Staff from the Penticton Visitor Centre recently took part in a familiarization tour, and we used those experiences to help create this guide to give locals some fun ideas on planning their staycation.
Now is the perfect time to play tourist in your own backyard! With non-essential travel restrictions outside your region remaining in place until June 15, 2021, a Penticton staycation allows you to get out of the house, try something new and support our local businesses.
Breakfast
Start your morning with coffee and breakfast on the patio at one of our many fantastic cafes or breakfast spots. Enjoy a specialty coffee and breakfast sandwich at Wayne & Freda, a selection of over 15 types of eggs benedict and Starbucks coffee at The Bufflehead Cafe, or coffee with locally roasted organic beans and a Bench breakfast at The Bench Market. With plenty of amazing spots to try, you can’t go wrong no matter where you choose to go! View our café patio guide here.
Adventure
After you’ve had your morning joe and filled up on a delicious local breakfast, it is time to set out for an adventure. Never tried an e-bike before? Book an e-bike tour with South Okanagan E-Bike Safaris! Max or Debbie will be your guide and will provide you with a safety brief, instructions on using the e-bike and ensure the bike fits and feels comfortable. South Okanagan E-Bike Safaris offers a variety of tours or “safaris” throughout the South Okanagan including the Naramata Bench Wine Safari, where you’ll ride up the historic KVR and looking out over Okanagan Lake from the entrance to Little Tunnel back towards Penticton, stopping at three selected premium wineries. You’ll easily glide along the trail on your e-bike, and you can change the power level on the e-bike to provide you with more or less of a boost.
Looking to just rent e-bikes and head out on your own rather than a guided tour? With the popularity of e-bikes rising, you can rent from a number of local shops now offering e-bike rentals including Freedom Bike Shop, Pedego Penticton, Penticton E-Kruise, The Bike Barn and Velo Volt.
If you’re on the Naramata Bench Wine Safari with South Okanagan E-Bike Safaris, then you’ll have 3 stops at wineries. Naramata Bench has a selection of over 40 wineries to choose from. Hillside Winery is a great choice for learning about and tasting on the Naramata Bench as they focus on showcasing hand-crafted wine made exclusively from Naramata grown grapes. Feeling a little hungry? The Bistro at Hillside offers a Grab N’ Go menu so you can get a cheese plate, charcuterie board or picnic pack to go following your wine tasting. View our winery tasting and patio guide here.
Lunch
Now that you’ve worked up an appetite biking along the KVR, it’s time for lunch! After you’ve had your fill of wine tastings, one of our seven breweries along the Penticton Ale Trail is the perfect lunch stop to enjoy a craft beer and meal. An excellent option is Slackwater Brewing, as they have not just one but two patios for you to enjoy! A rooftop patio and a dog-friendly side-street patio. Try the Slack-style Poutine which perfectly blends together the flavours of their beer and food, as it is topped with their porter demi-glace. Feeling adventurous? Ask your server about their Foodie Feature!
Check out our Penticton Patio & Dining Guide for a list of restaurants, pubs, cafes, breweries, and wineries with patios and those that offer take-out and delivery options as well.
Accommodation
Next up, time to check-in for the night! It’s not a staycation without a night away from home! From Resorts, Motels and Hotels, to Bed & Breakfasts and Vacation Rentals, or Camping, Penticton offers lodging options for every budget for your staycation. Stay close to the action downtown or escape to your own private retreat, and stay in a new-to-you part of the city.
Penticton Lakeside Resort & Conference Centre has many different rooms to choose from. Whether you are in the main building or in the new West Wing, offering complete luxury in its contemporary design, you will enjoy your own private balcony. Choose from City View, overlooking our beautiful city, Gyro Park and allowing guests to people watch – best done on a Saturday morning if you want to watch the bustle of the Saturday morning Penticton Farmer’s Market or Lake View, overlooking the beautiful Okanagan Lake. Guests can take advantage of the many amenities that the Penticton Lakeside Resort offers such as on-site restaurants, pool and hot tub, access to PURE Gym & Juicery, EV & Tesla charging stations, Pomme Salon, Three Wishes Boutique and a private beach and marina! As an added bonus, for Penticton Locals looking for a change of scenery, when you Book Direct you will enjoy exclusive perks including a $25 Food and Beverage credit and complimentary parking.
Tiki Shores Inn & Suites offers guests a home away from home feeling with a selection of suites, from well-equipped studios to deluxe penthouses, all equipped with a full kitchen and dining area. Enjoy the heated outdoor pool (open mid-May), a grassed green space complete with gas BBQ’s, and an on-site restaurant for your convenience. Make it an extended staycation with their special offer; Stay for 3 Nights and Pay for 2, when you book and stay on Monday to Thursday, until June 31, 2021.
Okanagan Lakefront Resort (previously Rochester Resort) is undergoing a full renovation, expected to be completed in June, and offers pet-friendly rooms along their first floor rooms. Choose from a standard room or a suite, and you’ll be welcomed into a bright, fresh room complete with a new bed, coffee maker and microwave. With an array of promotional options for your stay including their Family Package which offers 20% off a 2 night stay, their VIP Package where you can customize the package and items included, and their Spring Fling Package offering 35% off your stay, all available until June 15, 2021.
Golden Sands Resort offers reasonably-priced accommodations with a casual, relaxed, resort atmosphere. They have an outdoor pool, BBQ areas, units with full kitchens or kitchenettes, guest laundry, and is perfectly located right across the street from Okanagan Lake and next to Lickity Splitz Ice Cream Shop.
Check out the Visit Penticton website, and search for the perfect accommodations for you.
Explore
After you’ve checked into your accommodations, head out for a stroll along Lakeshore, taking in the familiar view of Okanagan Lake and make a stop to check out the Penticton Art Gallery & the gorgeous Ikeda Japanese Garden full of fresh blooms and fish in the ponds. Make a call into your favorite restaurant and order take-out or delivery to enjoy back in your room or suite, or check out Picnic-ton and get a picnic pack from your choice of 40+ registered businesses for a picnic in the park! They have an interactive map so you can pick a park nearby, see how many picnic benches are at each location, and scope out amenities.
We live in an amazing city and are lucky to have so many wonderful experiences right in our own backyard! Stay Local, Support Local with a Penticton staycation.
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