Kelowna has miles of beautiful beaches and parkland, which offers endless hours of enjoyment. Okanagan Lake stretches approximately 110km north to south (68 miles) of clear warm water with Kelowna sitting in the center between Penticton on one end and Vernon on the other. The Okanagan Valley is located at the northern most end of the Sonora Desert and hence has a semi-arid climate, boasting long warm summers and short mild winters.
The city of Kelowna, is the largest community and is located midway through the valley. It has a population of 107,000 and nearly doubles in peak tourism months. Kelowna is also the transportation, business and service hub of the valley.
For active-minded individuals, Kelowna has miles of beautiful parkland, and several sandy beacheswhich provide wonderful opportunities for boating, swimming, water-skiing, windsurfing and fishing. As well, you can hit the links at one of our many golf courses nine months out of the year or more. In cooler months, our snow-capped mountains at Big White and Silver Star ski resorts are a haven for skiers, boarders, snowmobilers and outdoor adventurists of all types and levels.
Lush orchards and vineyards are all within a 10-minute drive from the downtown core and provide fresh fruit year round. Apples, peaches, cherries, pears and grapes are just a few of the varieties of fruit you will see while driving throughout the valley. As well, tourists can visit some our internationally acclaimed wineries. Kelowna’s Spring, Summer and Fall Wine Festivals offer hundreds of activities focused on wine making, tasting and touring.
Kelowna’s Cultural District is transforming into an exciting and active downtown area featuring new lifestyle condo developments, galleries, Prospera Place arena, museums, theatres, a casino, artists’ studios, fine dining, and unique shops.
Kelowna and the Central Okanagan is known for its hot summers and mild winters. The summers are warm with hot days with cool and calm nights. Winters are much milder than areas north and east of the Valley. In Kelowna and the Central Okanagan, mean maximum temperatures vary from about 0 degrees C in January to 27.9 degrees C in July, temperatures most places in Canada could only wish for.
Kelowna, British Columbia has been rated “Most Cost Competitive Place for Business” by KPMG. The study measured 27 components such as labor, taxes and utility costs applied to business operations in Austria, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, UK, Canada, U.S., and Japan. Kelowna offers reasonably priced commercial space as well as an abundance of qualified workers. This makes for a positive and opportune atmosphere for industries of all sorts of people.
