Get out your sunglasses and sunscreen as we’ve officially passed the summer solstice and entered the best season of the year.
Osoyoos has become one of British Columbia’s premier travel destinations, boasting world-class wineries, unparalleled outdoor activities and a unique blend of Indigenous history. It is one of the staples of the Okanagan desert, featuring incredible sights from the sweeping views on Anarchist Mountain to the mind-bending Spotted Lake — scenery that can be considered the stuff of legend.
When you plan out your trip in 2022, be prepared to be awash in natural beauty along with outdoor adventure and of course vineyards that are to die for.
Below are all the things you need to know for maximizing your Osoyoos stay during the summer of 2022.
New things to try this summer
Stroll on the refurbished Osoyoos Desert Centre Boardwalk
Adding to the many reasons to visit the Osoyoos Desert Centre in 2022 is a newly refurbished boardwalk. Over the off-season, the Desert Centre worked with a local landscape company to replace the 1.5 km boardwalk with composite material instead of wood, in order to make it last longer overall. The new material will also help to reduce maintenance needs and make it better withstand the impacts of weather.
The Desert Centre is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily and offers guided tours at 10 a.m. and noon.
Eat at Indian Flame on Main’s new location
A local favourite for many years, Indian Flame on Main is set to re-open this summer in a new location. The restaurant is known for a wide variety of authentic Indian food dishes and it will be well worth stopping in to check out its new home and try some excellent food.
Indian Flame is currently finishing the final touches as part of its move and will be opening its doors in the coming weeks.
Shuttle to the completed District Wine Village
Since last summer, District Wine Village has added its last new winery, Canter Cellars, and is completing the finishing touches on construction. The Village now includes 13 Wineries, 1 brewery and 1 eatery with a capacity of 610 people.
Shuttles are now departing two times daily from Osoyoos hotels with pickup and return times specified with each booking.
Additionally, over the summer, the District Wine Village will be hosting a variety of events as well, including marketplaces, dinner series and live concerts with well-known artists ranging from Emerson Drive to Matthew Good.
Try one of the many unique tasting experiences at Covert Farms
Covert Farms, a fourth-generation, 650-acre regenerative farm and winery near Osoyoos, offers some of the most unique tasting and farm experiences in the area. The family-run property has options for guests to have their own private picnic with local charcuterie, artisanal cheese and seasonal farm-fresh veggies.
For a limited time this summer, new private campfire cookouts are also being offered where guests can pre-book their very own fire pit along with ready-to-grill kits.
Also available on the farm are wine tastings, property tours in a cherry-red ’52 Mercury truck, and private farm tours for the kids.
In 2022, guests are also able to grab frozen goodies to take away from Covert Farms’ new retail freezer.
Watch the Barrell Races at the Desert Park Equine Facility & Racetrack
Racing is returning to Desert Park! The excitement is scheduled to take place on various Friday nights throughout the summer.
Watch the horse races as you enjoy hotdogs and snacks, a beer garden, and more! Check out Desert Park Equine Facility & Racetrack or visit desertpark.ca for details and a full schedule.
Visit the Osoyoos Night Market
After a hiatus for a couple of years, the Osoyoos Night Market is set to return in 2022.
The evening marketplace will pop up every Tuesday, between July 5 and August 30, and run from 5-8 p.m. rain or shine.
All products sold by our vendors are made locally and grown locally, so you can buy locally. This includes a variety of artisan crafts, local fruits and vegetables, baked goods and wine/cider/beer/spirits.
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There is an array of things to do beyond this list and if you need some inspiration or want help planning your trip, more information can be found at destinationosoyoos.com
Ways to Get Around
Whether you’re here for work, here for the summer, or just here for a well-earned getaway, you’ll want to see all Osoyoos has to offer. There are multiple ways you can see Osoyoos
The two closest options for vehicle rentals are Budget Car Rental and Enterprise in Penticton. Both offer a range of economy and mid-size vehicles and SUVs to accommodate groups of almost any size.
For drivers with electric cars, Osoyoos has a number of electric vehicle charging stations available for multiple connector types, including two public lots and a Tesla Supercharger lot.
Bikes are a great way to get around Osoyoos, and enjoy our beautiful sunshine! Double O Bikes offers bike rentals to help you cruise through town, or venture off to a winery of your choosing.
Osoyoos Scooters provides scooter rentals for a fun and easy way to get around the area, with their fleet of Yamaha BWS ’50s and Vino scooters, as well as pedal cars and cruiser bikes.
Of course, you can always consider transportation on the lake as well, as there are multiple places in town to rent boats, pontoons, paddleboards, kayaks and more.
Interregional public transit service is available via BC Transit. The #40 bus travels from Osoyoos up to the Penticton transit exchange where transfers can be made to Kelowna, Naramata, and Summerland, or to Coalmont via Princeton.
The Osoyoos stop is located at Main & 89th, across the street from the Osoyoos Town Hall.
Where to Stay
Osoyoos offers an extensive list of places to stay, from resorts to campgrounds and everything in between.
Hotels and resorts riddle the area surrounding Osoyoos Lake. Guests travelling during the summer months will have access to hotels right in the heart of town as well as resorts at some of the local wineries.
Osoyoos is also host to multiple bed and breakfasts that will make your stay feel like home.
Camping is another great way to experience Osoyoos as there are multiple campgrounds in town.
The best advice is to book well in advance of your visit to Osoyoos as accommodations tend to book up during the summer months and finding a place last-minute can be near impossible.
Places to Eat
There is a variety of food options from fine dining to food trucks and fruit stands, offering food that caters to all palettes.
Below are just a few of the many wonderful restaurants that guests might want to consider when visiting this summer:
An authentic Indian bistro located at Kismet Estate Winery, offering exotic flavours of food paired with wines.
TERRAFINA RESTAURANT AT HESTER CREEK
Set on the 105-acre Mediterranean-influenced grounds, Terrafina offers a Tuscan-style menu with views of the vineyard-laden hills of the Golden Mile Bench.
15 Park Bistro at Watermark Beach Resort features an intimate environment and a menu full of share plates, a selection of gourmet charcuterie and house-made desserts.
Sofia’s is a Mexican food truck specializing in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and more.
Italian and French cuisine inspired by traditional recipes.
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It is advised that you look to book your dining experiences in advance of your trip as, much like accommodations, things tend to fill up during the summer and it can be hard to get a seat at certain restaurants.
Places to Shop
Osoyoos is full of small businesses that are great places to spend some time shopping for local goods that can make great souvenirs or gifts!
Fashion lovers will find plenty of places to shop until they drop while visiting Osoyoos, with many local clothing options. For that uniquely Osoyoos style, you can stop by Unity, Cheeks Wear, Beach Chik Island Time, or California Day.
You can also find chic styles at Strike the Pose and Lady Chadderton’s.
For unique jewellery, gems, guitars, and rare LPs have a browse at Elvis Fine Jewellery and Music.
Find one-of-a-kind clothing, accessories, and home decor at Wander Emporium, as well as The Curator for the more antique and vintage-minded.
Discover and gift the work of local artists via the Okanagan Art Gallery, THE ART GALLERY Osoyoos, and many local shops that promote local artisans such as The Curator and the Boutique at the Osoyoos Visitor Centre.
Of course, you also won’t want to miss the family-owned Osoyoos Home Hardware, which has a treasure trove of items!
What to Bring to Osoyoos
Here’s a quick list of some essentials for your summer trip to Osoyoos:
- Sunscreen: Our desert climate is typically quite hot and sunny through the summer months, so sunscreen is a must if you’re spending any time outside.
- Bathing suit: With temperatures heating up, summer is the best time to enjoy one of our many sandy beaches and catch some sun! With the warmest lake in Canada, swimming in Osoyoos Lake can be enjoyed right through into September and beyond!
- A cooler: Not only will this be helpful to pack some on-the-go snacks or picnic lunch for your road trip, but we recommend bringing a cooler for any bottles of wine you want to take back home. This will ensure a proper storage temperature so your wine doesn’t spoil when travelling.
- Your dog: Did you know that Osoyoos has tons of dog-friendly options for accommodations, activities, and wineries? That means you can have an enjoyable getaway to Osoyoos with your furry friend!
Pro Tip: Leave some extra space for your finds: from shopping our nifty Main Street to the many wineries, you’re bound to have more than just memories to bring home after your trip!
Average Monthly Temperatures
To give an idea of what type of heat visitors can expect, below are the average monthly temperature highs throughout the summer:
June: 26°C
July: 30°C
August: 29°C
September: 24°C
Download the App!
Did you know that we’ve got our own app that can be downloaded on both iOS and Android phones? We encourage you to download the Destination Osoyoos app to access all the information you need, help plan your trip, and get exclusive contests and offers from our stakeholders!
