of the big three, is surrounded by three lakes (Okanagan, Kalamalka and Swan) offering extensive water sports, fishing and beach activities together with miles of hiking trails. It’s home to the Okanagan Science Centre, art galleries and museums. The city is also a starting point for a wine tour named the Scenic Sip Trail which runs from Vernon to Kelowna, with tasting stops at various area wineries such as Ancient Hills and Gray Monk. While each of the region’s three biggest cities benefits from the valley’s hospitable climate and natural surroundings, they are individually defined through separately developed personalities. Desert Sun and Sand The Okanagan’s southernmost town of Osoyoos is widely known as the home of Canada’s only desert. While ecologists refer to it as a semi-arid environment rather than a true desert such as the Sahara, it is the hottest, driest spot in the country. Its natural flora includes sagebrush and cactus and its creepy crawlies can be scorpions, salamanders and rattlesnakes. I spent two days in the charming community of Osoyoos, a place that lives up to its reputation as Canada’s only desert – semi or not. For the record, during my stay there I never saw a rattlesnake or any of the desert’s creepy crawlies. Lying just two miles north of the Canada/U.S. border, the town and surrounding area enjoy a hot, dry climate, plenty of sunshine and low rainfall. It’s these special climate conditions that helped shape the Osoyoos region’s booming wine industry, vast fruit orchards and endless outdoor activities. Together, the town and surrounding area boast four quality golf courses including the indigenous-owned Nk’Mip Canyon links owned and operated by the Osoyoos Indian Band. In addition to golf, the area has at least 40 wineries plus dozens of wine tours and festivals with such catchy names as Corks & Cactus, Sip Happens, Half Corked Marathon and Festival of the Grape. Wine and dining, of course, are not strangers; consequently, there are oodles of restaurants large and small. From fine dining to simple fare, Osoyoos eateries generally practise a farm-to-table culinary culture in which everything is local, farm-grown and on the table – often on the same day as when it was harvested. Beyond wine, dining, golf and a host of outdoor activities, the town boasts various cultural attractions. Among them is the Nk’Mip Desert Cultural Centre, a large facility that celebrates thousands of years of Okanagan First Nations life on the surrounding desert lands. With the town and area’s bounty of attractions, as well as its mild winter climate, it’s hardly surprising that the place eventually caught the attention of Canadian snowbirds. Hundreds of them return there every year – October through April – with the numbers lately increasing. Osoyoos’ accommodations include vacation properties, resorts, hotels and RV parks. CSANews | SPRING 2026 | 19 Travel
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