It’s hard to beat a summer pub crawl.
With a small and busy downtown core, it’s easy to try a number of different watering holes on foot.
In downtown Kelowna, there are at least 20 great spots to grab a cold drink and maybe even some food, but even the biggest drinker would have trouble hitting all the hot spots in one day.
It’s best to go at a leisurely pace, strolling to a handful of places and enjoying your time.
There are many ways to go about a downtown Kelowna pub crawl, but here’s a route that we think offers you a wide range of different drinks at some of our favourite downtown bars.
1. Tree Brewing
Suggested drink: Pint of Hophead IPA
Start with a nice pint of beer at Tree Brewing. With a number of things on tap and some great snack options, Tree is the perfect, central place to start any downtown Kelowna pub crawl. We’d suggest a pint of their signature Hophead IPA, but Tree has a number of beers and even a couple of ciders on tap.
2. Rose’s Waterfront Pub
Suggested drink: Double long island iced tea
Just a stone’s throw from Tree Brewing, you’ll find one of Kelowna’s best-known pubs. Rose’s offers up a great patio and a chance to shoot some pool if you’d like. The pub isn’t necessarily known for a signature drink, but their long island iced teas are always popular.
3. Central Kitchen & Bar
Suggested drink: Central Caesar
After Rose’s, take a nice walk along the boardwalk through Waterfront Park, out past The Dolphins Fountain, take a left on Ellis Street and look for the giant white dome. Once there, sneak into Central Kitchen & Bar for one of their delicious caesars! If you’re still craving iced tea from the last spot, Central has a wonderful peach iced tea drink called the Mr. Tea. Plus they've got some pretty epic burgers, if you're hungry...
4. Red Bird, Kettle River or Vice & Virtue
Suggested drink: A pint of beer or cider
There are three breweries that have popped up in north Kelowna over the last year and a bit, and while it's a bit outside of what most would consider downtown, they're all worth going out of your way. It might be a little much to visit all three on this lengthy pub crawl, but pick one of them and grab a cold pint of craft beer or even B.C. cider! If you're looking to sit outside, you'll need to pick Kettle River or Red Bird, since Vice & Virtue doesn't feature a patio.
5. BNA Brewing Co. & Eatery
Suggested drink: A glass of Okanagan wine
After trying out one of those three breweries, head back towards downtown to Ellis Street between Cawston and Coronation Avenues. There you’ll find yourself outside of one of Kelowna’s most popular bars, BNA Brewing Co. There’s lots to try at BNA, including their house brewed beers, but on this pub crawl, it may be a good spot to try a glass of Okanagan wine, which they have plenty of. You could even get a little active with their new bowling lanes or by throwing some bocce balls around!
6. The Curious Cafe*
Suggested drink: A flight of beer
Once you’re done at BNA, continue your trek southbound on Ellis Street until you hit the Curious Cafe on the east side of the street. One of downtown’s hidden gems, the Curious offers a long beer list with lots of variety and interesting choices. This is a great spot to try a few different beers by ordering a flight!
*The Curious Cafe remains closed due to a springtime flood, but should reopen in the near future!
7. Fernando’s Pub
Suggested drink: No. 34 Margarita
There are a couple routes you could take to Fernando’s Pub, but the easiest is to continue south on Ellis Street until Bernard Avenue and then walk towards the water. There’s plenty of options on the Fernando’s menu, including numerous seven dollar Mexican dishes, but the drink you want here is their famous No. 34 margarita. With tequila, triple sec, lime, avocado and cilantro, the No. 34 is a Kelowna favourite, especially on a hot day.
8. Earl’s On Top
Suggested drink: Frozen Pink Lemonade
Once you’re done at Fernando’s, head down to the water, up a couple of flights of stairs and onto Earl’s rooftop patio. It’s one of the best patios to enjoy a cold drink, on a hot day, while taking in the beautiful views of the lake. Their frozen pink lemonade is a great drink option from Earl’s, although they also have a great caesar if you’re leaning in that direction.
9. Kelly O’Bryans
Suggested drink: One of their many many cocktails
The next stop on the pub crawl is only a few steps away from Earl’s On Top and they’ve got a rooftop patio that rivals the one at Earl’s. Kelly O’Bryan's has the biggest cocktail list in the city, so as you potentially enjoy some of their famous Pachos, pick a cocktail that might fit your taste buds and enjoy it in the sun!
10. CRAFT Beer Market
Suggested drink: One of their 100+ drinks on tap
Finish up your pub crawl at one of Kelowna's newest establishments, the CRAFT Beer Market. Be warned, however, you'll likely spend 20 minutes staring at the menu trying to pick just one of the 100+ drinks on tap to try. It's not just beer either, as you can also get delicious cider and even wine on tap at CRAFT, so there's plenty to choose from!
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