Okanagan Getaway

Bridal Falls

This past Victoria Day weekend, we passed on the ferry and border line ups and headed up to the Okanagan. We took the slow way with stops in Bridal Falls (a short hike up to the falls), Manning Park Lodge for a quick break and a snack, shopping in Hedley, gas in Keremeos, lunch in Penticton, and finally our B&B. The Eagles Nest is located in Carrs Landing, about 20 minutes north of Kelowna. The B & B was wonderful, with a fantastic view down the hill to Lake Okanagan.  We settled in and tested out the hot tub, which was great after the 6 hour drive. Our hosts had recommended many restaurants in the area, and we settled for the local pub which was right on Wood Lake. The food was ok, but it was a great location, and close to our B&B. 

The next morning, after a big breakfast of eggs benedict, we headed up to the top of a hill. From the view point, we could see Lake Okanagan, Wood Lake and Elison Lake. It was well worth the effort. We were lucky as we misread a trail sign and were about to head back, but along came another hiker, who pointed out our mistake. 

The afternoon took us to 3 wineries: 50th Parallel, Gray Monk and Intrigue. Our lunch was at the small OK Patio Cafe. It is part of the Lake Country Museum. The lakeside location made for a great lunch before we tackled the Gray Monk winery. 

View of Lake Country

At all three wineries, we were met by very accommodating staff who showed off their wines and further educated us. We discovered Pinot Grigio, as well as Gamy Noir as well as an expensive bottle of Pinot Noir, which we are saving for a special occasion.

After our winery tours, we stopped in to buy some cheese and crackers, and headed back to the B&B to enjoy the first bottle of our cache. Our dinner later that evening was in a Greek restaurant and then a stroll along Wood Lake.

Enjoying our wine

Sunday took us into Kelowna for a wander through the Mission District and then on to downtown. The waterfront was alive with weekenders and the weather was perfect. We picked up Subway sandwiches for a roadside picnice, but there were no pull offs along the Okanagan Connector, so we found our own just outside of Merrit. From there it was downhill home after a great weekend away.