British Columbia Canada Blog

Good news for Paintball lovers ! Silver Star mountain resort is ready to offer paintball attraction to the guests this summer. Silver Star is already world famous for its Bike park in summer and now paintball would be another activity that guests can enjoy while at the resort. Silver Star’s cool and dry summer weather is perfect for paintball game.

In the words of General Manager Michael Sherwood:

“We’ve seen tremendous growth in Silver Star Bike Park in the past three years and we recognized the need to build on our success. We think Silver Star Paintball fits that need as it offers another unique alternative to the Silver Star experience.”

Location : It will be located in parking lot E, in a location well to the west of Silver Star’s main village, opposite the entrance to the Ridge sub- division.

Opening Date and Timings: Silver Star Paintball will open June 26, coinciding with the launch of the summer biking and hiking season. The courses will be open every Thursday to Sunday during the summer season, from noon until 8 p.m.

Related Links:
Activities Thompson Okanagan
Silver Star Lodging
Thompson Okanagan Biking

If you are looking for a Ski in - Ski Out, family oriented, clean but a little older property to stay in Sun Peaks village then I would recommend Nancy Green’s Cahility Lodge in the heart of the Village.  Nancy Green’s Cahility Lodge is not one of the newly developed, modern upscale property in Sun Peaks but it certainly has an interesting history and is very well located. With about 191 different room types, it has a lot to offer to different group sizes.

 As you walk in the front door, you’ll be impressed by lobby display of Nancy Green’s trophies and Olympic medals. The other features that attract me to this place are: indoor and outdoor hot tubs, well equipped fitness room, cozy meeting room, slope-side ski storage room, complimentary wireless Internet and complimentary guest Internet station. I wish they had free free underground parking. Unfortunately the heated underground parking offered by the lodge is about $10/night. However, I like the idea of complimentary orientation ski tour and weekly reception ( during ski season.)

 Now, if you are in Sun Peaks Village, one of the most happening place for food and drinks is Macker’s on the Mountain. I love it for its upbeat bistro atmosphere and strong flair of the mountain.

 Check out: Nancy Green’s Cahility Lodge 

Related Links:
Thompson Okanagan
Ski British Columbia

Penticton is one of the most beautiful cities of Thompson Okanagan and one of the annual events in Penticton is ‘Gun and Antique Show and Sale’ and this year’s show will be held at Penticton Curling Club on April 19th and 20th. Penticton Curling Club is located on 505 Railway Street.   

The show timings are: Saturday - 9.00 am to 5.00 pm and Sunday - 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. Tickets are priced at $5/person and $3 for seniors. For more information, call Brenda or Kevin at : 250-494-4356. Email: collector0003@shaw.ca

Related Links:
Travel Penticton
Thompson Okanagan

I visited Sun Peaks last weekend and was surprised to see that there is still a lot of snow in the resort.  The Skihill is closing on April 13th so you still have a few days to enjoy last minute skiing. 

As far as accommodations are concerned, Sun Peaks has a lot to offer to tourists and locals. There are several ski in/ski out hotels like Nancy Green’s Cahility Lodge, Delta Sun Peaks, Coast Sundance Lodge, Sun Peaks Lodge etc. I personally prefer condos and chalets and Sun Peaks never ceases to impress me. Check out pictures of some popular units below:

 Village Center Sun Peaks, British Columbia

Timberline Accommodations in Sun Peaks, British Columbia

Mcgillivray Creek Chalet -  Sun Peaks, British Columbia

Trappers Landing (Upper Village) - Sun Peaks, British Columbia

Crystal Forest (Upper Village) -Sun Peaks

Delta Sun Peaks Hotel - Village Centre

Highly recommended restaurant in Sun Peaks: Macker’s (just next to Nancy Green’s Cahilty Lodge in the village center) 

Related Links
British Columbia Resorts
Ski British Columbia

There are so many different Wineries in the Okanagan that tourists often feel overwhelmed when trying to decide which ones to visit especially in a limited time frame. Afterall, it’s not easy to choose from over 70 wineries in the same region. I often end up discussing my list of top 10 Wineries in the Okanagan with Friends and relatives who ask for my advise.

Check out my list of Top 5 Wineries and make your own decision.

 1. Summerhill Pyramid Winery

Summerhill Pyramid  Winery has Canada’s largest certified Organic vineyard. It is located on: 4870 Chute Lake Road. Ph: 250-764-8000

2. Cedar Creek Estate Winery

The Cedar Creek Winery has been recognized as Canada’s Winery of the Year in 2002 and 2005 and their Greata Ranch vineyard produces high quality grapes. It is located on : 5445 Lakeshore Road. Kelowna , BC 

3. Jackson - Triggs Okanagan Estate

Jackson- Triggs Okanagan Estate is another award winning Winery of Okanagan. It is located on 38691-97th Street, Oliver, B.C.

4. Nk’Mip Cellars

Nk’Mip Cellars is pronounced as  in-Ka-meep and is North America’s first aboriginal owned and operated Winery located on the shores of Osoyoos Lake.

5. Mission Hill Family Estate

Mission Hill Family Estate has a beautiful architeccture and spectacular view. The winery is located on: 1730 Mission Hill Road. Westbank, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia Ph: 250.768.7611
Alt: 250-768-6448

Related Links : BC Wineries

I am not a wine Connoiseur but being a resident of Okanagan valley, I know how much fun Okanagan Spring Wine Festivals are and am excited about 14th annual Okanagan Spring Wine Festival which will be held from May 1-10 2008.

There are over 70 Wineries in the Okanagan and Okanagan Spring wine Festival is the perfect time to visit them. The Okanagan Spring Wine Festival has been described as ‘One of Canada’s best small festivals’ and offers an exciting experience to anyone interested in great wine and fine cuisine. There are several interesting events and you can get tickets for different events on Ticketmaster.

 So, what are you waiting for ? Purchase your tickets and experience the finest wines that are being produced right here in Okanagan Wine Country.

 For more information, call the Okanagan Wine Festival Society at : 250-861-6654

Related Links:

BC wineries
Thompson Okanagan Wineries

(Image Credit : www.owfs.com)

One of my favourite things to do at Big White Ski Resort is Snowmobiling. You can also take advantage of professionally guided snowmobiling tours like Outback Snowmobile tours.  

Check out some Snowmobile Tour rates:

• Single Rider ( With Passenger)
• 1 hour Tour - $ 119 (+ $49)
• 2 Hour Tour- $169(+69)
• 4 hour Tour -$229(+99)

I personally think Snowmobiling is a good idea for holiday celebrations, family reunions, corporate adventures, weekend getaways, bachelor parties or even upcoming spring break. Many snowmobile tours involve: Scenic rides with Photo stops and Hot chocolate. So, if you haven’t tried snowmobiling before, it’s time to try it out now before the season is over.

For any questions or concerns, contact activities desk : 250-491-6111

Related Links
BC Snowmobiling
BC Ski Resorts

A few weeks ago I met up with a few friends for a winter weekend away in the Okanagan. A phone call to Louise at Raven B&B at Idabel Lake was all it took to set something up. She has a guest house (it’s not really a B&B since she does not do a breakfast unless there is a special request – usually from Snowmobile groups or summer cycling groups travelling the Trans Canada Trail, which runs right by her place) Winter was setting in at the higher elevations and the lakes were freezing over, with an marked shortage of snow.

Temperatures had dipped to -20 degrees Celsius in the previous nights, so with caution, we tiptoed out onto her dugout which had frozen over. The ice was solid, so Louise and her husband began to flood the ice for their private skating rink. This requires drilling a hole in the ice and setting up a pump to spray a thin layer of water across the top to create a perfectly smooth surface. Since the dugout was sufficiently frozen, we decided to venture out onto the adjacent marshland and then eventually onto Idabel Lake. The surface was almost perfectly smooth, and with 4-5 inches of ice it made a perfect skating surface. Since we hadn’t thought to pack along our skates, we had to settle for sliding around in our boots. 

Our sliding took us past the popular Idabel Lake Resort which is situated right on the edge of the lake, facing west. The resort itself has numerous rooms, with balconies and hot-tubs, as well as several self-contained cabins perched up on the hillside, also facing west. We definitely plan to return to the resort in the future to have some drinks in a hot-tub after skating or cross-country skiing. What could be a better way to watch the sun set over a frozen lake on a cold winter evening than from a hot-tub? The remainder of the weekend was very relaxing, enjoying the fireplace  and some great food and drinks at the guest house.

Related Links

BC Resorts
BC B&B

This past weekend we traveled to Silver Star Resort in Vernon British Columbia.  Silver Star is better known for its skiing/snowboarding vacations in winter, however there is still much fun to be had in the summer as well.  Silver Star is actually only 20 minutes away from downtown Vernon and hosts numerous condos, chalets and restaurants.  We stayed at Silver Star’s spectacular Snowbird lodge and were very impressed with the high quality of the room.  Here’s a brief overview of our room at the Snowbird Lodge.

The Snowbird Lodge 3 bedroom executive unit has 1 king size bed (or queen) in bedroom 1 and bedding varies per second and third bedroom and living room. This unit has 2 bathrooms. The unit offers a dining area, as well as a kitchen with fridge, stove, oven, dishwasher, microwave, a living area, TV/DVD fireplace, wireless Internet access, private outdoor hot tub, balcony and private laundry facility. - SilverStar.com

We also took advantage of the warm weather at Silver Star to take a chair lift to the mountain top in order to hike down one of many trails.  The hike actually only took 40 minutes and provided us with wonderful views of the entire resort.

Related Links:
Silver Star Hotels
Silver Star Resorts
BC Hiking

It was our 2nd wedding anniversary last week and my husband surprised me by taking me on one of the most interesting boat tours in Kelowna, ” The Princess.”  It was a very enjoyable experience. He had informed the Captain that it was our special occasion so the crew had prepared a delicious anniversary dinner for us. Believe me, dinner on a boat with a cool breeze blowing, spectacular view of Lake Okanagan and surrounding lush green forests is a delightful way to celebrate your special day. Our dinner which included BBQ chicken, Potato Salad, Grilled Carrots, Toasted Bread and Macaroni Salad was sumptuous.  The boat also offers various alcoholic beverages such as beer, Okanagan Wine, and other fine cocktails.

I do recommend braining a sweater or fleece as it can get pretty cool out in the open water of the lake during the evening.  It is also much windier on the Lake than it is on land so don’t bring a blanket because it may fly away.

Tour Pricing - Call 1 250 869-6696

Senior (65+) $13.00
Adults (18-64) $15.00
Youth (13-17) $12.00
Child (5-12) $7.00

Related Links
Thompson Okanagan Spas
Thompson Okanagan Sightseeing