Living in Kelowna
Kelowna is a city of about 100,000 people in British Columbia’s sunny Okanagan Valley—one of Canada’s top tourist destinations.
The centrepiece of the valley is a 135-kilometre (85-mile) lake that draws in visitors looking to relax and have fun year-round. It’s a diverse region, with sandy beaches, organic farms and gardens, dramatic orchards, and snow-capped mountains.
Kelowna is just over 200 kilometres (120 miles) north of the US border. The Kelowna international airport is near campus, and it’s just a one-hour flight to Vancouver, Calgary, and Seattle, or a scenic four-hour drive to Vancouver.
Hot summers, mild winters
The area is known for dry, hot, brilliantly sunny summers and temperate winters. Snowfall is very light down in the valley, but reliably deep up in the nearby mountain resorts.
Getting around
Downtown Kelowna is minutes away by public transit. Buses to all areas of Kelowna leave campus frequently. And an unlimited local transit pass, called the U-Pass, is included in your student fees. There are also dedicated bike routes and on-campus parking.
At any time of year, Kelowna and the Okanagan Valley offer endless options for fun.
In the summer, bike the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, waterski on Lake Okanagan, or hang out at local beaches and cafes. In the winter, skiing and snowboarding are popular activities on local mountains.
Get on the water
Go boating, swimming, or waterskiing on Okanagan Lake.
Parks & recreation
The Kelowna waterfront offers outdoor yoga, volleyball games, and kilometres of parkland right in the city.
Winter sports
Go ice skating, skiing, and snowboarding in the winter, with three outstanding mountain resorts — Big White,Silver Star, and Apex— all within one hour of campus.
Cultural district
Visit the cultural district between Ellis Street and Okanagan Lake for galleries, local theatres, and artist studios; downtown Kelowna for cafes, shops, and independent bookstores; or the Mission district for popular Gyro Beach and the tree-lined trails of the Greenway.
Catch a game
Kelowna Rockets (WHL), Kelowna Falcons (baseball), Okanagan Sun (football).
What can you do on a Saturday in Kelowna?
- Go snowboarding at Big White
- Catch a movie
- Go rock climbing on Mount Boucherie
- See a concert
- See the latest exhibit at the Kelowna museum
- Go to the game – WHL Kelowna Rockets, Kelowna Falcons Baseball, Okanagan Sun Football
- Check out the eclectic shops along South Pandosy
- Go horseback riding
Tourism Kelowna / Tourism BC
For more things to see and do, visit Tourism Kelowna or Tourism BC.
3/24/2015 3:48:39 PM