Spring is a fantastic time to catch some warm, sunny weather before the summer rush in Osoyoos desert wine country. You will be able to tour the vineyards in peace and take the time to relax amid the beautiful valley views. Take a leisurely stroll on the many beautiful lakeshore walkways. Hike or bike in true solitude on a widespread system of trails. Tee off at one of the picturesque golf courses. Keep an eye out for rattle and bull snakes. You are in a desert!!
We started our journey by flying into Kelowna. To get us in the holiday mode, we were able to experience WestJet’s Elevation Lounge before boarding.
This lounge is a great way to relax, recharge, and enjoy refreshments ordered via their digital menu service. There is also dedicated family space and focus spaces to catch up on your emails or business needs. Upon picking up our rented car at Kelowna airport, off we drove to Osoyoos. The Oliver and Osoyoos regions (which are right next to each other) are two hours south of Kelowna. This area has 40+ wineries you can visit.
Because the climate here is hotter than Kelowna, red grapes thrive in this region. The wineries here are known for making big bold reds, as opposed to the more white dominating wineries in the rest of the Okanagan.
We enjoyed a nice break along the way stopping for lunch at the Dirty Laundry winery.
Great restaurant, wine, and beers, renowned for its pizza along with a lovely view of the vineyards and beautiful grounds.
One of the best tips for your spring road trip to Osoyoos is to book your accommodations, activities, and dining experiences ahead of time where possible. Many of the wineries have different hours for their tasting rooms depending on the time of year, so be sure to check in with them and plan accordingly!
We stayed at Spirit Ridge, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, a luxury, adobe-style resort located on Indigenous Okanagan Indian Band land.
The resort is also home to Nk’Mip ( In-ka-meep)Cellars, North America’s first Indigenous-owned winery.
Here is where we started our wine and food tastings of our journey. The Four Food Chiefs; Bear, Salmon, Bitterroot and Saskatoon berry, represent the key elements of Indigenous Cuisine. We experienced the art of food and wine pairing with Nk’Mip Cellars award-winning wine and specially prepared Four Food Chief inspired food bites. One delicacy was sausage made exclusively for Nk’Mip with buffalo meat from Alberta infused with blueberries. YUM!
Be sure to include the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, in your visit, and learn about the land and the legends of the Syilx/Okanagan people.
As I mentioned, there are dozens and dozens of wineries in the Osoyoos and Oliver wine regions. While it’s impossible to visit them all in one day. Plan to stop at three or four for a full day of fun. Our wine tastings included Checkmate which a very classy winery owned by the same company that owns Mission Hills.
Burrowing Owl was next on the agenda with only a $5 donation to the burrowing owl foundation and you get three white wines and two reds. We also enjoyed dinner in the evening here and enjoyed the fantastic views of the vineyards. I tried to book into the guest house, at this winery, to stay here but it was already booked up months in advance. It’s a great location right in the middle of their vineyards with a private swimming pool and is steps away from the Sonora Room Restaurant and their wine shop.
On your way back from wine touring, head to Osoyoos Main Street to enjoy the quaint yet lively shops of downtown. Osoyoos has many great options from beachy boutiques to upbeat home stores – be sure to stop at the Osoyoos Home Hardware, Wander Home, Unity, and Cheek’s Beachwear to name a few!
At this time of year, there weren’t many fruit stands open but in summer, on your way out of Osoyoos, be sure to stop at one of the many fruit stands off each of the major highways to take home some of the Okanagan’s finest bounty.
There are many spectacular restaurants of Osoyoos. From unique Indigenous fare at The Bear, The Fish, The Root, The Berry at Spirit Ridge to lakeview dining at 15 Park Bistro, Osoyoos. For great family style Italian meal, go to Campo Marina. Note you can only book reservations here two weeks in advance. It’s a very popular place that serves huge portions.
One thing I noticed is BC has a growing network of charging stations across the province, from rest areas to public lots and wineries. If you’re travelling with an electric vehicle, we’ve put together a list of charging stations in the area to help you find a place to plug in!
The Okanagan’s sandy lake beaches and hot dry climate have long made it a family-holiday destination for Albertans, and the region is still the fruit-growing capital of Canada. Maybe it’s time to visit the ‘Napa of the North’.
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