend a day alongside crystal clear water and white sandy beaches.

Hike, Walk, Cycle At Kettle Valley Rail Trail

Kettle Valley Rail Trail

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Kettle Valley Rail Trail is a multi-use recreational trail used for walking, cycling, hiking, and more. You can rent bicycles from the local rental place. The trail offers irreplaceable sweeping views of Penticton and Okanagan Lake. You must carry a camera or your phone with you to revisit the bewitching beauty of the scenery of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.

Go Back In Time At SS Sicamous Museum & Heritage Park

SS Sicamous Museum & Heritage Park

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Located on the south end of Penticton’s waterfront, SS Sicamous is the largest remaining steam sternwheeler from 1914. Now, it is beautifully restored, and the insides of the ship serve as a museum and a heritage park open for public. A visit to this place will take you back to the old days of grand and lush ship travel. You can take a guided tour of the estate and see the restored cabins, dining rooms, along with the rest of the ship. It also has a huge model train set up for all the train buffs to enjoy. The Sicamous is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm except on some Saturdays when the ship is hosting a wedding.

Buy Local Produce At Penticton Farmers’ Market

Penticton Farmers' Market

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Every Saturday morning, Penticton hosts a farmer’s market in Downtown Penticton in 100 block of Main Street. It is the best place to sample the wholesome local produce of Okanagan Valley, which is one of the eminent agricultural regions of Canada. The vendors in the market sell fresh and very inexpensive local fruits and vegetables along with delectable food, including homemade loaves of bread, preserves, and other mouth-watering treats. There is also a craft section where you can also buy flowers, hand made cosmetics, pottery, carvings, and so much more at the market. Everything at the Penticton Farmer’s Market is produced or grown locally. You can spend your Saturday morning just strolling down the main street and exploring the farmer’s market while interacting with locals of the area.

Ride The Historic Kettle Valley Railway

Kettle Valley Railway

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Located 20 minutes north of Penticton, Kettle Valley Railway played an essential role in the history of Okanagan region. The railway was completed in 1915 to regulate the operation of mining activities in Penticton. However, in 1989, it was abandoned due to lack of traffic to support the operation. It is now a heritage railway that operates excursion trains over the surviving part of the Kettle Valley Railway. It started in 1995. Young and old visitors can take the historic train journey and experience the beguiling vistas of the area on an hour and a half long train rides.

Enjoy Sweeping Views From Munson Mountain

Munson Mountain

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Munson Mountain can be seen from all over the town. It has excellent trails for hiking. It is famous for the renowned PENTICTON sign, which is almost like the iconic HOLLYWOOD sign. In 2016, Munson Mountain was recognized as one of Canada’s Historic Places. The Munson Mountain offers breathtakingly incredible views of Penticton, Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. The photos do not do justice to the spectacularly sweeping views from the mountain. You can spend your day hiking the mountain on a bright and sunny day best to enjoy the beautiful and peaceful surroundings of the mountain.

Adventure At Apex Mountain Resort

Apex Mountain Resort

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Apex Mountain Resort is a ski resort located just 22 miles away from Penticton in Hedley. It covers an area of 5000 hectares is a perfect destination in the winters without any crowd. You have to wait in lines for 2 minutes barely. The resort is a hidden local gem; only locals mostly know about this fantastic place. It caters to everyone, and so if you’re a beginner you don’t have to worry, Apex Mountain Resort has got you covered. You can attend skiing lessons to learn how to ski. The resort also provides accommodations where you can stay and enjoy the beautiful views of the white backdrop surrounding you. You can grab lunch or dinner as well at cafes or restaurants of the resort. Don’t forget to visit this adventurous place when you’re in Penticton in winters.

The Stunning Okanagan Lake

Okanagan Lake

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Okanagan Lake is located on the north end of Penticton. It also has clean beaches to enjoy the pure water of the lake or to tan in the golden sunshine. You can enjoy different recreational activities at the lake such as kayak, pedalboat, canoe, and much more. You can enjoy a simple walk at sunset to best enjoy the lake and its breathtaking beauty.

Where to Eat

Penticton restaurant

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Penticton has a fantastic food scene with numerous fabulous restaurants and cafes located throughout the town. The town offers a wide variety of cuisines and has something or the other for every palate. Most of the eateries are located in the downtown area and Lakeshore Drive West. The best eateries around the town are Front Street Brasserie, Polish Bistro, Il Vecchio’s, Brodo Kitchen and Catering, and Theo’s Restaurant. Don’t forget to grab a bucket of freshly made mini doughnuts at Our Little Donut Factory.

Where to Drink

Penticton has about 80 wineries, two distilleries, and five craft breweries. You can easily find a drink of your choice in this town. However, the city is famous for its wine, and some of the most famous wineries in the city are La Frenz, Red Rooster, Lake Breeze, Bench 1775, and Pentage Winery. You can grab beers at Bad Tattoo Brewing, Barley Mill, Cannery Brewing, and Tin Whistle Brewery.

Where to Stay

Penticton hotels

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The accommodation is not going to be the problem when you’re in the delightful city of Penticton. The city has a wide range of hotels, from budget to luxurious. Some of the most comfortable hotels in the town are- Hotel Penticton, Ascend Hotel Collection, Ramada by Wyndham Penticton Hotel & Suites, Penticton Lakeside Resort & Conference Centre, Days Inn by Wyndham Penticton Conference Centre, and many more. These hotels are conveniently located, offering sweeping views and provide many amenities to make your stay more comfortable.

Take A Stroll

Penticton walking

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Walking is one of the best ways to explore any city. Penticton is a small town which makes it ideal for exploring it on foot. You can stroll around the city to take in the scenic glory of the charming city and discover what the town has to offer while gazing at the magnificent architecture of the city. You can find the town’s little secrets that you wouldn’t have known if you were exploring the city in any other way like every other tourist.

Attend An Event

Penticton hosts several festivals throughout the year. There’s always one or the other festival going on in the city. The most famous festivals of Penticton are Peach Festival, Elvis Festival, and Jazz Festival.

Stop At The Penticton Museum

Penticton Museum is located in the Downtown area in the Main street and is a small museum showcasing the history of Penticton. The museum is very informative and interesting. The entry in the museum is by an honesty box donation. The museum has an incredible natural history collection. The temporary display is always changing; however, the permanent exhibition is all about Penticton and Okanagan Valley. The museum is worth visiting to spend some time gazing through the history of the delightful town.

Pay A Visit To Penticton Art Gallery

Penticton Art Gallery is a public art gallery located east of the Penticton Lakeside Resort downtown. It is a cultural hub of the town and displays some fantastic exhibitions by both established and upcoming contemporary artists. You can find some excellent local art displayed in the gallery. The curator of the gallery changes the displays very thoughtfully and tastefully every now and then. The gallery also has a gift shop where you can buy jewellery, pottery, stationery, and much more made by local artisans.

Spend Hours At The Book Shop

Located in Main Street, The Book Shop is a dream of every bibliophile. It is the largest used book stores in Canada. The Book Shop has an extensive collection of books, and you can find a book from almost any category imaginable from fiction to architecture. Aside from books, the iconic store also has a collection of nearly 20,000 videos and DVDs that you can rent. You can spend a good couple of hours here just rummaging through different titles and authors to find some remarkable reads and unexpected treasures. The staff is utterly helpful too; you tell them any title or any author, they’ll find what you’re looking for in the nooks and crannies of the store and present you the perfect book.

Have A Blast At LocoLanding Adventure Park

LocoLanding Adventure Park is a fun amusement park in Penticton with mini-golf, go-kart, rock climbing, spider mountain, and so much more. It is every little one’s dream to enjoy and have a blast at an amusement park like the LocoLanding Adventure Park. It was built in 1999 and has been every child’s favourite place Penticton. You can enjoy all the different activities by purchasing the ticket to an individual activity one at a time or by buying a day pass with which you can enjoy all the rides and activities for a whole day.

Float For Hours At Penticton River Channel

Also known as the Okanagan River Channel, Penticton River Channel is a human-made water channel. It was constructed to control the flooding from the two lakes of Penticton, Skaha Lake and Okanagan Lake. It is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. You can indulge in many recreational activities at this water channel, including swimming, snorkelling, paddling, and more. Although the most popular activity is just to float and relax on a tube and go with the current in the channel. You can rent the tubes and float in the 7 km river channel for 3-4 hours. There are shuttle services also available to take you back to the shore.

Penticton is a perfect destination to get away with loads of activities and things for you to explore while enjoying the sweeping views of lakes and mountains. What are you waiting for? Visit this magnificent picturesque town to experience the quintessential Canadian lifestyle. Do not forget to tell us your favourite thing from the list and make sure to do all these things when you visit Penticton.

Taste Artisan Wine at Ruby Blues Winery

The quirky, little artisan winery in the South Okanagan, Ruby Blues Winery, is open to everyone.

Their wines are made in vineyards located on the breathtakingly picturesque Naramata Bench, at which terroir lavishes the distinctive characteristics peculiar to their region.

Ruby Blues gained popularity with people to the Naramata Bench rapidly.

The atmosphere of a joyful winery with high-quality wine, fantastic rock and roll music in the vineyard, and a variety of local artisan items was a success right away.

If you prefer to keep wine at home or send gifts, you may get white wines, red wines, and their most recent releases.

Stay for the Weekend at Valley Star Motel

Valley Star Motel offers 17 rooms, each with a flat-screen TV, air conditioning, and a coffee/tea maker.

The Motel has free on-site parking, an outdoor pool, a garden view, and pleasant features like a bathtub, bath towels, and bath linens.

Visitors arriving at Valley Star Motel have a variety of surrounding eating options to pick from.

The Penticton Convention Centre is 15 minutes drive from Valley Star Motel.

You may also visit a winery, lake, beach, golf course, and other attractions nearby this lodging if you want to engage in outdoor activities to make your trip more delightful.

Appreciate the View from the Hillside Winery

A beautiful 65-seat dining space, a lower outdoor patio, and an upper open-air terrace with mesmerizing views of Okanagan Lake are all aspects of The Bistro.

Their main goal is to highlight hand-crafted wines made only from grapes cultivated in Naramata.

The Bistro at Hillside Winery’s menu has been expertly designed with an emphasis on small dishes so that our customers may enjoy a delightful sharing experience and a harmony of flavors.

Hillside wines have distinctive and alluring qualities that provide wine lovers the chance to take part in the discovery and growth of the Naramata Bench as a collection of serious terroirs.

The greatest adjectives to use to characterize their wines are distinctive, small-lot, and terroir-driven.

Grab Lunch with Friends at Lachi

Lachi is a bustling, low-lit cafe with lots of cooking going on.

There are many classic Indian favorites on the menu, including AAA beef and lamb, tender chicken, and recently caught fish.

To create Lachi’s incredible Indian cuisine, they use only the freshest ingredients that are acquired from local Okanagan sources.

You’ll definitely leave with a great Indian dining experience, which has been hailed as the best in the South Okanagan!

Come and indulge in traditional Indian cuisine!

Buy Wine at Painted Rock Estate Winery

John and Trish Skinner founded Painted Rock Estate Winery.

They thought the Okanagan Valley had tremendous, mainly immense potential.

At Painted Rock Estate Winery they are committed to making terroir-driven, ultra-premium Okanagan wines.

They create both single varietals and a distinctive Bordeaux mix that capture the extraordinary potential of both their vineyard and the Okanagan Valley.

At Painted Rock, they have a strong conviction that British Columbia wines can match with the best in the world.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Penticton boasts a sizable selection of local restaurants that serve both regional and foreign food, as well as a fair number of retail establishments.

The city boasts a ton of land- and water-based activities because it is surrounded by water on two sides and mountains studded with orchards on the other two.

With so many affordable, family-run accommodations, this place is perfect for families.

From leisure to an overnight stay, plan your weekend in Penticton.

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