Kelowna walking tour & city guide

Downtown and the waterfront

Downtown Kelowna runs right down to the lake. City Park has a long beach, and a waterfront boardwalk leads north past the marina and the Sails, a large white sculpture that has become the city's symbol. Bernard Avenue, the main street, is lined with shops, restaurants and patios.

The Cultural District nearby has galleries, the Kelowna Art Gallery and the Okanagan Wine and Orchard Museum.

Wineries and the countryside

Wineries line the slopes on both sides of the lake, especially in West Kelowna and the Lakeshore Road area, many with tasting rooms and terraces with lake views. In autumn, the harvest and wine festivals draw big crowds. Myra Canyon, in the hills above the city, has a historic railway trail with wooden trestle bridges over a deep canyon.

A classic waterfront walk

Start at City Park and walk north along the waterfront boardwalk past Kerry Park and the Sails sculpture, then on through the marina to Waterfront Park, with its lagoon and sandy beach. Walk back through Bernard Avenue to see downtown.

For a second walk, head south to Pandosy Village and Gyro Beach, a lively stretch of shops and sand. The waterfront walk is about 4 kilometers.

Visiting tips

July and August are hot and busy; late spring and early autumn are calmer and good for wine tasting. Kelowna is about four hours east of Vancouver. In summer, wildfire smoke can sometimes affect the valley.