Okanagan | Kelowna | Vernon | Kamloops | Penticton | Osoyoos
Kelowna is the largest city in the Okanagan Valley boasting all the amenities of a major city - fine dining, unique shops and a vibrant cultural life - yet orchards and vineyards thrive within a 10-minute drive of the downtown core. Spectacular vistas await those ready to explore; a delightful day can be spent sampling the award-winning wares of our numerous internationally-acclaimed wineries, or you may wish to visit one of several championship golf courses in the area.
Situated on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake mid-way between Penticton in the south and Vernon in the north, Kelowna residents and tourists alike find the lake offers wonderful opportunities for boating, swimming or fishing. The nearby mountains attract hikers, skiers and outdoor enthusiasts of all descriptions. There are three major ski hills within a one hour drive - Big White, Silver Star and Apex.
Kelowna has become the main marketing and distribution centre of the Okanagan Valley, with a flourishing tree fruit industry and a growing light industrial sector that competes on a world scale. Best known for forestry, boats, plastics, fibreglass, body armour and oil-field equipment, Kelowna also has a growing high technology sector that includes aerospace development and service.
Prospera Place, a 6,000-seat multi-purpose facility that’s home to the Kelowna Rockets of the Western Hockey League, attracts major entertainers and events to the heart of our Cultural District.
The Rotary Centre for the Arts is a significant feature of the district, which was named a Cultural Capital of Canada in 2003.
Waterfront Park is a showcase of the area with lagoons, an outdoor amphitheatre and a wooden boardwalk that links Tugboat Beach and the residential area to the north with the Grand Okanagan Hotel and the downtown.
Kelowna is a city on Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia, Canada. Its name derives from a native term for "female grizzly bear."
First settled by missionaries in 1859, Kelowna was officially incorporated in 1905. Nearby communities include Westside to the west across the lake, Lake Country and then Vernon to the north, Westbank and then Peachland to the southwest and further to the south, Summerland and Penticton.
The service industry employs the most people in Kelowna, the largest city in the tourist-oriented Okanagan Valley. In summer, boating is popular, and in winter, Alpine skiing at the nearby Big White Ski Resort.
With roots dating back to 1965, Okanagan College is the predominant centre for vocational and undergraduate post-secondary education in Kelowna. With over 5000 full-time students it constitutes the largest college in British Columbia outside the Lower Mainland and Victoria. The University of British Columbia took over the North Kelowna campus of Okanagan University College (now Okanagan College) on July 1, 2005. While UBCO continues to offer many of OUC's undergraduate programs, UBC Okanagan also offers Engineering and Management undergraduate programs and has developed Graduate programs in most disciplines.