July/August 2004

In British Columbia

Okanagan Valley Is Super Natural

By Rick Stedman

Kelowna, located in British Columbia's Okanagan Valley, truly is super natural. With a seasonally mild climate and variety of offerings, this city of 100,000 is nestled between the Cascade and Coastal mountain ranges, midway between Vancouver and Calgary. If you love golf, walks or wineries, Kelowna - which borders 68-mile long Okanagan Lake - should be a stop on your summer travels.

Golfers will love the fact that within 45 minutes drive of Kelowna you can find an incredible 53 golf courses. However, in the immediate Kelowna area there are 16 courses, five championship tracks. Regardless of your age or ability, there is a golf course in Kelowna to suit your style of play.

"Golfers return regularly to the Okanagan for its hot, sunny climate and extended golf season running from March through November," says Tourism Kelowna's Catherine Callary. "This concentration of premium courses offers a variety of settings, including meandering orchards, desert terrain and rolling hills, coupled with lake and canyon views."

One of the premiere golf experiences in all of Canada can be found at The Harvest Golf Club, just 10 minutes from downtown Kelowna. Throughout the par 72, 7,109-yard course golfers can view stunning sights of Okanagan Lake. It's uniqueness lies in the fact that of the 287-acre facility, 87 of those acres are dedicated to a working orchard. According to The Harvest's sales and marketing manager Erin Kavanagh, nine varieties of applies are grown within the orchard. An additional 10 acres of land has been dedicated for the production of Ehrenfelser, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wine grapes. "Our grapes have been used exclusively by Calona Wines and have produced many award winning products," says Kavanagh.

The 18 holes of golf offered at The Harvest feature impeccably manicured bent grass tees, fairways and greens, a host of challenging water hazards and a GPS system that does everything but hit the ball. Additional amenities include a golf academy, practice range that includes grass tees, target greens, a putting green, two chipping greens and sand bunkers. Two on-site dining facilities include The Harvest Dining Room for fine dining, and The Harvest Grille for casual fare.

Gallagher's Canyon Golf & Country Club is another great golf facility just 15 minutes from the core of Kelowna. Ponderosa pines characterize this picturesque course, which also features mountainous terrain and broad vistas that provide the incredible landscape for this 6,792-yard, par 72 course. In addition to the 18-hole championship course, golfers can experience the 9-hole, mid-length Pinnacle Course, a learning center and full-service clubhouse.

Jack Nicklaus left his mark in Kelowna when the Bear Course he designed at the Okanagan Golf Club opened in 1999. This addition augments the existing Les Furber-designed Quail Course, which has challenged golfers for nearly a decade. The Quail's O'Leary Lake provides a spectacular finish on the 18th hole.

The Okanagan's only links-style golf course, Predator Ridge Golf Resort, is set high on a scenic plateau less than 30 minutes from Kelowna. This 1,200-acre resort provides a bounty of unique attributes, ranging from enormous wheat grass meadows to rugged pine forests and natural lakes. This, combined with beautifully constructed landing areas, showcases Predator Ridge as an unforgettable golf experience.

RV Sites Open Year-Round
With Kelowna located in the heart of a growing agricultural belt, several camping and RV parks are open year-round, including Apple Valley Country Gardens, Willow Creek Family Campground and Holiday Park RV Resort. Additionally, several other RV friendly parks are open seasonally in and around Kelowna; several more are just across the Okanagan Lake Bridge in Westbank. (Please see accompanying listing of RV parks.)

In much the same spirit of Scotland's Loch Ness Monster, a trip to Kelowna would not be complete without taking the time to search for its Canadian counterpart Ogopogo, who reputedly resides in Okanagan Lake. To "see" Ogopogo for yourself, visit the statue of the creature found on Bernard Ave. near Kelowna's City Park.

Another must-do activity in the Okanagan Valley is wine tasting. In 1932, Calona Vineyards was established in Kelowna. It is the oldest and most awarded winery in the providence. Today, there are more than 50 wineries sprinkled throughout the Okanagan Valley. Two major wine festivals take place annually: one in early May, the other in early October. Events range from specialty wine tastings to vineyard dinners, outdoor brunches and a wide selection of restaurant promotions featuring local selections. More information can be found at www.owfs.com.

Probably the most interesting winery in the valley is Summerhill Estate Winery, which was founded in 1987 by Stephen Cipes. Summerhill is a certified organic vineyard using no herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers in the soil. The new stone and cedar winery building offers a magnificent 25-mile panoramic view of Okanagan Lake. The winery is well known for its impressive four-story, 3,249-squre-foot pyramid, where Summerhill wines are aged. You can read about the eclectic Cipes and his pyramid online at www.summerhill.bc.ca.

For a great overview of the wine industry in general, take an hour to visit the Wine Museum, located at 1304 Ellis St. in Kelowna. (250-868-0441; www.kelownamuseum.ca.) Artifacts and exhibits chronicle the very beginnings of winemaking globally, and explore the history of the local wine industry. The adjacent VQA wine shop showcases all of British Columbia's Vintner's Quality Alliance wineries.

A Touch of the White
With the proximity of Big White Ski Resort just 45 minutes from downtown Kelowna, it's possible to ski in the morning and golf in the afternoon, as I did in early April. In addition to the great ski facilities and other amenities, Big White also features an RV park, just a short gondola ride from the slopes. For a complete overview of Big White Ski Resort, visit www.bigwhite.com.

With all this calorie-burning activity, travelers need to refuel their bodies, and Kelowna has an abundance of fine dining establishments. If you are not a vegetarian, head to Ric's Grill, which offers a mouth-watering menu of steaks and chops.

Located near the lake in downtown, Ric's Grill has already become a local favorite.

Though there are hundreds of great dining establishments in and around Kelowna, a few recommendations include the following:

· For fine wine and fine dining, visit The Old Vines Patio at Quails' Gate Winery; Cedar Creek, Gray Monk and Mission Hill wineries all have seasonal dining facilities where visitors enjoy local cuisine paired with a wonderful array of wines, many of which are available by the glass.

· The BC Restaurant and Food Services Association selected Fresco Restaurant as the 2002 Provincial Restaurant of the Year.

· The Teahouse Restaurant offers an incredible view of the valley along with fabulous menu items.
With a favorable exchange rate and easy access from any direction, Kelowna is an ideal destination for American travelers. For more information on Kelowna, or any of the properties mentioned in this article, contact Tourism Kelowna at 800-663-43435 or visit online at www.tourismkelowna.org. The helpful folks can assist you with every detail of your trip.

© 2004 by Columbia Publishing