//
City in British Columbia, Canada
Photo: Shaundd, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Vernon is a city of about 45,000 people (2016) in the north end of the Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Vernon is known for its lakes and beaches in the summer, and skiing and hockey in the winter. It is therefore a year-round tourist destination and weekend getaway for people from Vancouver and Calgary.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Davison Orchards
A family-run apple orchard that has become a popular family attraction. There are some sheep, goats and chickens (feed is available for 25¢), two playgrounds, lots of tractors to look at (or climb onto), and a 20-minute tractor-drawn ride (the Johnny Popper Tour) through the orchard where the guide explains some of the history of the orchard and what they do. A bakery and cafe sell freshly baked goods, including the popular apple cider donuts, and the shop sells local fruit and their cold-pressed fresh apple juice.
One of the first ranches created in the Okanagan, the buildings are now a heritage site open to the public. Many of the buildings have been restored and there are exhibits on the history of the ranch and ranching in British Columbia. Notable sites include the O'Keefe Mansion, the church, the old school, the Greenhow Museum (with a large model railroad upstairs) and the farm animals. There is also a corn maze to explore for an extra fee.
Bee farm with glass hives that allow you to watch the bees make the honey, honey and mead tasting, and a gift shop with a large selection of honey products. For a small fee, there are information presentations available daily in July/Aug and on weekends in June and Sept that provide more info on bees and beekeeping. The bees are active year round but are most active in the summer.
The most popular winter attraction in the Okanagan Valley. Skiers and snowboarders take advantage of Silver Star Mountain where they have 2,491 feet (760 m) of vertical drop in which to defy gravity. Cross-country skiers also have a venue at Silver Star with 37 kilometers of tracked and groomed trails. In addition, there are 50 km of groomed trails that pass through the adjacent Sovereign Lake area. Located 24 km (under 30 minutes) north-east of downtown Vernon.
Sandy beach at the north end of Kalamalka Lake with a swimming area, beach volleyball and picnic tables. A concession stand is open in the summer.
Day use park with picnic areas, beaches and many hiking trails with some nice views that show off Kalamalka Lake's vibrant colour in summer. The terrain is hilly with a mix of grassland, forest and wetlands. Mountain biking is allowed in some areas of the park. Note that all beach access requires some walking. The park is undeveloped and only has pit toilets.
Sandy beach on an arm of Lake Okanagan. There's a swimming area, beach volleyball court, playground and picnic tables in mature trees.
Located in the downtown core. Great food, big portions.
A bit of everything on a large menu.
formerly the Outboard Waterfront Pub or Blue Heron Water Front Pub & Restaurant
Waterfront restaurant with a patio overlooking Lake Okanagan. Serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Part of the Blue Heron Marina.
Two level pub with roof top patio and big screen TVs. Menu includes usual pub fare like burgers, sandwiches, wraps, bowls and fish & chips. Daily drink and food specials, like cheap wings on Thursday and Sunday. Voted best pub in local Reader's Choice awards 2013-2015.
All-suite hotel with every room having a deck or balcony, fireplace and a full kitchen. Luxury touches include pillow-top mattresses, stainless steel kitchen appliances and rainfall showers. There is free Wi-Fi, an outdoor pool and hot tub, and a free continental breakfast. There are one and two bedroom suites, and reviewers indicate rooms are spacious.
149-room resort with one of the largest spas in Canada. Room amenities include floor-to-ceiling windows, Swarovsky crystal fireplaces, two person soaker tubs and mini-fridge. Rooms also include a complementary hot breakfast buffet, Wifi and use of the fitness facility. The architecture of the hotel is unique with its estimated 3.5 million pieces of crystal. The setting is also quite nice — the resort is built on a ridge overlooking Lake Okanagan, which affords some very nice views of the lake and the Monashee Mountains.
Air-conditioned rooms equipped with refrigerators.
the Lodge
The Vernon Lodge is a hotel with many amenities, such as ballrooms and an indoor pool. The Vernon Creek runs straight through the hotel itself. The interior of the hotel has a tropical vibe and includes many palm trees and other tropical flora.
An indoor mall, which is the largest in the city.
By bus
By plane
Vernon has a very small airport but no commercial flights. Kelowna International Airport (YLW) is about 30 min to the south if Vernon, and has regular scheduled flights.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Kelowna · International · YLW
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Vernon (British Columbia) and Canada.
Travel tipsDiscover how to use AI to find cheap flights. Learn prompt strategies, smart fare engines, open-jaw routings, and error-fare booking techniques.
6 min read
Nature & adventureThe National Parks of Canada, and some of the National Historic Sites of Canada, are managed by Parks Canada, an agency of the Government of Canada.
Wikivoyage
Travel tipsAlthough trains are not nearly as ubiquitous and convenient a mode of travel in Canada as in Europe or East Asia, they remain popular with some travelers because of the spacious design of the cars, the scenic routes,…
Wikivoyage
Nature & adventureMany books have been written about hiking in the Canadian Rockies, particularly in Alberta and eastern British Columbia (the "Rocky Mountains" don't actually extend that far).
Wikivoyage
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.