Category Archives: Penticton

Staycation Ideas for Penticton

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Instagram @bonnieleehampson

With clear skies and warmer weather in forecast, get outside and enjoy the fresh air!

With over 450km of trails within 20 minutes of downtown, Spring is a great time to explore your own backyard.  Dust off your bike or head down to the local bike stores to rent a bike for the day.  Or, go for a hike with your family and check out some of the new spring growth on the forest floor.

KVR Trail

The Kettle Valley Rail Trail is the perfect option for people of all ages and abilities to get outside.  Easily accessible from downtown with lots of unique stops along the way.

  • As more of the wineries start opening for the season, most of them are with in a short walking distance from the KVR trail, experience a self-guided walking or biking wine tour
  • Go further and check out the incredible views from Little Tunnel overlooking Naramata and Lake Okanagan
Instagram @curtisturchak
  • Explore the South Spur of the KVR Trail along the west shores of Skaha Lake connecting Penticton to Kaleden and Ok Falls
    • This is a beautiful trail that follows the shore line of Skaha Lake
    • Access to the trail in Penticton is through Wright’s Beach Campground, Pioneer Park in Kaleden and Lions Garden Park in Ok Falls

Local trails in the city

  • Penticton Creek runs from the shores of Okanangan Lake, next to the Penticton Ikeda Japanese Gardens all the way up to the old Fish hatchery.
    • This is a great paved trail that runs through town along the creek
    • Great for people of all ages and abilities
Instagram @nettersadventures
  • Lake-to-Lake trail located on the east side of the Channel
    • A 7km one way walk from the SS Sicamous to Sudbury Beach
    • A combination of compact gravel and paved trail makes this a great option for those looking to get moving but don’t want to climb any hills!

Skaha Bluffs Provincial Park

Skaha Bluffs Park provides a variety of recreation opportunities including hiking, rock climbing, mountain biking and wildlife viewing while also protecting habitat for a variety of species at risk

Instagram @1partatatime

Skaha Lake Park

A great way to let the kids run while soaking up the sun and fresh air

  • With two playgrounds, enclosed ball hockey, beach volleyball courts, tennis courts and lots of grass areas, grab some food from our local restaurants and artisanal bakers for a picnic and set up for a full day of outdoor family fun!

 

Supporting Local Business in Penticton

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Instagram @roslynebuchanan

These are unprecedented times for all of us, but we can help our local small businesses during these challenging times.  Many businesses have had to temporarily shut their doors, many have decided to postpone re-opening after the winter break while others have modified their service offerings, from limited occupancy, appointment only access, take-out food orders, curb-side pick up,  free local delivery, nation wide shipping discounts and gift cards sales.

Our small businesses are owned by and employ many local residents, they are also important partners who support our local community in many ways.  During these challenging times, we as a community need to consider where our money is going and how we can help our community as a whole.  Please look for locally produced product, use our local agents, and support each other any way we can.

We are continuing to reach out to our local businesses to see what services are still being offered to the Penticton community.  We encourage you to call the local small business beforehand to check their current status, as things are changing at a rapid pace.  We will be updating this page on a regular basis as we learn more from our business community.

Stay healthy, stay safe and we will get through this together Penticton!

Retail:

Melt Mineral Spa: Spa closed; Gift cards available through on-line and phone orders.

Eskala Mountain Sports: Service by phone and online, local delivery available.

Freedom The Bike Shop: limiting capacity in store, please call ahead, no cash transactions

BC VQA Wine Info Centre: Tasting bar is closed, retail sales available, phone orders accepted, curbside pick up, local delivery for purchases over $50

Cherry Lane Shopping Centre: London Drugs and Save-on Food continue regular hours.  Food Court is currently take-out only. Mall hours are Monday – Saturday 9:30am – 5:30pm, Sunday 11am – 5pm

Gratify Foods: No Walk-ins, pre-order and pre-pay, pick-up at door or free deliveries over $20

Jak’s Beer, Wine & Spirits – Cherry Lane: regular hours, no cash purchases, debit and credit only, not accepting empties

Soda Creek Soap Company: Retail store open, phone order, on-line sales, local delivery, a selection imperfect formed soap bars are FREE for those in need

Whimsy & Wry Bridals: open by appointment only

Restaurants & Cafes

Brodo Kitchen: To-go window only from 11am – 5pm, daily feature menu and bulk buy special orders accepted

Hooded Merganser: Drive-thru service at front of Penticton Lakeside Resort starting Tuesday March 24th; 11:30am – 7:00pm

Nautical Dog Cafe: Open 9am – 2pm, daily special featured

Petrasek Bakery: Phone orders only, pick ups on Tuesday 9am – 1pm & Friday 9am – 1pm, Call to confirm order deadlines.

Seis Cielo Coffee Roasters: Cafe is closed; On-line ordering with free local delivery; also available at local grocery stores

Smugglers Smokehouse: Take-out, curb-side pick up, free local delivery and Skip the Dishes, Open 11am – 8pm Tuesday – Thursday, 11am – 9pm Friday & Saturday

Sushi Kojo (Penticton Location Only): Take-out, local delivery and FREE delivery for seniors

Tacos Del Norte: Dine-in, Take-out, Curb-side pick up, daily specials

Theo’s Restaurant: Dine-in with social distancing between tables, take-out

Villa Rosa Ristorante: Take-out only; 20% discount off order ordered directly from restaurant, Skip the Dishes

Buy the Sea Seafoods: Dine-in and take-out

Poplar Grove Restaurant: Take-away and Delivery, more details to come soon

Tratto Pizzaria: Take out only, Tuesday – Sunday 3pm – 8pm; available for pizza and wine take out; phone orders are recommended 250-493-0080

Elma: Take out only, wine and other packaged liquor products available with take-out orders; Call 236-422-3562 to place orders; open 5pm – 9pm

Breweries:

Bad Tattoo Brewing: On-line ordering Pizza & Beer delivery only, daily 4pm-8pm,

Barley Mill Brew Pub & Bistro: Liquor store and Drive thru liquor store only

Cannery Brewing: Open for retail sales, new growler fills only, new seasonal product launches

Highway 97 Brewery: Open for growler fills and retail sales only

Slackwater Brewing: Open 12-6pm daily for retail sales only, local delivery available soon

Tin Whistle Brewing Co.: Open for growler fills and retail sales, free local deliveries

Wineries

Da Silva Vineyards & Winery: Tasting room is closed, on-line ordering with free shipping for orders over 6 bottles until end of April

Four Shadows Vineyard: Tasting room closed, online ordering with free local delivery

Great Estates Okanagan Wine Experience Centre: No tastings, retail sales only

-illside Winery: Tasting room closed; phone & on-line orders, curb-side pick up and local delivery

-a Frenz Estate Winery: Tasting room closed, phone and on-line orders, curb-side pick up, free delivery on orders of 6 bottles or more

Laughing Stock Vineyards: Tasting room closed, on-line purchases, curb-side pick up only between 11am – 4 pm

Little Engine Wines: Tasting room closed, retail sales only

Monster Vineyards: Tasting room closed, retail sales only, local delivery available

Painted Rock Estate Winery: Tasting and sales by appointment only; discounted shipping rates for on-line orders

Poplar Grove Winery: tasting room closed, retail sales only, working on local delivery options

Red Rooster Winery: Tasting room closed, free shipping or local delivery for on-line or phone orders of 6 bottles or more

Three Sisters Winery: Tasting room closed, retail sales only, free shipping on orders over $50

Tightrope Winery: Retail sales only 9am – 5pm Monday – Friday, on-line ordering, curb-side pickup, free shipping for orders of 6 bottles or more

TIME Winery: Tasting room closed; retail sales only

Township 7 Vineyards & Winery: Tastings by appointment only, limited to 4 people at one time, on-line ordering and curb-side pick up

Upper Bench Winery & Creamery: Tasting room closed, retail sales only, phone and on-line ordering, curb-side pickup, FREE BC wide shipping

Distilleries and Cideries:

Maple Leaf Spirits: Tastings by appointment only, on-line ordering available

COVID-19 – Provide feedback on emergency surveys

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The City of Penticton has issued two emergency surveys to seek urgent feedback that will help guide its COVID-19 relief and recovery response measures.

We’re calling on you – our residents and South Okanagan business community – to tell us how you have been financially impacted by COVID-19.

One survey is for Penticton residents and the second for South Okanagan businesses. Local business owners can fill out one or both. While residents are encouraged to complete the survey online, you may also respond by calling the City’s Call Centre at 250-490-2345.

The surveys will remain open until midnight Thursday, April 16.

Take the survey(s) now!

TECH TIP: Best House Hunting Apps in Canada

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  • REALTOR.CA
    It’s probably the best and easiest to use. I love the ability to stand in front of a building and easily see everything around me – that’s for sale on the MLS and then star your favourites. Easier to use and friendlier than the PC main site – www.realtor.ca. (also, the best Canadian commercial listings)
  • BC ASSESSMENT SITE
    The best site to search listings, assessed values and even home price comparisons.
  • LOOPNET
    Largest commercial website (800,000 commercial listings)
  • SCHOOL LOCATOR *Currently only works for Toronto and the GTA. Coming soon to the rest of Canada.
    Kids? The school locator immediately finds out what the public and Catholic elementary and intermediate school options are and how they were rated by the Fraser Institute. Click on the school and you’ll find out more details, like its five years rating out of 10.
  • HOMETRICS.CA
    Check on every house in Toronto, also rent check and other apps coming.
  • DOCUSIGN
    With the DocuSign mobile app, you can easily sign documents (including offers) right from your phone.
  • HOUSE CREEP Murder, haunted houses? Type in your address and see where someone got killed around you. What? Yes!

$12 million sale in Penticton

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One of Penticton’s larger apartment buildings has been sold to an Ontario company.

Arran House, a 77-unit building built on 1.94 acres at 2902 South Main St., sold for $12 million to Skyline Apartment REIT, which is part of the Skyline Group of Companies based out of Guelph, Ont.

“This is their first building in Penticton, but they’re a huge company,” Avison Young Commercial Real Estate broker Chris Wieser said Wednesday from Vancouver.

“They own apartment buildings coast to coast.”

For more on this story, visit Okanagan Edge.

5 of My Favourite South Okanagan Events

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With the Penticton Peach Festival just around the corner, I got to thinking about all the outstanding events we have here in the South Okanagan. Festivals, car shows, concerts… even through the winter, there always seems to be something fun happening every weekend. I swear they keep adding more every year. Even though it’s getting hard to keep track of them all, here are five of my personal favourites.

Peach City Beach Cruise

Even if you’re not into cars, it’s hard not to be impressed by this event and the passion of the people who take part. Usually held in late June, the Peach City Beach Cruise sees hundreds of glistening, gleaming, and painstakingly restored classic cars, trucks, and motorcycles line up along Lakeshore Drive for the interior’s biggest auto show. Wear your comfy shoes because there’s a lot to explore, including a ton of vendors, food trucks, and concerts. Who knows, you might even spot an Elvis or two because that weekend is also the…

Penticton Elvis Festival

Yep. You read that right. We have an Elvis Festival. A big one in fact! People travel here from around the world to celebrate The King and his music. This event usually happens in late June at the same time as the Peach City Beach Cruise because is there any better match than Elvis Presley and classic cars? For a couple days the city is filled with Elvis impersonators and to be honest, most are pretty convincing. This one’s a unique event and a lot of fun.

Peach City Beach Cruise

Much like we celebrate our juicy peaches here in Penticton, Osoyoos holds a yearly festival for the fruit they’re best known for. Taking place on Canada Day weekend, the highlights of the Osoyoos Cherry Fiesta include great bands, fun events for kids, and a delicious assortment of cherry themed foods. Seriously, you have to try the homemade pies. And since it takes place on our nation’s birthday, the festival puts on an incredible fireworks show too. I’ve heard it’s the second largest in Canada after Ottawa and it doesn’t disappoint.

The Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival

Dubbed “The Best Jazz Party in the Pacific Northwest”, this annual three day festival takes place the weekend after Labour Day. Featuring live music from more than a dozen world class jazz bands, the Pentastic Hot Jazz Festival is guaranteed to get your toes tapping no matter what kind of music you’re into.

Okanagan Fest of Ale

Our region is famous for world class wines but did you know we’ve also got a heck of a selection of excellent craft beers too? Every April since 1996, dozens of the best breweries from BC and beyond have gathered in Penticton for the Fest of Ale, making it one of the biggest and longest running events of its kind in the Pacific Northwest. This two day festival is your chance to sample some of the top beers in the world and celebrate the almighty ale with friends, food, and music!

Obviously this is just a small sample of what goes on here. I haven’t even touched down on all the bands the play at the South Okanagan Events Centre, The Vancouver Canucks Young Stars Classic hockey tournament, the Spring, Fall, or Winter Wine Festivals, or any of the other smaller, local events in Penticton and the surrounding area.

If the idea of living in an area where the summers are long, the winters are mild, and there’s always something happening that interests you, contact me today!