Okanagan Wine Region

Fly to Kelowna, where major car rental companies provide adaptive driving devices. Wheelchair-accessible vans are also available. All transportation services require a reservation a minimum of three days in advance.
From Kelowna, make the short drive north to overnight in Vernon to start your north-to-south journey.

Get artsy in downtown Vernon, where 28 outdoor works showcase the history, culture, scenery, and folklore of the city. Tip: View the map of Vernon’s murals or join a guided tour to learn the stories behind each piece. Continue along the Vernon Tasting Trail to uncover the city’s hidden culinary gems, check with individual businesses about accessibility.
From May to October, make your way to Davison Orchards Country Village, an 80-year-old family-run, sustainable farm. The folks at nearby Planet Bee Honey Farm, open year-round, will teach you about honeybees and honey-making while you sample mead alongside their golden nectar.

For a spot of culture, visit the Vernon Public Art Gallery, the largest public gallery in north Okanagan and an important cultural hub for exhibitions, artists’ talks, film screenings, workshops, and signature events.
If time permits, head north towards O’Keefe Ranch for a glimpse into the area’s early cattle-ranching history. From May to September, see the original residences, farmhouses, blacksmith shop, general store, church, farm animals, and more. The ranch grounds are wheelchair accessible; not all the historic buildings are.
You might also continue to Armstrong and visit the sprawling Farmstrong Cider Company (open May-October) before stopping by the Village Cheese Company to nibble on artisanal cheeses.

Heading south to Kelowna via Highway 97, enjoy the scenic drive that cruises by gorgeous lakes: Kalamalka, Wood, and Duck. Access points to the Okanagan Rail Trail can be found near these bodies of water, particularly at the Kickwillie Loop, Kekuli Bay, and the Wood Lake/Oyama Boat Launch.
Hiking is a favourite pastime here. Once settled into your Kelowna accommodations, be sure to check out the paved and surfaced pathways, including the Waterfront Boardwalk downtown and a 10.5-km stretch along the new Okanagan Rail Trail from Downtown Kelowna to Bulman Road.
The Okanagan Rail Trail is a truly unique experience, with a total length of 50 km starting at the north end of Kalamalka Lake and ending at the center of Okanagan Lake, downtown Kelowna. With the trail being a maximum grade of 1.3%, biking or walking the trail is a breeze. Enjoy scenic views along the way with 24 km of the trail being on along lakefronts, creeks, and natural habitats.

To ensure no one draws the short straw as the designated driver, today you can book a tour to explore the region’s wineries. Nine accessible, top-tier wine tours, including the popular High Spirits Tour, where guests enjoy beer, cider, and spirits alongside wine are available. Choose from half- and full-day winery tours paired with activities such as lake cruises and helicopter sightseeing!
After the tour, dining options abound in Kelowna. Don’t miss the huge outdoor patio at 19 Okanagan Grill + Bar located at Two Eagles Golf Course, the farm-to-table menu at Lakeside Dining at Hotel Eldorado, and craft beers, local wines, and historic ambience at The Train Station Pub.

In the city, explore Kelowna’s past and present at a cluster of museums showcasing agricultural heritage and history: the Okanagan Heritage Museum, the Okanagan Wine and Orchard Museum, the Laurel Packing House, and the Okanagan Military Museum.
Or catch the breeze from Okanagan Lake at Rotary or Gyro beach. Okanagan Beach Rentals provides free, specially designed beach wheelchairs at both sandy locales; one wheelchair is available at each beach, so it’s best to call ahead so that they can reserve/assemble.

Lake Country, 15-20 minutes north of Kelowna, is home to wineries and cideries: hot spots include 50th Parallel BLOCK ONE restaurant, Ex Nihilio Estate Winery CHAOS Bistro, O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars Garden Bistro, and Gray Monk Estate Winery & Restaurant, home of BC’s first Pinot Gris. For a picnic and wine experience, Arrowleaf Cellars and Intrigue fit the bill. Near Kelowna Airport, toast the view at Ancient Hill Winery.

As you drive south to Penticton, be sure to visit Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, Summergate Winery, Heaven’s Gate Estate Winery, Thornhaven Estates Winery, Lake Breeze Winery, and Dirty Laundry Vineyard enroute. You can buy your designated driver a little something at Dirty Laundry’s general store.
When you arrive in Penticton, enjoy a leisurely tour along the city’s waterfront path, or pick up the pace with your power-assist device or a hand cycle as you meander through wine country along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.
After lunch, drive 20 minutes to the Naramata Bench and stop at some of the 30 wineries set along a 14-km (9-mi) stretch of country road that winds through the vineyards. Wheelchair-accessible Bench 1775, Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, and Red Rooster Winery are popular options. At Red Rooster, check out art installations including “Frank the Baggage Handler,” a local celebrity.

For a novel way to see the sights in Summerland, you could board the Kettle Valley Steam Railway, which runs from mid-May to October; there are special schedules for the Easter Train, the Mother’s Day Ride, the Great Train Robbery, the Murder Mystery Train, the Halloween Terror Train, and the Summerland Christmas Express. Purchase tickets ahead of time and plan your winery visits around your rail adventure.
While you’re here, you can discover the best restaurants in Summerland, Canada including Zias Stonehouse Restaurant, Cozy Bay Fish ‘n Chips, Peacock’s Perch Neighborhood Pub, Santorini’s Family Restaurant, Yaki’s Pizza & Subs, Local on Lakeshore, Just Delicious Bistro, The Beanery Cafe, Silkscarf, and Pho Vietnamese!

The route from Penticton to the province’s southern reaches is dotted with wineries, lakes, orchards, and vineyards. And did we mention wineries?
Stop for a tipple at Tinhorn Creek Vineyard‘s Miradoro Restaurant, Hester Creek Estate Winery, Jackson Triggs Okanagan Estates, Black Hills Estate Winery, Blasted Church Vineyards, or Liquidity Wines and Bistro. All are wheelchair accessible.
Once in Osoyoos, visit Nk’Mip Cellars, North America’s first Indigenous-owned and -operated winery. The spectacular Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, located adjacent to the winery, showcases desert ecology and wildlife; here, you can learn about local Indigenous culture and heritage, and hear legends of Sen’klip (the Okanagan word for Coyote). The building is wheelchair accessible and nature trails are marked and are accessible for motorized wheelchairs or scooters.

Return to Kelowna where you can return your rental car and fly home or keep exploring BC.