"Kelowna, in the sunny Okanagan Valley " a Kelowna Travel Page by Darby2

Located about halfway along the 150 km long Okanagan Lake, the city of Kelowna is a modern metropolis of 100,000 people. The area is surrounded by lush orchards and vineyards which produce some of the worlds greatest wines.

The climate is warm and sunny, much like that of the Mediterranean. Rainfall averages less than 15 inches per year. Winters are mild with enough snow to provide skiing in the nearby hills. The other draw to Kelowna is its tourisim and convention facilities

Blessed with a warm, dry climate the Okanagan Valley has long been known for its lush orchards producing some of the finest tree fruits in the country.

Little did we realize the potential of this area as a prime grape-growing region...only in the last 20 years has it began to reval its true calling.

Here is a list of the current wine producers in the Okanagan:

Adora Estate Winery
6807 Hwy 97
Summerland, B.C. V0H 1Z0

Arrowleaf Cellars
1574 Camp Road
Lake Country, B.C.

Benchland Vineyards
170 Upper Bench Road
Penticton, B.C.

Black Hills Estate Winery
30880 Black Sage Road
Oliver, B.C.

Blasted Church Vineyards
378 Parson /road
Okanagan Falls, B.C.

Blossom Winery
5491 Minoru Blvd.
Richmond, B.C.

Burrowing Owl Vineyards
100 Burrowing Owl Place, Black Sage Road
Oliver, B.C.

Calona Vineyards
1125 Richter Street,
Kelowna, B.C.

Carriage House Wines
32764 Black Sage Road,
Oliver, B.C.

Cedar Creek Estate Winery
5445 Lakeshore Road,
Kelowna, B.C.

.....more to follow!!!

Here's a continuation of the list of wineries and a link to the Wine Harvest Festival

This year's festival begins the week of Sept. 29-Oct. 1 It's the only wine festival in North America that happens during the grape harvest

The Okanagan floating bridge in the background was installed in 1958. Prior to that, a ferry crossed the lake from Westbank. The area has beautiful sandy beaches and parks for swimming, strolling or girl watching.