Being a Kelowna photographer definitely has its perks! They don’t call it “Kelownafornia” for no reason. As an Okanagan family photographer, I am blessed to have such a beautiful and diverse backdrop for my photo sessions. Not only do I offer documentary family photography in Kelowna and throughout the Okanagan; but I also provide on-location vacation sessions for visiting families! While I prefer to do my sessions in places that aren’t crowded to capture a family engaging with one another, I’ve decided to compile a list of all my favorite family-friendly Kelowna activities. Not all of these locations are ideal for photography, but I’ve kept an extensive list to provide a wide array of family-friendly activities for locals and visitors to the Okanagan.
Okanagan Beaches
Let’s start with my favorite place in Kelowna to photograph: the beach! There is nothing like the beaches in Kelowna and the Okanagan. Popular ones include Hot Sands Beach, Gyro Beach Park, and Bertram Creek, but there are many quieter beaches where I take my family clients. Some other gems include Kinsmen Park, West Avenue beach access, Francis Avenue beach access, Strathcona Park, Royal Avenue beach access, Cadder Avenue beach access, Beach Avenue beach access, and several others along Abbot Street. Waterfront Park is also beautiful, with walkways surrounding the Delta Grand Hotel.
Click here for Kelowna Tourism’s list of beaches.
Orchards
Fruit picking is always fun with the family and can make for some great portraits. In the spring and summer months, you can head out and pick cherries, apples, apricots, plums, pears, and more at orchards such as Paynter’s Fruit Market, Kempf Orchards, and Gatzke’s Farm Market.
Hillcrest Farm Market
Hillcrest Farm is an outdoor market as well as a cafe. Stop by for some delicious treats!
Davison Orchards – Vernon
Davison Orchards is a longtime favorite in the North Okanagan and a personal favorite of mine. They have you-pick fruit like apples and apricots, an indoor store selling their world-famous apple juice, treats, and farmy knick-knacks. I bring my kids for a bite at the cafe, and afterward, we play at the playground and feed the goats!
Kelowna Farmer’s Market
The Kelowna Farmer’s Market is a great place to take the kids for the day. (My kids LOVE the falafel and kettle corn!) There are many talented vendors selling all sorts of goods that are baked, made, or grown, and they have a bouncy castle!
Kangaroo Creek Farm
Ever wanted to bottle-feed a baby kangaroo? Or perhaps have a flying squirrel land on your head? Kangaroo Creek Farm is the place! Check out this image of a sugar glider I captured mid-flight. This place is loads of fun for families.
Hoof Prints Barnyard
Hoof Prints Barnyard is a petting zoo with a bonfire for marshmallow roasting, play area, concession, and more.
Gambell Farms
Gambell Farms is a you-pick farm selling fresh fruits and vegetables and also homemade goodies!
Arlo’s Honey Farm
Arlo’s Honey Farm has bee farm tours, sells award-winning honey, beeswax products, and fresh fruits and veggies.
Planet Bee Honey Farm – Vernon
Planet Bee Honey Farm is another honey farm in the North Okanagan offering honey tastings, daily presentations, and a store selling great products.
Festivals and Fairs
Rutland May Days
Rutland May Days is an annual fair hosted by Shooting Star Amusements. They have rides, carnival games, and vendors selling some great goods!
Westside Daze
Westside Daze is held over the Canada Day long weekend and has loads of fun activities for families to enjoy, topped off with fireworks!
IPE – Armstrong
Armstrong IPE, or Interior Provincial Exhibition, is an annual event typically held in the last week of August to the beginning of September. In addition to all the animals, there are carnival rides, vendors, live shows, and a rodeo. There is far more happening, but this place is quite the place to go at the end of summer in the Okanagan!
Lumby Days – Lumby
Lumby Days is another annual fair held in Lumby, about 20 minutes outside of Vernon. Lumby Days has amusement rides, a parade, games, a market, and more!
Organic Okanagan Festival
I love the Okanagan Organic Festival, which is another annual festival held in the Okanagan. It has crafters, live music, children’s entertainment, and more, all centered around an organic future!
Fat Cat Children’s Festival
Fat Cat Children’s Festival is held annually in Kelowna at the waterfront. There is so much happening down there, including a parade, arts and crafts, live entertainment, and more! Great for kids and families.
Indoor Fun
Scandia
Scandia is a great place to bring the kids! They have outdoor go-karting, indoor and outdoor mini-golf, and tons of arcade games for your kids’ entertainment.
Bowling
Kelowna has several bowling alleys. There is one at Capri Lanes and McCurdy Bowl, all great places to bring the family for a few games of bowling!
H2O Adventure and Fitness Centre
My daughter decided to write an article for school about why H2O Adventure and Fitness Centre is the best pool ever, and I’d have to agree! H2O is a pool and fitness center operated by the YMCA. It has three waterslides, more pools than I can count, two hot tubs, a kids’ splash area, and a wave rider.
Energyplex
Energyplex is a fantastic place for energetic children! Complete with a Cube, trampolines, gym, rock climbing, Ballistix, laser tag, Bungy trampolines, craft & movie corner, full-service café, and more! Our newest activity is Kelowna’s only indoor aerial park called SkyTrax.
Jump2it
Ever wanted to go somewhere where your kids can let loose on a whole bunch of bouncy castles in an enclosed space? Jump2it is the place!
Fun Bugs
Fun Bugs is the indoor play place for kids under six. Unfortunately, we are past that age, but I have heard lots of great things!
Summer Outdoor Fun
Wibit Sports
Wibit is essentially a floating park. The inflatables include slides, trampolines, and more for awesome summer fun!
Myra Canyon Adventure Park
Myra Canyon is another great outdoor park with ziplines and games.
Wildplay Kelowna
Wildplay Kelowna is an awesome outdoor obstacle course. They also have ziplines, a swing, and a jump!
Kettle Valley Train Robbery and BBQ
Kettle Valley Train Robbery is an interactive train ride meets live theater. Follow along on the train and afterward enjoy a classic old west BBQ!
Atlantis Waterslides – Vernon
Atlantis Waterslides is one of the few waterslide parks left in BC! They’ve got tons of slides, a river run, hot tub, and concession!
Oyama Ziplines
Oyama Ziplines is for the adventurer! Ziplines, play areas, and a multi-level park.
Safari Ridge
Safari Ridge has paintball, archery, and laser tag! Woohoo! Great for older kids.
Loco Landing – Penticton
Loco Landing is in Penticton, and it’s worth the drive for this place. They have bumper boats, go-karting, mini-golf, some fun climbing structures, and more!
O’Keefe Ranch – Vernon
If you love a little history, O’Keefe Ranch is a great way to spend the day. It’s a historical ranch that was one of the early Okanagan settlements. It has a real candy store, and more. But I really like candy.
Shuswap River – Enderby
Tube or float down the Shuswap River in Enderby. There are some sections that are nice and slow for families.
Penticton Channel
Float down the Penticton Channel in the summer!
Winter Outdoor Fun
Winter Carnival – Vernon
Stuart Park Skating
In the winter months, Stuart Park has outdoor skating for the whole family. Bring your skates or rent some there and head out for a fun afternoon on the ice.
Big White Ski Resort
A great ski resort in the Okanagan is Big White Ski Resort outside of Kelowna. Big White has outdoor skating, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, as well as lots of great restaurants and the gondola.
Silverstar Ski Resort
Silverstar Mountain Resort is a gorgeous ski resort outside of Vernon. Their outdoor skating is on a magical fairy tale-like pond. They’ve got lots of other activities, of course, like skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and tubing!
