The Perfect Weekend in Kelowna BC, a Must-Visit Foodie Destination

Spending a weekend in Kelowna, BC has been on my bucket list for a long time. I first learned about it at a media event hosted by British Columbia back in 2016. The event had representatives from all over their region, but it was Kelowna that stuck with me after I heard about its culinary and wine scene.

Fast forward 7 years later and I finally visited. Friends, it was everything I had imagined and more. Kelowna has literally everything I love to do when traveling: outdoor adventures, wine, beer, food, farms, local makers. There’s even a famous ski resort that makes it an attractive trip for families like mine who love winter sports.

If you stumbled on this article from Google, chances are you’ve already decided to visit Kelowna. Bravo, you made the right choice. But if you’re reading this and don’t have Kelowna on your radar, it’s time to change that stat.

Whether you’re ready to plan your trip or still deciding if you should visit, here’s how I’d spend the perfect weekend in Kelowna. Get ready to fall in love with this hidden gem of the Pacific Northwest!

Tourism Kelowna hosted me on a media trip to explore the area. They created an itinerary for me, but I had no editorial obligations, so everything that made it into this article is because I enjoyed it.

Also this post has some affiliate links, which means I’ll earn a small commission at no cost to you if you click on them and make a purchase. Thanks for supporting the brands that support me in keeping this site running!

The Perfect Weekend in Kelowna, BC

Before we dive into how to spend the perfect weekend in Kelowna, let me share some facts about the area for those unfamiliar.

Kelowna is in the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia roughly halfway between Vancouver and Calgary. It’s about a 5-6 hour drive from both Seattle and Spokane, so it makes a wonderful weekend getaway for Pacific Northwesterners.

The region is home to the Okanagan Valley’s first people, the Syilx. Kelowna means “grizzly bear” and got its name when a group of Okanagan First Nation stumbled upon a whiskered settler emerging from his underground home. They named him “Kim-ach-Touch”, or brown bear.

What to expect

Kelowna is the birthplace of BC wine, so it’s known as a destination wine region with access to more than 40 wineries within 30 minutes of each other. However Kelowna’s agriculture game in general is strong, so you’ll also find a ton of breweries, distillers, cideries, and more that transform local bounty into a snapshot of the area’s unique terroir.

Lastly, Kelowna is surrounded by absolutely stunning landscapes. It reminds me a lot of Lake Chelan in Washington because farms and wineries surround a big lake in Kelowna, too. The area’s natural surroundings make it a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with hiking and water sports when it’s warm and skiing or snowshoeing come winter. No matter the season, Kelowna is a gem of the Pacific Northwest and a must visit.

When to visit Kelowna

Kelowna’s high season is May through October. However, there is something to do every season.

Visiting from November through April means there are less people, more affordable accommodations, and access to fun winter sports. Kelowna does get a fair bit of snow, which deters some people, but winter sport lovers will rejoice in all the ways to play in it.

So when you should visit really depends on what’s important to you. There’s no wrong answer for when to book your weekend in Kelowna!

Where to stay in Kelowna

Your best bet is to stay in downtown Kelowna so you can have easy access to both East and West Kelowna. Here’s where I stayed.

Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort

website | get directions | price: ~$225-$450 USD/night depending on the season | best for: water views, location, and pets

Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort is Kelowna’s fanciest resort. It’s right on the water and gives off serious lake retreat vibes.

You’ll find a pond coming right up to the hotel’s restaurant patio, with paths meandering around it to Waterfront Park. There are even bike and watercraft rentals to help you explore the surrounding area. Or you can stay put and lounge in the hotel’s expansive outdoor pool area.

Since it’s a Marriott property you can expect signature luxuries like daily housekeeping, room service, complimentary toiletries, and dry cleaning services with your stay. There is also an indoor pool, fitness center, day spa, casino, and gift shop on the property.

The best part though? Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort is right in downtown Kelowna so it’s steps away from restaurants, shops, and local attractions. All in all, this is the perfect home base for your weekend in Kelowna BC.

What to do in Kelowna

Let’s dive into how to fill a weekend in Kelowna. Since it’s such a culinary gem, a lot of your time should be spent exploring the farms, producers, and restaurants. But there are also great outdoor adventures to fit in between foodie stops.

To help you plan your itinerary, here’s everything to do in Kelowna.

Tour Kelowna wineries

There are a ton of wineries in both east and west Kelowna. You can explore them yourself, or take an e-bike tour with Lakeside Eco Sports. They offer both self-guided or in-person tours all seasons, including in winter on unique snow bikes! We did an e-bike tour of east Kelowna and I absolutely loved exploring the rolling hills between wineries.

However you decide to explore, make sure to prioritize these wineries.

Tantalus Vineyards

website | get directions | area: East Kelowna | best for: riesling, pinot noir, and chardonnay

This was one of my favorite wineries I visited during my weekend in Kelowna. Tantalus is the only LEED-certified winery in the area and the ambiance in their tasting room is stunning. You’ll find a ton of windows overlooking their 75-acre property with Okanagan Lake in the distance.

This winery isn’t all looks though. Eighty percent of the approximately 10,000 cases of wine they make each year include grapes they grow on their property using organic farming methods.

Winemaker David Paterson and marketing manager Stephanie Mosley took us on a tour of the property and it was obvious they cared about the land. They told us about their cover crop program and how preserving the property’s ponderosa pines attracts predators as a natural rodent management system.

Tantalus is probably best known for rieslings and pushing boundaries. For example, David does a sparking riesling, which is uncommon because the acid and sugar in the varietal make it difficult. Similarly, he makes a piquette out of leftover wine skins. If you haven’t had piquette before, it’s like a wine, cider, and beer rolled into one.

In addition to Tantalus’ creativity, I really enjoyed the cabernet franc rosé that I tried. It was big and fruity to start, but had a dry and acidic finish. Overall Tantalus makes food driven, high acid wines in addition to more experimental bottles. Their ability to balance elegance with playfulness is exciting, so a visit to this winery is a must during your weekend in Kelowna.

Meadow Vista Honey Wines

website | get directions | area: East Kelowna | best for: mead and beekeeping

When Tourism Kelowna said we’d be visiting a meadery, I’ll admit I was nervous. The words “cloyingly sweet” come to mind when I think of mead, and so I thought there was a high probably I wouldn’t like this part of our itinerary.

However, Meadow Vista absolutely blew me away. Mead is the oldest alcohol in the world and has over 70 different styles. Many are quite sweet, but Meadow Vista focuses on 6 versions that are on the dryer side.

I enjoyed everything we sipped, but the Bliss Blueberry Haskap was my favorite. It reminded me of a wine cooler thanks to its refreshing and tart flavor profile.

Besides the wines, what makes Meadow Vista so special is their dedication to honey bees. Owner Emily Vanderschee took us on a tour of their property and taught us more about bees in 10 minutes than I’d learned in a lifetime.

For example, bees need water but can easily drown. Therefore, they appreciate water baths in our gardens with rocks where they can perch. They also appreciate when we leave dandelions in our yards, as they’re the first food source that pop up in spring.

We also learned how there are typically 60,000 bees per hive and only one queen bee. While it may seem attractive to be the head honcho, it was so interesting to learn how worker bees will inject royal jelly into bee eggs to create a new queen if they sense the reigning queen is on the outs. The first egg to hatch stings the other eggs in a winner-takes-all battle to the top. Who knew the life of a queen bee could be so fraught with coups and violence!

If you’re interested in supporting bees, all Meadow Vista tasting fees go toward bee preservation and education. And if that wasn’t enough reason to visit, they also have a great gift shop featuring Okanagan-made gifts and host farm lunches using local produce. Basically it’s a 4-in-1 stop for wine, gifts, lunch, and conservation!

Crown & Thieves

website | get directions | area: West Kelowna | best for: reds and vibes

Crown & Thieves is one of the coolest places I’ve been to recently. It’s a winery-meets-speakeasy and restaurant, with three concepts on the same property.

That property is actually winemaker and owner Jason Parkes’ home. He’s famous in Kelowna for owning a collection of drinking establishments, each with their own rule-breaking ambiance.

Crown & Thieves is inside a dilapidated-looking stone building on a vineyard overlooking Okanagan Lake. The tasting room is small, but it has decor that reminds me of a haunted house you’d find at a carnival. There’s a black counter with baroque-style molding, ornate red wallpaper, floor-to-ceiling shelves topped with eerie portraits, and a grand chandelier grounding the whole space.

You can take your wine tasting in this cool indoor space or out on the small deck overlooking the water. The pours are hefty and feature playful wines created using non-traditional techniques. I loved all their reds and would definitely come back for more.

Wine tasting isn’t all Crown & Thieves offers. Upstairs on the roof is Angel Share restaurant and downstairs is The Broken Hearts Club speakeasy with a full cocktail bar. They host events most weekend evenings ranging from musicians to comedians and cabaret performers. If there’s an event happening while you’re in town, buy tickets and check it out!

Quails’ Gate Winery

website | get directions | area: West Kelowna | best for: chardonnay and lake views

Quails’ Gate is arguably the most stunning winery in all of Kelowna. It sits right on Okanagan Lake so it has uninterrupted views of the valley. The property is quite expansive, with a walkway leading through the vines to a grassy knoll perfect for a picnic. There’s also an onsite restaurant and lake houses you can stay at.

Wine wise they’re probably best known for crisp chardonnay, but you’ll also find rosé, pinot noir, and a few other bolder red varietals. Since their vineyards sit on Boucherie Mountain, the soil is volcanic and allows them to make wines similar to what you’d find in Sicily but with French grape varietals.

Quails’ Gate is one of Kelowna’s larger wineries, producing about 1 million bottles during a good year that they export to the US and UK. Yet it’s still family owned and all their grapes are hand picked using sustainable methods. For example, only water from the lake irrigates the vineyards and they can control the amount released through a phone app. They also use cover crops so they don’t need to till, which is harmful to the land.

Despite Quails’ Gate’s finesse, the winery only opened in 1989. However, this 4th-generation family farm started in the late 1950s with fruit orchards because only 20% of Canadians drank at the time. They did eventually plant grapes, but the family thought they had planted table grapes until a French person told them they had wine varietals!

Overall I was pretty obsessed with this winery, so it’s a must visit during your weekend in Kelowna. I loved the chardonnays because they weren’t too oaky and buttery, and the ambiance just can’t be beat.

Indigenous World Winery

website | get directions | area: West Kelowna | best for: supporting a Native-owned business

Indigenous World Winery is BC’s only 100% Native-owned winery. Robert Louie serves as the Chief of the Westbank First Nation. He and his wife, Bernice, wanted to share the traditions of their Syilx people by merging modern culture and their rich history.

The Louies grow a few vines, but they mostly source grapes from high-quality vineyards throughout both the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys. Jason Parkes of Crown & Thieves actually helps their son Trenton make wine, so you know what their pouring is good.

Indigenous World Winery has a great outdoor patio overlooking the lake in the distance, as well as a gift shop selling Native-made goods. Paired with their yummy wines and the fact that they also make spirits, this is a great spot to visit during your weekend in Kelowna.

Go on a brewery crawl

One of my favorite Kelowna discoveries is that it has a brewery district very similar to the Ballard breweries in Seattle. There are about 15 all clustered together within walking distance in downtown Kelowna, each with their own vibe. Explore as many as you can, prioritizing these.

Kettle River Brewing

website | get directions | best for: food and laid-back vibe

Kettle River Brewing is a cool brewery in downtown Kelowna’s North End district. Sisters Meiko and Courtney used to own the popular CrAsian Food Truck, but Courtney went on to become a co-owner of Kettle Brewing while Meiko started apprenticing as a brewer at Jackknife Brewing next door (and I hear Jackknife has the best pizza in town).

You’ll find a lot of English-style ales at Kettle River Brewing, but also experimental styles with fun ingredients. For example, I loved the mango sour and passionfruit wit for being pronounced in flavor, but not too overwhelming.

This spot is also known for great food. Chef Brock was actually on Top Chef Canada and won Chopped Canada. The menu changes monthly, but he’s best known for killer sandwiches and burgers.

All in all, Kettle River Brewing is a spot loved by locals. The fun and colorful art on the walls is welcoming, and you’ll see a bunch of hand-drawn doodles on bricks. You can actually become an “investor” and buy a brick. They’ll provide you supplies to paint as you enjoy one or three beers.

BNA Brewing

website | get directions | best for: food, bowling, and bocce

BNA Brewing has excellent beers, but it’s more than just a brewery. Rather, it’s a hang out spot for all types of activities.

For example, go through the right door at the entrance and you’ll be greeted with a bustling restaurant rustic chic decor. Enter the left door and you’ll find yourself in a more intimate event space often hosting local bands.

The fun just keeps going. Head upstairs in the lofted area of the restaurant and you’ll find an Airstream trailer bar sitting in a turfed area with string lights that looks like an outdoor beer garden. Behind it is a small bocce ball area and to the left is a bowling alley. There are also retro arcade games and cool vintage furniture scattered throughout the space to make it the ultimate hangout destination.

All of this is to say, I’m obsessed with BNA. Their name is a nod to the British North American Tobacco Company (BNATC), which constructed the historic building to dry tobacco leaves and roll cigars. The space was eventually turned into a cannery. You’ll find evidence of the building’s historic past throughout the space thanks to the wood beams, original flooring, and lingering machinery that dots the space as decor.

Besides the ambiance, BNA is my kind of brewery because they have a wide variety of beers. I don’t like IPAs, so I was overjoyed to find stouts, pilsners, saisons, sours, and more on BNA’s menu.

The food was also way better than you’d expect to get at a brewery. Standouts included the pork steam buns, mushroom on toast, BBQ chicken nachos, and garlic fries. So don’t be shy ordering grub if you’re hungry at this stop during your weekend in Kelowna!

Rustic Reel Brewing

website | get directions | best for: chic farmhouse vibes

Rustic Reel is a 100% woman-owned brewery near Kettle River Brewing in Kelowna’s North End area. I unfortunately didn’t get a chance to try their beers, but our Tourism Kelowna host insisted we stop in to see the space.

I understand why. Rustic Reel has a bright farmhouse style that feels as if Joanna Gaines of Fixer Upper designed it. There’s white shiplap, shabby chic decor, and pretty chandeliers throughout the space. All of it shines bright thanks to the natural light streaming in through the open garage doors. So if you like a good photo opp, make sure to stop at Rustic Reel during your weekend in Kelowna.

Sip at local cideries, distilleries, & bars

Don’t love wine or beer? Kelowna’s got you covered. There are also ciders and distillers that use locally-grown ingredients to make truly exceptional beverages. Here are two not to miss.

Soma Craft Cidery

website | get directions | area: East Kelowna | best for: dry ciders, alpacas, and pizza

I was a bit dubious about our planned stop at Soma Craft Cidery because I’m not a huge cider fan. However, any worries quickly vanished once I sipped their beverages.

Soma grows their own apples on about 12 acres of land. They use dessert apples like you eat instead of cider apples because they have lower sugar. The result is a beverage that’s less cloying and crisper than your average cider.

The other journalists loved the oak-aged vanilla cider, but my favorite was the honey berry one. It had a tartness that cut through the sweet even more so than the other dry ciders we tried. I also loved the hopped apple cider, which surprised me because I hate hoppy beers like IPA. However it smells like white wine with green apple and floral notes, with the flowers really coming out at the end of your sip.

Besides great ciders, Soma also has a lovely property perfect for hanging out. You’ll immediately notice the cute alpacas when you drive up. Grab some feed and go say hi.

The front tasting room makes the space seem small, but go down a bright hallway into the back room and you’ll be met with a stunning space full of cool vintage decor and tables for ordering cider and their excellent homemade pizzas.

Don’t want to leave? You can also stay on Soma’s property. They have 10 units, 2 of which are dog friendly. You’ll be able to taste, eat, and wile away the day taking in the art and music events happening during your stay.

Okanagan spirits Craft Distillery

website | get directions | area: Downtown | best for: variety of spirits using locally-grown ingredients

Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery is a quintessential stop during your weekend in Kelowna. They’ve been instrumental to developing the distillery scene you see today in the Okanagan Valley, so a visit here is just as much a tasting experience as it is a history lesson.

We had the privilege to do a guided tasting with CEO Tyler Dyck who walked us through the spirit industry’s dark past.

Here are the cliff notes. A monopoly formed during Prohibition when 5 big distillers convinced the government to give them special treatment. This enabled them to buy the licenses from all the small producers so that they could reopen after Prohibition and make their spirits seem “small batch”. However, unbeknownst to consumers, only 5 brands owned about 400 distilleries.

Tyler’s dad was a distiller at the time and hated this practice, so he fought against the system. His advocacy and hard work paved the way for there to now be about 90 distillers in the province.

Tyler continues his dad’s advocacy as the head of the Craft Distillers Guild of BC. His passion for authenticity exuded during our tour as he also brought us up to speed on the state of the current industry.

While there’s been a lot of progress, the industry’s red tape still brings challenges. For example, Tyler explained how Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery hasn’t been able to grow in about 10 years because the government forces distillers to use Chinese alcohol once they hit a production cap. Since that’s against the brand’s ethos, they decided to put energy into advocacy instead of growing their business.

He also shared how you can spot a good craft spirit. Apparently commercial brands can use up to 10% of glycerin to make their spirits smoother. This is what’s in hand sanitizer and it contributes to making commercial spirits burn your palate.

Tyler explained there’s a reason commercial spirit marketing encourages you to serve your drink ice cold from the freezer. You can tell if you’re drinking commercial quality by bringing your spirits to room temperature and seeing if it burns when you sip.

Besides their pivotal involvement in the spirit industry, Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery has great products. Tyler says the area was built on apples, so that’s the main ingredient they use to distiller their spirits. They work with 36 farm families to create a range of gins, vodkas, whiskeys, and liqueurs. Tyler explained one acre of land produces one barrel of whiskey, so spirits are the most concentrated essence of a region’s terroir you can experience.

Unfortunately I struggle when sipping straight spirits, so it was difficult for me to enjoy the nuance of the gin, vodka, and whiskey the other journalists kept raving about. However, I can attest that the spirits didn’t burn like they did when I sipped out of the bottle growing up. I also really enjoyed their milder offerings, particularly the Haskap Liqueur. So even if you’re on the fence about spirits like me, Okanagan Spirits Craft Distillery has something for everyone!

Born to Shake

website | get directions | area: Downtown | best for: barware and mixer gifts

If you’re a cocktail lover, you’ll enjoy a visit to Born to Shake. It’s near the breweries in the North End, so it’s a great way to break up all the beer.

Inside you’ll find a hip mid-century meets plant parent motif, with gorgeous palm wallpaper, deep emerald paint, and cool brass lighting fixtures. The back bar is where you’d head for expertly-crafted cocktails, but you’ll meander shelves of barware, bitters, syrups, and mixers to get there.

That’s right, this is part shop and part cocktail bar. You can get all your cocktail equipment to take home. Or enjoy a drink first to try out one of their mixes to determine if you want to buy it for your next at-home cocktail.

Explore Kelowna’s parks & trails

The Okanagan Valley is one of the most breathtaking areas of British Columbia. Make sure to explore it by getting outside. Here are some stops perfect for a weekend in Kelowna.

Waterfront Park & Boardwalk

website | get directions | best for: a leisurely stroll and people watching

Waterfront Park sits right in between the Delta Hotels Grand Okanagan Resort and Okanagan Lake. It features paved meandering trails along pretty manicured lawns and a boardwalk right along the water. You can also connect to the paved path continuing along the lakeshore to get to Kelowna City Park just a mile away.

If you want to get on the water, there’s a watercraft rental stand in front of the Delta Grand Resort. Okanagan Beach Rentals offers kayaks, canoes, SUPs, pedal boats, and water trikes perfect for experiencing views from the lake during your weekend in Kelowna.

Knox Mountain Park

website | get directions | best for: a proper hike

Knox Mountain is the largest natural area park in Kelowna with 385 hectares and 15 trails to explore. Since it’s only about 20 minutes from downtown Kelowna, it’s easy to fit into your weekend in Kelowna.

The two most popular hikes are the 2.6-mile Apex Trail and 3-mile Paul’s Tomb Trail. Apex takes hikers to a lookout on the top of the mountain while Paul’s Tomb goes along the rocky beach along the lake. Any option is a great way to experience the fresh airs and beautiful views Kelowna has to offer.

Munson Pond Park

website | get directions | best for: foraging

Munson Pond Park is a 9.8-hectare natural habitat perfect for a leisurely stroll. It was purchased by the city from the Munson family who were pioneer farmers since the early 1890s. Descendants of those pioneers still live in the neighborhood!

The area is relatively flat so it’s popular for dog walkers, bird enthusiasts, and foragers. That’s right, there’s a ton of wild greens like stinging nettles, wild garlic and asparagus, and mustard greens just waiting to be picked.

Interested in going on a foraging adventure? You can actually book a guided tour with Scott Moran Foraging from April – June for $120 per adult. He and/or his partner, Meesh, will take you on a 5-6 hour expedition to 3 or more locations and teach you all about foraging. We took a tour with Meesh and were amazed at her wealth of knowledge about plant use both for cooking and medicinal purposes.

You can also find Scott at the Kelowna Farmers and Crafters Market every Saturday if you want to try foraged goods but don’t have time to collect them yourself.

Myra Canyon Trail

website | get directions | best for: biking and historic views

This is one attraction I sadly didn’t have time to visit during my weekend in Kelowna, but I highly recommend you fit it in. It’s a 15.6-mile trail about 40 minutes east of Kelowna that was actually built in the early 1900s as a rail corridor. There are still rail trusses along the route that make for gorgeous photo opportunities.

You can rent a bike from Myra Canyon Bike Rentals near the trailhead during the summer. This is a great way to explore the whole trail in less time. Or, if biking isn’t your thing, you can just walk a section of the trail before heading onto your next activity.

Big White Ski Resort

website | get directions | best for: hiking and skiing

This is another attraction I didn’t get to go to, but I’m already plotting a winter trip to Kelowna so I can ski at Big White. It has 16 lifts taking skiers and snowboarders to 119 designated trails. There are also 16 miles of Nordic skiing and snowshoeing trails, dog sledding, tubing, ice skating, and horse-drawn carriage rides.

Come summer there is still a lot to do at the resort. You can buy lift tickets to get scenic views from atop the mountain. Or get up and down the mountain via various hiking and mountain biking trails. For those who prefer to chill, there is even disc golf and plenty of summer events.

Meander downtown Kelowna

Downtown Kelowna has a quaint shopping district that’s the perfect size to explore by foot. Comb the streets and pop into shops of interest, making sure not to miss these spots.

Karat Chocolate & Pastry Boutique

website | get directions | best for: award-winning chocolate

KARAT is the brainchild of Julian Helman, a pastry chef who started making chocolate out of the basement of Mission Hill Winery. His products were so popular that he was able to open a storefront in downtown Kelowna.

His team expanded beyond just chocolate bars and confections to also offer beautiful French pastries and macarons. You can purchase them to-go, or sit down for a bite over coffee.

KARAT uses local ingredients and high quality Valrhona chocolate. I bought a ton of their bars, ranging from pure dark chocolate to interesting concoctions like oatmeal cookie and PB & J.

All the ones I’ve opened so far have been devoured within hours. The chocolate tastes fruity, as it should, giving you a real sense of the cacao’s origin. So make sure to grab a few bars to take home!

Funktional

website | get directions | best for: locally-made gifts

This was my favorite shop for Canadian-made gifts I came across while in Kelowna. Owner Chantal Couture curates a lot of thoughtful items, many of which are made right in BC.

I especially liked her collection of Indigenous-made goods. In fact, I purchased a pair of stunning beaded earrings from Aird Custom Beadwork. She only ships within Canada, so visiting Funktional in Kelowna is one of the best ways to get your hands on her stunning work.

Lakehouse Home Store & Cooking School

website | get directions | best for: home goods and cooking classes

Another great place to stop if you love cooking is Lakehouse Home Store. It has two floors of drool-worthy kitchen equipment that I could spend hours perusing.

You’ll also find an expansive cooking school on the second floor. You can take a variety of hands-on or demo classes focusing on all types of cuisines and techniques. We were hosted to an abridged demo led by culinary director Chef Bernard Casavant and sous chef Michael Torensma using ingredients that we foraged at Munson Park.

Chef Bernard has a ton of accolades, including opening up the restaurant at Chateau Whistler and helping start the Whistler farmers market. He and Chef Michael served us an amazing 4-course meal of squash soup, Dungeness crab cake with foraged lamb’s quarters, mushroom risotto with pork belly and foraged nettles, and flourless chocolate cake.

Everything was super flavorful, particularly the addictive mushroom risotto dish and gooey chocolate cake that I’d never have guessed was flourless. Chef Bernard and his team know their stuff, so sharpening your cooking skills is a great way to round out your weekend in Kelowna!

Kelowna’s Visitor Centre

website | get directions | best for: locally-made gifts and guide books

I don’t typically go to visitor centers on my trips, but our tour host, Shereen, let me in on an insider secret: the Kelowna Visitor Centre has a great gift shop full of locally-made goods. So I stopped in and spent a while combing the shelves of art, jewelry, foodie items, and more.

Kelowna’s Farmers & Crafters Market

website | get directions | best for: locally-made gifts and produce

I love me a good farmers market. If you do too, make time to check out the Kelowna Farmers & Crafters Markets if you’re visiting on a Saturday or Wednesday from April through October. The market runs from 8 AM to 1 PM and features more than 150 local vendors.

Where to eat & drink in Kelowna

Besides all the fabulous wineries, breweries, and cideries that I mentioned have great food above, here are some other spots not to miss.

Sunny’s Diner

website | get directions | cuisine: American | best for: creative breakfast dishes

Sunny’s Diner is a cheery breakfast spot in downtown Kelowna. It’s part of RauDZ Creative Concepts Ltd, a restaurant group that also owns the popular RauDZ Regional Table and The Okanagan Table.

The decor is an ode to Sunny, the owners’ late golden retriever who was always happy. You’ll find wood crates repurposed into light fixtures and painted in fun pastel colors. There’s also a large picture of Sunny with his huge grin that will make you smile, too.

Locals love this spot, as you can see by the wall of mugs that belong to regulars who pop in, grab their cup, and get coffee poured immediately. I’m not surprised this place has fans, as Sunny’s Diner had some of the best food I ate during my weekend in Kelowna.

You’ll find a lot of interesting dishes, but the must get is Chicks on a Raft. It has scrambled eggs, bacon, green onion, sharp cheddar, and peanut butter on top of a thick toast. Yes, peanut butter. It sounds weird but it’s an absolute revelation. Don’t just take my word for it: the dish was featured on Food Network Canada’s Big Food Bucket List!

Pro tip: Sunny’s doesn’t take reservations, so prepare to wait if you arrive during prime brunch time on the weekend.

Sprout Bread

website | get directions | cuisine: bakery | best for: homemade bread

Sprout Bread is a hipster-cool bakery in the Cannery Building along with BNA Brewing. You’ll find a ton of locals lined up for fresh baked goods or working in the lofted area. The whole space has white walls, tons of plants, and cool minimalist vintage furniture, so the ambiance will impress any aesthete.

Our tour guide recommended getting the sausage egg sandwich and I’m so happy she did. The supple bread was the perfect vessel for some of the most flavorful breakfast sausage I’ve tasted. I added cheese and avocado to it, which really elevated the flavors thanks to the zing of the lime they added to the avocado mash.

Old Vines Restaurant

website | get directions | cuisine: American | best for: fancy farm-to-table cuisine

This restaurant is actually on the Quails’ Gate Winery estate. It’s a female-led kitchen doling out exceptional dishes perfect for a fancy night out. Every single dish we got was extremely finessed with a beautiful presentation. A scallop crudo dish especially sticks out, as it was some of the freshest scallop I’ve ever tasted.

Pro tip: This spot gets busy, particularly for happy hour, so make a reservation.

Bright Jenny Coffee

website | get directions | cuisine: coffee | best for: fruit-forward, locally-roasted coffee

Bright Jenny is a coffee shop and cafe off the beaten path near Knox Mountain Park. They roast exceptional beans, so grab a cup to try in the moment and a few bags of beans to take home!

Just Peachy

website | get directions | cuisine: smoothies | best for: hearty smoothies and smoothie bowls

Just Peachy is a bright smoothie shop that would fit right in Palm Springs. The decor is pastel and bohemian, so the vibe is great for gabbing with friends.

My favorite thing about Just Peachy is that they serve smoothie bowls that aren’t just açaí. For example, they make an excellent bowl called Butter Me Up with cacao, banana, and peanut butter that’s to die for.

Gather

website | get directions | cuisine: Korean-Italian | best for: modern food and theatrical cocktails

Gather is a hip restaurant in downtown Kelowna that serves both lunch and dinner. I love how they combine two seemingly disparate cuisines but somehow make it work. You’ll find pastas next to bulgogi bibimbap on the menu, so it serves a group perfectly if everyone is craving something different.

Standouts include the pesto caprese salad and crispy tofu. The salad has a beautifully-plated cacophony of produce that provide a melody of textures and flavors with each bite. The tofu has a bit of a kick and is super addictive like popcorn chicken sans the meat. Make sure these are part of your order!

Kekuli Cafe

website | get directions | cuisine: Native | best for: fry bread

This Indigenous-owned cafe and coffee shop specializes in fry bread. It’s not the more naan-like style I’ve had in Seattle, but rather more of a cross between a roll and doughnut. You can get it in a ton of wild flavors, so grab a few to try! They also sell chili, which is the perfect vessel for dunking your fry bread.

More things to do in Kelowna

Hopefully you feel equipped to spend an epic weekend in Kelowna. If you’re looking for more ideas of how to fill your itinerary, here’s the Google Map I curated for my own trip with tons of outdoor adventures, wineries, breweries, restaurants, and more.

Nearby destinations

Want to extend your weekend in Kelowna? Here are some ideas.

• All the Things to Do in Vancouver BC
• Vancouver’s Hidden Gem Restaurants
• Best Restaurants in Whistler BC
• Unique Things to do in Victoria BC
• Hidden Gem Restaurants in Victoria
• The Perfect Weekend in Calgary
• The Ultimate Banff and Jasper Itinerary
• Ultimate North Cascades National Park
• What to Do in Winthrop, WA in Winter

Need help planning your weekend in Kelowna?

Figuring out how to create an itinerary can be overwhelming. Delegate it to me so all you have to do is show up. I’m a travel planner and would love to create you a custom itinerary!