The District of Lake Country, located in the centre of the Okanagan Valley, is comprised of four distinct neighbourhoods or wards: Oyama, Winfield, Carr’s Landing and Okanagan Centre, and borders 4 absolutely beautiful lakes. Incorporated as a district in 1995, Lake Country is located less than a half-hour drive from Kelowna and just minutes to beautiful orchards, wineries, and farms and the serenity of the Okanagan lakes.
Lake Country is a place to live, work and play—a place where residents can truly have it all. Residents of Lake Country enjoy hot, dry summers and temperate, mild winters with boundless opportunities for year-round recreational activities including: water sports to cycling, golfing, skiing, hiking and much more. This vibrant, tight-knit community is also rich in culture, offering extraordinary arts and entertainment, as well as acclaimed fine and casual dining.
Lake Country has many family-friendly beaches and several parks that provide locals and tourists with many opportunities for summer activities and water sports. Lake Country is conveniently located between two world renowned ski resorts; Big White Resort (located in Kelowna) and Silver Star Mountain Resort (located in Vernon).
Okanagan Lifestyles
The area and its surroundings have a population of approximately 170,000, with just over 300,000 people in the Okanagan Valley. In other words, it is large enough to have most city amenities, yet small enough to escape big city traffic and enjoy country amenities, as well.
Lake Country is blessed with a dry climate (only 355 mm/14 inches of rain annually) featuring warm summers averaging 27-30° C (80-86°F) and cool dry winters with very little snow. The pleasant Okanagan climate is a draw for vacationers and people seeking the "Okanagan Lifestyle."
Some of the many pleasures enjoyed in the Okanagan Valley include the following:
Golf
The Okanagan Valley has become a golfer's paradise. There are over 30 golf courses in the Okanagan, offering everything from high end championship layouts to low-priced executive courses for the less adventurous golfer. Compared to other North American golf meccas, the quality of the Okanagan golf experience is high, while the costs are very reasonable.
With an average of over 2,000 hours of sun every year, Kelowna offers one of the longest, driest golf seasons in the country. With majestic views of vineyards, orchards, semi-desert terrain, rolling hills, and expansive lakes, the area offers some of the most picturesque golf courses in Canada. Many of the golf courses have clubhouses that offer delicious dining experiences ranging from casual to gourmet.
Summer Sport Activities
Summer sport activities include boating, water skiing, cycling, hiking, parasailing, fishing (in the many mountain lakes that are easily accessible from the Okanagan Valley), houseboat tours and more.
Wineries
The Okanagan Valley is known for its spectacular vineyards which produce premium quality wines that regularly win national and international wine competitions and recognition. With over 200 wineries in the Okanagan Valley, few wine-producing regions in the world can match the areas’ combination of mountains, lakes, fresh air and intense sunlight with so many grape varietals.
With so many great wineries around, wine tasting has become a very popular pastime for both tourists and Okanagan locals.
Arts & Entertainment
Kelowna has recently added many venues to its arts and entertainment scene. These include Prospera Place, the Kelowna Art Gallery and the new Kelowna Library.
Prospera Place has played host to such world-class acts as Bryan Adams, Elton John, The Guess Who, Bill Cosby, John Fogarty, Black Eyed Peas, Moist, the musical "Chicago" and others. Of course, we also have the Kelowna Rockets hockey. It's not the NHL, but it's pretty darn entertaining, and you can take the whole family for the price of a "cheap" NHL ticket!
Skiing & Boarding
photo courtesy of Big White Ski Resort
Four ski resorts within a short drive from the City (Big White, Silver Star, Crystal Mountain and Apex) offer a wide selection of amenities beyond the major attractions of skiing or snowboarding. Big White, BC's second largest alpine ski and snowboard area, is less than an hour's drive for Kelowna residents. All these resorts feature plentiful snowfall and dry Okanagan powder snow.
Winter is a great season in the Okanagan and cross-country skiing enthusiasts will enjoy the serenity of our wilderness. In addition to the trails available at the major ski resorts, Kelowna has several active cross-country ski clubs that maintain approximately 85 kms (50 mi) of groomed trails in the area that are easily accessible.
Other winter sports: Kelowna and the Okanagan valley besidest down-hill skiing, snowboarding, and cross-country skiing include snowshoeing, snowmobiling and ice fishing nearby.
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