With a weekend full of sunshine headed our way, and with the extreme fire risk across the province, it’s time to take a break from backcountry activities and hit the beach instead!
There’s nothing better than spending a lazy afternoon cooling off in the water, catching up with friends or getting into a good book. If you’re still looking to get some exercise in, pack your goggles and go for a swim, or try out a stand-up paddleboard, kayak or some beach volleyball.
Now is the time to make the most of the stunning lakes that surround us in every direction, and maybe check out a spot you’ve never been before! Here are 10 of our favourite beaches within a couple hours of Kelowna.
Located in the downtown core within City Park, this beach is a Kelowna staple for locals and tourists alike. There is always something going on, with plenty of sun, sand and delicious food to go around. So, pack up the kids and the floaties and head downtown for a day at the beach.
Another one of Kelowna’s most well-known and popular beaches, there’s a reason Boyce-Gyro Beach is a hot spot in the summertime. Located on Lakeshore just past Mission Park shopping centre, there’s tons of parking and it's well shaded if you want to escape the sun for a bit. Gyro Beach Watersports offers a variety of water toy rentals including paddle boats, SUPs, canoes and kayaks and there’s a large playground to keep the kids busy!
The perfect place for a picnic, Bertram Creek Regional Park is found off of Lakeshore Road, just past Summerhill Winery. There are a number of picnic tables, a large pavilion that can be used for events and a beautiful swimming area.
A short form of “Sunny Okanagan,” Sun-Oka lives up to its name as one of the beautiful beaches in the area with water toy rentals, snorkeling opportunities, swimming, picnic areas and a playground.
Osoyoos Lake is infamously known as the “warmest lake in Canada,” so it may not be as refreshing, but it is a great place to spend the day. Conveniently located right downtown, both Gyro Beach and Lions Park Beach are great places to catch some sun, head out for a swim or go for a stroll along the lakeshore.
Skaha Beach has everything you could want from a day at the beach with a water park, playgrounds, sand volleyball courts, basketball and tennis courts, a paved pavillion, picnic areas and a boat launch. Located at Skaha Lake Road and Parkview Street, spend the day in the refreshing waters of Skaha Lake.
Located on the southern end of Kalamalka Lake, this unique peninsula is worth a visit. With a swimming area, a playground and picnic areas, it’s the perfect place for a dinner at the beach. Take the Pelmewash Parkway exit along Highway 97 in Lake Country then a right on Oyama Road, followed by a left onto Trask which you will follow to the end.
Kal Beach is a stunning long sandy beach located on the north shore of the beautiful Kalamalka Lake in Vernon. With a large marked swimming area, two swimming docks, a wharf, beach volleyball courts, a concession and Kalavida Surf Shop right next to the beach, there’s no chance you’ll run out of things to do.
Known to locals as “Waterwheel Park”, this beautiful sandy point is on a wide bend of the slow running Enderby River. Perfect for building sandcastles or floating from one end of the beach to the other, it’s the perfect road trip destination.
Nestled along the shores of the Shuswap Lake, Canoe Beach offers a large swimming area, both grass and sand picnic areas, a beach volleyball court, wharf and a beautiful view of Bastion Mountain. The Park Hill Trail system has an entry point just across from the main parking lot, so you can go for a short hike before cooling off in the refreshing water.
Which is your favourite beach spot to spend a lazy summer afternoon?
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