8 Best Sights in Kelowna, Okanagan Wine Country

Indigenous World Winery

Fodor's choice
This is BC’s only 100% Indigenous-owned winery, blending traditional Syilx culture with modern style. Their tasting room has spectacular views of Lake Okanagan, their wine bottles are beautifully designed, and the vino is award-winning. There’s also a restaurant on-site.

CedarCreek Estate Winery

South of Kelowna, the award-winning CedarCreek—now a part of the Mission Hill family—is in a lovely spot overlooking the lake. The grand, impressive tasting room is open year-round. The restautant, Home Block, which serves farm-to-table cuisine, is definitely a must-stop.
Winery
5445 Lakeshore Rd., British Columbia, V1W 4S5, Canada
778-738–1020
www.cedarcreek.bc.ca
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Tastings C$25

Ex Nihilo Vineyards

Canada is the world's largest producer of ice wine, a specialty of Ex Nihilo Vineyards, a 25-minute drive north of Kelowna. This small but enterprising winery was among the first in the area to court celebrity endorsements, and struck a deal with the Rolling Stones to label its Riesling ice wine "Sympathy for the Devil." There is also a bistro on-site.

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Kelowna Art Gallery

Works by contemporary local, Canadian, and international artists make up the gallery's four exhibition spaces. It's a family-friendly space, too: there are activities and programming for children (worth noting for rainy days).

Mission Hill Family Estate

Sitting atop a hill overlooking Okanagan Lake, Mission Hill Family Estate is recognizable for its 12-story bell tower. It was built, as the owner describes it, to resemble "a combination monastery, Tuscan hill village, and French winery." With a vaulted cellar blasted from volcanic rock, the well-established vineyard produces a wide variety of award-winning wines and offers several different winery tours, from a basic 60-minute tour with a tasting of three wines, to a more in-depth visit that includes wine-and-food pairings. An outdoor amphitheater hosts art events, music, and theater. The Terrace Restaurant is one of the Kelowna area's best dining options.
Winery
1730 Mission Hill Rd., British Columbia, V4T 2E4, Canada
250-768–6448
www.missionhillwinery.com
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Tastings and tours from C$35

Quails' Gate Estate Winery

Set on 160 acres on the slops of Mount Boucherie, Quails' Gate Estate Winery offers wine tastings all set against a panoramic view of Okanagan Lake. Reservations are highly recommended during peak season. The family-owned winery produces more than a dozen different varieties, although it's best known for its award-winning Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The on-site Old Vines Restaurant is open year-round.

Winery
3303 Boucherie Rd., British Columbia, V1Z 2H3, Canada
250-769–4451
www.quailsgate.com
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Tastings from C$5

Summerhill Pyramid Winery

On the east side of the lake is Summerhill Pyramid Winery, an organic producer best known for its sparkling and ice wines. What startles visitors, though, is the four-story-high replica of the Great Pyramid of Cheops, used to age and store the wine. As a venue for summer concerts, the pyramid's fabulous acoustics are unparalleled. You can tour the pyramid and winery and visit the shop year-round. The Summerhill Sunset Bistro, with a veranda overlooking Okanagan Lake, serves lunch and dinner daily. If the evening is cool, there's plenty of room inside.
Winery
4870 Chute Lake Rd., British Columbia, V1W 4M3, Canada
250-764–8000
www.summerhill.bc.ca
Sights Details
Rate Includes: Tours and tastings are complimentary

The Laurel Packinghouse

The Laurel Packinghouse are museums depicting the Okanagan's orchard and wine history and have a shop for made-in-Okanagan gifts.