Located in the Okanagan region of British Columbia, Canada is the 10th most populous region and perhaps the largest region in the North Okanagan regional district. The city is known to be the commercial hub of North Okanagan, surrounded by beautiful lakes and grassland hills. The greater Vernon area is home to popular Okanagan culture, arts, music, ice-sculpture and many more, which is slowly fading away due to the change in weather. However, despite everything, the region of Okanagan has managed to hold on to its charm. Starting from the rich cultural heritage to the bounty agriculture, parks, and sun-drench beaches with incredible views makes it a complete package of endless explorations. The small city has so many things to see and experience the real taste of this traditional inland. Let’s have a look at the best things to do in Vernon, Canada, for your trip to this destination.
1. Explore fun activities at the Okanagan Science Centre
This non-profit charitable center offers fun learning of science, for families and children, and it inspires learning through diverse interactive activities. You can explore a large variety of scientific exhibits and hands-on experience on the various scientific principles including electricity, magnetism, light, mechanics, optics, etc. The OSE offers many science activities throughout the year such as planetarium shows, Gyro Chair rides, and other exciting activities for the little ones.
Okanagan Science Centre
Address: 2704 BC-6, Vernon, BC V1T 5G5, Canada
Website: Okanagan Science Centre
Opening hours: Sat : 11am - 5pm; Tue - Fri: 10am - 5pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
Price: 8 USD (per person)
2. Explore the beauty of nature in Ellison Provincial Park
Located just outside the Vernon in British Columbia, this picturesque destination is bound to allure you with its lush greenery, clear pristine waters, and sandy beaches with few people, thus making it one of the most preferred destinations among travelers. This provincial park is a major hotspot among locals to opt for hiking all over the park and explore great views of the lake from the hilltop. This rugged and hilly terrain offers a lot of adventure and you can find a dozen geocaches hidden in the park. So it’s great fun hunting the catches while you enjoy the scenic view of the place.
Ellison Provincial Park
Address: Ellison Park Rd, Vernon, BC, Canada
Website: Ellison Provincial Park
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price: 32 USD (per night)
3. Sip some premium cider wines at the Press Cider Winery
Located in the Okanagan Valley in Vernon, this popular winery is known for creating premium quality cider wines. The wines are made of authentic and natural ingredients with 6.6-7.1 % alcohol and they are fermented similarly like white wine. All the wines are made of more than 24 different varieties of apples without infusing any artificial flavors. You can taste these beautifully crafted cider wines. Among the different series of cider wines, you can give a try the Prospector (Traditional dry cider) and Ginny (cider with Gin Botanicals).
The BX Press Cidery & Orchard
Address:4667 E Vernon Rd, Vernon, BC V1B 3H9, Canada
Website: The BX Press Cidery & Orchard
Opening hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm; Sat - Sun: 10am - 5pm
Price: 10 USD
4. Explore the artwork of emerging artists at Vernon Public Art Gallery
Located in North-Okanagan, this is one of the largest public galleries in the region and it acts as the prime epicenter for cultural and educational activities. This art gallery provides a platform for emerging and established artists associated with different media including video, sculpture, and installation art. The entire area is spread over 6000sq.ft (557.4 square meters) and conducts more than 20 exhibitions every year for the local artists and artisans to showcase their talent to the masses.
Vernon Public Art Gallery
Address: 3228 31 Ave, Vernon, BC V1T 2H3, Canada
Website: Vernon Public Art Gallery
Opening hours: Sat : 11am - 4pm; Mon - Fri: 10am - 5pm (closed on Sun)
5. Have some fun at the Atlantis Water Slides
Located 5 km (3miles) away from the north of Vernon, this water park is a popular spot among travelers. The park attracts visitors of all ages to enjoy 10 different varieties of water slides including the popular River riot, tube ride, and many more exciting and fun activities to enjoy your day under the sun. Alongside, the park also has a separate kid zone, gift shop arcade, ice cream parlor, concession stand, and a large picnic area.
Atlantis Water Slides
Address: 7921 Greenhow Rd, Vernon, BC V1B 3S2, Canada
Website: Atlantis Water Slides
Opening hours: 10am - 6pm (daily)
Price: 93.94 USD
6. Explore the Vernon Museum and Archives
The Vernon Museum is a popular hotspot that attracts thousands of visitors every year. The 11 exhibition areas in the museum guide visitors through a series of permanent and temporary exhibits that are portrayed through a series of displays including artifacts, photographs, and texts. The museum also has a massive photo archive with an option to print your choice photo followed by education programs for children and adults.
Vernon Museum and Archives
Address: 3009 32nd Ave, Vernon, BC V1T 2L8, Canada
Website: Vernon Museum and Archives
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 10am - 4.30pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
Price: Free of cost
7. Enjoy the serenity of nature at the Allan Brooks Nature Centre
Located to the south of Vernon, this nature center is a popular hotspot and it attracts a lot of tourists every year. The center offers a first-hand experience to know the unique heritage of Okanagan through the various displays, information, and programs of the natural areas. It is situated on top of the grasslands and extends from the great Basin and stretches into the forest of south-central British Columbia. The Okanagan region is the warmest valley and it is one of the endangered regions in entire Canada.
Allan Brooks Nature Centre
Address: 250 Allan Brooks Way, Vernon, BC V1T 9L4, Canada
Website: Allan Brooks Nature Centre
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 9am - 4pm (closed on Sun & Mon)
8. Hike to the waterfall viewpoint in BX Creek and Falls Trail
This hiking area creates a perfect set up for hiking enthusiasts to indulge in some cool hiking and dip your toes in the cold water to beat the summer. You can take a hike up the waterfall hill point and experience a creekside hike down the shallow pool of BX Falls along the descending trail. Hikers can enjoy a marvelous creekside trail hike for a total of 3.7km (2.3 miles). It’s a perfect hiking spot for family and children and you can also look out for those lush canyon plants and ferns in the moist canyon.
BX Creek & Falls Trail
Address: 7025-, 7373 Tillicum Rd, Vernon, BC V1B 3N9, Canada
Website: BX Creek and Falls Trail
9. Sunbathe or play beach volleyball at Kin Beach
Located on the eastern shore of Okanagan Lake, this beach allows you to indulge in a lot of fun activities such as playing sand volleyball or just relaxing on the beach as the soothing breeze touches your face. The beach also has a playground, swimming area, jungle gym as well as a picnic area to enjoy and have a lot of fun.
Kin Beach
Address: Lakeshore Rd, Vernon, BC V1B 2H8, Canada
Website: Kin Beach
Opening hours: 24 hours (daily)
Price:Free
10. Explore skiing at Silverstar Mountain Ski Resort
Located in Vernon, Canada, this beautiful and charming resort is a perfect destination for family and kids to indulge in a host of fun activities such as skiing, snowboarding and also explore the numerous facilities available in the Silver Star Ski Resort. The village area of the ski resort is beautiful and unique, resembling a film set and it boasts restaurants, pubs and a childcare center. The resort offers the best skiing experience in Canada hence it is a popular family ski destination and it attracts a lot of visitors.
Silverstar Mountain Ski Resort
Address: 123 Shortt St, Silver Star Mountain, BC V1B 3M1, Canada
Website: Silverstar Mountain Ski Resort
Opening hours: 8am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 99 - 115 USD (per day)
11. Indulge in fun activities at Greater Vernon Recreation
The recreation center in Vernon offers ample opportunities for people of all ages including children, teens, and adults to indulge in a host of activities to rejuvenate yourself. The center boasts Creekside Conference Center, Aquatic Center, Dogwood Gym and other recreational activities to explore and stay active. The center is run by the city of Vernon with the financial assistance of the neighborhood area.
Greater Vernon Recreation
Address: 3310 37th Ave, Vernon, BC V1T 2Y5, Canada
Website: Greater Vernon Recreation
Opening hours: Sat: 9am - 9pm; Sun: 8am - 9pm; Mon - Thu: 6.30am - 9.30pm; Fri: 6.30am - 10pm
Price: 30 USD
12. Watch a movie at Galaxy Cinemas Vernon
If you are a movie buff and like to explore some cool movies running in the city, then the Galaxy Cinemas in Vernon is the place for you. This modern multiplex in Vernon screens the latest Hollywood movies and many other popular shows based on adventure, comedy, family, romance, etc, to suit the tastes of the diverse audience.
Galaxy Cinemas Vernon
Address: 275-2306 BC-6, Vernon, BC V1T 7E3, Canada
Website: Galaxy Cinemas Vernon
Opening hours: 11am - 9.55pm (daily)
Price:8.50 - 8.99 USD
13. Try your luck at the Lake City Casino
The Lake City Casino in Vernon is a perfect place for tourists to indulge in a host of exciting games coupled with entertainment, dining, and drinking. The live casino lets you enjoy the gaming action with 400 of the latest slot machines. Some of the popular table games that you can enjoy are Three Card Poker, Virtual Blackjack and Roulette. It is the longest open Casino that remains open from 9 am to 2 pm, making it a popular hotspot among locals and tourists.
Lake City Casino
Address: 4900 Anderson Way, Vernon, British Columbia V1T 9V2, Canada
Website: Lake City Casino
Opening hours: Sun - Wed: 10am - 12pm; Thu - Sat: 10am - 2am
Price: 14 - 21USD (per person)
14. Visit Planet Bee Honey Farm and Honeymoon Meadery
The Planet Bee Farm in the Okanagan Valley offers the visitors a unique opportunity to learn interesting facts about honey bees and aims to provide customers with the highest quality of packaged products sourced from the local beekeeper. Visitors can even taste from the vast selection of unpasteurized honey from around the world to have hands-on experience of the business.
Planet Bee Honey Farm and Honeymoon Meadery
Address: 5011 Bella Vista Rd, Vernon, BC V1H 1A1, Canada
Website: Bee Honey Farm and Honeymoon Meadery
Opening hours: Sat: 8.30am - 6pm; Sun: 9am - 5pm; Mon - Fri: 8am - 6pm
15. Plan a visit to the Historic O’Keefe Ranch
Located near the Okanagan Lake in the Okanagan Valley, North West of Vernon, the historic O’Keefe Ranch was founded in the year 1867 by Cornelius O’Keefe. The ranch was created with the purpose of preserving the rich history and culture of the early ranching period for the upcoming generations. To enhance and nurture the ranching heritage back to life and to educate the visitors, several interactive activities and events are conducted, that includes Blacksmithing, yoga with the goats, Spallumcheen Pioneer Power Club work party and many more daily activities.
Historic O’Keefe Ranch
Address: 9380 BC-97, Vernon, BC V1H 1W9, Canada
Website: Historic O’Keefe Ranch
Opening hours: 10am - 5pm (daily)
Price: 13 -33 USD
Vernon: a valley of nature’s beauty
The city of Vernon, which is popularly known as the Okanagan Valley in Canada, British Columbia, is a beautiful countryside surrounded by three beautiful lakes and a host of attractions to explore. The city has a mild climate with a series of wineries and orchards. To make the most out of this place, we recommend that you visit all the above-mentioned places during your stay in Vernon.
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